REAL-TIME PEER-TO-PEER COMMUNICATIONS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT INCLUDES A RESTRICTED CHANNEL

• US 20150351114A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Haque, Tashbeeb, Balasubramaniyan, Saravanan, Boodannavar, Veerendra M., Wolf, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 10,178,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1074 for supporting data block transmission mechanisms file transfer H04L67/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1085 involving dynamic management of active down- or uploading connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/03 Reselecting a link using a direct mode connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus and methods are provided for conducting wireless data communications, particularly real-time data communications, in a communication environment that includes a restricted channel (e.g., a channel subject to Dynamic Frequency Selection or DFS). Two or more mobile communication/computing devices (e.g., smart phones, tablet computers) participate in a peer-to-peer network and engage in data communications while one or more of them operate on the restricted channel (e.g., to maintain an infrastructure communication connection). Their channel sequences are configured to maximize the efficiency of the data communication while satisfying restrictions of the restricted channel or avoiding that channel, and only require them to monitor one beacon interval. One or more of the devices may strategically roam to the restricted channel or away from the restricted channel, depending on which action will provide greater communication throughput or efficiency.

Claims

1. A device for conducting wireless data communications, the device comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a wireless transceiver for conducting wireless communications;

wherein the processor and the wireless transceiver are configured to;

participate in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network;

initiate real-time data communications with a peer device in the P2P network, the peer device having a first infrastructure communication connection on a restricted communication channel, wherein a restricted communication channel is a communication channel that requires implementation of dynamic frequency selection;

roam to the restricted channel; and

conduct the real-time data communications while channel switching between;

the restricted channel; and

one or more channels on which the P2P network operates.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a timer for timing a beacon interval of a central node operating on the restricted channel.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the processor and the wireless transceiver are further configured to:

switch channels from the one or more channels to the restricted channel;

determine a duration of time that has elapsed since receipt of a previous beacon from the central node; and

immediately resume the real-time data communications on the restricted channel, after the channel switch, only if the duration of time is less than a predetermined time period.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein:

the first infrastructure communication connection is hosted by a first access point emitting signals with a first signal strength; and

the processor and the wireless transceiver are further configured to;

strategically roam from the restricted channel to another communication channel;

wherein the strategic roaming causes the peer device to establish a second infrastructure communication connection on the other channel with a second access point emitting signals with a second strength lower than the first strength.

5. A method for conducting wireless data communications at a mobile device, the method comprising:

joining a wireless peer-to-peer (P2P) network;

identifying a peer device in the P2P network with which to engage in real-time data communications;

identifying a restricted channel on which the peer device maintains a legacy wireless communication connection with a central node; and

if the mobile device maintains a legacy wireless communication connection on a channel other than the restricted channel, strategically roaming to the restricted channel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

implementing a sequence of channel switches to include the restricted channel and one or more channels on which the P2P network operates; and

conducting the real-time data communications while implementing the channel-switching sequence.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein conducting the real-time data communications comprises:

upon switching to the restricted channel from a different channel;

calculating a period of time that has elapsed since a last beacon was received on the restricted channel; and

if the elapsed period of time is less than a predefined time period, immediately resuming the real-time data communications.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the restricted channel is a channel that requires implementation of dynamic frequency selection; and

the predefined time period is two beacon intervals.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein conducting the real-time data communications further comprises, upon switching to the restricted channel from a different channel:

if the elapsed period of time is greater than the predefined time period, remaining quiescent until a new beacon is received.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for conducting wireless data communications at a mobile device, the method comprising:

joining a wireless peer-to-peer (P2P) network;

identifying a peer device in the P2P network with which to engage in real-time data communications;

identifying a restricted channel on which the peer device maintains a legacy wireless communication connection with a central node; and

if the mobile device maintains a legacy wireless communication connection on a channel other than the restricted channel, strategically roaming to the restricted channel

11. A method for conducting wireless data communications at a mobile device, the method comprising:

joining a wireless peer-to-peer (P2P) network;

selecting a peer device in the P2P network with which to engage in real-time data communications;

implementing a sequence of channel switches among the restricted channel and at least one channel on which the P2P network operates; and

strategically roaming away from the restricted channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the strategic roaming comprises:

severing a first infrastructure communication connection with a first central node operating on the restricted channel and having a first signal strength; and

establishing a second infrastructure communication connection with a second central node operating on a different channel and having a second signal strength lower than the first signal strength.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the strategic roaming comprises:

identifying a set of communication channels not used by central nodes within communication range of the mobile device; and

selecting and roaming to a channel in the set of communication channels.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying a set of communication channels not used by central nodes within communication range of the mobile device comprises:

receiving from a central node operating on the restricted channels identities of channels used by the central nodes; and

identifying compatible communication channels other than the channels used by the central nodes.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the strategic roaming comprises:

periodically switching to one or more channels on which the P2P network operates;

observing usage of the one or more channels; and

selecting and roaming to one of the one or more channels, based on the observed usage of the one channel.