Neighborhood-Aware Network Post-Discovery Communication Protocol
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks face increased traffic and performance burdens due to the growing number of portable devices, leading to inefficient communication and resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a neighborhood-aware network (NAN) with a post-discovery communication protocol that enables direct communication between mobile devices, reducing the load on centralized communication devices by using security information exchanged during a paging interval to secure communications and allocate IP addresses, thereby facilitating power-efficient proximity-based services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If direct communication between mobile devices is enabled, then the burden on access points and base stations is reduced, but security management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Security credentials and encryption keys are exchanged and established during the discovery interval before actual data communication begins. This preliminary security setup allows devices to communicate directly without requiring continuous access point mediation, reducing network burden while maintaining security through pre-configured authentication mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the discovery message interval as an intermediary phase where security parameters are exchanged separately from the main data communication channel. This mediator phase handles the complex security setup, allowing the subsequent direct communication to proceed with reduced complexity while maintaining security through the previously established credentials.
2Reliability
If security information is exchanged during the paging interval, then communication security is ensured, but the communication setup time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
Security information exchange is performed in advance during the discovery and paging intervals before actual data transfer begins. Encryption keys and authentication credentials are established beforehand, ensuring security reliability while allowing the main communication to start without delay. The time penalty is paid during the initial setup phase rather than during ongoing communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent structures communication in periodic intervals: discovery interval for initial contact, paging interval for security setup, and subsequent data transfer intervals. This periodic structure separates security establishment from data communication, ensuring security is properly established while minimizing the time security procedures impact overall communication efficiency.
3Loss of time
If IP addresses are allocated during the paging interval, then data transfer can begin sooner, but network resource management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
IP address allocation is extracted from the centralized access point management function and delegated to the peer-to-peer communication setup between mobile devices during the paging interval. This extraction reduces the burden on access points and allows faster local address assignment, though it requires devices to implement their own address management capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile devices perform self-configuration by autonomously allocating IP addresses to themselves and their communication peers during the paging interval. This self-service approach eliminates the need for centralized address management during data transfer, reducing network resource management complexity at the access point while enabling faster communication setup.
Data Source
AI summary
In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining, at a first mobile device, a post-discovery communication technique for communicating within a mobile device cluster after a discovery interval. During the discovery interval, a discovery message may be sent. The discovery message indicates the post-discovery communication protocol for communicating within the mobile device cluster after the discovery interval. The discovery message may further indicate a time interval for sending and receiving a paging request. In response to the receipt of the discovery message a second mobile devices may send a paging request, the paging request including a security information request. The method further includes sending from the first mobile device a paging response including security information and exchanging one or more post-discovery communications with the second mobile device using the security information.