Group Device Mediates Wireless WAN Connectivity Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, devices without wide area network (WAN) connectivity face challenges in accessing the internet due to lack of cellular interfaces, and existing solutions do not effectively manage the sharing and routing of WAN connectivity among devices, leading to issues like authentication, authorization, and mid-session IP address changes that disrupt applications.
Innovation Solution
A method where a borrowing wireless device communicates with a group device to obtain WAN connectivity from lending wireless devices, using a distributed hotspot application to configure and manage permissions, routing, and authentication, allowing multiple devices to share and switch WAN connections seamlessly, ensuring continuous connectivity and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wireless device without WAN connectivity tries to access the internet through traditional methods, then it cannot establish internet connection, but if it uses existing tethering solutions, then authentication and authorization issues arise along with mid-session IP address changes that disrupt applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a group device as an intermediary that mediates between borrowing devices and lending devices. The group device manages authentication, authorization, and IP address allocation centrally, eliminating the complexity from individual devices. It maintains IP-to-device mapping and coordinates WAN connectivity sharing, resolving the technical contradiction by centralizing management functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The group device performs multiple functions: authentication server, authorization manager, IP address allocator, and routing coordinator. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional entity, the system achieves reliable internet connection for multiple devices without requiring each device to handle complex authentication and routing independently.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices share WAN connectivity through ad-hoc tethering, then connectivity is provided, but mid-session IP address changes occur that disrupt applications
Solution Approach 1:
The group device pre-allocates stable IP addresses to borrowing devices before they actually need internet access. It maintains a mapping between IP addresses and lending devices in advance, so when a device borrows WAN connectivity, it receives a consistent IP address that doesn't change during the session, preventing application disruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the group device monitors the state of WAN connectivity and IP address usage. When a lending device's connectivity changes, the group device detects this and manages the IP address reallocation accordingly, ensuring stable connections for active borrowing devices while adapting to changes in the network environment.
3Reliability
If devices manually configure tethering permissions, then connectivity sharing is established, but the process requires additional setting procedures and user configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service tethering where borrowing devices automatically discover available WAN connectivity through the group device and obtain connections without manual configuration. The group device handles permission verification, IP allocation, and connection establishment automatically, eliminating the need for users to manually configure tethering settings while maintaining reliable connectivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
In some examples, a first wireless device communicates with a group device that wirelessly interconnects a plurality of wireless devices in a group, to obtain, from the group device, information identifying a second wireless device from which the first wireless device is able to use a wireless connectivity of the second wireless device to a wide area network (WAN), the second wireless device being part of the plurality of wireless devices. The first wireless device communicates data over the WAN using the wireless connectivity of the second wireless device.