Limiting wireless discovery range

• US 9,510,292 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Abraham, Santosh Paul, Cherian, George, Sampath, Hemanth, De Vegt, Rolf, Merlin, Simone, Raissinia, Alireza, Sridhara, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): MEW, KEVIN D
• Application Number:
  US13/763,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20130250931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods of limiting wireless discovery range. A transmitting device may limit wireless discovery range by adjusting one or more transmission attributes of a discovery message, measuring inter-device distance based on range determination messages, or any combination thereof. A receiving device may limit wireless discovery range based on one or more attributes of a received discovery message, measuring inter-device distance based on range determination messages, or any combination thereof. Discovery messages may include a range adaptation bit indicating whether range adaptation is to be performed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a discovery message from a first device to a second device,

wherein the discovery message includes data indicating whether a range determination mechanism is to be used to determine whether to perform an action in response to the discovery message,

wherein the data includes a range adaptation bit,

wherein a first value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to further process the discovery message after detecting the range adaptation bit independent of whether a distance between the first device and the second device is within a discovery range threshold, and

wherein a second value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to selectively process or discard the discovery message based on whether the distance is within the discovery range threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery message further includes the discovery range threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message, a transmit power level of the discovery message, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a round trip time measurement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery message is sent via a wireless network that is compliant with a first networking technology and wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a second networking technology that is different from the first networking technology.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a Bluetooth signal, a near field communication (NFC) signal, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a global positioning system (GPS) signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on at least one measurement with respect to a third device that is distinct from the first device and the second device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third device comprises a wireless access point, a cellular tower, or any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery message includes at least one discovery type-length-value (TLV).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one discovery TLV includes a range control field.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the range control field identifies the range determination mechanism.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery message comprises a peer-to-peer information element (P2P IE).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the P2P IE includes a range control field.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the range control field identifies the range determination mechanism.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to send a discovery message from a first device to a second device,

wherein the discovery message includes data indicating whether a range determination mechanism is to be used to determine whether to perform an action in response to the discovery message,

wherein the data includes a range adaptation bit,

wherein a first value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to further process the discovery message after detecting the range adaptation bit independent of whether a distance between the first device and the second device is within a discovery range threshold, and

wherein a second value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to selectively process or discard the discovery message based on whether the distance is within the discovery range threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the action comprises initiating setup of a WiFi Direct connection between the first device and the second device.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message, a transmit power level of the discovery message, or any combination thereof.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

send a discovery message from a first device to a second device,

wherein the discovery message includes data indicating whether a range determination mechanism is to be used to determine whether to perform an action in response to the discovery message,

wherein the data includes a range adaptation bit,

wherein a first value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to further process the discovery message after detecting the range adaptation bit independent of whether a distance between the first device and the second device is within a discovery range threshold, and

wherein a second value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to selectively process or discard the discovery message based on whether the distance is within the discovery range threshold.

25. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message, a transmit power level of the discovery message, or any combination thereof.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining a discovery range threshold at a first device; and

means for sending a discovery message from the first device to a second device,

wherein the discovery message includes data indicating whether a range determination mechanism is to be used to determine whether to perform an action in response to the discovery message,

wherein the data includes a range adaptation bit,

wherein a first value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to further process the discovery message after detecting the range adaptation bit independent of whether a distance between the first device and the second device is within a discovery range threshold, and

wherein a second value of the range adaptation bit indicates that the second device is to selectively process or discard the discovery message based on whether the distance is within the discovery range threshold.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the range determination mechanism is based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message, a transmit power level of the discovery message, or any combination thereof.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a discovery message from a first device at a second device, wherein the discovery message includes a range adaptation bit;

when the range adaptation bit has a first value, further processing the discovery message in response to determining the range adaptation bit has the first value; and

when the range adaptation bit has a second value, selectively processing or discarding the discovery message based on whether a distance between the second device and the first device is within a discovery range threshold included in the discovery message.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising in response to determining that the range adaptation bit has the second value, determining the distance between the second device and the first device based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to;

receive a discovery message from a first device at a second device, wherein the discovery message includes a range adaptation bit;

when the range adaptation bit has a first value, further process the discovery message after determining that the range adaptation bit has the first value; and

when the range adaptation bit has a second value, selectively further process or discard the discovery message after determining that the range adaptation bit has the second value and based on whether a distance between the second device and the first device is within a discovery range threshold included in the discovery message.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to, when the range adaptation bit has the second value, determine the distance between the second device and the first device based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message.

22. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a discovery message from a first device at a second device, wherein the discovery message includes a range adaptation bit;

when the range adaptation bit has a first value, further process the discovery message after determining that the range adaptation bit has the first value; and

when the range adaptation bit has a second value, selectively further process or discard the discovery message after determining that the range adaptation bit has the second value and based on whether a distance between the second device and the first device is within a discovery range threshold included in the discovery message.

29. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, when the range adaptation bit has the second value, determine the distance between the second device and the first device based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message.

23. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a discovery message from a first device at a second device, wherein the discovery message includes a range adaptation bit;

means, responsive to the range adaptation bit having a first value, for further processing the discovery message after determining the range adaptation bit has the first value; and

means, responsive to the range adaptation bit having a second value, for selectively further processing or discarding the discovery message after determining that the range adaptation bit has the second value and based on whether a distance between the second device and the first device is within a discovery range threshold included in the discovery message.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means, responsive to the range adaptation bit having the second value, for determining the distance between the second device and the first device based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the discovery message.