Method, system and apparatus for using neighbor awareness networking for mesh networking

• US 20180183701A1
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Qi, Emily H., Huang, Po-Kai, Cavalcanti, Dave
• Application Number:
  US15/390,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20180183701A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method, system and apparatus for providing extending NAN networking capabilities to implement upper layer protocols, including, mesh networking. In an exemplary embodiment, NAN network configuration is used by identifying one or more nearby devices that support a similar Routing Protocol Service. The routing protocol may be Routing Protocol for Low Power and Lossy Network (RPL). The RPL may be identified by sending a NAN Service Discovery frames during a NAN Discovery Windows. Nearby devices which support the RPL may respond to the Service Discovery Frame. Once the nearby devices are identified, NAN Multicast Service Group (NMSG) may be formed and routing tables may be established. Multiple unicast NAN data paths may be established based on the routing tables.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising logic and circuitry configured to cause a Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) device in a NAN device cluster to

advertise a Routing Protocol Service (RPS) through one or more NAN Service Discovery frames during one or more NAN Discovery Windows (DW);

receive one or more responses to the advertisement from a respective one or more devices in a mesh network;

form a NAN Multicast Service Group (NMSG) by identifying the one or more devices in the mesh network that support the RPS;

establish one or more routing tables for the devices in the NMSG; and

setup unicast data paths between devices in the NMSG according to the one or more routing tables.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Routing Protocol Service defines Routing over Low Power and Lossy Network (RPL).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic and circuitry are further configured to use NAN time synchronization protocol to synchronize devices in NMSG.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first of the NMSG devices transmits a multicast frame as a source of the multicast group.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each device in the NMSG periodically updates its respective routing table.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic and circuitry are further configured to setup a unicast NAN data path based on the routing table.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the logic and circuitry are further configured to transmit data packets using the unicast data path.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic and circuitry are further configured to transmit an updated data link schedule.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic and circuitry are further configured to setup a data path between two or more of NMSG devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the logic and circuitry are further configured to transmit a NAN Availability attribute during the data path setup.

11. A tangible machine-readable non-transitory storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

advertising a Routing Protocol Service (RPS) through one or more NAN Service Discovery frames during one or more NAN Discovery Windows (DW);

receiving one or more responses to the advertisement from a respective one or more devices in the mesh network;

forming a NAN Multicast Service Group (NMSG) by identifying the one or more devices in the mesh network that support the RPS;

establishing one or more routing tables for the devices in the NMSG; and

setting up unicast data path between devices in the NMSG according to the one or more routing tables.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the Routing Protocol Service defines Routing over Low Power and Lossy Network (RPL).

13. The medium of claim 11, further comprising using NAN time synchronization protocol to synchronize devices in the NMSG.

14. The medium of claim 11, wherein a first of the NMSG devices transmits a multicast frame as a source of the multicast group.

15. The medium of claim 11, wherein each device in the NMSG periodically updates its respective routing table.

16. The medium of claim 11, further comprising setting up a unicast NAN data path based on the routing table

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein transmitting data packets in a unicast data path further comprises transmitting an updated data link schedule.

18. The medium of claim 11, wherein establishing routing tables for the NMSG devices further comprises setting up a data path between two or more of NAN multicast group devices.

19. The medium of claim 18, further comprising transmitting a NAN Availability attribute during the data path setup.

20. The medium of claim 11, further comprising terminating the data path.

21. A method to implement mesh networking by a mobile device using Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) protocol, the method comprising:

advertising a Routing Protocol Service (RPS) through one or more NAN Service Discovery frames during one or more NAN Discovery Windows (DW);

receiving one or more responses to the advertisement from a respective one or more devices in the mesh network;

forming a NAN Multicast Service Group (NMSG) by identifying the one or more devices in the mesh network that support the RPS;

establishing one or more routing tables for the devices in the NMSG; and

setting up unicast data path between devices in the NMSG according to the one or more routing tables.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the Routing Protocol Service defines Routing over Low Power and Lossy Network (RPL).

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising using NAN time synchronization protocol to synchronize devices in the NMSG.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein a first of the NMSG devices transmits a multicast frame as a source of the multicast group.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein each device in the NMSG periodically updates its respective routing table.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising setting up a unicast NAN data path based on the routing table

27. The method of claim 26, wherein transmitting data packets in a unicast data path further comprises transmitting an updated data link schedule.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein establishing routing tables for the NMSG devices further comprises setting up a data path between two or more of NAN multicast group devices.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising transmitting a NAN Availability attribute during the data path setup.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising terminating the data path.