Event-driven discovery method and apparatus

• US 7,339,484 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pradhan, Salil, Jam, Mehrban
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang; Phuong N
• Application Number:
  US10/185,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 719/318, 719/310, 719/330, 709/223, 709/224, 709/227, 709/228, 709/245, 709248-250, 370/465, 370/441, 455 411- 412, 455/3.01, 455/3.05, 455/401, 455/404.2, 455/73, 455/74.1, 455/434, 455/437, 455/439, 340/573.1, 340/636, 340/635, 701/207
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for performing discovery between devices in a network. Using event-driven discovery, devices conserve energy resources and more rapidly join a given network. The event-driven discovery detects a common-event associated with a first device preparing to communicate with a second device. The first device then discovers the second device in response to detection of the common-event. For example, this common-event could be a handshake with another person. During discovery, the first and second devices exchange respective information and optionally may establish a communication session to exchange further information if desired.

Claims

1. A discovery method to discover devices in a close physical proximity for facilitating communication between the devices in an ad-hoc network, comprising:

detecting a characteristic of a common-event associated with a first device in the ad-hoc network preparing to communicate with a second device in close physical proximity to the first device, wherein the characteristic of the common-event is based on the relationship to a user, wherein the common event is a single event detected by a sensor for the first device and is also detectable by a sensor for the second device;

initiating discovery of the second device by the first device responsive to detection of the common-event associated with the first device, wherein discovery includes

sending a discovery signal from the first device to any devices within range of the first device;

receiving a description of capabilities of the second device at the first device in response to the sensor for the second device also detecting the characteristic of the common event and the second device receiving the discovery signal; and

the first device communicating with the discovered second device if the second device discovered the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, establishing a communication session between the first device and the second device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device end second device are in a physical proximity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the common-event establishes a time interval for performing discovery.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second device initiates a discovery of the first device in response to detecting a common-event associated with the second device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein occurrence of the common event associated with the first device is external to the second device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second device initiates the discovery of the first device in response to the detection of the characteristic of the common-event associated with the first device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the common-event corresponds to a hand-gesture.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the common-event is generated external to the first device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a user of the first device generates the common-event that is detected by the first device and the second device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a machine generates the common-event.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the detected characteristic of the common event comprises one or more of movement, sound, scent, temperature, pressure and light-emission.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device is also capable of performing discovery continuously.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying the user of the first device according to one or more biometric measurements.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the biometric measurements include a fingerprint taken from a platen associated with the first device.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the discovery exechanges information about the devices involved in the communication.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information about the devices further includes information on a printer device capacity and capability.

18. A discovery apparatus operable to discover devices in a close physical proximity to facilitate detection of devices in an ad-hoc network network, comprising:

sensor means for detecting a characteristic of a common-event at a first device in the ad-hoc network, wherein the characteristic of the common-event is based on the relationship to a user, wherein the common event is a single event detectable by the sensor means for the first device and is also detectable by a sensor means for a second device in close physical proximity to the first device;

means for the first device to initiate discovery of the second device responsive to the detection of the common-event by sending a discovery signal from the first device to any devices within range of the first device;

means for both the first and second device to exchange respective information during the discovery, including capabilities of each device, if the sensor means for the second device also detected the characteristic of the common event; and

means for establishing a communication session between the first device and the second device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a means for establishing a time interval for performing discovery based on the timing of the common-event.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a means external to the first device and the second device that generates the common-event.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a means associated with the first device for detecting the characteristic of the common-event.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a means associated with the second device for detecting the characteristic of the common-event.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 further a means for detecting a common-event corresponding to a hand-gesture.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a machine generates the common event.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a person generates the common-event.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a means for detecting one or more characteristics of the common-event selected from a set of characteristics including, movement, sound, scent, temperature, pressure and light-emission.

27. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first device further includes a means for performing discovery continuously.

28. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first device further includes a means for identifying the user of the first device according to one or more biometric measurements.

29. An apparatus for discovering devices in a network, comprising:

a sensor component capable of detecting a characteristic of a common-event and initiating a discovery of devices in a network responsive to the common-event, wherein the characteristic of the common-event is based on the relationship to a user, wherein the common event is a single event that is also detectable by a second sensor component of a second device;

a transceiver component capable of processing a discovery protocol for discovering other devices if the sensor component detected the characteristic of the common event and is further capable of communicating with the second device if the second sensor component for the second device detected the characteristic of the common event;

a power source component that provides energy to operate the apparatus; and

a processor that processes operations associated with discovering devices in a network.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 further wherein the sensor component is capable of detecting one or more characteristics of the common-event including a handshake, movement, sound, scent temperature, pressure and light-emission.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the sensor component includes accelerometers that detect movement.

32. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising a data storage component holding one or more applications that utilize the network to process information.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the application exchanges personal information about a user.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the application is a file-swapping service for multimedia content.

35. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the transceiver component is further capable of processing a data communication protocol for communicating with other devices.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the data communication protocol is compatible with TCP/IP.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the data communication protocol and the discovery protocol are integrated together.

38. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the power source component is based on direct-current (DC).

39. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the power source component uses alternating-current (AC).