Method, apparatus, and computer program product for optimized discovery between mobile devices

• US 9,042,828 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: LAINE, Tuomas, Reunamaki, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US13/684,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/522, 455/574, 370/310, 370/350, 370/458, 370/459
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product example embodiments enable optimized discovery between mobile devices. In example embodiments, a method comprises transmitting, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the wireless device is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device; entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state until the next awake period; awaking from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity; and when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the wireless device is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state until the next awake period;

awaking from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity; and

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the periodic beacon message indicates that a connection setup is possible only after a later beacon or an indicated time.

3. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the wireless device is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state until the next awake period;

awaking from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity;

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message; and

transmitting, by the wireless device, a later beacon message after determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, to indicate the response opportunity to devices receiving the later beacon message.

4. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the wireless device is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state until the next awake period;

awaking from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity;

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message;

selecting, by the wireless device, a new duration before the next awake period and response opportunity;

transmitting, by the wireless device, a next periodic beacon message indicating it is unconnectable and indicating the new duration before the next awake period and response opportunity;

entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state for the new duration;

awaking from the sleep state for transmitting a later periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity; and

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in the awake state for listening for responses to the later periodic beacon message.

5. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

sleeping, by the wireless device, until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device; and

awaking and listening for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

wherein the periodic beacon message indicates that a connection setup is possible only after a later beacon or an indicated time.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

sleeping, by the wireless device, until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device;

awaking and listening for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity; and

receiving, by the wireless device, a later periodic beacon message at the response opportunity to indicate a response opportunity to devices receiving the second message.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

sleeping, by the wireless device, until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device;

awaking and listening for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity;

receiving, by the wireless device, a next periodic beacon message indicating it is unconnectable and indicating the new duration before the next awake period and response opportunity;

entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state for the new duration before the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device; and

awaking from the sleep state at the end of the new duration and listening for signals from the other wireless device indicating a response opportunity.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

transmit a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the apparatus is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the apparatus;

enter a sleep state until the next awake period;

awake from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity; and

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

wherein the periodic beacon message indicates that a connection setup is possible only after a later beacon or an indicated time.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

transmit a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the apparatus is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the apparatus;

enter a sleep state until the next awake period;

awake from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity;

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message; and

transmit a later beacon message after determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, to indicate the response opportunity to devices receiving the later beacon message.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

transmit a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the apparatus is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the apparatus;

enter a sleep state until the next awake period;

awake from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity;

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message;

selecting, by the wireless device, a new duration before the next awake period and response opportunity;

transmit a next periodic beacon message indicating it is unconnectable and indicating the new duration before the next awake period and response opportunity;

enter a sleep state for the new duration;

awake from the sleep state for transmitting a later periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity; and

when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remain in the awake state for listening for responses to the later periodic beacon message.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the apparatus;

sleep until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device; and

awake and listen for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

wherein the periodic beacon message indicates that a connection setup is possible only after a later beacon or an indicated time.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the apparatus;

sleep until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device;

awake and listen for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity; and

receive a later periodic beacon message at the response opportunity to indicate a response opportunity to devices receiving the second message.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the apparatus;

sleep until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device;

awake and listen for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity;

receive a next periodic beacon message indicating it is unconnectable and indicating the new duration before the next awake period and response opportunity;

enter a sleep state for the new duration before the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device; and

awake from the sleep state at the end of the new duration and listen for signals from the other wireless device indicating a response opportunity.

17. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for transmitting, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message, the beacon message including an indication that the wireless device is currently unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

code for entering, by the wireless device, a sleep state until the next awake period;

code for awaking from the sleep state for transmitting the periodic beacon message and determining whether the awake period contains a response opportunity; and

code for when determining that the awake period contains a response opportunity, remaining in an awake state for listening for responses to the periodic beacon message.

18. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving, by a wireless device, a periodic beacon message from another wireless device, indicating it is unconnectable and indicating a next awake period and response opportunity for connecting the wireless device;

code for sleeping, by the wireless device, until the next indicated response opportunity for connecting the other wireless device; and

code for awaking and listening for signals from the other wireless device at the indicated time of the response opportunity.