Efficient transition from discovery to link establishment

• US 9,609,676 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Bijwe, Sagar D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Yee
• Application Number:
  US13/851,543
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method includes receiving, via a first communication interface of a first station, a probe request signal transmitted by a second station, and determining, at the first station, a connectivity type to be used in establishing a wireless communication link between the first and second stations. The determined connectivity type is associated with a different, second communication interface of the first station. The method also includes generating, at the first station, a probe response signal, at least in part by generating a first field within the probe response signal. The first field specifies an address of the second communication interface. The method also includes transmitting, via the first communication interface, the probe response signal to the second station. The address of the second communication interface specified in the first field is useable by the second station to establish the wireless communication link between the first and second stations.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a first communication interface of a first station, a probe request signal transmitted by a second station;

determining, at the first station, a connectivity type to be used in establishing a wireless communication link between the first station and the second station;

generating, at the first station, a probe response signal, wherein generating the probe response signal includes

(i) generating a first field within the probe response signal, wherein

the first field specifies an address of the first communication interface of the first station, and the first field is located in a media access control (MAC) header of the probe response signal,

(ii) in response to determining that the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link is associated with a second communication interface of the first station that is different than the first communication interface of the first station, generating a second field within the probe response signal, wherein

the second field specifies an address of a second communication interface of the first station, and

the second field is located in a payload of the probe response signal, and

(iii) in response to determining that the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link is associated with the first communication interface of the first station, generating the probe response signal such that the address of a second communication interface is not included in the probe response signal; and

transmitting, via the first communication interface of the first station, the probe response signal to the second station,

wherein the address of the second communication interface specified in the second field of the probe response signal is useable by the second station to establish the wireless communication link between the first station and the second station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the wireless communication link is established, communicating with the second station (i) according to the determined connectivity type and (ii) via one of the first communication interface or the second communication interface that is associated with the determined connectivity type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the probe request signal specifies a preferred connectivity type of the second station; and

generating the probe response signal further includes generating a third field within the probe response signal, wherein the third field specifies a preferred connectivity type of the first station.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the connectivity type includes:

determining the connectivity type based on at least one of (i) the preferred connectivity type of the second station and (ii) the preferred connectivity type of the first station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the probe request signal includes receiving a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connectivity;

generating the probe response signal includes generating a TDLS probe response frame; and

transmitting the probe response signal includes transmitting the TDLS probe response frame.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the first communication interface is a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface;

the second communication interface is a P2P interface; and

the address of the second communication interface is a media access control (MAC) address of the P2P interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

receiving the TDLS probe request frame includes receiving the TDLS probe request frame via an access point with which both the second station and the first station are associated; and

transmitting the TDLS probe response frame includes transmitting the TDLS probe response frame to the second station via the access point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the probe request signal includes receiving a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) connectivity;

generating the probe response signal includes generating a P2P probe response frame; and

transmitting the probe response signal includes transmitting the P2P probe response frame.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first communication interface is a P2P interface;

the second communication interface is a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface; and

the address of the second communication interface is a media access control (MAC) address of the WLAN interface.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first communication interface is a first P2P interface;

the second communication interface is a second P2P interface, wherein the second P2P interface is associated to a group owner; and

the address of the second communication interface is a media access control (MAC) address of the second P2P interface.

11. A communication device, comprising:

a first communication interface;

a second communication interface;

a link establishment module configured to determine a connectivity type to be used in establishing a wireless communication link between the communication device and a station; and

a discovery module configured to

receive a probe request signal from the station via the first communication interface,

generate a probe response signal, wherein generating the probe response signal includes

(i) generating a first field within the probe response signal, wherein the first field specifies an address of the first communication interface, and the first field is located in a media access control (MAC) header of the probe response signal,

(ii) in response to determining that the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link is associated with a second communication interface of the first station that is different than the first communication interface of the first station, generating a second field within the probe response signal, wherein

the second field specifies an address of a second communication interface of the first station, and

the second field is located in a payload of the probe response signal, and

(iii) in response to determining that the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link is associated with the first communication interface of the first station, generating the probe response signal such that the address of a second communication interface is not included in the probe response signal, and

cause the probe response signal to be transmitted to the station via the first communication interface,

wherein the address of the second communication interface specified in the second field of the probe response signal is useable by the station to establish the wireless communication link between the communication device and the station.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the link establishment module is configured to determine the connectivity type based at least in part on (i) a preferred connectivity type of the station specified in the probe request signal and (ii) a preferred connectivity type of the communication device.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein:

the probe request signal is a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connectivity; and

the probe response signal is a TDLS probe response frame.

14. The communication device of claim 11, wherein:

the probe request signal is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) connectivity; and

the probe response signal is a P2P probe response frame.

15. A method comprising:

transmitting, at a first station, a probe request signal;

receiving, at the first station and from a first communication interface of a second station, a probe response signal in response to the probe request signal, wherein the probe response signal includes

a first field specifying an address of the first communication interface of the second station, wherein the first field is located in a media access control (MAC) header of the probe response signal, and

if the second station determined that a connectivity type to be used in establishing a wireless communication link with the first station is associated with a second communication interface of the first station, a second field specifying an address of the second communication interface of the second station, wherein

the second field is located in a payload of the probe response signal,

the second communication interface is different than the first communication interface, and

if the second station determined that the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link with the first station is associated with the first communication interface of the first station, the address of the second communication interface of the second station is not included in the probe response signal;

determining, at the first station, the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link between the first station and the second station; and

participating, at the first station, in establishment of the wireless communication link between the first station and the second station using (i) the determined connectivity type and (ii) a communication interface of the first station associated with the determined connectivity type.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the probe request signal includes a field specifying a preferred connectivity type of the first station;

the probe response signal further includes a third field specifying a preferred connectivity type of the second station; and

determining the connectivity type includes determining the connectivity type based on at least one of (i) the preferred connectivity type of the first station and (ii) the preferred connectivity type of the second station.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the probe request signal includes broadcasting the probe request signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

transmitting the probe request signal includes transmitting a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connectivity;

receiving the probe response signal includes receiving a TDLS probe response frame;

the first communication interface is a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface;

the second communication interface is a P2P interface; and

the address of the second communication interface is a media access control (MAC) address of the P2P interface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

transmitting the TDLS probe request frame includes transmitting the TDLS probe request frame to the first communication interface of the second station via an access point with which both the first station and the second station are associated; and

receiving the TDLS probe response frame includes receiving the TDLS probe response frame from the first communication interface of the second station via the access point.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein:

transmitting the probe request signal includes transmitting a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) connectivity;

receiving the probe response signal includes receiving a P2P probe response frame;

the first communication interface is a P2P interface;

the second communication interface is a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface; and

the address of the second communication interface is a media access control (MAC) address of the WLAN interface.

21. A communication device comprising:

a discovery module configured to

cause a probe request signal to be transmitted, and

receive, in response to the probe request signal, a probe response signal from a first communication interface of a station, wherein the probe response signal includes

a first field specifying an address of the first communication interface of the second station, wherein the first field is located in a media access control (MAC) header of the probe response signal, and

if the second station determined that a connectivity type to be used in establishing a wireless communication link with the first station is associated with a second communication interface of the first station, a second field specifying an address of the second communication interface of the second station, wherein

the second field is located in a payload of the probe response signal,

the second communication interface is different than the first communication interface,

if the second station determined that the connectivity type to be used in establishing the wireless communication link with the first station is associated with the first communication interface of the first station, the address of the second communication interface of the second station is not included in the probe response signal; and

a link establishment module configured to

determine a connectivity type to be used in establishing a wireless communication link between the communication device and the station, and

participate in establishment of the wireless communication link between the communication device and the station (i) according to the determined connectivity type and (ii) via a communication interface of the station associated with the determined connectivity type.

22. The communication device of claim 21, wherein:

the link establishment module is configured to determine the connectivity type based on at least one of (i) a preferred connectivity type of the communication device and (ii) a preferred connectivity type of the station;

the preferred connectivity type of the communication device is specified in the probe request signal; and

the preferred connectivity type of the station is specified in the probe response signal.

23. The communication device of claim 21, wherein:

the probe request signal is a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) connectivity; and

the probe response signal is a TDLS probe response frame.

24. The communication device of claim 21, wherein:

the probe request signal is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) probe request frame;

the determined connectivity type is Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) connectivity; and

the probe response signal is a P2P probe response frame.