DISCOVERY OF WI-FI DIRECT SERVICES VIA DISCOVERY PROBE

• US 20150124792A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Martineau, Mathew James, Sandhu, Shivraj Singh, Gix, Brian Gerard, Krystad, Peter David, Stotland, Inga
• Granted Patent: US 9,723,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• 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 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communications. A seeker user equipment (UE) may identify a desired service to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication. The seeker UE may broadcast a probe that identifies the desired service. An advertiser UE may receive the probe from the seeker UE. The probe identifies a desired service for the seeker UE that is to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication. The advertiser UE may transmit a probe response to the seeker UE only when it is determined that the advertiser UE is capable of providing the identified desired service.

Claims

1. A method for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

identifying a desired service for a first device, the desired service to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication; and

broadcasting a probe that identifies the desired service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifier of the desired service is included in an information element (IE) of the probe.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including a hash of an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the hash of the identifier of the desired service is included in an information element (IE) of the probe.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating the hash of the identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a size of the hash to generate based at least in part on available payload of the probe.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a probe response from at least one second device, each probe response including an identifier of a service that the at least one second device is capable of providing; and

determining if the identifier of the service matches an identifier of the desired service.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifier of the service is included in an information element (IE) of the probe response.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifier of the service comprises a name of the service.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a notification of a match when it is determined that the identifier of the service matches the identifier of the desired service.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the notification includes providing the notification to a user via a user interface of the first device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the notification includes providing the notification to the first device via an application.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the provided notification includes information regarding the at least one second device.

17. An apparatus for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

means for identifying a desired service for a first device, the desired service to be provided via P2P communication;

means for broadcasting a probe that identifies the desired service.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for including an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for including the identifier of the desired service in the probe is configured to include the identifier in an information element (IE) of the probe.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for including a hash of an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for including the hash of the identifier of the desired service is configured to include the hash in an information element (IE) of the probe.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for generating the hash of the identifier.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

means for determining a size of the hash to generate based at least in part on available payload of the probe.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a probe response from at least one second device, each probe response including an identifier of a service that the at least one second device is capable of providing; and

means for determining if the identifier of the service matches an identifier of the desired service.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the identifier of the service is included in an information element (IE) of the probe response.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the identifier of the service comprises a name of the service.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for providing a notification of a match when it is determined that the identifier of the service matches the identifier of the desired service.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for providing the notification is configured to provide the notification to a user via a user interface of the first device.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for providing the notification is configured to provide the notification to the first device via an application.

32. A user equipment (UE) for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the at least one processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the at least one processor to;

identify a desired service for the UE, the desired service to be provided via P2P communication; and

broadcast a probe that identifies the desired service.

33. The UE of claim 32, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

include an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

34. The UE of claim 33, wherein the identifier of the desired service is included in an information element (IE) of the probe.

35. The UE of claim 33, wherein the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

36. The UE of claim 32, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

include a hash of an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

37. The UE of claim 36, wherein the hash of the identifier of the desired service is included in an information element (IE) of the probe.

38. The UE of claim 36, wherein the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

39. The UE of claim 36, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

generate the hash of the identifier.

40. The UE of claim 39, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

determine a size of the hash to generate based at least in part on available payload of the probe.

41. The UE of claim 32, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive a probe response from at least one device, each probe response including an identifier of a service that the at least one device is capable of providing; and

determine if the identifier of the service matches an identifier of the desired service.

42. A computer program product for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

identify a desired service for a first device, the desired service to be provided via P2P communication; and

broadcast a probe that identifies the desired service.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

include an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

44. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

include a hash of an identifier of the desired service in the probe to identify the desired service.

45. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive a probe response from at least one second device, each probe response including an identifier of a service that the at least one second device is capable of providing; and

determine if the identifier of the service matches an identifier of the desired service.

46. A method for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

receiving a probe from a probing device at a second device, the probe identifying a desired service for the probing device that is to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication; and

transmitting a probe response to the probing device only when it is determined that the second device is capable of providing the identified desired service.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the received probe includes a hash for the desired service.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

comparing the hash for the desired service to a hash for a service that the second device is capable of providing to determine whether the second device is capable of providing the desired service.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

generating the hash for the service that the second device is capable of providing; and

storing the generated hash.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the hash for the service that the second device is capable of providing comprises a hash of an identifier of the service and the hash for the desired service comprises a hash of an identifier of the desired service.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the identifier of the service comprises a name of the service and the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein the received probe includes an identifier of the desired service.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising:

comparing the identifier of the desired service to an identifier of a service that the second device is capable of providing to determine whether the second device is capable of providing the desired service.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the identifier of the service comprises a name of the service and the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

55. An apparatus for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

means for receiving a probe from a probing device at a second device, the probe identifying a desired service for the probing device that is to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication; and

means for transmitting a probe response to the probing device, the means for transmitting being configured to transmit the probe response only when it is determined that the second device is capable of providing the identified desired service.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the received probe includes a hash for the desired service.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising:

means for comparing the hash for the desired service to a hash for a service that the second device is capable of providing to determine whether the device is capable of providing the desired service.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising:

means for generating the hash for the service that the second device is capable of providing; and

means for storing the generated hash.

59. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the hash for the service that the second device is capable of providing comprises a hash of an identifier of the service and the hash for the desired service comprises a hash of an identifier of the desired service.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the identifier of the service that the second device is capable of providing comprises a name of the service and the identifier of the desired service comprises a name of the desired service.

61. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the received probe includes an identifier of the desired service.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

means for comparing the identifier of the desired service to an identifier of a service that the second device is capable of providing to determine whether the second device is capable of providing the desired service.

63. A user equipment (UE) for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the at least one processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the at least one processor to;

receive a probe from a probing device at the UE, the probe identifying a desired service for the probing device that is to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication; and

transmit a probe response to the probing device only when it is determined that the UE is capable of providing the identified desired service.

64. The UE of claim 63, wherein the received probe includes a hash for the desired service.

65. The UE of claim 64, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

compare the hash for the desired service to a hash for a service that the UE is capable of providing to determine whether the UE is capable of providing the desired service.

66. The UE of claim 65, wherein the hash for the service that the UE is capable of providing comprises a hash of an identifier of the service and the hash for the desired service comprises a hash of an identifier of the desired service.

67. A computer program product for Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

receive a probe from a probing device at a second device, the probe identifying a desired service for the probing device that is to be provided via Wi-Fi P2P communication; and

transmit a probe response to the probing device only when it is determined that the second device is capable of providing the identified desired service.

68. The computer program product of claim 67, wherein the received probe includes a hash for the desired service.

69. The computer program product of claim 68, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

compare the hash for the desired service to a hash for a service that the second device is capable of providing to determine whether the second device is capable of providing the desired service.

70. The computer program product of claim 69, wherein the hash for the service that the second device is capable of providing comprises a hash of an identifier of the service and the hash for the desired service comprises a hash of an identifier of the desired service.