Mechanism to convey discovery information in a wireless network

• US 20070141988A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, David, Huitema, Christian, Kuehnel, Thomas, Guven, Savas, Hassan, Amer, Gatta, Srinivas, Chan, Shannon
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Discovery of services between devices is provided prior to establishing a connection between devices, including wireless-enabled devices or devices that are communicatively coupled to wireless access points or other wireless communication devices. Discovering services prior to establishing a connection may facilitate finding a desired service. The services that may be discovered may be, for example, print services, camera services, PDA services or any other suitable services. Services may be discovered using 802.11, Bluetooth, UWB or any other suitable wireless technology. An information element is used to wirelessly convey information related to a service and/or information related to service discovery.

Claims

1. An information element for wirelessly conveying information to a first device about a service provided by a second device, prior to establishing a connection between the first device and the second device that is suitable for providing the service, the information element comprising:

at least one first portion comprising information related to the service provided by the second device; and

at least one second portion comprising information representing a service discovery protocol used by the first device for discovering the service.

2. The information element of claim 1, wherein the at least one first portion represents a type of service provided by the second device.

3. The information element of claim 1, wherein the at least one first portion and/or the at least one second portion is in a compressed format.

4. The information element of claim 3, wherein the compressed format comprises a hashed format.

5. The information element of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third portion comprising information representative of a unique identifier for the service.

6. The information element of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third portion comprising information representative of a security parameter required for the connection to be established.

7. The information element of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third portion comprising information representative of a driver suitable for providing the service.

8. The information element of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third portion comprising information representative of a network location at which information related to the service can be accessed.

9. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps of a method of accessing, by a first device, a service provided by a second device that is in a proximity of first device, the method comprising:

prior to establishing a connection between the first device and the second device that is suitable for providing the service, receiving an information element comprising compressed information related to the service provided by the second device;

determining if the service is desired; and

establishing a connection between the first device and the second device, if the service is desired.

10. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the compressed information related to the service comprises compressed information that represents a type of the service provided by the second device.

11. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the compressed information comprises hashed information.

12. A method of obtaining information related to a service provided by a second device that is in a proximity of a first device, the method comprising:

prior to establishing a connection between the first device and the second device that is suitable for providing the service, receiving an information element comprising compressed information identifying a type of service discovery; and

determining, using the identified type of service discovery, information related to the service provided by the second device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified type of service discovery is Web Services Discovery.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the compressed information identifying the type of service discovery comprises hashed information identifying the type of service discovery.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the hashed information comprises information identifying the type of service discovery, hashed using a secure hash algorithm.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein determining information related to the service provided by the second device comprises parsing the information element according to an information element format associated with the identified type of service discovery.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

de-compressing the information identifying the type of service discovery.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein de-compressing the information comprises looking up the compressed information in a hash table to determine de-compressed information identifying the type of service discovery.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the information element comprises a truncated information element.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the establishing of the connection comprises receiving, by the first device, an association response message from the second device indicating acceptance of the connection and agreement on at least one connection parameter.