Cellular Network Sociability Service for IoT Device Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular network technologies lack the ability for M2M/IoT devices to discover and communicate with each other socially, especially when there is no prior relationship, due to limitations in existing proximity services and communication protocols.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Sociability Service Function (SSF) within the cellular network that allows M2M/IoT devices to register their sociability context, including social identifiers and policies, enabling social discovery and communication by matching observed markers with stored identifiers and verifying social permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If M2M/IoT devices use existing proximity services to discover and communicate with each other, then device connectivity is enabled, but the services cannot support social discovery and communication between devices without prior relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network entity as an intermediary that stores sociability contexts (including social identifiers and policies) of devices. When discovery is requested, the network entity compares observed social markers with stored social identifiers and verifies social policies, enabling reliable social discovery between devices without prior relationships while maintaining communication reliability through centralized verification.
2Measurement precision
If devices register detailed sociability contexts including social identifiers and policies, then social discovery accuracy is improved, but network storage and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential sociability context information (social identifiers and social policies) that devices need for social discovery, storing these minimal necessary data elements in the network entity. This extraction approach enables accurate discovery by comparing observed social markers with stored identifiers while minimizing network storage requirements by keeping only the most critical data.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the network entity stores and compares sociability contexts for all devices, then social discovery between strangers is enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sociability service functionality by separating device registration (storing sociability contexts) from device discovery (comparing social markers). The network entity is divided into distinct functional components: registration handling, context storage, marker comparison, and policy verification. This segmentation enables social communication between strangers while managing system complexity through modular functional separation.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating social discovery and social communication among M2M/IoT devices, connected via cellular networks, such as 3 GPP NR networks, and, optionally, supported by M2M/IoT servers.