NAN Service Discovery Grouping by Source Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

In Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) systems, there is a misrecognition issue where a communication apparatus mistakenly identifies multiple devices providing different services as separate devices, leading to user confusion and inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A communication apparatus compliant with the NAN standard, equipped with a receiving unit to process publish messages from other devices and a display control unit that groups services provided by the same device, ensuring accurate display of available services on a user interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an apparatus searches for services by receiving publish messages from other communication apparatuses, then the apparatus can discover available services, but the apparatus may make misrecognition when one opposing apparatus provides a plurality of services

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice discovery capabilityVSAvoidapparatus identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple publish messages from the same opposing apparatus into a single service information entry. The display control unit identifies that multiple publish messages originate from the same apparatus and combines their service information, preventing the misrecognition of one apparatus as multiple separate apparatuses while maintaining comprehensive service discovery capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of information

If the apparatus displays each opposing apparatus separately for each service, then all services are visible, but user confusion occurs due to misrecognition of multiple apparatuses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice information completenessVSAvoiduser interface clarity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display control unit merges service information from multiple publish messages that originate from the same opposing apparatus into a unified display entry. This combining approach ensures that all services provided by an apparatus are visible while presenting them in a single, clear location that prevents user confusion and maintains ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The display control unit creates a universal display entry that can represent multiple services from the same apparatus. This single display entry serves multiple functions by showing all services provided by an opposing apparatus, eliminating the need for separate entries for each service and thereby improving user interface clarity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11277730B2Communication apparatus, method of controlling communication apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 CANON KK

AI summary

A communication apparatus operable to comply with a NAN (Neighbor Awareness Networking) standard, receives, from one or more other communication apparatuses, publish messages respectively indicating a plurality of services, and causes a display unit to display the one or more other communication apparatuses that transmitted the publish messages, wherein, if a plurality of services indicated by a plurality of received publish messages are services provided by the same other communication apparatus, the display unit is caused to display this one other communication apparatus.