A protocol governing the operation of an ad-hoc WLAN enables each device in the WLAN to be configured as a registrar and/or an enrollee. Accordingly, each device is configurable to support both the registrar as well as enrollee modes of operations. In response to a time-driven user action, the device may be configured to enter into a registrar mode or an enrollee mode. While in the registrar mode, the device enters into an aggressive beaconing phase by setting its beacon contention window to a relatively very small value. The aggressive beaconing increases the probability of the discovery of the registrar by the enrollees. Optionally the device may prompt the user to select between a registrar and an enrollee mode of operation by displaying the option on an LCD panel.

Claims

44 · 4 independent · depth 6

44 granted claims

›1.independentA method of forming an ad-hoc wireless local area network, the method comprising:nreceiving a first user input on a device initiated by a user;in resp…+21

›2.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein enabling communication between the device and the second device comprises:nsetting a beacon contention window of the dev…d2+11

›3.↳ 2The method of claim 2 further comprising:nstarting a timer;initiating an attempt to perform a registrar-enrollee handshake if a probe request transmit…d3+5

›9.↳ 2The method of claim 2 further comprising:nreducing the beacon contention window while the registrar receives beacons from other registrars forming an …d3

›10.↳ 2The method of claim 2 further comprising:nreceiving a PIN on the registrar, the PIN being associated with the enrollee seeking to communicate with the…d3+3

›14.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising:nstarting a timer if the device is configured as the enrollee;scanning for beacons transmitted by the second …d2+3

›18.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising:nsetting a beacon contention window of the device to a value between 0 and 10 time slots if the device is con…d2

›19.↳ 1The method of claim 1 further comprising:nsetting a beacon contention window of the device to a value between 0 and 5 time slots if the device is conf…d2

›20.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the first user input corresponds to a pressing of a button.d2

›21.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein the first user input corresponds to an issuing of a voice command.d2

›22.↳ 1The method of forming an ad-hoc wireless network of claim 1, further comprising:nconfiguring the second device as the other of the enrollee and the re…d2

›23.independentA method of selecting a configuration of a device attempting to participate in an ad-hoc wireless local area network session, the method comprising:nr…+1

›25.independentA device configured to participate in an ad-hoc wireless local area network, the device comprising:nan interface configured to receive a first user in…+18

›26.↳ 25The device of claim 25 wherein the controller is further operative to set a beacon contention window of the device to a value between 0 and 15 time sl…d2+8

›27.↳ 26The device of claim 26, wherein the timer comprises a first timer, the device further comprising:na second timer, the controller being further operati…d3+4

›32.↳ 26The device of claim 26 wherein the controller is further operative to reduce the beacon contention window while the registrar receives beacons from ot…d3

›33.↳ 26The device of claim 26 wherein the registrar is further configured to receive a PIN associated with the enrollee.d3+1

›35.↳ 25The device of claim 25 wherein the device is configured as the enrollee; wherein the timer comprises a first timer, the enrollee further comprising:na…d2+4

›40.↳ 25The device of claim 25 wherein the controller is further configured to set a beacon contention window of the device to a value between 0 and 10 time s…d2

›41.↳ 25The device of claim 25 wherein the controller is further configured to set a beacon contention window of the device to a value between 0 and 5 time sl…d2

›42.↳ 25The device of claim 25 further comprising a button in communication with the interface and configured to receive the first user input.d2

›43.↳ 25The device of claim 25 further comprising an audio interface in communication with the interface and configured to receive a voice command representin…d2

›44.independentA method of forming a wireless ad-hoc network between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:nturning on the first device;turning o…

Classifications

3 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section H — Electricity

H04J1/16

USPC · US Patent Classification

370/254370/338

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Pendency

5.6 y

2,062 days filing → grant

Office actions

non-final + final

Responses

2 RCE

Examiner

Faruk Hamza

art unit 2466 · TC 2400

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Citations: 134 back · 0 forward

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

8 Aug 2006

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 60821771	8 Aug 2006
related publication	US 20080037444 A1	14 Feb 2008

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