Apple Inc.

Andreas Wolf

Tashbeeb Haque

Saravanan Balasubramaniyan

Lawrie Kurian

Yong Liu

Su Khiong Yong

Christiaan A Hartman

Guoqing Li

Anand Rajagopalan

Daniel R Borges

Peter N Heerboth

Lilach Zukerman

Oren Shani

Pierre B Vandwalle

Chiu Ngok E Wong

Veerendra Boodannavar

One or more wireless stations operate to configure Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)—direct communication with neighboring wireless stations, i.e., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to reciprocating service between two or more wireless stations. The reciprocating service embodiments described herein provide a mechanism through which devices can participate in a same service instant.

Neighbor awareness networking datapath—reciprocation and coexistence

In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate according to Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)&#x2014;direct communication with neighboring wireless stations, e.g., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to NAN datapath scheduling and NAN pre-datapath operation setup and scheduling. The NAN datapath embodiments described herein provide a mechanism through which devices can communicate and provide services. Aspects of the datapath development include datapath scheduling, including datapath setup and scheduling attributes, as well as pre-datapath operation triggering and scheduling. Scheduling attributes may include a native scheduler rank and a NAN data cluster scheduler rank. NAN data cluster base schedules may be scheduled as equal-sets or subsets of datapath schedules. The datapath model may be implemented for unicast and multicast communication between wireless stations, including mobile stations.

Neighbor awareness networking datapath&#x2014;scheduling, scheduler rank, and pre-datapath operation triggering

In one set of embodiments, one or more client stations operate to configure Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)&#x2014;direct communication with neighboring client stations, i.e., direct communication between the client stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to NAN datapath scheduling and NAN pre-datapath operation setup and scheduling. The NAN datapath embodiments described herein provide a mechanism through which devices can communicate and provide services. Aspects of the datapath development include datapath scheduling, including datapath setup and scheduling attributes, as well as pre-datapath operation triggering and scheduling. Scheduling may include determination of a type of datapath, including paging and synchronized datapaths. NAN data cluster base schedules may be scheduled as equal-sets or subsets of datapath schedules. The datapath model may be implemented for unicast and multicast communication between client stations.

Neighbor awareness networking datapath

In one set of embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)&#x2014;direct communication with neighboring wireless stations, i.e., direct communication between the wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to reciprocating service between two or more wireless stations. The reciprocating service embodiments described herein provide a mechanism through which devices can participate in a same service instant.

Neighbor awareness networking datapath&#x2014;reciprocation and coexistence

In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)&#x2014;direct communication with neighboring wireless stations without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to aspects of NAN communication, including service discovery proxy registration, publishing, and subscription of services via the proxy, maintenance of the proxy, and de-registration of the proxy.

Neighbor awareness networking service discovery proxy

In some embodiments, one or more wireless stations operate to configure Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)&#x2014;direct communication between neighboring wireless stations, e.g., without utilizing an intermediate access point. Embodiments of the disclosure relate to NAN datapath configuration. The NAN datapath embodiments described herein provide a mechanism through which devices can communicate and provide services. Aspects of the datapath development include datapath scheduling, including datapath setup and scheduling attributes, scheduler rank management, and further NAN discovery. The datapath model may be implemented for unicast and multicast communication between wireless stations.

Neighbor awareness networking datapath&#x2014;base scheduling, scheduler rank, and further service discovery

An apparatus and methods are provided for conducting wireless data communications, particularly real-time data communications, in a communication environment that includes a restricted channel (e.g., a channel subject to Dynamic Frequency Selection or DFS). Two or more mobile communication/computing devices (e.g., smart phones, tablet computers) participate in a peer-to-peer network and engage in data communications while one or more of them operate on the restricted channel (e.g., to maintain an infrastructure communication connection). Their channel sequences are configured to maximize the efficiency of the data communication while satisfying restrictions of the restricted channel or avoiding that channel, and only require them to monitor one beacon interval. One or more of the devices may strategically roam to the restricted channel or away from the restricted channel, depending on which action will provide greater communication throughput or efficiency.

Real-time peer-to-peer communications in an environment that includes a restricted channel

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for allocating bandwidth on a physical wireless interface. The method includes configuring a first virtual interface and a second virtual interface on the physical wireless interface. A requirement associated with the first virtual interface is monitored and one or more time slots are allocated to the first virtual interface in accordance with the requirement.

Interface shaping for virtual interfaces

An apparatus and methods are provided for opportunistically conducting data communications on multiple wireless channels. In these methods, a device is engaged in data communications with a second device and receives a conflicting communication demand requiring action on one or more channels other than the data-communication channel (e.g., to conduct a channel scan, to issue or receive a beacon). The device arranges a schedule of channel switches to satisfy the communication demand and advises the second device of the schedule, and may explicitly invite the second device to implement the schedule. To the extent the second device does so, the data communications continue on the other channels. The devices may be participating in a synchronized peer-to-peer communication environment that requires their attendance on the data-communication channel and that is not associated with the other channels.

Growing community of inventors

San Mateo, CA, United States of America

Andreas Wolf