LTE-D Proximate Discovery with Distributed Device-Level Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current proximate discovery methods in wireless communication networks rely on centralized location tracking, which is inefficient in terms of battery consumption and privacy, as they continuously monitor for services across a large range, lacking control over shared information.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of Long Term Evolution Direct (LTE-D) for proximate discovery, which operates on licensed spectrum, enables service layer discovery without location tracking, allowing mobile applications to autonomously determine relevance at the device level, transmitting and monitoring for relevant attributes, and sharing discoveries between devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If centralized location tracking is used for proximate discovery, then services can be monitored across a large range, but battery consumption increases and privacy control is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediscovery rangeVSAvoidbattery consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized discovery architecture into distributed device-level discovery. Instead of one centralized system monitoring all devices, each device independently monitors for services in its vicinity using LTE-D direct communication. This segmentation reduces the processing burden on any single system and eliminates the need for continuous location tracking, thereby reducing battery consumption while maintaining discovery capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Devices perform self-service discovery by autonomously monitoring for services on other LTE-D devices within range without requiring centralized coordination. Each device independently determines relevance of discovered services and controls what information is shared, eliminating the need for perpetual location tracking and reducing power consumption while preserving privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If centralized database processing is used for identifying relevancy matches, then discovery coordination is simplified, but user control over shared information is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediscovery coordinationVSAvoidprivacy control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional centralized discovery model by placing discovery functionality at the device level rather than in a centralized database. Instead of the network determining relevancy matches centrally, each device autonomously determines relevance of discovered services locally. This inversion gives users control over what information is shared while maintaining simplified discovery coordination through standard LTE-D protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by allowing each device to independently determine relevancy of discovered services based on local criteria and user preferences. Each device has the capability to autonomously evaluate discovered services and control information sharing locally, rather than submitting all data to a centralized system. This provides users with privacy control while maintaining efficient discovery coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If perpetual location tracking is used to determine proximity, then accurate service discovery is achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproximity detection accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of continuous location tracking with LTE-D direct device-to-device communication. Instead of using GPS or network-based location tracking that requires continuous power, devices use LTE-D physical layer announcements and monitoring that are inherently tied to actual device proximity. This substitution maintains accurate proximity detection while significantly reducing power consumption by eliminating perpetual location tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3257277B1Sharing of proximate discovery announcements in a wireless communications network
Publication Date: 2019.01.23 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3257277B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3257277B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3257277B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for sharing a discovery. The method may include receiving a first announcement from an announcement device, receiving a share instruction indicating that the received announcement is of interest to the user of the mobile device; generating discovery sharing data based on the received first announcement in response to the share instruction, transmitting the discovery sharing data to an external server, receiving an update indicator from the external server indicating that the metadata associated with the mobile device has been updated, and generating a second announcement associated with the mobile device based on the update indicator.