Targeted group-based discovery for wireless communication devices

• US 9,736,672 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatachalam, Muthaiah, Zong, Pingping, Stojanovski, Alexandre, Johnsson, Kerstin, Luft, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ko, Sithu
• Application Number:
  US14/762,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20150359023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2614 Peak power aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2525 Translation at a client
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2539 Hiding addresses; Keeping addresses anonymous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2592 using tunnelling or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 : using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 : switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 : Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 : Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 : Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 : Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 : Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 : Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques described herein may provide for device discovery of direct communication paths, to enable direct mode communication, between communication devices. The discovery of the communication paths may be based on identifiers that may be defined at the application level and included in device discovery requests. In one implementation, the identifiers may be SIP-URIs (session initiation protocol (SIP)-uniform resource identifiers (URIs)).

Claims

1. User equipment (UE) comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions; and

one or more processors, to execute the program instructions to;

receive a first application layer identifier that uniquely identifies a user of the UE;

form a layer-2 frame, the layer-2 frame including, in a payload portion of the layer-2 frame;

a field designating the layer-2 frame as a device discovery frame for discovery using direct mode signaling between the UE and one or more other UEs,

the first application layer identifier, and

a second application layer identifier corresponding to a group, with which discovery using direct mode signaling is to be performed, the group including the user of the UE, as identified by the first application layer identifier, and one or more other users associated with one or more other UEs and one or more other first application layer identifiers; and

wirelessly broadcast the layer-2 frame.

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the first and second application layer identifiers include session initiation protocol (SIP)-uniform resource identifiers (URIs).

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further to execute the program instructions to:

form the layer-2 frame to additionally include, outside of the payload portion of the layer-2 frame, a layer-2 address of the UE.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further to execute the program instructions to:

receive a response, from the one or more other UEs, to the layer-2 frame; and

complete, based on the response, discovery using direct mode signaling between the UE and the one or more other UEs.

5. The UE of claim 1, wherein the first and second application layer identifiers are received via communications with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

6. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further to execute the program instructions to:

form the layer-2 frame based on a determination that network connectivity to a cellular wireless network is unavailable.

7. A method for performing discovery of devices using direct mode signaling, the method comprising:

receiving, by a communication device and from a server, a first application layer identifier that identifies a group in which a user of the communication device is a member, the group additionally including one or more other users associated with one or more other communication devices;

receiving, by the communication device and from the server, a first multicast layer-2 address that corresponds to the first application layer identifier;

receiving, by the communication device and from a second communication device, a layer-2frame, the layer-2 frame including;

a field including a layer-2 address of the second communication device;

a field designating the layer-2 frame as a device discovery frame for discovery using direct mode signaling between the communication device and the second communication device, and

a second multicast layer-2 address; and

completing, by the communication device, discovery using direct mode signaling with one or more members of the group, including the second communication device, when the first multicast layer-2 address matches the second multicast layer-2 address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the layer-2 address, the first multicast layer-2 address, and the second multicast layer-2 address are six octet values.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application layer identifier includes a session initiation protocol (SIP)-uniform resource identifier (URIs).

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application layer identifier is received via communications with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

11. A communication device comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing;

program instructions,

a first application layer identifier that identifies a group in which a user of the communication device is a member, the group additionally including one or more other users associated with one or more other communication devices, and

a first multicast layer-2 address that corresponds to the first application layer identifier;

one or more processors, to execute the program instructions to;

receive, from a second communication device, a layer-2 frame, the layer-2 frame including;

a field including a layer-2 address of the second communication device;

a field designating the layer-2 frame as a device discovery frame for discovery using direct mode signaling between the communication device and the second communication device, and

a second multicast layer-2 address; and

complete discovery using direct mode signaling with one or more members of the group, including the second communication device, when the first multicast layer-2 address matches the second multicast layer-2 address.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the layer-2 address, the first multicast layer-2 address, and the second multicast layer-2 address are six octet values.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the first application layer identifier includes a session initiation protocol (SIP)-uniform resource identifier (URIs).

14. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the first application layer identifier is received via communications with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

15. A communication device for performing discovery of devices using direct mode signaling, the communication device comprising:

means for storing a first application layer identifier that uniquely identifies a user of the communication device;

means for forming a layer-2 frame, the layer-2 frame including

a field designating the layer-2 frame as a device discovery frame for discovery using direct mode signaling between the communication device and one or more other devices,

the first application layer identifier, and

a second application layer identifier corresponding to a group, with which discovery using direct mode signaling is to be performed, the group including the user of the UE, as identified by the first application layer identifier, and one or more other users associated with one or more other UEs and one or more other first application layer identifiers; and

means for wirelessly broadcasting the layer-2 frame.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the first and second application layer identifiers include session initiation protocol (SIP)-uniform resource identifiers (URIs).

17. The communication device of claim 15, further comprising:

means to form the layer-2 frame to additionally include a layer-2 address of the UE.

18. The communication device of claim 15, further comprising:

means to receive a response, from the one or more other devices, to the layer-2 frame; and

means to complete, based on the response, discovery using direct mode signaling between the communication device and the one or more other devices.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the first and second application layer identifiers are received via communications with an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

20. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

means for forming the layer-2 frame based on a determination that network connectivity to a cellular wireless network is unavailable.