Peer Discovery Signal Combining in Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In peer-to-peer wireless networks, the range of peer discovery signals is limited by transmission power constraints, leading to inefficient peer discovery, as devices typically re-transmit signals without combining received information effectively.
Innovation Solution
Wireless devices combine received peer discovery information from multiple devices and transmit a combined signal, allowing devices out of direct range to recover the information using linear combinations and predetermined combining functions, enabling efficient relaying of discovery messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If mobile devices simply re-transmit signals they have previously received, then the implementation is straightforward, but the rate of peer discovery is not maximized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the merging principle by combining multiple received peer discovery signals into a single combined signal for re-transmission. Instead of re-transmitting each signal separately, the relay device combines signals from multiple peers and transmits the combined signal, which allows multiple peers to be discovered simultaneously through one transmission event, thereby increasing the peer discovery rate while maintaining implementation simplicity
2Length of stationary object
If mobile devices extend the range of peer discovery signals by re-transmitting, then the range is extended, but the efficiency of maximizing the rate of peer discovery is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by merging multiple peer discovery signals into a single combined signal that conveys information from multiple peers simultaneously. This approach extends the effective range by allowing devices outside direct communication range to discover multiple peers through one relayed combined signal, while improving efficiency by discovering multiple peers in a single transmission event rather than requiring multiple separate re-transmissions
3Productivity
If a single combined signal is transmitted containing peer discovery information from multiple devices, then the rate of peer discovery is enhanced, but the complexity of signal processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the peer discovery information into distinct signal components that can be independently processed. Each peer's discovery signal is treated as a separate entity that can be combined using predetermined combining functions, and receivers can selectively process only the portions relevant to their needs, reducing the effective processing complexity while maintaining the ability to discover multiple peers simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
Various methods and apparatus are directed to communicating peer discovery information in an efficient manner. A wireless device which has received peer discovery information from multiple peer devices in its vicinity combines received peer discovery information and transmits a signal communicating the combined information. In some embodiments, the combining includes performing a linear combination. The transmitted signal including the combined peer discovery information corresponding to multiple devices facilitates the recovery of peer discovery information by peer devices which may be out of direct peer to peer communications range to one of the devices whose information was used to produce the combined signal. Different peer devices may be able to recover different peer discovery information from the same combined signal. Thus the wireless device may effectively relay a first peer discovery message to one peer device and a second peer discovery message to another peer device via the same combined signal.