Automatic Ad-Hoc network creation and coalescing using WPS

• US 9,444,874 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Chhabra, Kapil, Kopikare, Rahul, Kopikare, Milind
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSA, ABDELNABI O
• Application Number:
  US14/281,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0091 Signaling for the administration of the divided path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A device previously configured as a registrar and that has established an independent ad-hoc network is automatically discovered by another device also previously configured as a registrar. To form an ad-hoc wireless network between these two devices, each device periodically enters a scanning mode to scan for and intercept beacons transmitted by the other device. Upon such interception, one of the devices becomes an enrollee in accordance with a predefined condition and in response to a user selected option. Subsequently, the enrollee modifies its beacons to include an attribute, such as the MAC address, associated with the other device. After intercepting the modified beacon, the remaining registrar prompts it user to decide whether to allow the enrollee to join the registrar'"'"'s network. If the user responds affirmatively, a handshake is performed between the two devices and a subsequent attempt is made by the enrollee to join the registrar'"'"'s network.

Claims

1. A method of establishing an ad-hoc network connection between a first device and a second device, wherein the first device is operable in a beacon mode to transmit beacons and a scanning mode to receive beacons, the method comprising:

transmitting beacons, with the first device in the beacon mode, wherein beacon periods extend in between each of two consecutive beacon transmissions;

during every Nth beacon period, scanning for beacons with the first device in the scanning mode for a scanning period that covers the beacon period, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

while operating in the scanning mode during one of the Nth beacon periods, receiving, with the first device, a beacon from the second device;

in response to receiving the beacon, determining, with the first device, whether to be configured as an enrollee to join an ad-hoc network established by the second device;

in response to determining to be configured as the enrollee, prompting, with the first device, a user of the first device with an option to join the ad-hoc network established by the second device;

in response to receiving a user response indicating to be configured as the enrollee, sending, with the first device, a second beacon that includes an attribute of the second device; and

in response to determining not to be configured as the enrollee, discarding, with the first device, results of receiving the beacon without prompting the user with the option to loin the ad-hoc network established by the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during each of the beacon periods other than the every Nth beacon period, entering a standby mode, with the first device, wherein the first device does not transmit or scan for beacons in the standby mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad-hoc network comprises a first ad-hoc network, the enrollee comprises a first enrollee, and the beacon comprises a first beacon, the method further comprising:

after discarding the results of receiving the first beacon, receiving, with the first device in the scanning mode, a third beacon from the second device, wherein the third beacon includes an attribute of the first device that indicates to the first device that the second device wants to join a second ad-hoc network established by the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after every Nth beacon period, switching, with the first device, from the scanning mode back to the beacon mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to be configured as the enrollee comprises determining, with the first device, whether to change from being configured as a registrar to the enrollee or to maintain being configured as the registrar.

6. A first device configured to participate in a wireless ad-hoc network session with a second device, the first device comprising:

a user interface; and

a controller circuit in communication with the user interface, the controller circuit configured to;

transmit beacons in a beacon mode, wherein beacon periods extend in between each of two consecutive beacon transmissions;

during every Nth beacon period, scan for beacons in a scanning mode for a scanning period that covers the beacon period, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

while in the scanning mode during one of the Nth beacon periods, receive a beacon from a second device;

in response to receipt of the beacon from the second device, determine whether to be configured as an enrollee to join an ad-hoc network established by the second device;

in response to a determination to be configured as the enrollee, prompt, via the user interface, a user of the first device with an option to loin the ad-hoc network established by the second device;

in response to receipt of a user response indicating to be configured as the enrollee, transmit a second beacon that includes an attribute of the second device; and

in response to a determination not to be configured as the enrollee, discard results of receipt of the beacon without a prompt to the user with the option to loin the ad-hoc network established by the second device.

7. The first device of claim 6, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

during each of the beacon periods other than every Nth beacon period, enter a standby mode, wherein the controller circuit is configured to not transmit or scan for beacons in the standby mode.

8. The first device of claim 6, wherein the ad-hoc network comprises a first ad-hoc network, the enrollee comprises a first enrollee, and the beacon comprises a first beacon, and wherein after the controller circuit discards the results of receipt of the first beacon, the controller circuit is further configured to:

receive a third beacon from the second device when operable in the scanning mode, wherein the third beacon includes an attribute of the first device that indicates to the first device that the second device wants to join a second ad-hoc network established by the first device.

9. The first device of claim 6, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

after every Nth beacon period, switch from the scanning mode back to the beacon mode.

10. The first device of claim 6, wherein prior to the determination of whether to be configured as the enrollee, the first device is configured as a registrar, and wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

change from being configured as the registrar to the enrollee in response a determination to be configured as the enrollee; and

maintain configuration as the registrar in response to a determination not to be configured as the enrollee.

11. A method of a first device operating to add a second device to an ad-hoc network established by the first device, the method comprising:

transmitting beacons, with the first device in a beacon mode, wherein beacon periods extend in between each of two consecutive beacon transmissions, wherein a first beacon causes (i) the second device to determine whether to be configured as an enrollee to join the ad-hoc network;

(ii) a user of the second device to be prompted with an option to loin the ad-hoc network established by the first device in response to determining to be configured as the enrollee;

(iii) the second device to send a second beacon that includes an attribute of the first device in response to the second device receiving a user response indicating to be configured as the enrollee, and (iv) the second device to discard results of receiving the first beacon without prompting the user with the option to loin the ad-hoc network established by the first device in response to determining not to be configured as the enrollee;

during every Nth beacon period, scanning for beacons, with the first device in a scanning mode, for a scanning period that covers the entire beacon period, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

while operating in the scanning mode during one of the Nth beacon periods, receiving, with the first device, the second beacon from the second device; and

in response to receiving the second beacon, prompting, with the first device, a user of the first device with an option to decide whether to allow the second device to be added to the ad-hoc network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

during each of the beacon periods other than the every Nth beacon periods, entering a standby mode with the first device, wherein the first device does not transmit or scan for beacons in the standby mode.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

switching, with the first device, from the beacon mode to the scanning mode after every Nth beacon transmission.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the attribute indicates to the first device that the second device wants to join the ad-hoc network established by the first device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

initiating, with the first device, a handshake in response to the user response that indicates that the user wants the second device to be added to the ad-hoc network.

16. A first device adapted to participate in a wireless ad-hoc network session, the first device comprising:

a user interface; and

a controller circuit in communication with the user interface, the controller circuit configured to;

transmit beacons in a beacon mode, wherein beacon periods extend in between each of two consecutive beacon transmissions, wherein a first beacon causes (i) a second device to determine whether to be configured as an enrollee to join the ad-hoc network;

(ii) a user of the second device to be prompted with an option to join the ad-hoc network established by the first device in response to determining to be configured as the enrollee;

(iii) the second device to send a second beacon that includes an attribute of the first device in response to the second device receiving a user response indicating to be configured as the enrollee, and (iv) the second device to discard results of receiving the first beacon without prompting the user with the option to loin the ad-hoc network established by the first device in response to determining not to be configured as the enrollee;

during every Nth beacon period, scan for beacons in a scanning mode for a scanning period that covers the entire beacon period, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

while in the scanning mode during one of the Nth beacon periods, receive the second beacon from the second device; and

in response to receipt of the beacon, prompt, via the user interface, a user of the first device with an option to allow the second device to be added to an ad-hoc network established by the first device.

17. The first device of claim 16, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

during each of the beacon periods other than every Nth beacon period, enter a standby mode, wherein the controller circuit is configured to not transmit or scan for beacons in the standby mode.

18. The first device of claim 16, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to:

switch from the beacon mode to the scanning mode after every Nth beacon transmission.

19. The first device of claim 16, wherein the attribute indicates to the first device that the second device wants to join the ad-hoc network established by the first device.

20. The first device of claim 16, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to initiate a handshake in response to identification of the user that indicates that the user wants the second device to be added to the ad-hoc network.