Nokia Corporation

Nokia Technologies Oy

Markku Tapio Turunen

Kari Leppanen

Mika Kasslin

Sami Virtanen

Mikko Tirronen

Kari Juhani Leppänen

Enrico Rantala

Philip Ginzboorg

Francis Pak Kwan Tam

Kimmo Tapani Ramo

Pentti Valtteri Niemi

Niko Kiukkonen

Enrico-Henrik Rantala

Kimmo Rämö

James Francis Reilly

Esko Mikael Kokkonen

Eero Jari Juhani Sillasto

Jaakko Kyrö

Janne Nöyränen

Hamza Harkous

Kari Leppänen

Kimmo Tapani Rämö

Pentti Niemi

An approach is provided for providing a collaborative reply to a flooding message over an ad-hoc mesh network. A reply message to a flooding message is received by a wireless node within the ad-hoc network. The wireless node monitors for an acknowledgement of receipt of the reply message according to a routing table and initiates a scheduled transmission of the reply message based on the monitoring.

Method and apparatus for providing a colloborative reply over an ad-hoc mesh network

An approach is provided for locating communities over an ad-hoc mesh network. Community identifiers are used to locate communities and community members over an ad-hoc mesh network. The community identifiers are also associated with keys to authenticate members of the community and to protect the privacy and anonymity of information exchanged between the members.

Method and apparatus for locating communities over an ad-hoc mesh network

Method and apparatus for providing a collaborative reply over an ad-hoc mesh network

Systems and techniques for key management in mobile ad hoc networks are described. Pseudonyms are defined for group members of mobile ad hoc networks such that a pseudonym in a message can be deterministically identified with the sending device only by the sending device and the message recipient. Key management for a group is performed by a group manager, and key management may include key renewal and revocation. Key renewal is performed by a group manager, with the group manager using a set of couple pseudonyms, including a couple pseudonym between the manger and each group member. Key renewal employs a renewal key used to encrypt the updated group key, and the group manager updates the group key be transmitting a message to each group member in proximity, with the message being identified using the couple pseudonym of the manager and the group member.

Methods and apparatus for anonymous key management in mobile ad hoc networks

An approach is provided for coordinating information request messages over an ad-hoc mesh network. A module receives at least one request to transmit one or more information request messages over an ad-hoc mesh network. The module determines context information associated with at least a portion of the ad-hoc mesh network, one or more nodes within the at least a portion of the ad-hoc mesh network, or a combination thereof. The module then determines to transmit the one or more information request messages over the ad-hoc mesh network based, at least in part, on the context information.

Method and apparatus for coordinating information request messages over an ad-hoc mesh network

An approach is provided for methods and apparatus for efficiently and effectively determining communities of interest for a user, for use over an ad-hoc mesh network, based on context information associated with user devices. Context information of a device is accessed. The context information is processed to determine one or more themes associated with the context information. One or more communities of interest relating to the one or more themes are determined, the one or more communities of interest having respective community identifiers corresponding therewith. The device is associated with at least one of the communities of interest relating to the one or more themes, based at least in part on the corresponding community identifiers, for accessing awareness information related to one or more of the communities of interest associated with the device. Further, the availability of at least one of the communities of interest associated with the device can be identified via the ad-hoc mesh network, based at least in part on the corresponding community identifiers, and awareness information can be accessed, based at least in part on the availability of the at least one of the communities of interest associated with the device.

Method and apparatus for automatically determining communities of interest, for use over an ad-hoc mesh network, based on context information

Apparatuses may stay synchronized with a network via a beacon signal that is transmitted at a set interval. Various communication-related activities may be planned around an instance when a beacon signal is expected, or a target beacon transmission time (TBTT). While some networked apparatuses are active during every TBTT, other apparatuses may operate using a diluted beacon period that is an integer multiple of the network beacon signal interval. Diluted beacon intervals may initiate periods of time during which apparatuses may become 'aware' of other apparatuses. Awareness may comprise information related to communication configuration, apparatus status, and services offered by the various apparatuses in the network. Awareness information obtained during an awake window may also comprise information on data-related tasks that are pending in one or more apparatuses which may allow for the control of further data conveyance activities.

Data-related task support in wireless communication systems

Message authentication in an ad-hoc network. Upon creation of a message, a message authentication code is created using a key shared with members of a group comprising a subset of nodes of the ad-hoc network. The message authentication code may be created using a cryptographic process having the message and a message identifier as inputs. After or in parallel with broadcast of the message, a pointer to the message is broadcast. The message authentication code is publicly broadcast and those members of the group among which the key has been shared are able to authenticate the message as coming from a particular sender.

Methods and apparatus for authentication

An approach is provided for discovering a location-based service over an ad-hoc mesh network. A location-based service is discovered sending an anonymous flooding message including a query over the ad-hoc mesh network. A wireless node replies to the flooding message over the ad-hoc mesh network with a pointer to the discovered location-based service.

Method and apparatus for engaging in a service or activity using an ad-hoc mesh network

Method, apparatus, and computer program product example embodiments enable contention for access to a wireless communications medium. In example embodiments, a method comprises initiating a channel access procedure by an apparatus; performing, by the apparatus, in response to the channel access procedure initiation, a random draw for permission to start contention with other member apparatuses of a group in which the apparatus belongs, the random draw being based on how many member apparatuses of the group are expected to compete for the wireless communications medium; and starting, by the apparatus, contention for access to the wireless communications medium, if the apparatus wins the random draw.

Method, apparatus, and computer program product for contention access in wireless communication

Apparatuses may stay synchronized with a network via a beacon signal transmitted at a set interval. Communication-related activities may be planned around instances when beacon signals are expected, which may also be known as a target beacon transmission time (TBTT). Scanning opportunities, which are periods of time during which apparatuses may perform passive scanning, may be planned based on an interfere multiple of a network beacon signal interval. Apparatuses may, upon realizing a scanning opportunity, opt either to utilize the scanning opportunity or to participate in network beaconing. In example scenarios where apparatuses opt to utilize scanning opportunities, apparatuses may prepare a network information message and then enter a passive scanning mode. Apparatuses may remain in the passive scanning mode for the duration of the scanning opportunity, reacting when messages are received from devices outside of the network by transmitting the network information message.

Network discovery in wireless communication systems

A system for facilitating communal apparatus interaction. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus configured to communicate on a wireless channel may receive first information pertaining to wireless traffic expected from other networks also utilizing the wireless channel. The apparatus may then determine whether the received information satisfies a first criterion, and if it is determined that the first information satisfies the first criterion, the apparatus may shorten an awake window duration for communicating on the wireless channel. Alternatively, if it is determined that the information does not satisfy the first criterion, the apparatus may proceed to further determine whether second information pertaining to wireless traffic on the wireless channel that is expected from a network satisfies a second criterion. If it is determined that the second information satisfies the second criterion, the apparatus may proceed to lengthen the awake window duration.

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Helsinki, Finland

Markku Tapio Turunen