Methods and apparatus for automated local network formation using alternate connected interfaces

1. A method of local network formation by a mobile device, comprising:

joining an overlay network via an available connection;

retrieving from the overlay network at least one ad associated with forming a local network;

determining if there is at least one matching ad to form the local network;

if no matching ads are determined, then publishing, by the mobile device, an ad with a first local network configuration to the overlay network via a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) access point; and

if one or more matching ads are determined, then joining a local network according to a second local network configuration corresponding to one of the one or more matching ads.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein if no matching ads are determined, further comprising periodically broadcasting information including a name of the overlay network and a key corresponding to the published ad.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising establishing a local network over a local area interface according to the first local network configuration based on a second mobile device detecting the broadcast.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

submitting a new ad request to the overlay network for the resource identifier at a predetermined time period after an initial broadcasting of the beacon;

receiving a response to the new ad request identifying a new ad corresponding to the resource; and

establishing a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the new ad.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein if one or more matching ads are determined, then further comprising:

determining if ad location information associated with each matching ad corresponds to location information of the mobile device to define a matching location;

if no matching location is found, then:

activating a listening mode;

receiving a broadcast beacon in the listening mode, wherein the broadcast beacon includes an overlay name and a key identifying an ad;

determining if the broadcast beacon matches to one of the matching ads based on the key; and

establishing a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the ad that matches the key corresponding to the broadcast beacon.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein if a single matching ad is determined, then further comprising:

determining if ad location information associated with the matching ad corresponds to location information of the mobile device to define a matching location; and

if a matching location is found, then:

establishing a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the ad having the matching location information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein if one or more matching ads are determined, then further comprising:

determining if ad location information associated with each matching ad corresponds to location information of the mobile device to define a matching location; and

if a plurality of matching locations are found, then:

selecting one of the ads having the matching location information according to a rule; and

establishing a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the selected one of the ads having the matching location information.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein selecting one of the ads according to the rule further comprises choosing a respective ad having a newest advertised value.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first local network configuration or the second local network configuration further comprises at least one of an SSID, a BSID, a channel, a location, and a key.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ads are published using a known resource identifier.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ads include location parameters associated with a corresponding local network configuration.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ads are determined as matching when resource identifiers in the matching ads are not an exact match.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local network includes a mobile device acting as a relay for at least one other mobile device within the local network.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the relay extends a communication range of the mobile devices within the local network.

15. A mobile device for local network formation, comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory;

a first hardware module for joining an overlay network via an available connection;

a second module for retrieving from the overlay network at least one ad associated with forming a local network;

a third module for determining if there is at least one matching ad to form the local network;

a fourth module for publishing, by the mobile device, an ad with a first local network configuration to the overlay network via a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) access point if no matching ads are determined; and

a fifth module for joining a local network according to a second local network configuration corresponding to one of the one or more matching ads if one or more matching ads are determined;

wherein the processor and the memory are configured to execute the first hardware module, the second module, the third module, the fourth module, and the fifth module.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for local network formation by a mobile device, comprising:

a first set of codes for causing a computer to join an overlay network via an available connection;

a second set of codes for causing a computer to retrieve from the overlay network at least one ad associated with forming a local network;

a third set of codes for causing a computer to determine if there is at least one matching ad to form the local network;

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to publish, by the mobile device, an ad with a first local network configuration to the overlay network via a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) access point if no matching ads are determined; and

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to join a local network according to a second local network configuration corresponding to one of the one or more matching ads if one or more matching ads are determined.

17. A mobile device for local network formation, comprising:

first means for:

joining an overlay network via an available connection;

retrieving from the overlay network at least one ad associated with forming a local network;

determining if there is at least one matching ad to form the local network;

publishing, by the mobile device, an ad with a first local network configuration to the overlay network via a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) access point if no matching ads are determined; and

joining a local network according to a second local network configuration corresponding to one of the one or more matching ads if one or more matching ads are determined; and

second means for storing program code executable by the first means.

18. A mobile device, comprising:

a memory comprising a local network formation component; and

a processor in communication with the memory and configured to execute the local network formation component to:

join an overlay network via an available connection;

retrieve from the overlay network at least one ad associated with forming a local network;

determine if there is at least one matching ad to form the local network;

publish, by the mobile device, an ad with a first local network configuration to the overlay network via a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) access point if no matching ads are determined; and

join a local network according to a second local network configuration corresponding to one of the one or more matching ads if one or more matching ads are determined.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein if no matching ads are determined, the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to periodically broadcast information including a name of the overlay network and a key corresponding to the published ad.

20. The mobile device of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to establish a local network over a local area interface according to the first local network configuration based on a second mobile device detecting the broadcast.

21. The mobile device of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

submit a new ad request to the overlay network for the resource identifier at a predetermined time period after an initial broadcasting of the beacon;

receive a response to the new ad request identifying a new ad corresponding to the resource; and

establish a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the new ad.

22. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein if one or more matching ads are determined, then the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

determine if ad location information associated with each matching ad corresponds to location information of the mobile device to define a matching location;

if no matching location is found, then the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

activate a listening mode;

receive a broadcast beacon in the listening mode, wherein the broadcast beacon includes an overlay name and a key identifying an ad;

determine if the broadcast beacon matches to one of the matching ads based on the key; and

establish a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the ad that matches the key corresponding to the broadcast beacon.

23. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein if a single matching ad is determined, then the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

determine if ad location information associated with the matching ad corresponds to location information of the mobile device to define a matching location; and

if a matching location is found, then the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

establish a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the ad having the matching location information,.

24. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein if one or more matching ads are determined, then the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

determine if ad location information associated with each matching ad corresponds to location information of the mobile device to define a matching location; and

if a plurality of matching locations are found, then the processor is further configured to execute the local network formation component to:

select one of the ads having the matching location information according to a rule; and

establish a local network over a local area interface based on the second local network configuration corresponding to the selected one of the ads having the matching location information.

25. The mobile device of claim 24 , wherein selecting one of the ads according to the rule further comprises choosing a respective ad having a latest advertised value.

26. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first local network configuration or the second local network configuration further comprises at least one of an SSID, a BSID, a channel, a location, and a key.

27. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the ads are published using a known resource identifier.

28. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the ads include location parameters associated with a corresponding local network configuration.

29. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the ads are determined as matching when resource identifiers in the matching ads are not an exact match.

30. The mobile device of claim 18 , wherein the local network includes a mobile device acting as a relay for at least one other mobile device within the local network.

31. The mobile device of claim 30 , wherein the relay extends a communication range of the mobile devices within the local network.