Apparatus and methods for providing service discovery over alternate transports

摘要

Methods and apparatus for providing primary transport service discovery information over one or more alternate transports that are not normally associated with the primary transport services. In one embodiment, the primary transport comprises a first wireless interface (e.g., Bluetooth), and the alternate transport comprises a second wireless interface (e.g., WiFi or WiMAX). Service profile information relating to the primary transport is broadcast to other users over the alternate transport in a more efficient and streamlined manner than that available on the primary transport. The other users store this service profile information so that it can be subsequently accessed for service profile discovery of the transmitting device by those other devices, thereby obviating subsequent transfer of the data over any transport (primary or alternate).

主权项

1. A method of establishing a connection by a user device having a wireless network interface and one or more alternative network interfaces, the method comprising:
at the user device: selecting an alternative network interface from the one or more alternative network interfaces; transmitting service profile data to one or more remote devices via the selected alternative network interface, wherein the service profile data is associated with a service supported by the user device via the wireless network interface; and establishing a connection for the service between the user device and at least one of the one or more remote devices via the wireless network interface using the transmitted service profile data, wherein the selected alternative network interface comprises a local area network (LAN) interface, a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, a wireless metro area network (WMAN) interface, or a wireless cellular network interface; and wherein the transmitted service profile data obviates a service discovery session between the user device and the one or more remote devices via the wireless network interface.