Network-assisted peer discovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11412038-B2
Application number	US-201715782355-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2017
Priority date	Apr 15, 2010
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

Techniques for performing network-assisted peer discovery to enable peer-to-peer (P2P) communication are described. In one design, a device registers with a network entity (e.g., a directory agent) so that the presence of the device and possibly other information about the device can be made known to the network entity. The network entity collects similar information from other devices. The device sends a request to the network entity, e.g., during or after registration. The request includes information used to match the device with other devices, e.g., information about service(s) provided by the device and/or service(s) requested by the device. The directory agent matches requests received from all devices, determines a match between the device and at least one other device, and sends a notification to perform peer discovery. The device performs peer discovery in response to receiving the notification from the network entity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for wireless communication, comprising:
performing, by a first device, peer discovery;
detecting, by the first device via the peer discovery, at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by at least one second device;
measuring, by the first device, a signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device;
measuring, by the first device, a signal strength of a downlink pilot transmitted by a network device,
wherein the network device is different from the at least one second device;

reporting, by the first device and to the network device, the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, the signal strength of the downlink pilot transmitted by the network device, and identification information for the at least one second device; and
receiving, by the first device and from the network device, scheduling decision information related to the at least one second device based on reporting the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, the signal strength of the downlink pilot transmitted by the network device, and the identification information,
wherein the scheduling decision information indicates a type of communication to be used between the first device and the at least one second device based at least in part on whether the signal strength, of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, satisfies a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a device identity (ID) of each of the at least one second device based on the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device,
wherein the identification information comprises the device ID of each of the at least one second device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending a request from the first device to the network device,
the request comprising information used to match the first device with other devices; and

receiving a notification from the network device to perform the peer discovery,
the notification being determined based on the request from the first device; and

wherein performing the peer discovery comprises:
performing the peer discovery based at least in part on receiving the notification from the network device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the notification is determined based further on the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal and the identification information.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether to engage in peer-to-peer (P2P) communication with any of the at least one second device based on the scheduling decision information.

6. A first device for wireless communication, comprising:
means for performing peer discovery;
means for detecting, via the peer discovery, at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by at least one second device;
means for measuring signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device;
means for measuring a signal strength of a downlink pilot transmitted by a network device,
wherein the network device is different from the at least one second device;

means for reporting, to the network device, the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, the signal strength of the downlink pilot transmitted by the network device, and identification information for the at least one second device; and
means for receiving, from the network device, scheduling decision information related to the at least one second device based on reporting the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, the signal strength of the downlink pilot transmitted by the network device, and the identification information,
wherein the scheduling decision information indicates a type of communication to be used between the first device and the at least one second device based at least in part on whether the signal strength, of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, satisfies a threshold.

7. The first device of claim 6 , further comprising:
means for sending a request from the first device to the network device,
the request comprising information used to match the first device with other devices; and

means for receiving a notification from the network device to perform the peer discovery,
the notification being determined based on the request from the first device; and

wherein the means for performing the peer discovery comprises:
means for performing the peer discovery based at least in part on receiving the notification from the network device.

8. The first device of claim 7 , wherein the notification is determined based further on the signal strength, of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device, and the identification information.

9. The first device of claim 6 , further comprising:
means for determining whether to engage in peer-to-peer (P2P) communication with any of the at least one second device based on the scheduling decision information.

10. The first device of claim 6 , further comprising:
means for obtaining a device identity (ID) of each of the at least one second device based on the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one second device,
wherein the identification information comprises the device ID of each of the at least one second device.

11. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
perform peer discovery;
detect, via the peer discovery, at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by at least one device;
measure a signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one device;
measure a signal strength of a downlink pilot transmitted by a network device,
wherein the network device is different from the at least one device;

report, to the network device, the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one device, the signal strength of the downlink pilot transmitted by the network device, and identification information for the at least one device; and
receive, from the network device, scheduling decision information related to the at least one device based on reporting the signal strength of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one device, the signal strength of the downlink pilot transmitted by the network device, and the identification information,
wherein the scheduling decision information indicates a type of communication to be used between the apparatus and the at least one device based at least in part on whether the signal strength, of the at least one proximity detection signal transmitted by the at least one device, satisfies a threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
send a request to the network device,
the request comprising information used to match the apparatus with other devices; and

receive a notification from the network device to perform the peer discovery,
the notification being determined based on the request; and

wherein the at least one processor, when performing the peer discovery, is configured to:
perform the peer discovery based at least in part on re

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Mallik Siddhartha
• Wang Renqiu
• Palanki Ravi
• Bhushan Naga

Classifications

• H04W8/005 Primary

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04L67/1063 Primary

  Discovery through centralising entities · CPC title

• G06F16/438

  Presentation of query results · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title