Systems and methods for synchronization of wireless devices in a peer-to-peer network

• US 9,408,170 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Abraham, Santosh Paul, Cherian, George, Zhou, Yan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAHMAND, ASHIL S
• Application Number:
  US14/727,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1678 where the control information is for timing, e.g. time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0891 for synchronized access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• 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

Methods, devices, and computer program products for synchronization of wireless devices in a peer-to-peer network are described herein. In one aspect, a method for synchronizing a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The method includes determining, at a wireless communication apparatus, a first time interval since transmitting a message including a time value of a clock signal of the wireless communication apparatus; and determining, at the wireless communication apparatus, a second time interval since updating the time value of the wireless communication apparatus; and transmitting a message comprising content that is based on comparing the first time interval to a first threshold and comparing the second time interval to a second threshold.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communications, the method comprising:

receiving, at a wireless communication apparatus, a wireless message from another wireless communication apparatus;

updating a time value of a clock of the wireless communication apparatus based on the received wireless message;

transmitting a first message including a current time value of the clock;

determining, at the wireless communication apparatus, a first time interval since transmitting the first message;

determining, at the wireless communication apparatus, a second time interval since the update of the time value of the clock;

and

transmitting a second message comprising content that is based on comparing the first time interval to a first threshold and comparing the second time interval to a second threshold, wherein for synchronization purposes, the content of the second message includes the time value of the clock except when the second time interval exceeds the second threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a sleep state after updating the time value, wherein the time value is not updated in the sleep state, and wherein the determining is performed after leaving the sleep state.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising excluding the time value of the wireless communication apparatus from the content in response to the first time interval being greater than the first threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising including the time value and information indicating whether the time value is used for synchronization purposes in the content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising including the time value and information indicating an accuracy level of the time value in the content.

6. A wireless apparatus operable in a wireless communication system comprising:

a clock;

a hardware processor configured to;

receive a wireless message from another wireless communication apparatus;

update a time value of the clock based on the received wireless message;

transmit a first message including a current time value of the clock;

determine a first time interval since transmitting the first message; and

determine a second time interval since the update of the time value of the clock; and

transmit a second message comprising content that is based on comparing the first time interval to a first threshold and comparing the second time interval to a second threshold, wherein the content excludes the time value of the clock in response to determining that the second time interval exceeds the second threshold and wherein the content includes the time value of the clock otherwise.

7. The wireless apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

enter a sleep state after updating the time value, wherein the determining is performed after leaving the sleep state.

8. The wireless apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to exclude the time value of the wireless communication apparatus from the content in response to the first time interval being greater than the first threshold.

9. The wireless apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to include the time value and information indicating whether the time value is used for synchronization purposes in the content.

10. The wireless apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to include the time value and information indicating an accuracy level of the time value in the content.

11. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for receiving a wireless message from another wireless communication apparatus;

code for updating a time value of a clock based on the received wireless message;

code for transmitting a first message including a current time value of the clock;

code for determining a first time interval since transmitting the first message;

code for determining a second time interval since the update of the time value of the clock; and

code for transmitting a second message comprising content that is based on comparing the first time interval to a first threshold and comparing the second time interval to a second threshold, wherein for synchronization purposes, the content of the second message includes the time value of the clock except when the second time interval exceeds the second threshold.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for excluding the time value of the wireless communication apparatus from the content in response to the first time interval greater than the first threshold.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for including the time value and information indicating whether the time value is used for synchronization purposes in the content.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises code for including the time value and information indicating an accuracy level of the time value in the content.