System and method for determining group owner intent

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

p-0002The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/312,403, filed on Mar. 10, 2010 (Attorney Docket No. TI-69185PS) entitled “Group Owner Negotiation in Wi-Fi Direct Devices” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

p-0003The use of wireless devices is increasing rapidly. Wireless devices, such as consumer electronic devices and mobile handsets, configured with Wi-FDirect enable users to communicate content by allowing them to connect with other wireless devices without an infrastructure network located in the vicinity.

p-0004One way to accomplish the connection of wireless devices to each other in a peer to peer group is to provide the functionality of a traditional infrastructure Access Point in software in a wireless device so that the device operates as a group owner, behaving in a similar manner as the traditional infrastructure Access Point. With the functionality of an Access Point, other wireless devices have the capability of setting up connections with the mobile group owner as peer to peer clients. Typically, Access Point functionality provided by the wireless device is, for the most part, provided by software. The group owner wireless device is sometimes referred to as a Soft Access Point.

SUMMARY

p-0005A system and method for determining group owner intent in a wireless device. In one embodiment, a wireless device comprises a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a group owner intent determination unit. The group owner intent determination unit is configured to determine a value of the wireless device which is used to determine a group owner in a peer to peer group based on whether the wireless device is configured to access a coexisting wireless network.

p-0006In another embodiment, a method includes identifying, by a wireless device, whether the wireless device is required to perform a cross-connection between an infrastructure basic service set and a peer to peer group. The method also includes identifying, by the wireless device, whether the wireless device is configured to access a coexisting wireless network. The method also includes determining, by the wireless device, a group owner intent value of the wireless device based on whether the wireless device is required to perform a cross-connection between an infrastructure basic service set and a peer to peer group and based on whether the wireless device is configured to access a coexisting wireless network.

p-0007In a further embodiment, a system includes a first wireless device which comprises a first group owner intent determination unit. The first group owner intent determination unit is configured to determine a group owner intent value of the first wireless device based on: whether the first wireless device is configured to access a coexisting wireless network, the power remaining in the first wireless device at the time the group owner intent value determination is made, whether the first wireless device is a group owner in another peer to peer group, or a received signal strength indication of the first wireless device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0008For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

p-0009<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows a wireless system including two wireless devices configured to communicate with one another in a peer to peer group in accordance with various embodiments;

p-0010<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows a flow diagram for determining group owner intent value of a wireless device;

p-0011<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> shows a flow diagram for group owner negotiation between peer to peer devices; and

p-0012<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> shows a flow diagram for determining the group owner during a group owner negotiation between peer to peer devices.

NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE

p-0013Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . . ” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

p-0014The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.

p-0015In order to achieve the separation of functionalities between two peer devices in a peer to peer group, i.e. group owner or peer to peer (“p2p”) client, a group negotiation procedure must take place. More specifically, when two wireless devices arrive on a common channel, they must enter into a group owner negotiation to determine which wireless device becomes the group owner of the peer to peer group and acts as the Soft Access Point for the peer to peer group. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an efficient way for wireless devices to negotiate with one another as to which wireless device will become the group owner in a peer to peer group.

p-0016<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows a peer to peer group <b>100</b> including wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b>. Mobile telephones, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, radios, consumer electronic devices, and integrated circuits may serve as wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b>; however, any device that is capable of communicating with another device without being physically connected to the other device may also serve as wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b>.

p-0017Wireless device <b>102</b> includes receiver <b>104</b>, transmitter <b>106</b>, and group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b>. Wireless device <b>122</b> includes receiver <b>124</b>, transmitter <b>126</b>, and group owner intent determination unit <b>128</b>. Wireless device <b>102</b>, through transmitter <b>106</b> and receiver <b>104</b>, is configured to communicate with the wireless device <b>122</b> and its transmitter <b>126</b> and receiver <b>124</b> via a wireless network. Thus, wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> may form a peer to peer group in which one of the wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> may function as the group owner, and thus as a Soft Access Point. While only two wireless devices are depicted, in some embodiments, any number of wireless devices may join the peer to peer group. In other embodiments, the peer to peer group is limited to 8 wireless devices.

p-0018In some embodiments of the system <b>100</b>, the wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are configured to communicate with one another in accordance with the Wi-Fi Peer-to-Peer protocol (e.g., Wi-Fi Direct). In some embodiments, transmitters <b>106</b> and <b>126</b> and receivers <b>104</b> and <b>124</b> are configured for communication according to another wireless standard, such as the WLAN protocol (e.g., IEEE 802.11 b/g/n). The wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> may include a second transmitter and receiver pair configured for communication via a second (coexisting) wireless network using a protocol different from that of the first wireless network (e.g., over a BLUETOOTH network). Coexisting wireless networks may use overlapping or adjacent frequency resources, requiring that a wireless device accessing coexisting networks manage access to the networks to mitigate inter-network interference.

p-0019Wireless device <b>102</b> also includes group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b>. Wireless device <b>122</b> includes group owner intent determination unit <b>128</b>. Group owner intent determination units <b>108</b> and <b>128</b> are configured to determine a group owner intent value which is a value used by the wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> in determining which wireless device will be the group owner during the group owner negotiation. Group owner intent determination units <b>108</b> and <b>128</b> may be implemented in either hardware or a processor executing software.

p-0020<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows a flow diagram <b>200</b> for determining the group owner intent value of a wireless device such as wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> from <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. Though depicted sequentially as a matter of convenience, at least some of the actions shown can be performed in a different order and/or performed in parallel. Additionally, some embodiments may perform only some of the actions shown. In some embodiments, at least some of the operations of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, as well as other operations described herein, can be implemented as instructions stored in a computer readable medium and executed by a processor.

p-0021Group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> may be utilized for determining the group owner intent value for wireless device <b>102</b> while group owner intent determination unit <b>128</b> may be utilized for determining the group owner intent value for wireless device <b>122</b>.

p-0022The flow diagram begins at block <b>202</b> and proceeds to block <b>204</b>. In block <b>204</b>, a tiebreaker bit must be determined. The tiebreaker bit may be a randomly generated number, in some embodiments 0 or 1, which may be assigned by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b> with respect to a specific group owner negotiation.

p-0023The flow diagram continues in block <b>206</b> where a determination must be made, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, as to whether the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is required to perform a cross-connection between an infrastructure basic service set and the peer to peer group. A cross connection between an infrastructure basic service set and the peer to peer group may mean that wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> act as a bridge/router forwarding traffic from/to the infrastructure interface to/from the peer to peer group interface. If wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is required to perform a cross-connection between an infrastructure basic service set and the peer to peer group, then the method continues in block <b>208</b> where the group owner intent value is set to a maximum value, in some embodiments 15, for that wireless device and the method ends in block <b>236</b>.

p-0024However, if the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is not required to perform a cross-connection between an infrastructure basic service set and the peer to peer group, the method continues in block <b>210</b>. In block <b>210</b>, a determination is made, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, as to whether the wireless device is configured to access a coexisting wireless network, in some embodiments a BLUETOOTH network. If wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is not configured to access a coexisting wireless network, then the method continues in block <b>212</b>.

p-0025In block <b>212</b>, a determination is made, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, as to whether the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than a first preset threshold level. If the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than the first preset threshold level, then, as shown in block <b>208</b>, the group owner intent value is set to the maximum value, in some embodiments 15, for that wireless device and the method ends in block <b>236</b>.

p-0026However, if the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than or equal to the first preset threshold level, it must be determined, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, whether the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than a second preset threshold level, as shown in block <b>214</b>. The second preset threshold level may be less than the first preset threshold level.

p-0027If the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than the second preset threshold level, then the method continues in block <b>218</b> where the group owner intent value is set to a minimum value, in some embodiments 0, for that wireless device and the method ends in block <b>236</b>. Because, for the most part, wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are battery operated, wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> have limited resources and the power of the wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> may be a consideration in determining the group owner intent value.

p-0028If the power remaining in wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than or equal to the second preset threshold level, and thus, between the first preset threshold level and the second preset threshold level, the group owner intent value is set to a value based on the received signal strength indication of the wireless device with respect to other wireless devices in the peer to peer group, as indicated in block <b>216</b>, and the method ends in block <b>236</b>. In some embodiments, the higher the received signal strength indication of the wireless device, the higher the group owner intent value. In some embodiments, the value of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device is set to a number between 1 and 7.

p-0029If in block <b>210</b>, it is determined that the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is configured to access a coexisting wireless network, then the method continues in block <b>220</b>. In block <b>220</b> a determination is made, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, as to whether the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is a group owner for another separate peer to peer group. If the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is the group owner in another peer to peer group the method continues in block <b>222</b>.

p-0030In block <b>222</b>, a determination is made, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, as to whether the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than the first preset threshold level. If the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than the first preset threshold level, then, as shown in block <b>224</b>, the group owner intent value is set to the maximum value, in some embodiments 15, for that wireless device and the method ends in block <b>236</b>.

p-0031However, if the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than or equal to the first preset threshold level, it must be determined, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, whether the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than a second preset threshold level, as shown in block <b>228</b>. If the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than the second preset threshold level, then method continues in block <b>232</b> where the group owner intent value is set to the minimum value, in some embodiments 0, for that wireless device and the method ends in block <b>236</b>.

p-0032If the power remaining in wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than or equal to the second preset threshold level, and thus, between the first preset threshold level and the second preset threshold level, the group owner intent value is set to a value based on the received signal strength indication of the wireless device to other wireless devices in the peer to peer group, as indicated in block <b>234</b>, and the method ends in block <b>236</b>. In some embodiments, the higher the received signal strength indication of the wireless device, the higher the group owner intent value. In some embodiments, the value of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device is set to a number between 1 and 7.

p-0033If, in block <b>220</b>, it is determined that the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is not a group owner in a separate peer to peer group, then the method continues in block <b>226</b>. In block <b>226</b>, a determination is made, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, as to whether the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than the first preset threshold level. If the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than the first preset threshold level, then, as shown in block <b>230</b>, the group owner intent value is set to a value based on an offset of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device to other wireless devices in the peer to peer group, as indicated in block <b>234</b>, and the method ends in block <b>236</b>. In some embodiments, the higher the received signal strength indication of the wireless device, the higher the group owner intent value. In some embodiments, the value of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device is set to a number between 1 and 7. The offset may be added to the value of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device. The offset that may be added to the value of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device may be 8. The offset, in this block, is included to provide a higher group owner intent value for wireless devices that have higher power levels.

p-0034However, if the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than or equal to the first preset threshold level, it must be determined, in some embodiments by the group owner intent determination unit <b>108</b> and/or <b>128</b>, whether the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than a second preset threshold level, as shown in block <b>228</b>. If the power remaining in the wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is less than the second preset threshold level, then method continues in block <b>232</b> where the group owner intent value is set to the minimum value, in some embodiments 0, for that wireless device and the method ends in block <b>236</b>.

p-0035If the power remaining in wireless device <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> is greater than or equal to the second preset threshold level, and thus, between the first preset threshold level and the second preset threshold level, the group owner intent value is set to a value based on the received signal strength indication of the wireless device to other wireless devices in the peer to peer group, as indicated in block <b>234</b>, and the method ends in block <b>236</b>. In some embodiments, the higher the received signal strength indication of the wireless device, the higher the group owner intent value. In some embodiments, the value of the received signal strength indication of the wireless device is set to a number between 1 and 7.

p-0036Thus, the determination of the group owner intent value of wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> may be based on whether the wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> are required to perform a cross-connection between an infrastructure basic service set and a peer to peer group, whether the wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> are configured to access a coexisting wireless network, the power remaining in the wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> at the time the group owner intent value determination is made, whether the wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b> are a group owner in another peer to peer group, and/or a received signal strength indication of the wireless devices <b>102</b> and/or <b>122</b>.

p-0037<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> shows a flow diagram <b>300</b> for group owner negotiation between two peer to peer devices such as wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> from <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. Though depicted sequentially as a matter of convenience, at least some of the actions shown can be performed in a different order and/or performed in parallel. Additionally, some embodiments may perform only some of the actions shown. In some embodiments, at least some of the operations of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, as well as other operations described herein, can be implemented as instructions stored in a computer readable medium and executed by a processor.

p-0038In block <b>302</b>, wireless device <b>102</b> initiates a group owner negotiation request with second wireless device <b>122</b> to determine which peer to peer device will be the group owner in a peer to peer group, and thus act as a Soft Access Point. During this step, the wireless device <b>102</b> may communicate information such as its peer to peer capability, peer to peer device information, its group owner intent value, configuration timeout, the intended peer to peer interface address, channel list, and channel attributes to wireless device <b>122</b>.

p-0039In block <b>304</b>, the second wireless device <b>122</b> responds to the group owner request. In doing so, the wireless device <b>122</b> may communicate information such as its peer to peer capability, peer to peer device information, its group owner intent value, configuration timeout, the intended peer to peer interface address, channel list, and channel attributes to wireless device <b>102</b>.

p-0040In block <b>306</b>, wireless device <b>102</b> confirms the group owner negotiation. In doing so, wireless device <b>102</b> may communicate the peer to peer capability, status of the negotiation, channel list, and channel attributes.

p-0041<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> shows a flow diagram <b>400</b> for determining the group owner during a group owner negotiation between peer to peer devices such as wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> from <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. Though depicted sequentially as a matter of convenience, at least some of the actions shown can be performed in a different order and/or performed in parallel. Additionally, some embodiments may perform only some of the actions shown. In some embodiments, at least some of the operations of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, as well as other operations described herein, can be implemented as instructions stored in a computer readable medium and executed by a processor.

p-0042As shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, the group owner may be determined by the group owner intent value of the wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b>. In block <b>402</b>, a determination is made as to whether the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>102</b> is equal to the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>122</b>.

p-0043If the group owner intent value of wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are equal, then the method continues at block <b>404</b>. In block <b>404</b>, a determination is made as to whether the group owner intent value of wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are less than the maximum value, in some embodiments 15. If the group owner intent value of the wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are less than the maximum value, then a determination is made as to whether the randomly generated tiebreaker bit of wireless device <b>102</b> equals the tiebreaker bit of wireless device <b>122</b>, as depicted in block <b>406</b>. If both wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are randomly assigned the same tiebreaker bit, then the group owner negotiation fails, as shown in block <b>416</b>, and the wireless devices must reenter group negotiation to determine a group owner. However, if the tiebreaker bit in wireless device <b>102</b> does not equal the tiebreaker bit in wireless device <b>122</b>, then the group owner is determined by the randomly generated tiebreaker bit, as depicted in block <b>418</b>. In some embodiments, the group owner is determined to be the wireless device <b>102</b> or <b>122</b> that has the tiebreaker bit of 1.

p-0044If the group owner intent value of wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> is equal to the maximum value, in some embodiments 15, then the group owner negotiation fails, as shown in block <b>408</b>, because both wireless devices want to become the group owner. The wireless devices then must reenter group negotiation to determine a group owner.

p-0045As shown in block <b>410</b>, if the group owner intent value of wireless devices <b>102</b> and <b>122</b> are not equal, a determination must be made as to whether the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>102</b> is less than the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>122</b>. If the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>102</b> is less than the group intent value of wireless device <b>122</b>, then wireless device <b>122</b> is determined to be the group owner, as depicted in block <b>412</b>. However, if the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>102</b> is not less than the group owner intent value of wireless device <b>122</b>, then wireless device <b>102</b> is determined to be the group owner.

p-0046The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.