Systems and methods for device discovery
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- broadcasting, with a wireless device, a discovery request frame on an alternative channel of a channel set, wherein the channel set includes at least the alternative channel and a base channel of the wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame;
listening on the alternative channel for a discovery response transmitted on the alternative channel by a receiving wireless device in response to the discovery request frame; and
processing the discovery response transmitted by the receiving wireless device to obtain discovery information regarding the receiving wireless device.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for enabling wireless devices to discover a number of other proximate wireless devices are disclosed. The discovery may include the discovery of network configuration parameters useful for establishing a connection between the wireless devices. The disclosed systems and methods for device discovery may operate in a number of different modes to timely discover wireless devices that receive communications continuously, as well as wireless devices that turn off their wireless receivers for intermittent periods of time. The wireless devices may, for example, communicate using the IEEE 802.11 protocol.
47 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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broadcasting, with a wireless device, a discovery request frame on an alternative channel of a channel set, wherein the channel set includes at least the alternative channel and a base channel of the wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; listening on the alternative channel for a discovery response transmitted on the alternative channel by a receiving wireless device in response to the discovery request frame; and processing the discovery response transmitted by the receiving wireless device to obtain discovery information regarding the receiving wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A scanning wireless device comprising:
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a transceiver including a transmitter configured to transmit data and a receiver configured to receive data; and a processor configured to; broadcast a discovery request frame on an alternative channel of a channel set via the transmitter, wherein the channel set includes at least the alternative channel and a base channel of the scanning wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; listen on the alternative channel via the receiver for a discovery response transmitted on the alternative channel by a receiving wireless device in response to the discovery request frame; and process the discovery response transmitted by the receiving wireless device to obtain discovery information of the receiving wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for discovering a proximate wireless device comprising:
a first device comprising; a transceiver including a transmitter configured to transmit data and a receiver configured to receive data; and a processor configured to; broadcast periodic unsolicited discovery frames including discovery information associated with the first device on a base channel via the transmitter; scan each alternative channel in a channel set, wherein the channel set includes at least an alternative channel and the base channel of the first device, broadcast a discovery request frame on the alternative channel via the transmitter, wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; and listen on the alternative channel via the receiver for a discovery response sent in reply to the discovery request and for unsolicited discovery frames wirelessly transmitted by another device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for discovering a proximate wireless device comprising:
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means for residing a transceiver of a wireless device on a base channel during a first time period, and for iteratively scanning a first alternate channel and a second alternate channel during a second time period; means for broadcasting a discovery request frame, wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; means for listening for any discovery response transmitted by a receiving wireless device in response to the broadcast of the discovery request frame, and for any unsolicited discovery frames wirelessly transmitted by any other wireless device; and means for processing a discovery response transmitted by the receiving wireless device to obtain discovery information of the receiving wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method comprising:
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transmitting a discovery request frame from a transmitter of a first wireless device, wherein the discovery request frame includes discovery information of the first wireless device, wherein the discovery request frame is transmitted on an alternate channel of a channel set that includes a base channel of the first wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; receiving, at the first wireless device, discovery information from a second wireless device in a discovery response on the alternate channel; extracting a basic service set identifier (BSSID) or a service set identifier (SSID) from the discovery information; and establishing a connection to a network on the alternate channel by associating with the BSSID or the SSID extracted from the discovery information. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
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instructions for broadcasting, via a transceiver of a wireless device, a discovery request frame on an alternative channel of a channel set, wherein the channel set includes at least the alternative channel and a base channel of the wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; instructions for listening on the alternative channel for a discovery response transmitted on the alternative channel by a receiving wireless device in response to the discovery request frame; and instructions for processing the discovery response transmitted by the receiving wireless device to obtain discovery information regarding the receiving wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A method comprising:
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receiving, via a transceiver of a receiving wireless device, a discovery request frame from a transmitting wireless device, wherein the discovery request frame is received on an alternative channel of the transmitting wireless device, wherein the alternative channel is part of a channel set that includes at least the alternative channel and a base channel of the transmitting wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; transmitting a discovery response to the transmitting wireless device on the alternative channel in response to the discovery request frame, wherein the discovery response includes discovery information regarding the receiving wireless device; and establishing a direct wireless connection with the transmitting wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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51. A wireless device comprising:
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a transceiver configured to receive a discovery request frame from a transmitting wireless device, wherein the discovery request frame is received on an alternative channel of the transmitting wireless device, wherein the alternative channel is part of a channel set that includes at least the alternative channel and a base channel of the transmitting wireless device, and wherein the discovery request frame includes an indicator configured to cause non-access point receiving wireless devices to process and respond to the discovery request frame; and a processor configured to; transmit, via the transceiver, a discovery response to the transmitting wireless device on the alternative channel in response to the discovery request frame, wherein the discovery response includes discovery information regarding the wireless device; and establish a direct wireless connection with the transmitting wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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Specification