Methods and systems for exploitation of well-connected nodes in peer-to-peer wireless networks

• US 9,548,899 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Walton, J. Rodney, Ketchum, John W, Michaelis, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Phung, Luat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waqas, Saad A
• Application Number:
  US14/560,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20150085703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1072 Discovery involving ranked list compilation of candidate peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• 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

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for increasing a capacity in a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network. The methods include generating a connectivity metric (CM) value indicative of a number of other wireless nodes of the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected, receiving a query for services, and then responding to the query for services if the CM value is greater than a defined CM threshold value. The disclosed methods therefore allow well-connected nodes of the P2P wireless network to be exploited in a manner that increases the overall connectivity of all the nodes in the network.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications by a wireless node in a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, comprising:

transmitting a connectivity metric (CM) value indicating a number of other wireless nodes of the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected;

receiving a query for services;

responding to the query for services if the CM value is greater than a defined CM threshold value, wherein a higher CM value represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected and a higher probability that the wireless node presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value; and

determining when to respond to the query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value and the CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CM threshold value is contained in the query for services.

3. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

receiving, from one or more wireless nodes of a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, a connectivity metric (CM) value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes indicating a number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which each of the one or more wireless nodes is connected, wherein a higher CM value of the one or more wireless nodes represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the one or more wireless nodes is connected and a higher probability that the one or more wireless nodes presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value; and

transmitting a service query to the one or more wireless nodes, if the received CM value exceeds a defined CM threshold value, wherein each of the one or more wireless nodes determines when to respond to the service query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes and the defined CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the service query is first transmitted to the wireless node associated with a highest CM value among the received CM values of all the wireless nodes.

5. An apparatus for wireless communications by a wireless node in a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, comprising:

logic for transmitting a connectivity metric (CM) value that indicates a number of other wireless nodes of the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected;

logic for receiving a query for services;

logic for responding to the query for services if the CM value is greater than a defined CM threshold value, wherein a higher CM value represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected and a higher probability that the wireless node presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value; and

logic for determining when to respond to the query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value and the CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the CM threshold value is contained in the query for services.

7. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

logic for receiving, from one or more wireless nodes of a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, a connectivity metric (CM) value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes indicating a number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which each of the one or more wireless nodes is connected and representing increased opportunities to discover services; and

logic for transmitting a service query to the one or more wireless nodes, if the received CM value exceeds a defined CM threshold value, wherein a higher CM value of the one or more wireless nodes represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the one or more wireless nodes is connected and a higher probability that the one or more wireless nodes presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value, wherein each of the one or more wireless nodes determines when to respond to the service query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes and the defined CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the service query is first transmitted to the wireless node associated with a highest CM value among the received CM values of all the wireless nodes.

9. An apparatus for wireless communications by a wireless node in a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, comprising:

means for transmitting a connectivity metric (CM) value indicating a number of other wireless nodes of the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected;

means for receiving a query for services;

means for responding to the query for services if the CM value is greater than a defined CM threshold value, wherein a higher CM value represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected and a higher probability that the wireless node presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value; and

means for determining when to respond to the query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value and the CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the CM threshold value is contained in the query for services.

11. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for receiving, from one or more wireless nodes of a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, a connectivity metric (CM) value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes indicating a number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which each of the one or more wireless nodes is connected, wherein a higher CM value of the one or more wireless nodes represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the one or more wireless nodes is connected and a higher probability that the one or more wireless nodes presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value; and

means for transmitting a service query to the one or more wireless nodes, if the received CM value exceeds a defined CM threshold value, wherein each of the one or more wireless nodes determines when to respond to the service query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes and the defined CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the service query is first transmitted to the wireless node associated with a highest CM value among the received CM values of all the wireless nodes.

13. A computer-program product for wireless communications by a wireless node in a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for transmitting a connectivity metric (CM) value indicating a number of all other wireless nodes of the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected;

instructions for receiving a query for services;

instructions for responding to the query for services if the CM value is greater than a defined CM threshold value, wherein a higher CM value represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the wireless node is connected and a higher probability that the wireless node presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value; and

instructions for determining when to respond to the query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value and the CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the CM threshold value is contained in the query for services.

15. A computer-program product for wireless communications, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving, from one or more wireless nodes of a peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless network, a connectivity metric (CM) value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes indicating a number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which each of the one or more wireless nodes is connected; and

instructions for transmitting a service query to the one or more wireless nodes, if the received CM value exceeds a defined CM threshold, wherein a higher CM value of the one or more wireless nodes represents a higher number of wireless nodes in the P2P wireless network to which the one or more wireless nodes is connected and a higher probability that the one or more wireless nodes presents opportunities to discover services relative to a lesser CM value, wherein each of the one or more wireless nodes determines when to respond to the service query based on an absolute value of a difference between the CM value associated with each of the one or more wireless nodes and the defined CM threshold value, wherein the larger the difference, the greater the probability of a response in an earlier time slot, and the smaller the difference, the greater the probability the response is delayed for higher CM scored nodes to respond.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the service query is first transmitted to the wireless node associated with a highest CM value among the received CM values of all the wireless nodes.