Method and apparatus for peer discovery in a wireless communication network

• US 9,900,759 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wentink, Maarten Menzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAHMAND, ASHIL S
• Application Number:
  US12/917,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,668 Days
• Field of Search: 370255
• 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 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

Apparatus and methods of peer discovery in a communications network include generating a discovery request configured to identify a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capable peer device, transmitting the discovery request, and determining if a discovery response is received in response to the discovery request. In an aspect, the apparatus and methods may encapsulate the discovery request in a data frame such that the discovery request is transparent to an access point. In other aspects, the apparatus and methods may form the discovery request by appending TDLS capability information to a probe request. Additionally, the apparatus and methods may include determining if a discovery response is received in response to the discovery request. Thus, the apparatus and methods provide a deterministic method of peer discovery, so that a list of potential peers that are TDLS capable can be available before attempting a TDLS direct link setup.

Claims

1. A method performed by a station of determining Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capable peer devices in a communications network, comprising:

generating a discovery request configured to identify TDLS capable peer devices on the communications network, the discovery request indicating that a discovery response may be transmitted directly to the station;

transmitting the discovery request for broadcast over the communications network; and

receiving a direct transmission of one or more discovery responses directly from one or more TDLS capable peer devices, wherein each of the one or more discovery responses is associated with a corresponding TDLS capable peer device and comprises TDLS capability information for the corresponding TDLS capable peer device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request further comprises encapsulating the discovery request in a data frame such that the discovery request is transparent to an access point, and wherein the transmitting further comprises transmitting to the access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request comprises appending a TDLS capability information of the station to a probe request, and wherein transmitting the discovery request comprises transmitting the probe request including the appended TDLS capability information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request comprises appending a TDLS capability information of the station to a beacon, and wherein transmitting the discovery request comprises transmitting the beacon including the appended TDLS capability information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more received discovery responses comprises a TDLS capability information of a corresponding TDLS capable peer device, the TDLS capability information of the corresponding TDLS capable peer device being appended to a probe response from the corresponding TDLS capable peer device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the station, a new discovery request originating from another TDLS capable peer device,

generating, in response to the newly received discovery request, an additional discovery response comprising a TDLS capability information associated with the station, and

transmitting the additional discovery response including the associated TDLS capability information directly to the TDLS capable peer device that originated the newly received discovery request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more discovery responses comprises a Probe response frame.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request includes piggybacking a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capability associated with the station onto a Probe frame using a peer-to-peer device discovery protocol for transmission.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the Probe frame is a Probe request frame.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising adding an association element to the Probe frame, wherein the association element includes information of a current association of the station.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a direct link with a selected TDLS capable peer device among the one or more directly responding TDLS capable peer devices based on TDLS capability of the selected TDLS capable peer device, that is specified in a discovery response from the selected TDLS capable peer device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an association element to the discovery request, wherein the association element includes information of a current association of the station.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one discovery response of the one or more discovery responses comprises a corresponding association element, the corresponding association element including information pertaining to a current association of a corresponding TDLS capable peer device that generated the corresponding at least one discovery response.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the corresponding association element further comprises information pertaining to one or more of the following:

security type of a direct link, operating channel, operating channel bandwidth, or current PHY rate to or from an access point (AP).

15. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request further comprises adding one of an extended capability element, a dialog token or a device type element to the discovery request.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request further comprises generating a broadcast address for broadcasting of the discovery request using the broadcast address.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request further comprises including a basic service set identifier (BSSID) that identifies a MAC address of an access point associated with the station.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the discovery request further comprises:

including, in the discovery request, a discovery response indicator indicating whether a discovery response is to be sent when basic service set identifier (BSSID) associated with a TDLS capable peer device receiving the discovery request does not match a BSSID associated with the station.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery request comprises a TDLS request frame, and the method further comprises, after receiving the direct transmission of the discovery response:

receiving or transmitting, corresponding to at least one of the one or more discovery responses from the one or more TDLS capable peer devices, a corresponding at least one TDLS confirm frame; and

establishing, based on the corresponding at least one TDLS confirm frame, a direct link between an originator of the discovery request and a corresponding at least one TDLS capable peer device associated with the corresponding at least one TDLS confirm frame.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capable peer device discovery on a station in a communications network, the instructions executable by a processor to:

generate a discovery request configured to identify a TDLS capable peer device on the communications network, the discovery request indicating that a discovery response may be transmitted directly to the station;

transmit the discovery request for broadcast over the communications network; and

receive a direct transmission of one or more discovery responses directly from one or more TDLS capable peer devices, wherein each of the one or more discovery responses is associated with a corresponding TDLS capable peer device and comprises TDLS capability information for the corresponding TDLS capable peer device.

21. An apparatus for Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capable peer device discovery in a communications network, comprising:

means for generating a discovery request configured to identify a TDLS capable peer device on the communications network, the discovery request indicating that a discovery response may be transmitted directly to the apparatus;

means for transmitting the discovery request for broadcast over the communications network; and

means for receiving a direct transmission of one or more discovery responses, directly from one or more TDLS capable peer devices, wherein each of the one or more discovery responses is associated with a corresponding TDLS capable peer device and comprises TDLS capability information for the corresponding TDLS capable peer device.

22. An apparatus for Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capable peer device discovery in a communications network, comprising:

a memory, and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

generate a discovery request configured to identify a TDLS capable peer device on the communications network, the discovery request indicating that a discovery response may be transmitted directly to the apparatus;

transmit the discovery request for broadcast over the communications network, and

receive a direct transmission of one or more discovery responses, directly from one or more TDLS capable peer devices, wherein each of the one or more discovery responses is associated with a corresponding TDLS capable peer device and comprises TDLS capability information for the corresponding TDLS capable peer device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is further configured to:

encapsulate the discovery request in a data frame such that the discovery request is transparent to an access point; and

transmit the discovery request to the access point.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

append a TDLS capability information of the apparatus to a probe request; and

transmit the probe request including the appended TDLS capability information.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

append a TDLS capability information of the apparatus to a beacon; and

transmit the beacon including the appended TDLS capability information.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one of the received discovery responses comprises a TDLS capability information of a corresponding TDLS capable peer device, wherein the TDLS capability information of the corresponding TDLS capable peer device is appended to a probe response for the corresponding TDLS capable peer device.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, the processor is further configured to:

generate an additional discovery response in reply to an additional discovery request originating from another TDLS capable peer device, and append a TDLS capability information associated with the apparatus to the additional discovery response; and

transmit the additional discovery response including the associated TDLS capability information directly to the TDLS capable peer device that originated the additional discovery request.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one of the one or more discovery responses further comprises a Probe response frame.

29. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

generate the discovery request by piggybacking a Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) capability of the apparatus onto a Probe frame using a peer-to-peer device discovery protocol for transmission.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the Probe frame is a Probe request frame.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

add an association element to the Probe frame, wherein the association element includes information of a current association of the apparatus.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:

establish a direct link with a selected TDLS capable peer device among the one or more directly responding TDLS capable peer devices based on a TDLS capability of the selected TDLS capable peer device specified in a discovery response from the selected TDLS capable peer device.

33. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

add an association element to the discovery request, wherein the association element includes information of a current association of the apparatus.

34. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one discovery response in the one or more discovery responses comprises a corresponding association element, wherein the corresponding association element comprises information of a current association of a corresponding TDLS capable peer device that generated the corresponding discovery response.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the corresponding association element further comprises information pertaining to one or more of the following:

security type of a direct link, operating channel, operating channel bandwidth, or current PHY rate to or from an access point (AP).

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

add one of an extended capability element, a dialog token or a device type element to the discovery request.

37. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

broadcast the discovery request using a broadcast address.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

include in the discovery request a basic service set identifier (BSSID) that identifies a MAC address of an access point associated with the apparatus.

39. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein to generate the discovery request, the processor is configured to:

include, in the discovery request, a discovery response indicator indicating whether a discovery response is to be sent when basic service set identifier (BSSID) associated with a TDLS capable peer device receiving the discovery request does not match a BSSID associated with the apparatus.

40. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the discovery request comprises a TDLS request frame, and the processor is further configured to:

receive or transmit corresponding to at least one of the one or more discovery responses from the one or more TDLS capable peer devices a corresponding at least one TDLS confirm frame; and

establish, based on the corresponding at least one TDLS confirm frame, a direct link between the apparatus and a corresponding at least one TDLS capable peer device associated with the corresponding at least one TDLS confirm frame.