Communication method and apparatus for pr-association rich media exchange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10721610-B2
Application number	US-201615771855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A method of communication between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, and pertains to the field of communications technologies. The method includes receiving, by the second apparatus before the second apparatus is associated with the first apparatus, a radio signal from the first apparatus carrying a message frame, detecting rich media information in the message frame, and providing the rich media information on a user screen of the second apparatus to help a user make an association decision.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a transceiver circuit configured to:
receive, from another device, a beacon signal that includes an indicator indicating that the other device supports providing pre-association rich media information corresponding to rich media content comprising audio or video;
subsequent to receiving the beacon signal, send, to the other device, a radio signal that carries a request message that includes a rich media request for the pre-association rich media information; and
subsequent to sending the radio signal, receive a first message frame in a radio signal from the other device, wherein the first message frame is received before the device is associated with the other device;

an interface circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit and configured to:
provide a user screen;
provide information for a user; and
receive input of the user; and

a control circuit coupled to the transceiver circuit and the interface circuit and configured to:
detect the pre-association rich media information in the first message frame; and
display, using the user screen, a Wi-Fi network selection screen including a selectable icon corresponding to the pre-association rich media information in the first message frame in association with a Wi-Fi network name corresponding to the pre-association rich media information, wherein the selectable icon is selectable independently of the Wi-Fi network name; and
change from displaying the Wi-Fi network selection screen to displaying a second screen for playing the rich media content in response to receiving input selecting the selectable icon.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pre-association rich media information is carried in a vendor specific field, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the request message.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
receive the first message frame;
detect the indicator in a vendor specific field of the first message frame;
receive a second message frame comprising the rich media content after generating the request message; and
detect the rich media content in a vendor specific field of the second message frame.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive the first message frame from the other device in at least one of the following signals:
a beacon signal;
a probe response signal; or
a service discovery response signal.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a probe request message frame that comprises a request indicator that instructs to probe a device supporting rich media.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to provide a screen indicator on the user screen to show the pre-association rich media information.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
receive an association instruction from a user using the interface circuit;
generate an association request frame; and
send to the other device a radio signal carrying the association request frame.

8. A method of communication between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving, from the first apparatus, a beacon signal that includes an indicator indicating that the first apparatus supports providing pre-association rich media information corresponding to rich media content comprising audio or video;
subsequent to receiving the beacon signal, sending, to the first apparatus, a radio signal that carries a request message that includes a rich media request for the pre-association rich media information;
subsequent to sending the radio signal, receiving, by the second apparatus from the first apparatus and before the second apparatus is associated with the first apparatus, a radio signal carrying a first message frame;
detecting, by the second apparatus, the pre-association rich media information in the first message frame; and
displaying, by the second apparatus on a user screen of the second apparatus, a Wi-Fi network selection screen including a selectable icon corresponding the pre-association rich media information in the first message frame in association with a Wi-Fi network name corresponding to the pre-association rich media information, wherein the selectable icon is selectable independently of the Wi-Fi network name; and
changing from displaying the Wi-Fi network selection screen to displaying a second screen for playing the rich media content in response to receiving input selecting the selectable icon.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pre-association rich media information is carried in a vendor specific field, and further comprising generating the request message.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting, by the second apparatus, the indicator in a vendor specific field of the first message frame;
receiving, by the second apparatus, a second message frame comprising the rich media content in response to the request message; and
detecting, by the second apparatus, the rich media content in a vendor specific field of the second message frame.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the radio signal carrying the first message frame comprises at least one of the following:
receiving, by the second apparatus, the first message frame in a beacon signal from the first apparatus;
receiving, by the second apparatus, the first message frame in a probe response signal from the first apparatus; or
receiving, by the second apparatus, the first message frame in a service discovery response signal from the first apparatus.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating, by the second apparatus, a probe request message frame, wherein the probe request message frame comprises a request indicator that instructs to probe an apparatus supporting rich media; and
receiving, by the second apparatus, the first message frame from the first apparatus after the first apparatus receives the probe request message frame.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing a screen indicator on the user screen to indicate the pre-association rich media information.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving, by the second apparatus, an association instruction from a user using the user screen;
generating, by the second apparatus, an association request frame; and
sending, by the second apparatus, a radio signal carrying the association request frame to the first apparatus.

15. A first peer-to-peer device, comprising:
a control circuit configured to generate a pre-association message frame comprising rich media information corresponding to rich media content comprising audio or video; and
a transceiver circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to transmit the pre-association message frame to a second peer-to-peer device before the first peer-to-peer device is associated with the second peer-to-peer device to cause the second peer-to-peer device to display, in association with a Wi-Fi network name and in a Wi-Fi network selection screen, an icon that is selectable independent of the Wi-Fi network name to cause the second peer-to-peer device to display a second screen for playing the rich media content.

16. The first peer-to-peer device of claim 15 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
receive an instruction;
enable a rich media feature; and
generate the pre-association message frame in response to the instruction.

17. The first pe

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Qin Wei
• Li Xiaoxian

Classifications

• H04L67/51

  Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services · CPC title

• H04W84/02

  Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop] · CPC title

• H04M15/80

  Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects · CPC title

• H04W4/24

  Accounting or billing · CPC title

• H04M15/00

  Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP} · CPC title