US-12628138-B2 - Periodic advertisement coverage extension using bridges

US12628138B2US 12628138 B2US12628138 B2US 12628138B2US-12628138-B2

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for wireless communications. For example, a process can include receiving, from a first network entity a request to identify one or more additional network entities available for communication with a wireless communication device. A process can include transmitting, to a second network entity included in the one or more additional network entities, timing information indicative of a difference between first synchronization information associated with the first network entity and second synchronization information associated with the second network entity. A process can include receiving, from the second network entity, subframe allocation information corresponding to periodic advertisements (PAs) between the second network entity and the wireless communication device. A process can include receiving, from the second network entity, a PA based on the subframe allocation information.

Inventors

Robin Robin
Rahul SANGWAN
Sonu LNU
Deep Shikha AGGARWAL
Randhir Kumar
Nicolas Graube

Assignees

QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230531

Claims (20)

1 . A wireless communication device for wireless communications, the wireless communication device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to: receive, from a first network entity, a request to identify one or more additional network entities available for communication with the wireless communication device; transmit, to a second network entity included in the one or more additional network entities, timing information indicative of a difference between first synchronization information associated with the first network entity and second synchronization information associated with the second network entity; receive, from the second network entity, subframe allocation information corresponding to periodic advertisements (PAs) between the second network entity and the wireless communication device; and receive, from the second network entity, a PA based on the subframe allocation information.
2 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, to the first network entity, the PA received from the second network entity.
3 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive the PA from the second network entity using a subframe slot based on the subframe allocation information; and transmit the PA to the first network entity using a first subframe slot different from the subframe slot based on the subframe allocation information.
4 . The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein: the first subframe slot is associated with a first PA train corresponding to the first network entity; and the subframe slot based on the subframe allocation information is associated with a second PA train corresponding to the second network entity.
5 . The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein: the first subframe slot is associated with a first periodic advertisement with response (PAwR) train corresponding to the first network entity; and the subframe slot based on the subframe allocation information is associated with a second PAwR train corresponding to the second network entity.
6 . The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive the request from the first network entity using the first subframe slot within a first PA frame associated with the first network entity; and transmit, to the first network entity and using a response slot within the first subframe, the PA received from the second network entity.
7 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the request to determine the one or more additional network entities is included in a bridge request from the first network entity.
8 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: determine updated timing information indicative of an updated difference between updated first synchronization information associated with the first network entity and updated second synchronization information associated with the second network entity; and compare the updated timing information to a threshold value associated with a bridge configuration of the wireless communication device.
9 . The wireless communication device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit, to the second network entity, a request to update a subframe slot allocated to the wireless communication device based on a determination the updated timing information is less than the threshold value; and receive, from the second network entity, updated subframe allocation information indicative of an updated subframe slot corresponding to PAs between the second network entity and the wireless communication device.
10 . The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the second network entity, an additional PA using the updated subframe slot.
11 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein, to receive the PA based on the subframe allocation information, the at least one processor is configured to: synchronize with the second network entity based on the second synchronization information and the subframe allocation information; and receive the PA from the second network entity using a synchronized subframe slot determined based on the subframe allocation information.
12 . The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the subframe allocation information includes one or more of the synchronized subframe slot or a device identifier corresponding to the subframe allocation information.
13 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein, to transmit the timing information, the at least one processor is configured to: transmit, to the second network entity, a joining request associated with a PA train of the second network entity, wherein the joining request includes the timing information, wherein the joining request is transmitted using a default group or a recommended group for the second network entity.
14 . The wireless communication device of claim 13 , wherein, to receive the subframe allocation information, the at least one processor is configured to: receive, from the second network entity, a joining response corresponding to the joining request, wherein the joining response is indicative of the subframe allocation information.
15 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein: the PA is included in a PA train associated with the second network entity and the wireless communication device; the subframe allocation information is indicative of a synchronized subframe slot associated with communication between the wireless communication device and the second network entity using the PA train; and the at least one processor is configured to receive the PA from the second network entity using the synchronized subframe slot and the PA train.
16 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: receive the second synchronization information from the second network entity based on scanning for a respective synchronization information associated with each respective additional network entity of the one or more additional network entities.
17 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is synchronized with a first PA train associated with the first network entity.
18 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to: determine the first synchronization information based on a first synchronization signal received from the first network entity; and determine the second synchronization information based on a second synchronization signal received from the second network entity.
19 . The wireless communication device of claim 17 , wherein: the first synchronization signal is a first access point (AP) Sync command received from the first network entity and corresponding to a first PA train associated with the first network entity; and the second synchronization signal is a second AP Sync command received from the second network entity and corresponding to a second PA train associated with the second network entity.
20 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first network entity is a first access point (AP) associated with the wireless communication device, and wherein the second network entity is a second AP associated with the wireless communication device.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure generally relates to wireless communications. For example, aspects of the present disclosure relate to communication bridging in a synchronization system including one or more network devices (e.g., central devices, such as access points (APs)) and one or more wireless communication devices (e.g., peripheral devices, such as electronic shelf labels (ESLs)). BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Short range wireless communication enables wireless communication over relatively short distances (e.g., within thirty meters). For example, BLUETOOTH® is a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances using short-wavelength ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio waves from 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) to 2.485 GHz. BLUETOOTH® Low Energy (BLE) is a form of BLUETOOTH® communication that allows for communication with devices running on low power. Such devices may include beacons, which are wireless communication devices that may use low-energy communication technology for positioning, proximity marketing, or other purposes. In some cases, such devices may serve as nodes (e.g., relay nodes) of a wireless mesh network that communicates and/or relays information to a managing platform or hub associated with the wireless mesh network. SUMMARY The following presents a simplified summary relating to one or more aspects disclosed herein. Thus, the following summary should not be considered an extensive overview relating to all contemplated aspects, nor should the following summary be considered to identify key or critical elements relating to all contemplated aspects or to delineate the scope associated with any particular aspect. Accordingly, the following summary has the sole purpose to present certain concepts relating to one or more aspects relating to the mechanisms disclosed herein in a simplified form to precede the detailed description presented below. Disclosed are systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for performing wireless communication. According to at least one illustrative example, a method for wireless communications by a wireless communication device is provided. The method includes: receiving, from a first network entity, a request to identify one or more additional network entities available for communication with the wireless communication device; transmitting, to a second network entity included in the one or more additional network entities, timing information indicative of a difference between first synchronization information associated with the first network entity and second synchronization information associated with the second network entity; receiving, from the second network entity, subframe allocation information corresponding to periodic advertisements (PAs) between the second network entity and the wireless communication device; and receiving, from the second network entity, a PA based on the subframe allocation information. In another illustrative example, an apparatus of a wireless communication device for wireless communications is provided. The apparatus includes at least one memory and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to: receive, from a first network entity, a request to identify one or more additional network entities available for communication with the wireless communication device; transmit, to a second network entity included in the one or more additional network entities, timing information indicative of a difference between first synchronization information associated with the first network entity and second synchronization information associated with the second network entity; receive, from the second network entity, subframe allocation information corresponding to periodic advertisements (PAs) between the second network entity and the wireless communication device; and receive, from the second network entity, a PA based on the subframe allocation information. In another illustrative example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to: receive, from a first network entity, a request to identify one or more additional network entities available for communication with the wireless communication device; transmit, to a second network entity included in the one or more additional network entities, timing information indicative of a difference between first synchronization information associated with the first network entity and second synchronization information associated with the second network entity; receive, from the second network entity, subframe allocation information corresponding to periodic advertisements (PAs) between the second network entity and the wireless communication device; and receive, from the second network entity, a PA based on the subframe allocation information. In another illustrative example, an apparatus is provided for