Beaconing mode for wireless communication

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to facilitating apparatus interaction. In at least one example embodiment of the present invention, apparatuses may comprise both triggered communication activities and automated communication activities. Triggered communication activities may correspond to, for example, user and/or application instigated actions in a wireless apparatus. Automated activities may occur without any requirement for user intervention, and further, without any notification to the user that an action has occurred.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a beacon frame comprising a timing signal, an associated beacon period indication and an associated diluted beacon period indication corresponding to a wireless network;   synchronizing a timing signal function to the received beacon timing signal; and   determining a mode of operation based on the timing signal function, the beacon period indication and the diluted beacon period indication.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is communicated in the beacon frame in a predefined information element. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is associated with the beacon period in that it is a multiple of the beacon period. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a mode of operation based on the timing signal function, the beacon period indication and the diluted beacon period indication comprises selecting whether to be active in the network according to the timing signal or the diluted beacon period. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein being active in the network comprises contending for access to a wireless communication medium with other networked apparatuses. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising communicating the determined mode of operation to other networked apparatuses. 
   
   
       7 . A method, comprising:
 initiating a wireless network; and   transmitting one or more beacon frames, the beacon frames including a timing signal, an associated beacon period indication and an associated diluted beacon period indication corresponding to the wireless network.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is associated with the beacon period in that it is a multiple of the beacon period. 
   
   
       9 . A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable medium, comprising:
 computer program code configured to receive a beacon frame comprising a timing signal, an associated beacon period indication and an associated diluted beacon period indication corresponding to a wireless network;   computer program code configured to synchronize a timing signal function to the received beacon timing signal; and   computer program code configured to determine a mode of operation based on the timing signal function, the beacon period indication and the diluted beacon period indication.   
   
   
       10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is communicated in the beacon frame in a predefined information element. 
   
   
       11 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is associated with the beacon period in that it is a multiple of the beacon period. 
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein determining a mode of operation based on the timing signal function, the beacon period indication and the diluted beacon period indication comprises selecting whether to be active in the network according to the timing signal or the diluted beacon period. 
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein being active in the network comprises contending for access to a wireless communication medium with other networked apparatuses. 
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , further comprising communicating the determined mode of operation to other networked apparatuses. 
   
   
       15 . A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable medium, comprising:
 computer program code configured to initiate a wireless network; and   computer program code configured to transmit one or more beacon frames, the beacon frames including a timing signal, an associated beacon period indication and an associated diluted beacon period indication corresponding to the wireless network.   
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is associated with the beacon period in that it is a multiple of the beacon period. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor, the processor being configured to:
 receive a beacon frame comprising a timing signal, an associated beacon period indication and an associated diluted beacon period indication corresponding to a wireless network; 
 synchronize a timing signal function to the received beacon timing signal; and 
 determine a mode of operation based on the timing signal function, the beacon period indication and the diluted beacon period indication. 
   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is communicated in the beacon frame in a predefined information element. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is associated with the beacon period in that it is a multiple of the beacon period. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein determining a mode of operation based on the timing signal function, the beacon period indication and the diluted beacon period indication comprises selecting whether to be active in the network according to the timing signal or the diluted beacon period. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein being active in the network comprises contending for access to a wireless communication medium with other networked apparatuses. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising communicating the determined mode of operation to other networked apparatuses. 
   
   
       23 . An apparatus, comprising:
 A processor, the processor being configured to:
 initiate a wireless network; and 
 transmit one or more beacon frames, the beacon frames including a timing signal, an associated beacon period indication and an associated diluted beacon period indication corresponding to the wireless network. 
   
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the associated diluted beacon period is associated with the beacon period in that it is a multiple of the beacon period.