Multicast wakeup in wireless networks

Abstract

The disclosure describes systems and methods for updating multicast wakeup schedules in devices in a mesh network such as a neighborhood area network (NAN) multicast service group (NMSG). The systems and methods enable meshed devices to send and receive routing control messages amongst themselves in accordance with a centralized update protocol, a distributed update protocol, or a hybrid update protocol which is a combination of the centralized and distributed update protocols.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) node in a NAN multicast service group, the apparatus comprising processing circuitry coupled to storage, the processing circuitry configured to:
 receive a NAN multicast service group schedule from a NAN multicast service group originator, wherein the NAN multicast service group schedule is for communicating between a plurality of neighboring NAN devices enrolled in the NAN multicast service group;   receive an indication from the NAN multicast service group originator to serve as an enroller of the NAN multicast service group;   enroll a first neighboring NAN device in the NAN multicast service group; and   cause to forward the NAN multicast service group schedule to the enrolled first neighboring NAN device.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive an updated NAN multicast service group schedule from the NAN multicast service group originator based on a change. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the updated NAN multicast service group schedule is received in a NAN schedule update frame. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the updated NAN multicast service group schedule indicates a time when the plurality of neighboring NAN devices start to use the updated NAN multicast service group schedule. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to share the updated schedule with the modified NAN multicast service group. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to adopt the updated NAN multicast service group schedule instead of the NAN multicast service group schedule. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the NAN multicast service group schedule comprises one or more resource allocations. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the NAN multicast service group is a many-to-many NAN group. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:receiving a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) multicast service group schedule from a NAN multicast service group originator, wherein the NAN multicast service group schedule is for communicating between a plurality of neighboring NAN devices enrolled in a NAN multicast service group;
 receiving an indication from the NAN multicast service group originator to serve as an enroller of the NAN multicast service group;   enrolling a first neighboring NAN device in the NAN multicast service group; and   causing to forward the NAN multicast service group schedule to the enrolled first neighboring NAN device.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an updated NAN multicast service group schedule from the NAN multicast service group originator based on a change. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the updated NAN multicast service group schedule is received in a NAN schedule update frame. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the updated NAN multicast service group schedule indicates a time when the plurality of neighboring NAN devices start to use the updated NAN multicast service group schedule. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise share the updated schedule with the modified NAN multicast service group. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise adopting the updated NAN multicast service group schedule instead of the NAN multicast service group schedule. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the NAN multicast service group schedule comprises one or more resource allocations. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the NAN multicast service group is a many-to-many NAN group. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:receiving a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) multicast service group schedule from a NAN multicast service group originator, wherein the NAN multicast service group schedule is for communicating between a plurality of neighboring NAN devices enrolled in a NAN multicast service group;
 receiving an indication from the NAN multicast service group originator to serve as an enroller of the NAN multicast service group;   enrolling a first neighboring NAN device in the NAN multicast service group; and   causing to forward the NAN multicast service group schedule to the enrolled first neighboring NAN device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising receiving an updated NAN multicast service group schedule from the NAN multicast service group originator based on a change. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the updated NAN multicast service group schedule is received in a NAN schedule update frame. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the updated NAN multicast service group schedule indicates a time when the plurality of neighboring NAN devices start to use the updated NAN multicast service group schedule.