Efficient formation of ad hoc networks

• US 7,881,238 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Abhishek, Abhishek, Krantz, Anton W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HUY Q
• Application Number:
  US11/172,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/277, 370/313, 370/349, 370/236, 370/238, 370/328, 370/230, 370/235, 370/310.2, 455/410, 455/426.1, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An ad hoc network identifier may be received, for example, at an ad hoc network convergence module. One or more ad hoc network parameters may be generated as a function of the ad hoc network identifier. Each of a group of computers attempting to form an ad hoc network identified by the ad hoc network identifier may generate the one or more ad hoc network parameters. Two or more of the group of computers may perform an ad hoc network formation protocol parameterized with the generated one or more ad hoc network parameters. An instruction to join the network may be received, for example, at a networking service. If it is detected that the network is an ad hoc network, an ad hoc network address acquisition mode featuring accelerated ad hoc network address acquisition may be activated. Efficient formation of the ad hoc network may thus be facilitated.

Claims

1. At least one tangible computer storage medium having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out a method of efficient joining of an existing ad hoc network, the existing ad hoc network comprising at least one device adapted to communicate in the existing ad hoc network, the method comprising:

receiving an ad hoc network identifier for the existing ad hoc network, the ad hoc network identifier being a service set identifier for the existing ad hoc network, while the computing device is not communicatively connected to the existing ad hoc network, the existing ad hoc network being parameterized with at least one ad hoc network parameters;

generating, with the computing device, the at least one ad hoc network parameter as an output of a calculation taking as input the ad hoc network identifier; and

performing an ad hoc network formation protocol, including communicating messages according to the at least one ad hoc network parameter generated as the output of the calculation, to join the existing ad hoc network.

2. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc network is a wireless network in accordance with at least one of a family of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 data communication standards.

3. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein generating said at least one ad hoc network parameter comprises generating said at least one ad hoc network parameter as an output of a cryptographic hash function of, at least, the ad hoc network identifier.

4. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein said at least one ad hoc network parameter comprises a basic service set identifier.

5. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein said at least one ad hoc network parameter comprises a wireless communication channel number.

6. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises selecting a physical layer communication scheme from a set of available physical layer communication schemes in accordance with a set of ad hoc network convergence rules.

7. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein the set of ad hoc network convergence rules comprise:

(a) if the set of available physical layer communication schemes includes only one physical layer communication scheme then selecting that physical layer communication scheme; and

(b) if the set of available physical layer communication schemes includes physical layer communication schemes in accordance with IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g then selecting the physical layer communication scheme in accordance with IEEE 802.11g.

8. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein the set of ad hoc network convergence rules comprise:

(a) if the set of available physical layer communication schemes includes only one physical layer communication scheme then selecting that physical layer communication scheme; and

(b) if the set of available physical layer communication schemes includes physical layer communication schemes in accordance with IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 802.11g then selecting the physical layer communication scheme in accordance with IEEE 802.11g.

9. The at least one tangible computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein selecting the physical layer communication scheme comprises:

ranking each physical layer communication scheme in the set of available physical layer communication schemes according to its ad hoc network convergence efficiency; and

selecting a highest ranking physical layer communication scheme in the set of available physical layer communication schemes.

10. A computerized system for efficient joining of an existing ad hoc network, the existing ad hoc network comprising at least one device adapted to communicate in the existing ad hoc network, the computerized system comprising:

an ad hoc network convergence module configured to, at least;

receive at a first device an ad hoc network identifier for the existing ad hoc network while the first device is not communicatively connected to the existing ad hoc network, the ad hoc network identifier being a service set identifier for the existing ad hoc network, the existing ad hoc network being parameterized with a set of ad hoc network parameters;

generate the set of ad hoc network parameters on the first device as an output of a calculation taking as input the ad hoc network identifier for the existing ad hoc network, the set of ad hoc network parameters comprising a basic service set identifier (BSSID) and a wireless communication channel frequency; and

parameterize an ad hoc network formation protocol on the first device with said set of ad hoc network parameters; and

a networking service configured to, at least, join the existing ad hoc network by communicating at least one message according to said set of ad hoc network parameters.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the ad hoc network is a wireless network in accordance with at least one of a family of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 data communication standards.

12. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein generating said set of ad hoc network parameters comprises generating at least one parameter of the set of ad hoc network parameters as an output of a cryptographic hash function of, at least, the ad hoc network identifier.

13. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein receiving the ad hoc network identifier comprises receiving the ad hoc network identifier wirelessly from an external source.

14. A system of computing devices each acting as a node of an ad hoc network, the system comprising:

a first computing device adapted to;

receive an identifier for the ad hoc network from a user of the first computing device when the first computing device is not communicatively connected to the ad hoc network,

perform a calculation to generate at least one ad hoc network parameter, the calculation taking as input the identifier for the ad hoc network and producing as output the at least one ad hoc network parameter; and

a second computing device adapted to;

receive the identifier for the ad hoc network from a user of the second computing device when the second computing device is not communicatively connected to the ad hoc network,

perform the calculation to generate at least one ad hoc network parameter, the calculation taking as input the identifier for the ad hoc network and producing as output the at least one ad hoc network parameter, and

communicate with the first computing device in the ad hoc network using the at least one ad hoc network parameter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the identifier for the ad hoc network is a service set identifier (SSID).

16. The system of claim 14, wherein each computing device connected to the ad hoc network is adapted to perform the calculation to generate at least one ad hoc network parameter based on the ad hoc network identifier.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein when a new computing device attempts to join the ad hoc network, the new computing device generates the at least one ad hoc network parameter generated on the first and second computing devices.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a founder computing device to found the ad hoc network with which the first computing device and second computing device associate,

wherein the founder computing device determines the identifier based on a first value input by a user.