IP Library › Granted Patent US 12671630
Granted Patent B2
US 12671630 · App. 18/329,303 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Method and PAN device for managing pan devices in cluster

Inventors: Prabhat Kumar (Noida, IN); Abhishek Saxena (Noida, IN); Abhinav Jain (Noida, IN); Anand Asati (Noida, IN); Amit Jain (Noida, IN); Nitesh Suthar (Noida, IN)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04L41/12H04L41/0803H04L47/12H04W56/001H04W72/044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12671630
App. No.
18/329,303
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A 5G or 6G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate in certain example instances. Certain example embodiments may provide a method for managing PAN devices in a cluster using a first PAN device in the cluster of the PAN devices. The method may include receiving an input comprising an inner cluster attribute from a user. The method may include determining that the first PAN device has the inner cluster attribute. The method may include determining whether an inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is available under the cluster, where the inner cluster comprises a subset of the PAN devices with the inner cluster attribute. The method may include joining the inner cluster, in response to determining that the inner cluster is available under the cluster. The method may include creating the inner cluster, in response to determining that the inner cluster is not available under the cluster.

Claims (110)

1 . A method performed by a first Neighborhood Awareness Networking (NAN) device of NAN devices in a cluster, the method comprising:

receiving an input comprising an inner cluster attribute from a user, wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a service for the user;

determining that the first NAN device has the inner cluster attribute;

determining whether an inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists, wherein the inner cluster comprises a subset of the NAN devices with the inner cluster attribute;

joining the first NAN device to the inner cluster, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists; and

creating the inner cluster including the first NAN device, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster does not exist,

wherein the first NAN device in the inner cluster is allowed to access information and services from a second NAN device which is included in the cluster and is not included in the inner cluster,

wherein the second NAN device is not allowed to access information and services from the first NAN device in the inner cluster,

wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a type of device suitable to provide the service for the user or a type of device that is located in a geographical area suitable to provide the service for the user, and

wherein creating the inner cluster comprises: identifying a third NAN device having the inner cluster attribute in the cluster of the NAN devices and setting a discovery window for discovering NAN devices in the inner cluster based on the service for the user indicated by the inner cluster attribute.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

determining a level of security for the inner cluster;

selecting a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels with least data traffic congestion and unused by the cluster;

configuring a security to the wireless channel based on the level of security;

selecting a time window based on the service indicated in the inner cluster attribute, wherein the time window is unused by the cluster;

configuring the third NAN device having the inner cluster attribute and the first NAN device with the selected wireless channel for data communication; and

configuring the third NAN device having the inner cluster attribute and the first NAN device for synchronizing at the selected time window.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

selecting a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels assigned to the inner cluster for data communication; and

selecting a time window assigned to the inner cluster for synchronizing at the selected time window.

4 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

broadcasting the inner cluster attribute to a fourth NAN device in the cluster of the NAN devices through a plurality of wireless channels;

receiving a response from the fourth NAN device, wherein the response indicates whether the fourth NAN device has the inner cluster attribute; and

performing at least one of:

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is available under the cluster when the fourth NAN device has the inner cluster attribute, and

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is not available under the cluster when the fourth NAN device does not have the inner cluster attribute.

5 . A first Neighborhood Awareness Networking (NAN) device in a cluster of NAN devices for managing the NAN devices, the first NAN device comprising:

a transceiver;

at least one processor coupled to the transceiver;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive an input comprising an inner cluster attribute from a user, wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a service for the user;

determine that the first NAN device has the inner cluster attribute;

determine whether an inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists, wherein the inner cluster comprises a subset of the NAN devices with the inner cluster attribute;

join the first NAN device to the inner cluster, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists; and

create the inner cluster including the first NAN device, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster does not exist,

wherein the first NAN device in the inner cluster is allowed to access information and services from a second NAN device which is included in the cluster and is not included in the inner cluster,

wherein the second NAN device is not allowed to access information and services from the first NAN device in the inner cluster,

wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a type of device suitable to provide the service for the user or a type of device that is located in a geographical area suitable to provide the service for the user, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: identify a third NAN device having the inner cluster attribute in the cluster of the NAN devices and set a discovery window for discovering NAN devices in the inner cluster based on the service for the user indicated by the inner cluster attribute.

6 . The first NAN device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a level of security for the inner cluster;

select a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels with least data traffic congestion and unused by the cluster;

configure a security to the wireless channel based on the level of security;

select a time window based on the service indicated in the inner cluster attribute, wherein the time window is unused by the cluster;

configure the third NAN device having the inner cluster attribute and the first NAN device with the selected wireless channel for data communication; and

configure the third NAN device having the inner cluster attribute and the first NAN device for synchronizing at the selected time window.

7 . The first NAN device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

select a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels assigned to the inner cluster for data communication; and

select a time window assigned to the inner cluster for synchronizing at the selected time window.

8 . The first NAN device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

broadcast the inner cluster attribute to a fourth NAN device in the cluster of the NAN devices through a plurality of wireless channels;

receive a response from the fourth NAN device, wherein the response indicates whether the fourth NAN device has the inner cluster attribute; and

perform at least one of:

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is available under the cluster when the fourth NAN device has the inner cluster attribute, and

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is not available under the cluster when the fourth NAN device does not have the inner cluster attribute.

9 . A method performed by a first Proximity Awareness Networking (PAN) device of PAN devices in a cluster, the method comprising:

receiving an input comprising an inner cluster attribute from a user, wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a service for the user;

determining that the first PAN device has the inner cluster attribute;

determining whether an inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists, wherein the inner cluster comprises a subset of the PAN devices with the inner cluster attribute;

joining the first PAN device to the inner cluster, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists; and

creating the inner cluster including the first PAN device, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster does not exist,

wherein the first PAN device in the inner cluster is allowed to access information and services from a second PAN device which is included in the cluster and is not included in the inner cluster,

wherein the second PAN device is not allowed to access information and services from the first PAN device in the inner cluster,

wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a type of device suitable to provide the service for the user or a type of device that is located in a geographical area suitable to provide the service for the user, and

wherein creating the inner cluster comprises: identifying a third PAN device having the inner cluster attribute in the cluster of the PAN devices and setting a discovery window for discovering PAN devices in the inner cluster based on the service for the user indicated by the inner cluster attribute.

10 . The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

determining a level of security for the inner cluster;

selecting a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels with least data traffic congestion and unused by the cluster;

configuring a security to the wireless channel based on the level of security;

selecting a time window based on the service indicated in the inner cluster attribute, wherein the time window is unused by the cluster;

configuring the third PAN devices having the inner cluster attribute and the first PAN device with the selected wireless channel for data communication; and

configuring the third PAN devices having the inner cluster attribute and the first PAN device for synchronizing at the selected time window.

11 . The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

selecting a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels assigned to the inner cluster for data communication; and

selecting a time window assigned to the inner cluster for synchronizing at the selected time window.

12 . The method of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

broadcasting the inner cluster attribute to a fourth PAN device in the cluster of the PAN devices through a plurality of wireless channels;

receiving a response from the fourth PAN device, wherein the response indicates whether the fourth PAN device has the inner cluster attribute; and

performing at least one of:

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is available under the cluster when the fourth PAN device has the inner cluster attribute, and

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is not available under the cluster when the fourth PAN device does not have the inner cluster attribute.

13 . A first Proximity Awareness Networking (PAN) device in a cluster of PAN devices for managing the PAN devices, the first PAN device comprising:

a transceiver;

at least one processor coupled to the transceiver;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive an input comprising an inner cluster attribute from a user, wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a service for the user;

determine that the first PAN device has the inner cluster attribute;

determine whether an inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists, wherein the inner cluster comprises a subset of the PAN devices with the inner cluster attribute;

join the first PAN device to the inner cluster, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster exists; and

create the inner cluster including the first PAN device, in response to determining that the inner cluster which corresponds to the inner cluster attribute and is available under the cluster does not exist,

wherein the first PAN device in the inner cluster is allowed to access information and services from a second PAN device which is included in the cluster and is not included in the inner cluster,

wherein the second PAN device is not allowed to access information and services from the first PAN device in the inner cluster,

wherein the inner cluster attribute indicates a type of device suitable to provide the service for the user or a type of device that is located in a geographical area suitable to provide the service for the user, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: identify a third PAN device having the inner cluster attribute in the cluster of the PAN devices and set a discovery window for discovering PAN devices in the inner cluster based on the service for the user indicated by the inner cluster attribute.

14 . The first PAN device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a level of security for the inner cluster;

select a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels with least data traffic congestion and unused by the cluster;

configure a security to the wireless channel based on the level of security;

select a time window based on the service indicated in the inner cluster attribute, wherein the time window is unused by the cluster;

configure the third PAN device having the inner cluster attribute and the first PAN device with the selected wireless channel for data communication; and

configure the third PAN device having the inner cluster attribute and the first PAN device for synchronizing at the selected time window.

15 . The first PAN device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

select a wireless channel in a plurality of wireless channels assigned to the inner cluster for data communication; and

select a time window assigned to the inner cluster for synchronizing at the selected time window.

16 . The first PAN device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

broadcast the inner cluster attribute to a fourth PAN device in the cluster of the PAN devices through a plurality of wireless channels;

receive a response from the fourth PAN device, wherein the response indicates whether the fourth PAN device has the inner cluster attribute; and

perform at least one of:

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is available under the cluster when the fourth PAN device has the inner cluster attribute, and

determining that the inner cluster corresponding to the inner cluster attribute is not available under the cluster when the fourth PAN device does not have the inner cluster attribute.