NFC-Assisted Wi-Fi Direct Connection Establishment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wi-Fi Direct connections often fail to establish between devices, particularly when one device is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) client and the other is a legacy device, or when both are group owners, or when P2P is unconfigured, leading to connectivity issues.
Innovation Solution
A communication device and method that utilize near-field communication (NFC) to share state and constraint information between wireless communication devices, allowing them to change states and establish connections by performing formation, invitation, and provision discovery processing, even in cases where traditional Wi-Fi Direct methods fail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional Wi-Fi Direct methods are used for connection establishment, then the connection process is simple, but connection reliability deteriorates when devices have incompatible states (P2P client-legacy device mismatch, both group owners, or P2P unconfigured)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing NFC-based state information sharing before Wi-Fi Direct connection establishment. Devices exchange their current states (P2P client, group owner, or unconfigured) and constraint information through NFC in advance, allowing them to identify potential compatibility issues before attempting traditional Wi-Fi Direct connection methods. This pre-check mechanism enables devices to prepare appropriate connection strategies based on mutual state awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses NFC communication as an intermediary mechanism between devices attempting Wi-Fi Direct connection. The NFC interface acts as a mediator that facilitates reliable state information exchange between devices with potentially incompatible configurations. By introducing this intermediate communication channel, devices can share critical state information without directly attempting problematic Wi-Fi Direct connection handshakes.
2Reliability
If devices attempt connection without state information sharing, then the connection process is fast, but connection success rate deteriorates due to state mismatches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary state information sharing through NFC communication before Wi-Fi Direct connection attempts. Devices exchange their operational states and constraint information in advance, enabling them to identify incompatible configurations (such as P2P client-legacy device mismatches or both devices being group owners) before committing to a connection attempt. This pre-validation approach improves connection success rates by preventing futile connection attempts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where devices share their current states and constraint information through NFC, receiving feedback about compatibility before attempting Wi-Fi Direct connection. This feedback loop allows devices to adjust their connection strategies based on mutual state awareness, such as determining which device should become the group owner or identifying when alternative connection methods are needed.
3Reliability
If NFC is used for state information sharing, then connection reliability improves, but device complexity increases due to dual communication interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the connection establishment process into distinct phases: NFC-based state information sharing phase and Wi-Fi Direct connection establishment phase. Each phase uses a dedicated communication interface optimized for its specific function. The NFC interface handles lightweight state information exchange, while the Wi-Fi interface handles actual data communication, allowing each subsystem to be independently optimized and managed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by using NFC communication for multiple purposes: device discovery, state information sharing, constraint information exchange, and connection coordination. This universal use of the NFC interface for various pre-connection tasks reduces the need for separate specialized mechanisms, thereby minimizing overall system complexity despite adding NFC functionality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the establishment of connections between wireless communication devices that cannot connect via traditional methods, ensuring reliable communication by altering device states and using NFC for information exchange.
Implementation Method 1
a near-field communication unit for performing near-field communication
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
There is provided a communication device including an obtaining unit configured to obtain first state information representing a state of a first wireless communication device regarding a direct connection between devices via wireless communication and second state information representing a state of a second wireless communication device regarding the direct connection, and a control unit configured to establish a connection between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device via the wireless communication on the basis of the first state information and the second state information. At least one of the first state information and the second state information is obtained via near-field communication.