Peer-to-Peer Group Re-formation via Automatic GO Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional peer-to-peer networks lack an automated mechanism for re-forming a group when the Group Owner (GO) device is lost, leading to connectivity issues and manual negotiation processes among peer devices.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of peer-to-peer group re-formation techniques that automatically select and activate a next GO device based on device identifiers, detection reports, motion analysis, and capabilities, allowing seamless re-formation of the group without requiring peer devices to restart the negotiation process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional peer-to-peer network specifications are used, then the initial group formation is established, but the group cannot be automatically re-formed when the Group Owner is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegroup connectivityVSAvoidautomatic re-formation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having peer devices pre-register their device identifiers with the Group Owner before any failure occurs. When the Group Owner is lost, these pre-registered identifiers enable automatic re-formation without requiring manual negotiation, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and automation extent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by enabling peer devices to autonomously select a new Group Owner from among themselves using their pre-registered device identifiers, without requiring external intervention or manual configuration. This self-service mechanism ensures automatic re-formation and resolves the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If manual negotiation processes are used for re-formation, then devices can re-connect, but user frustration increases due to manual re-connection processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvere-connection processVSAvoidre-connection time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses preliminary action by pre-registering device identifiers during initial group formation. This preliminary registration eliminates the need for manual negotiation during re-formation, making the process automatic and instantaneous, thus improving ease of operation and eliminating time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the manual negotiation step from the re-formation process by implementing an automatic selection mechanism based on pre-registered device identifiers. This extraction removes the source of user frustration and time loss, resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Extent of automation

If device identifiers are pre-registered with the Group Owner, then automatic selection of next GO is enabled, but additional information management complexity is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic GO selectionVSAvoidinformation management
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by using the existing device identifier (such as MAC address) that devices already possess for other purposes. This identifier serves multiple functions: device identification, automatic GO selection, and group re-formation, without requiring separate complex information management systems, thus resolving the contradiction between automation and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If peer devices lose connectivity when GO is lost, then network reliability is compromised, but maintaining connectivity requires complex re-formation mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnectivity maintenanceVSAvoidre-formation mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses preliminary action by pre-registering device identifiers before failure occurs. This simple preliminary step enables automatic re-formation and connectivity maintenance without requiring complex re-formation mechanisms, resolving the technical contradiction between reliability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by enabling peer devices to automatically select a new Group Owner using their pre-registered identifiers without external intervention. This self-service approach maintains connectivity through a simple, non-complex mechanism, resolving the contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3175600B1Peer-to-peer group re-formation
Publication Date: 2019.01.16 GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
  • EP3175600B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3175600B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3175600B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Disclosed are peer-to-peer group re-formation techniques. The techniques enable automatic reformation of a pccr-to-pccr group when the Group Owner ("GO") device is lost. To do so, the techniques enable selection of a one of the peer devices in the peer-to- peer group as a next GO device responsive to detecting the loss of the original GO device. Then, the peer device selected as the next GO device automatically activates as the GO device, while the other peer devices scan for and connect to the next GO device.