Access Point Assisted Wi-Fi Direct Client Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current direct client device discovery mechanisms in Wi-Fi Direct networks are inefficient, consuming excessive power and resources, especially for portable devices, due to the need for individual devices to scan multiple channels and handle numerous packets, which hinders throughput and channel quality.
Innovation Solution
A wireless access point is configured to monitor transmissions from direct client devices, store profile data on detected clients, and assist in discovering other clients by providing information to requesting devices, reducing the need for direct client devices to actively scan and conserve power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If direct client devices perform individual scanning to discover other clients, then discovery capability is achieved, but power consumption and resource usage increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The access point acts as an intermediary that collects service information from direct client devices and makes it available to other clients. Instead of clients scanning for each other, they query the access point which maintains a database of discovered clients and their services, thereby eliminating the need for continuous client-side scanning and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point performs preliminary discovery by monitoring and collecting service information from direct client devices in advance. This preliminary action stores discovery data centrally, so when a client needs to discover services, the information is already available at the access point, eliminating the need for the client to perform energy-consuming scanning operations.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If direct client devices scan multiple channels to discover clients, then comprehensive discovery is achieved, but throughput and channel quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The access point serves as a central intermediary that consolidates service information from multiple channels and clients. Instead of clients performing multi-channel scans that interfere with each other and reduce throughput, the access point collects information centrally and provides it to clients through efficient queries, maintaining network productivity while achieving comprehensive discovery.
3Measurement precision
If direct client devices handle numerous discovery packets, then discovery accuracy is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex packet handling and information processing functions from client devices and relocates them to the access point. The access point manages all discovery packet processing, maintains the service information database, and handles query responses, thereby reducing device complexity on client devices while maintaining discovery accuracy through the access point's centralized processing capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A wireless access point device configured to serve wireless client devices in a wireless network monitors transmissions sent by direct clients capable of forming ad hoc networks with one or more other direct clients. Profile data is stored for each detected direct client. The profile data indicates device type and services of the direct client, as well as potentially other information. The wireless access point receives from a direct client a request for information concerning one or more other direct clients, and sends a response to the direct client containing information for other direct clients based on the stored profile data.