Infrastructure assisted discovery in a wireless peer-to-peer network

• US 9,198,017 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Horn, Gavin Bernard, Sampath, Ashwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jagannathan, Melanie
• Application Number:
  US12/123,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20090285119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,745 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• 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

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for infrastructure assisted discovery in wireless peer-to-peer networks. Various discovery procedures may be implemented where a first node supports discovery of other nodes for a second node.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to receive from a remote node a wireless request to support wireless discovery, and to respond to the request by sending to the remote node a wireless indication that the request is granted, and by assisting the remote node in wirelessly identifying another remote node that is available to communicate with the remote node via an ad hoc wireless connection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support the discovery by broadcasting a discovery signal for the remote node.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the discovery signal comprises information indicating that the discovery signal is being broadcast for the remote node.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to support the discovery by listening for a discovery signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the processing system is further configured to notify the remote node in response to receiving a discovery signal from said another remote node so that the remote node can connect to said another remote node.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to communicate to the remote node that the processing system is capable of supporting discovery for the remote node.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive a communication from the remote node comprising one or more attributes related to the discovery for the remote node.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processing system is further configured to support the discovery by listening for a discovery signal having at least one of the one or more attributes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to continue to support the discovery for the remote node in response to a keep-alive signal from the remote node.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the processing system comprises a timer, and wherein the processing system is further configured to stop supporting the discovery for the remote node if the timer expires before the keep-alive signal is received from the remote node.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a broadcast of a discovery signal from the remote node.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a transmission directed to the apparatus.

13. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to send to a remote node a wireless request for support of wireless discovery, to receive from the remote node a wireless indication that the request is granted, and to respond to the indication by using the remote node to assist said apparatus in wireles sly identifying another remote node that is available to communicate with said apparatus via an ad hoc wireless connection.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing system is further configured to use the remote node for discovery by enabling the remote node to broadcast a discovery signal for the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processing system is further configured to send a keep-alive signal to enable the remote node to continue to broadcast the discovery signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing system is further configured to sleep during at least a portion of a time when the processing system is not sending the keep-alive signal to the remote node.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor system is further configured to broadcast a second discovery signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second discovery signal comprises the keep-alive signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a transmission directed to the remote node.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processing system is further configured to listen for a discovery signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing system is further configured to use the remote node for discovery by enabling the remote node to listen for a discovery signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processing system is further configured to listen for a discovery signal.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processing system is further configured to broadcast a discovery signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive a communication from the remote node indicating that the remote node is capable of supporting discovery for the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing system is further configured to communicate to the remote node one or more attributes related to the discovery to enable the remote node to listen for a discovery signal having at least one of the one or more attributes.

26. A method for wireless communications at an apparatus, comprising:

receiving from a remote node a wireless request to support wireless discovery; and

responding to the request, including sending to the remote node a wireless indication that the request is granted, and assisting the remote node in wirelessly identifying another remote node that is available to communicate with the remote node via an ad hoc wireless connection.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the discovery for the remote node is supported by broadcasting a discovery signal for the remote node.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the discovery signal comprises information indicating that the discovery signal is being broadcast for the remote node.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the discovery for the remote node is supported by listening for a discovery signal.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising notifying the remote node in response to receiving a discovery signal from said another remote node so that the remote node can connect to said another remote node.

31. The method of claim 26 further comprising communicating to the remote node that the apparatus is capable of supporting discovery for the remote node.

32. The method of claim 26 further comprising receiving a communication from the remote node comprising one or more attributes related to the discovery for the remote node.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the discovery for the remote node is supported by listening for a discovery signal having at least one of the one or more attributes.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the support of the discovery for the remote node is continued in response to a keep-alive signal from the remote node.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the support of the discovery for the remote node is stopped in response to a predetermined time expiring before the keep-alive signal is received from the remote node.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a broadcast of a discovery signal from the remote node.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a transmission directed to the apparatus.

38. A method for wireless communications at an apparatus, comprising:

sending to a remote node a wireless request for support of wireless discovery;

receiving from the remote node a wireless indication that the request is granted; and

in response to the indication, using the remote node to assist said apparatus in wirelessly identifying another remote node that is available to communicate with said apparatus via an ad hoc wireless connection.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the remote node is used for discovery by enabling the remote node to broadcast a discovery signal for the apparatus.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising sending a keep-alive signal to enable the remote node to continue to broadcast the discovery signal.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising sleeping during at least a portion of a time when not sending the keep-alive signal to the remote node.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising broadcasting a second discovery signal.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the second discovery signal comprises the keep-alive signal.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a transmission directed to the remote node.

45. The method of claim 39 further comprising listening for a discovery signal.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the remote node is used for discovery by enabling the remote node to listen for a discovery signal.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising listening for the discovery signal.

48. The method of claim 46 further comprising broadcasting a discovery signal.

49. The method of claim 38 further comprising receiving a communication from the remote node indicating that the remote node is capable of supporting discovery for the apparatus.

50. The method of claim 38 further comprising communicating to the remote node one or more attributes related to the discovery to enable the remote node to listen for a discovery signal having at least one of the one or more attributes.

51. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for wireless connecting to a remote node;

means for receiving from the remote node a wireless request to support wireless discovery; and

means for responding to the request, wherein said responding includes sending to the remote node a wireless indication that the request is granted, and assisting the remote node in wirelessly identifying another remote node that is available to communicate with the remote node via an ad hoc wireless connection.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the means for supporting wireless discovery comprises means for broadcasting a discovery signal for the remote node.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the discovery signal comprises information indicating that the discovery signal is being broadcast for the remote node.

54. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the means for supporting wireless discovery comprises means for listening for a discovery signal.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising means for notifying the remote node in response to receiving a discovery signal from said another remote node so that the remote node can connect to said another remote node.

56. The apparatus of claim 51 further comprising means for communicating to the remote node that the apparatus is capable of supporting discovery for the remote node.

57. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the means for supporting wireless discovery comprises means for receiving a communication from the remote node comprising one or more attributes related to the discovery for the remote node.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the means for supporting wireless discovery comprises means for listening for a discovery signal having at least one of the one or more attributes.

59. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the means for supporting wireless discovery comprises means for continuing to support the discovery in response to a keep-alive signal from the remote node.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the means for supporting wireless discovery includes means for stopping supporting the wireless discovery for the remote node in response to a predetermined time[r] expiring before the keep-alive signal is received from the remote node.

61. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a broadcast of a discovery signal from the remote node.

62. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a transmission directed to the apparatus.

63. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for wireless connecting to a remote node;

means for sending to the remote node a wireless request for support of wireless discovery;

means for receiving from the remote node a wireless indication that the request is granted; and

means responsive to the indication for using the remote node to assist said apparatus in wirelessly identifying another remote node that is available to communicate with said apparatus via an ad hoc wireless connection.

64. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein means for using the remote node comprises means for enabling the remote node to broadcast a discovery signal for the apparatus.

65. The apparatus of claim 64 further comprising means for sending a keep-alive signal to enable the remote node to continue to broadcast the discovery signal.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising means for sleeping during at least a portion of a time when not sending the keep-alive signal to the remote node.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising means for broadcasting a second discovery signal.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the second discovery signal comprises the keep-alive signal.

69. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the keep-alive signal comprises a transmission directed to the remote node.

70. The apparatus of claim 64 further comprising means for listening for a discovery signal.

71. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the means for using the remote node comprises means for enabling the remote node to listen for a discovery signal.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 further comprising means listening for the discovery signal.

73. The apparatus of claim 71 further comprising means for broadcasting a discovery signal.

74. The apparatus of claim 63 further comprising means for receiving a communication from the remote node indicating that the remote node is capable of supporting discovery for the apparatus.

75. The apparatus of claim 63 further comprising means for communicating to the remote node one or more attributes related to the discovery to enable the remote node to listen for a discovery signal having at least one of the one or more attributes.

76. A wireless access point, comprising:

a wireless interface configured to support a backhaul connection for a wireless access terminal; and

a processing system configured to support the wireless interface, the processing system being further configured to receive from the wireless access terminal a wireless request to support wireless discovery, and to respond to the request by sending to the wireless access terminal a wireless indication that the request is granted, and by assisting the wireless access terminal in wirelessly identifying another wireless access terminal that is available to communicate with the wireless access terminal via an ad hoc wireless connection.

77. A wireless access terminal, comprising:

a processing system configured to send to a wireless access point a wireless request for support of wireless discovery, to receive from the wireless access point a wireless indication that the request is granted, and to respond to the indication by using the wireless access point to assist said wireless access terminal in wirelessly identifying another wireless access terminal that is available to communicate with said wireless access terminal via an ad hoc wireless connection; and

a user interface supported by the processing system.

78. A computer-program product for communication, comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing system to receive from a first wireless communication node a wireless request to support wireless discovery, and to respond to the request by sending to the first wireless communication node a wireless indication that the request is granted, and by assisting the first wireless communication node in wirelessly identifying a second wireless communication node that is available to communicate with the first wireless communication node via an ad hoc wireless connection, wherein the processing system is provided in a wireless communication apparatus that is remote from the first and second wireless communication nodes.

79. A computer-program product for communication, comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing system to send to a first wireless communication node a wireless request for support of wireless discovery, to receive from the first wireless communication node a wireless indication that the request is granted, and to respond to the indication by using the first wireless communication node to assist a wireless communication apparatus in wirelessly identifying a second wireless communication node that is available to communicate with said wireless communication apparatus via an ad hoc wireless connection, wherein said wireless communication apparatus contains said processing system and is remote from said first and second wireless communication nodes.