Method and apparatus for establishing connections in a wireless network

• US 9,226,337 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Kopikare, Milind, Banerjea, Raja
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maglo, Emmanuel
• Application Number:
  US14/045,488
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A first communication device listens, during advertise states of the first communication device, for probe requests from one or more second communication devices on a first channel included in a plurality of channels. At least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device are different. When one or more first probe requests are received from the one or more second communication devices during the advertise states of the first communication device, the first communication device transmits one or more first probe responses responsive to the one or more first probe requests. The first communication device transmits second probe requests on respective second channels during respective search states of the first communication device, and listens, during the search states, for one or more second probe responses on the second channels.

Claims

1. A first communication device, comprising:

a wireless communication module including;

a transceiver, and

a hardware controller device configured to;

cause the wireless communication module to listen, during advertise states of the first communication device, for probe requests from one or more second communication devices on a first channel included in a plurality of channels, wherein at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device are different,

when one or more first probe requests are received from the one or more second communication devices during the advertise states of the first communication device, cause the wireless communication module to transmit one or more first probe responses responsive to the one or more first probe requests,

cause the wireless communication module to select second channels from the plurality of channels for use during search states of the first communication device, wherein the second channels are different than the first channel,

cause the wireless communication module to transmit second probe requests on respective second channels during respective search states of the first communication device, and

cause the wireless communication module to listen, during the search states, for one or more second probe responses on the second channels.

2. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein the hardware controller device is configured to determine the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states vary randomly or pseudo-randomly.

3. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the search states of the first communication device have respective lengths; and

at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device are different.

4. The first communication device of claim 3, wherein the hardware controller device is configured to determine the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device vary randomly or pseudo-randomly.

5. The first communication device of claim 1, wherein the hardware controller device is configured to cause the wireless communication module to commence a negotiation with one of the second communication devices after at least one of (i) receiving one probe request from the one second communication device, or (ii) receiving one second probe response from the one second communication device,

wherein the negotiation is for determining whether the first communication device or the one second communication device will be a master in a peer-to-peer network comprising the first communication device and the one second communication device.

6. The first communication device of claim 5, wherein the hardware controller device is configured to, during the negotiation with the one second communication device, cause the wireless communication module to:

compare (i) a first value indicative of a priority for the first communication device to become the master with (ii) a second value indicative of a priority for the one second communication device to become the master, wherein

(a) the second value is received from the second communication device,

(b) the first value is configurable and non-unique, and

(c) the second value is configurable and non-unique,

determine whether the first communication device or the second communication device is to become the master based on the comparison of the first value with the second value.

7. The first communication device of claim 6, wherein the hardware controller device is configured to, during the negotiation with the one second communication device, cause the wireless communication module to

select the first communication device to become the master in response to the first value indicating a higher priority than the second value, and

select the second communication device to become the master in response to the second value indicating a higher priority than the first value.

8. The first communication device of claim 6, further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless module,

wherein the first value is received by the wireless module from the processor.

9. The first communication device of claim 6, wherein:

the first value is selected from a set of integers consisting of [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]; and

the second value is selected from the set of integers consisting of [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15].

10. The first communication device of claim 6, wherein the hardware controller device is configured to cause the wireless module to transmit the first value to the one second communication device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first hardware controller device is configured to determine the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device vary randomly or pseudo-randomly; and

the second hardware controller device is configured to determine the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the second communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the second communication device vary randomly or pseudo-randomly.

11. A system, comprising:

a first communication device, comprising;

a first wireless communication module including

a first transceiver, and

a first hardware controller device configured to

cause the first wireless communication module to listen, during advertise states of the first communication device, for probe requests on a first channel included in a plurality of channels, wherein at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device are different,

when a first probe request is received during any of the advertise states of the first communication device, cause the first wireless communication module to transmit a first probe response responsive to the first probe request,

cause the first wireless communication module to select second channels from the plurality of channels for use during search states of the first communication device, wherein the second channels are different than the first channel,

cause the first wireless communication module to transmit second probe requests on respective second channels during respective search states of the first communication device, and

cause the first wireless communication module to listen, during the search states of the first communication device, for one or more second probe responses on the second channels;

wherein the system further comprises a second communication device, the second communication device comprising;

a second wireless communication module including

a second transceiver, and

a second hardware controller device configured to

cause the second wireless communication module to listen, during advertise states of the second communication device, for probe requests on a third channel included in a plurality of channels, wherein at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the second communication device are different,

when a third probe request is received during any of the advertise states of the second communication device, cause the second wireless communication module to transmit a third probe response responsive to the third probe request,

cause the second wireless communication module to select fourth channels from the plurality of channels for use during search states of the second communication device, wherein the fourth channels are different than the third channel,

cause the second wireless communication module to transmit fourth probe requests on respective fourth channels during respective search states of the second communication device, and

cause the second wireless communication module to listen, during the search states of the second communication device, for one or more fourth probe responses on the fourth channels.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the search states of the first communication device have respective lengths;

at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device are different;

search states of the second communication device have respective lengths;

at least some respective lengths of the search states of the second communication device are different.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the first hardware controller device is configured to determine the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device vary randomly or pseudo-randomly; and

the second hardware controller device is configured to determine the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the second communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the second communication device vary randomly or pseudo-randomly.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the first hardware controller device is configured to cause the first wireless communication module to commence a negotiation with the second communication device after at least one of (i) receiving one probe request from the second communication device, or (ii) receiving one second probe response from the second communication device,

the second hardware controller device is configured to cause the second wireless communication module to commence a negotiation with the first communication device after at least one of (i) receiving one probe request from the first communication device, or (ii) receiving one second probe response from the first communication device, and

wherein the negotiation is for determining whether the first communication device or the second communication device will be a master in a peer-to-peer network comprising the first communication device and the second communication device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the first hardware controller device is configured to, during the negotiation with the second communication device, cause the first wireless communication module to;

compare (i) a first value indicative of a priority for the first communication device to become the master with (ii) a second value indicative of a priority for the second communication device to become the master, wherein

(a) the second value is received from the second communication device,

(b) the first value is configurable and non-unique, and

(c) the second value is configurable and non-unique,

determine whether the first communication device or the second communication device is to become the master based on the comparison, by the first wireless communication module, of the first value with the second value; and

the second hardware controller device is configured to, during the negotiation with the first communication device, cause the second wireless communication module to;

compare (i) the first value indicative of the priority for the first communication device to become the master with (ii) the second value indicative of the priority for the second communication device to become the master, wherein the first value is received from the first communication device, and

determine whether the first communication device or the second communication device is to become the master based on the comparison, by the second wireless communication module, of the first value with the second value.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the first hardware controller device is configured to, during the negotiation, cause the first wireless communication module to

select the first communication device to become the master in response to the first value indicating a higher priority than the second value, and

select the second communication device to become the master in response to the second value indicating a higher priority than the first value; and

the second hardware controller device is configured to, during the negotiation, cause the second wireless communication module to

select the first communication device to become the master in response to the first value indicating a higher priority than the second value, and

select the second communication device to become the master in response to the second value indicating a higher priority than the first value.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a first processor communicatively coupled to the first wireless module, wherein the first value is received by the first wireless module from the first processor,

a second processor communicatively coupled to the second wireless module, wherein the second value is received by the second wireless module from the second processor.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the first value is selected from a set of integers consisting of [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]; and

the second value is selected from the set of integers consisting of [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15].

20. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the first hardware controller device is configured to cause the first wireless module to transmit the first value to the second communication device; and

the second hardware controller device is configured to cause the second wireless module to transmit the second value to the first communication device.

21. A method, comprising:

listening, at a first communication device, for probe requests from one or more second communication devices on a first channel included in a plurality of channels during advertise states of the first communication device, wherein at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device are different;

when one or more first probe requests are received from the one or more second communication devices during the advertise states of the first communication device, transmitting, with the first communication device, one or more first probe responses responsive to the one or more first probe requests;

selecting, at the first communication device, second channels from the plurality of channels for use during search states of the first communication device, wherein the second channels are different than the first channel;

transmitting, with the first communication device, second probe requests on respective second channels during respective search states of the first communication device; and

listening, at the first communication device, for one or more second probe responses on the second channels during the search states of the first communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining, at the first communication device, the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states of the first communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the advertise states vary randomly or pseudo-randomly.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the search states of the first communication device have respective lengths; and

at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device are different.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining, at the first communication device, the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device so that the at least some respective lengths of the search states of the first communication device vary randomly or pseudo-randomly.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising commencing, at the first communication device, a negotiation with one of the second communication devices after at least one of (i) receiving one probe request from the one second communication device, or (ii) receiving one second probe response from the one second communication device,

wherein the negotiation is for determining whether the first communication device or the one second communication device will be a master in a peer-to-peer network comprising the first communication device and the one second communication device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

comparing, at the first communication device, (i) a first value indicative of a priority for the first communication device to become the master with (ii) a second value indicative of a priority for the one second communication device to become the master, wherein

(a) the second value is received from the second communication device,

(b) the first value is configurable and non-unique, and

(c) the second value is configurable and non-unique; and

determining, at the first communication device, whether the first communication device or the second communication device is to become the master based on the comparison of the first value with the second value.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

selecting, at the first communication device, the first communication device to become the master in response to the first value indicating a higher priority than the second value; and

selecting, at the first communication device, the second communication device to become the master in response to the second value indicating a higher priority than the first value.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving the first value from a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless module.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein:

the first value is selected from a set of integers consisting of [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]; and

the second value is selected from the set of integers consisting of [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15].

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting, with the first communication device, the first value to the one second communication device.