Setting up a direct link in a peer to peer wireless network

• US 8,965,283 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wentink, Maarten Menzo, Jones, Vincent Knowles IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US12/851,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455518-519
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A method for setting up a direct link between a first client station and a second client station is described. The method is performed by the first client station. The first client station communicates with a group owner (GO) via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link. Whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between the first client station and the second client station is determined. The TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station is set up. The first client station then communicates directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a direct link between a first client station and a second client station, wherein the method is performed by the first client station, the method comprising:

selecting a third client station as a group owner (GO) of a peer to peer (P2P) wireless network comprising at least the first, second, and third client stations;

communicating with the GO via a first P2P wireless link;

determining whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between the first client station and the second client station based at least in part on a comparison between (a) a first received signal strength measurement of a first wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, and (b) a second received signal strength measurement of a second wireless signal transmitted from the second client station to the first client station;

setting up the TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station; and

communicating directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first P2P wireless link is a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the TDLS setup request is generated at least partially based on network conditions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the network conditions comprise the first received signal strength measurement of the first wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, the second received signal strength measurement of the second wireless signal transmitted from the second client station to the first client station, a current data rate via the GO, or a potential data rate via the TDLS direct link.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the network conditions comprise channel availability.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the network conditions comprise a forwarding latency for communications with the second client station via the GO.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up the TDLS direct link comprises:

the receiving of the TDLS setup request from the GO;

sending a TDLS setup response to the GO; and

receiving a TDLS setup confirmation from the GO.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the TDLS setup request and the TDLS setup confirmation are generated by the second client station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the TDLS setup request comprises the intended recipient and information about the TDLS direct link.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up the TDLS direct link comprises:

transmitting a TDLS setup response to the GO, the TDLS setup confirmation comprising a channel for the TDLS direct link, a frequency for the TDLS direct link, or timing structures for the TDLS direct link.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a TDLS teardown frame from the GO, wherein the TDLS teardown frame ends communication via the TDLS direct link.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the second client station communicates with the GO via a second P2P Wi-Fi link.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the TDLS setup response indicates that TDLS direct links are not allowed and a TDLS direct link is not set up.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a TDLS teardown frame from the GO, wherein the TDLS teardown frame dissolves the TDLS direct link.

9. A method for setting up a direct link between a first client station and a second client station, wherein the method is performed by the first client station, the method comprising:

communicating with a group owner (GO) via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

determining whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between the first client station and the second client station based at least in part on receiving a TDLS setup request from the GO;

setting up the TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station, wherein setting up the TDLS direct link comprises;

the receiving of the TDLS setup request from the GO,

sending a TDLS setup response to the GO, and

receiving a TDLS setup confirmation from the GO; and

communicating directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link,

wherein the TDLS setup request and the TDLS setup confirmation are generated by the GO.

16. A method for controlling the setup of direct links by a group owner, the method comprising:

communicating with a first client station via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

communicating with a second client station via a second P2P wireless link;

sending a first TDLS setup request to the first client station;

receiving a first TDLS setup response from the first client station, wherein the second client station is the intended recipient of the first TDLS setup response, wherein the first TDLS response not being forwarded by the GO to the second client station; and

sending a first TDLS setup confirmation to the first client station.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first P2P wireless link is a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) link, and wherein the second P2P wireless link is a Wi-Fi link.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first TDLS setup request is received from the third client station, wherein the first TDLS setup confirmation is received from a third client station and further comprising sending the first TDLS setup response to the third client station.

36. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein a TDLS setup response indicates that TDLS direct links are not allowed and a TDLS direct link is not set up.

19. A method for controlling the setup of direct links by a group owner, the method comprising:

communicating with a first client station via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

communicating with a second client station via a second P2P wireless link;

sending a first TDLS setup request to the first client station, wherein the first TDLS setup request is received from the second client station;

receiving a first TDLS setup response from the first client station;

sending a first TDLS setup confirmation to the first client station, wherein the first TDLS setup confirmation is received from the second client station;

sending a first TDLS teardown frame to the first client station;

sending a second TDLS teardown frame to the second client station; and

sending the first TDLS setup response to the second client station.

20. A method for controlling the setup of direct links by a group owner, the method comprising:

communicating with a first client station via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

communicating with a second client station via a second P2P wireless link;

sending a first TDLS setup request to the first client station, wherein the first TDLS setup request is generated by the GO;

receiving a first TDLS setup response from the first client station;

sending a first TDLS setup confirmation to the first client station, wherein the first TDLS setup confirmation is generated by the GO sending a second TDLS setup request to the second client station;

receiving a second TDLS setup response from the second client station; and

sending a second TDLS setup confirmation to the second client station.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first client station is the intended recipient of the second TDLS response, and wherein the GO does not forward the second TDLS response to the first client station.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second TDLS setup response is generated by the second client station.

23. A wireless device to set up a direct link, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor storing instructions executable by the processor to;

communicate with a group owner (GO) via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

determine whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between a first client station and a second client station based at least in part on a comparison between (a) a first received signal strength measurement of a first wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, and (b) a second received signal strength measurement of a second wireless signal transmitted from the second client station to the first client station;

set up the TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station; and

communicate directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link.

24. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the first P2P wireless link comprises a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) link.

25. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein said TDLS setup request is generated based on network conditions.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the network conditions comprise the first received signal strength measurement of the first wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, the second received signal strength measurement of the second wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, a current data rate via the GO, or a potential data rate via the TDLS direct link.

27. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the network conditions comprise channel availability.

28. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the network conditions comprise a forwarding latency for communications with a third client station via the GO.

29. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein setting up the TDLS direct link comprises:

receiving a TDLS setup request from the GO;

sending a TDLS setup response to the GO; and

receiving a TDLS setup confirmation from the GO.

30. The wireless device of claim 29, wherein the TDLS setup request and the TDLS setup confirmation are generated by a third client station.

32. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the TDLS setup request comprises the intended recipient and information about the TDLS direct link.

33. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the TDLS setup confirmation comprises a channel for the TDLS direct link, a frequency for the TDLS direct link, or timing structures for the TDLS direct link.

34. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable to process a received TDLS teardown frame from the GO, wherein the TDLS teardown frame ends communication via the TDLS direct link.

35. The wireless device of claim 24, wherein the second client station communicates with the GO via a second P2P Wi-Fi link.

37. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable to process a TDLS teardown frame received from the GO, wherein the TDLS teardown frame dissolves the TDLS direct link.

38. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the wireless device comprises a third client station.

31. A wireless device of to set up a direct link, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor storing instructions executable by the processor to;

communicate with a group owner (GO) via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

determine whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between a first client station and a second client station based at least in part on receiving a TDLS setup request from the GO;

set up the TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station, wherein said set up the TDLS direct link comprises;

receive a TDLS setup request from the GO,

send a TDLS setup response to the GO, and

receive a TDLS setup confirmation from the GO; and

communicate directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link;

wherein the TDLS setup request and the TDLS setup confirmation are generated by the GO.

39. A first client station to set up a direct link with a second client station within a peer to peer (P2P) wireless network, comprising:

means for communicating with a group owner (GO) via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

means for determining whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between the first client station and a second client station based at least in part on a comparison between (a) a first received signal strength measurement of a first wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, and (b) a second received signal strength measurement of a second wireless signal transmitted from the second client station to the first client station;

means for setting up the TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station; and

means for communicating directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link.

40. A first client station to set up a direct link, the first client station comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon executable by one or more processors to:

initiate communication with a group owner (GO) via a first peer to peer (P2P) wireless link;

determine whether to set up a tunneled direct link setup (TDLS) direct link between the first client station and a second client station based at least in part on a comparison between (a) a first received signal strength measurement of a first wireless signal transmitted from the GO to the first client station, and (b) a second received signal strength measurement of a second wireless signal transmitted from the second client station to the first client station;

set up the TDLS direct link between the first client station and the second client station; and

initiate communication directly with the second client station via the TDLS direct link.