SERVICE DISCOVERY WITH LOW POWER CONSUMPTION IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

• US 20160205533A1
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Tsai, Yu-Che, Wang, Chao-Chun
• Granted Patent: US 10,484,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• 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 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An access point (AP) accepts a communications device to join a wireless communications network. The AP registers a service provided by the communications device. The service is available in accordance with a schedule and a set of service parameters. The AP receives a request from a peer communications device seeking the service. The AP announces availability of the service on behalf of the communications device while the communications device is unavailable. The service is later provided by the communications device to the peer communications device when both devices are available to communicate. By utilizing an always-on AP to announce service availability and to exchange service parameters, fast service discovery can be achieved with low power consumption for both service advertisers and service seekers.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

accepting a communications device to join a wireless communications network managed by a management entity;

registering a service provided by the communications device, wherein the service is available in accordance with a schedule and a set of service parameters;

receiving a request from a peer communications device seeking the service; and

announcing availability of the service on behalf of the communications device while the communications device is unavailable, wherein the service is provided by the communications device to the peer communications device when both the communications device and the peer communications device are available to communicate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the management entity is an access point (AP).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device is unavailable when entering power saving mode in accordance with the schedule.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the management entity also transmits the schedule information to the peer communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device is unavailable when a distance from the peer communications device is over a pre-defined range.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the management entity also transmits location information and ranging information of the communications device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the management entity exchanges information of service parameters with the peer communications device on behalf of the communications device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the management entity forwards a session request from the peer communications device to the communications device.

9. A method, comprising:

joining a wireless communications network by a communications device, wherein the communications network is managed by a management entity;

registering a service to the management entity, wherein the service is available in accordance with a schedule and a set of service parameters, and wherein the service is announced by the management entity on behalf of the communications device when the communications device is unavailable;

receiving a notice from the management entity for providing the service to a peer communications device; and

providing the service to the peer communications device when both the communications device and the peer communications device are available to communicate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the service is unavailable when the communications device enters power saving mode in accordance with the schedule.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the schedule information is transmitted to the peer communications device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the service is unavailable when a distance between the communications device and the peer communications device is over a pre-defined range.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein location information and ranging information of the communications device is transmitted to the peer communications device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the notice comprises desired service parameters from the peer communications device.

15. A method, comprising:

transmitting a first request for a seeking a service by a communications device to a management entity in a wireless communications network;

receiving a response from the management entity on behalf of a peer communications device when the peer communications device is unavailable, wherein the service is provided by the peer communications device in accordance with a schedule and a set of service parameters;

transmitting a second request for establishing a session for the service based on the response; and

receiving the service provided by the peer communications device when both the communications device and the peer communications device are available to communicate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the service is unavailable when the peer communications device enters power saving mode in accordance with the schedule.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the communications device receives the schedule information from the management entity.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the service is unavailable when a distance between the communications device and the peer communications device is over a pre-defined range.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein communications device receives location information and ranging information of the peer communications device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the communications device exchanges desired service parameters with the management entity based on the schedule and the set of service parameters.