BLE Advertising Packet Non-Scan Indication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device discovery in high-density environments faces challenges with increased broadcasting conflicts, leading to longer network access times and reduced energy efficiency due to scanners requesting information from advertisers without establishing a connection, causing network congestion.

Innovation Solution

The method involves transmitting specific advertising packets, such as ADV_NONSCAN_IND, which indicate that additional information should not be requested without a formal connection, using reserved bits in the PDU header to inform scanners not to send SCAN_REQ packets, and altering the header to allow requests only when necessary, such as when data is available or after determining high traffic conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If scanners transmit information requests in response to advertising packets, then scanning devices can obtain additional information from advertisers, but network congestion increases and energy efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation availabilityVSAvoidenergy efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of information request permission by introducing a new advertising packet type (ADV_NONSCAN_IND) that modifies the scanning behavior. Scanners detect this packet type and change their parameter from transmitting SCAN_REQ packets to refraining from transmission, thus reducing network congestion and energy consumption while maintaining information availability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the information request behavior dynamic by allowing advertisers to control whether scanners can request information on a per-packet basis. The advertising packet type dynamically indicates whether SCAN_REQ packets should be transmitted, enabling flexible adaptation to network conditions and advertiser capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If scanners transmit information requests in response to advertising packets, then scanning devices can obtain additional information from advertisers, but network access time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation availabilityVSAvoidnetwork access time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If advertisers allow information requests without connection, then device discovery functionality is enhanced, but broadcasting conflicts increase in high-density environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice discovery functionalityVSAvoidbroadcasting conflicts

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by having advertisers proactively indicate in the advertising packet whether information requests should be prevented. This preliminary indication prevents scanners from transmitting SCAN_REQ packets that would cause broadcasting conflicts, thus eliminating the harmful effect before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

4Productivity

If advertisers control information availability, then network performance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork performanceVSAvoidprotocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by making the advertising packet type field serve multiple functions: it identifies the packet type for protocol processing and simultaneously conveys the information request permission status. This multi-functionality allows advertisers to control information availability without adding separate control mechanisms, thus improving network performance without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9544755B2Method, apparatus, and computer program product for non-scannable device discovery

Publication Date: 2017.01.10 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

In an example embodiment, a method includes determining, by an apparatus, whether the apparatus provides data for other wireless devices to request from the apparatus in response to wireless device discovery messages transmitted by the apparatus; and transmitting, by the apparatus, wireless device discovery messages including an indication that additional information should not be requested from the apparatus in response to the wireless device discovery messages, without establishing a connection with the apparatus, the indication being in response to the determination that the apparatus does not provide data for other wireless devices to request from the apparatus in response to the wireless device discovery messages.