Method and apparatus for cooperative channel switching

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A device for participating in a peer-to-peer network of communication devices, the device comprising:
a processor; a memory configured to store identifiers of multiple communication channels, including:
a first channel in use by the device to exchange data with a second device in the peer-to-peer network; andone or more other channels the device must switch to in order to perform a scanning operation that involves scanning the one or more channels; and a wireless interface for conducting wireless communications; wherein the processor and the wireless interface are configured to:
exchange data with the second device on the first channel;switch to the one or more other channels;conduct the scanning operation on the one or more other channels, wherein the scanning operation includes receiving one or more Probe Response messages or one or more beacon messages;continue to exchange data with the second device on the one or more other channels; andsynchronize with the second device based at least in part on an availability window, wherein the availability window is extracted from synchronization data from a periodic synchronization frame (PSF), and the PSF is received during a first number of periods on a predetermined social channel from the second device.