SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SYNCHRONIZATION WITHIN A NEIGHBOR AWARE NETWORK

• US 20140254426A1
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Abraham, Santosh Paul, Cherian, George, Raissinia, Alireza, Frederiks, Guido Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,244,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer readable storage mediums for enabling reduced power consumption in wireless devices operating in a neighbor aware network are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes generating a first message, the first message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information indicating a first time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable, and transmitting the first message on the neighbor aware network.

Claims

1. A method of enabling reduced power consumption in wireless devices operating in a neighbor aware network, comprising:

generating, by a wireless device, a first message, the first message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information indicating a first time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices; and

transmitting the first message on the neighbor aware network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon transmit window information further indicates a periodicity or a duration of a beacon transmit interval.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the message further indicates one or more of discovery query window information or discovery query response window information,

wherein discovery query window information indicates a second time interval when discovery query messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query message requesting one or more services, and

wherein discovery query response window information indicates a third time interval when discovery query response messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query response message responding to a discovery query message and indicating one or more services that are provided by a node transmitting the discovery query response message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining one or more network parameters;

determining a second time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices based on the one or more network parameters;

generating, by the wireless device, a second message, the second message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information indicating the second time interval; and

transmitting the second message on the neighbor aware network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the discovery query window information further indicates a periodicity or a duration of a discovery query interval and wherein the discovery query response window information further indicates a periodicity or a duration of a discovery query response window.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the discovery query window information further indicates a clock reference of a start time of a discovery query window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time interval is indicated in an attribute of a neighbor aware network information element included in the first message.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the third time interval also indicates when unsolicited broadcast discovery messages are transmitted.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising

determining one or more network parameters;

determining a fourth time interval when one or more discovery request messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices based on the one or more network parameters;

determining a fifth time interval when one or more discovery response request messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices based on the one or more network parameters;

generating, by the wireless device, a second message, the second message indicating discovery request transmit window information indicating the fourth time interval and further indicating discovery response transmit window information indicating the fifth time interval; and

transmitting the second message on the neighbor aware network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more network parameters include one or more of synchronization error parameters, network overhead parameters, and network collision parameters.

11. An apparatus for enabling reduced power consumption in wireless devices operating in a neighbor aware network, comprising:

a processor configured to generate a first message, the first message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information indicating a first time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable by the apparatus or other apparatus; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the first message on the neighbor aware network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beacon transmit window information further indicates a periodicity or a duration of a beacon transmit interval.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first time interval is indicated in an attribute of a neighbor aware network information element included in the first message.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third time interval also indicates when unsolicited broadcast discovery messages are transmitted.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more network parameters,

determine a second time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices based on the one or more network parameters,

generate a second message, the second message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information indicating the second time interval, and

wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the second message on the neighbor aware network.

16. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the message indicates discovery query window information or discovery query response window information,

wherein the discovery query window information indicates a second time interval when discovery query messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query message requesting one or more services, and

wherein discovery query response window information indicates a third time interval when discovery query response messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query response message responding to one of the discovery query messages and indicating one or more services that are provided by a node transmitting the discovery query response message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the discovery query window information further indicates a periodicity or a duration of a discovery query interval and wherein the discovery query response window information further indicates a periodicity or a duration of a discovery query response interval.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more network parameters,

determine a fourth time interval when one or more discovery request messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices based on the one or more network parameters,

determine a fifth time interval when one or more discovery response request messages are transmittable by the wireless device or other wireless devices based on the one or more network parameters,

generate a second message, the second message indicating discovery request transmit window information indicating the fourth time interval and further indicating discovery response transmit window information indicating the fifth time interval, and

wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the second message on the neighbor aware network.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more network parameters include one or more of synchronization error parameters, network overhead parameters, and network collision parameters.

20. A method of saving power in a wireless device when operating in a neighbor aware network, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless device, a first message, the first message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information including a first time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network by the wireless device or other wireless devices;

entering a sleep state during a time period outside the first time interval; and

receiving or transmitting a beacon message during the first time interval.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a message indicating discovery query window information or discovery query response window information,

wherein discovery query window information indicates a second time interval when one or more discovery query messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query message requesting one or more services,

wherein discovery query response window information indicates a third time interval when discovery query response messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query response message in response to a discovery query message and indicating one or more services that are provided by a node transmitting the discovery response message, and

wherein the sleep state is entered during a time period outside both the first time interval and the second time interval.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the discovery query window information includes a periodicity or frequency or duration of a discovery query window and the discovery query response information includes a periodicity or frequency or duration of a discovery query response window.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining a transmission time for a discovery query message based on a discovery query window start time and a random delay; and

transmitting the discovery query message at the determined transmission time.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the random delay includes a CSMA back-off delay.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the second time interval and the third time interval overlap.

26. An apparatus for saving power in a wireless device when operating in a neighbor aware network, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message, the message indicating beacon transmit window information, the beacon transmit window information including a first time interval when one or more beacon messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network by the apparatus or other apparatus;

a processor configured to cause the wireless device to enter a sleep state during a time period outside the first time interval; and

a receiver configured to receive or transmit a beacon message during the first time interval.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising

a receiver configured to receive a message indicating discovery query window information or discovery query response window information, the discovery query window information including a second time interval when one or more discovery query messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query message requesting one or more services,

wherein the discovery query response window information indicates a third time interval when one or more discovery query response window messages are transmittable on the neighbor aware network, each discovery query response message transmitted in response to a discovery query message and indicating one or more services that are provided by a transmitter of the discovery query response message, and

wherein the processor is further configured to cause the wireless device to enter the sleep state during a time period outside both the first time interval and the second time interval.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

a processor configured to determine a transmission time for a discovery query message based on a discovery query window start time and a random delay; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the discovery query message at the determined transmission time.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the random delay includes a CSMA back-off delay.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the discovery query window information includes a periodicity or frequency or duration of a discovery query window and the discovery query response window information includes a periodicity or frequency or duration of a discovery query response window.