Fast join of peer to peer group with power saving mode

• US 9,998,522 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Desai, Mitesh K., Hassan, Amer A., Sankaranarayan, Mukund, Filgueiras, Henrique
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Yaotang
• Application Number:
  US14/975,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 905 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1051 Group master selection mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1093 Some peer nodes performing special functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• 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: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless peer-to-peer protocol that supports fast and low power joining to an existing group. The protocol may be an extension of a peer-to-peer protocol that supports a sleep state for a device controlling the group. When a device is seeking to join a group at a time when the controlling device is in a sleep state, another device that has information about the controlling device may provide information to the joining device that may then be used by the joining device to more quickly, and using less power, synchronize with the controlling device. The information may include information about a channel used by the controlling device or about timing of availability of the controlling device. The information may also reveal whether the group provides a service being sought by the joining device or may otherwise influence whether the joining device will attempt to join a group.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first wireless device, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a first message;

receiving a response to the first message via a wireless communications medium, the response being received from a second wireless device and the response providing information regarding when a third wireless device is expected to be awake; and

using the information regarding when the third wireless device is expected to be awake to establish wireless communications with the third wireless device, the using of the information to establish the wireless communications comprising;

deferring monitoring a channel used by the third wireless device according to the information regarding when the third wireless device is expected to be awake; and

wirelessly transmitting a join request to the third wireless device for a wireless network controlled by the third wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information comprises an indication that the third wireless device is in a sleep state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the information comprises an indication of the channel used by the third wireless device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein using the information to establish wireless communications further comprises:

configuring a radio of the first wireless device to monitor the channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first message is formatted in accordance with a WI-FI Direct protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first message is a probe request message for joining the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the probe request message comprises an information element requesting a reply identifying a group owner of the wireless network if the group owner is in an unavailable state.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first message comprises an information element requesting information about an established wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information regarding when the third wireless device is expected to be awake includes an indication of a time at which the third wireless device is expected to be awake; and

using the information regarding when the third wireless device is expected to be awake to establish communications with the third wireless device comprises determining that the indicated time is reached.

10. A computer-readable storage device, having instructions stored therein for causing a wireless device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

storing information about a device controlling a wireless network;

receiving a first message from a first device via a wireless communications medium, the first message comprising an information element indicating a request for information about the wireless network;

based on the stored information, formatting a response to the first message including information about the device controlling the wireless network, wherein the information about the device controlling the wireless computing device wireless network includes an indication of a time at which the device controlling the wireless network is expected to be awake; and

wirelessly transmitting the response to the first device, wherein the first device then;

defers monitoring a channel used by the device controlling the wireless network based on the information regarding when the device controlling the wireless network is expected to be awake; and

transmits a request to join the wireless network to the device controlling the wireless network.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein:

storing information about the device controlling the wireless network comprises storing information obtained in an exchange of messages with the device controlling the wireless network.

12. The wireless computing device of claim 10, wherein:

the operations further comprise receiving an indication from the device controlling the wireless network that the device controlling the wireless network is entering a sleep state; and

storing information about the device controlling the wireless network comprises storing information obtained in the received indication.

13. The wireless computing device of claim 10, wherein:

the first message comprises a probe request message for joining the wireless network.

14. The wireless computing device of claim 10, wherein:

the response comprises a probe response message comprising an information element including the channel used by the device controlling the wireless network.

15. A wireless computing device, comprising:

a radio configured to interface the wireless computing device to a wireless network;

at least one memory and at least one processor that are respectively configured to store and execute instructions to cause the radio to;

transmit a probe request message, the probe request message comprising an information element indicating a request for information about a group owner of the wireless network;

receive a probe reply message including information indicating a scheduled time for the group owner to exit a sleep state; and

establish communications with the group owner, the instructions to establish the communications comprising instructions to;

defer active scanning for the group owner until a time selected based on the scheduled time; and

send a join request to the group owner.

16. The wireless computing device of claim 15, wherein:

the probe reply message also includes an indication of a channel used by the group owner for broadcasting management frames; and

the instructions to establish the communications with the group owner also comprises instructions to;

monitor the channel for a management frame.

17. The wireless computing device of claim 16, wherein:

the instructions to establish the communications with the group owner also comprises instructions to;

tune, based on the scheduled time, the wireless computing device to the channel used by the group owner for broadcasting management frames.

18. The wireless computing device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are also to cause the radio to:

scan for the group owner prior to transmission of the probe request message; and

selectively transmit the probe request message in response to nondetection of the group owner during the scan.

19. The wireless computing device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are also to cause the radio to:

respond to a probe request message, the probe request message comprising an information element indicating a request for information about the group owner of the wireless network.

20. The wireless computing device of claim 19, wherein:

the instructions to respond to the probe request message are to be conditionally executed in response to a join of the wireless network by the wireless computing device, the wireless network having group owner for which a notice of absence has been received.