Managing discovery in a wireless peer-to-peer network

1. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to:

support a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods, wherein the plurality of discovery signals support discovery of one or more mobile nodes in a dynamically configurable wireless network;

provide a message to a server relating to a location of the apparatus;

receive a list from the server in response to the message, the list indicating whether the one or more mobile nodes are within a vicinity of the apparatus;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are not within the vicinity of the apparatus, remain in a first state where a duration of the silent periods is maintained;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are within the vicinity of the apparatus, enter a second state that includes, in response to a determination that the apparatus is moving from a location outside a radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to a location within radio range of the one or more mobile nodes, change the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals such that the duration for the silent periods decreases progressively from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals; and

in response to a determination that discovery of all of the one or more mobile nodes identified in the list has been completed, enter a third state that includes increasing the duration of the silent periods.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive a discovery signal from one or more nodes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to support a connection to one of the one or more nodes in response to receiving the discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether the discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine whether the discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to the specific set of nodes based on information received from the server.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the processing system is further configured to provide the message to the server relating to the location of the apparatus and to receive the information from the server in response to the message.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to enter a sleep mode during at least a portion of each of the silent periods.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes based on a discovery signal received from each of at least one of the one or more mobile nodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to determine that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes based on information received from the server.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power source, wherein the processing system is further configured to change the duration of the silent periods as a function of the power source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter having a transmission power, wherein the processing system is further configured to change the duration of the silent periods as a function of the transmission power.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to decrease the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals in accordance with a non-linear function that comprises a random, polynomial, or exponential function.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:

periodically send a registration message to the server while in the apparatus is in the second state;

receive a reply from the server in response to registration message, wherein the reply indicates that the one or more mobile nodes are no longer in the vicinity of the apparatus; and

enter the first state in response to the reply indicating that the one or more nodes are no longer in the vicinity of the apparatus.

14. A method of wireless communications from an apparatus, comprising:

supporting a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods, wherein the plurality of discovery signals support discovery of mobile nodes in a dynamically configurable wireless network;

providing a message to a server relating to a location of the apparatus;

receiving a list from the server in response to the message, the list indicating whether the one or more mobile nodes are within a vicinity of the apparatus;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are not within the vicinity of the apparatus, remaining in a first state where a duration of the silent periods is maintained;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are within the vicinity of the apparatus, entering a second state that includes, in response to a determination that the apparatus is moving from a location outside a radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to a location within radio range of the one or more mobile nodes, changing the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals such that the duration for the silent periods decreases progressively from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals; and

in response to a determination that discovery of all of the one or more mobile nodes identified in the list has been completed, entering a third state that includes increasing the duration of the silent periods.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a discovery signal from one or more nodes.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising supporting a connection to one of the one or more nodes in response to receiving the discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining whether the discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining whether the discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to the specific set of nodes is based on information received from the server.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing the message to the server relating to the location of the apparatus and receiving the information from the server in response to the message.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising entering a sleep mode during at least a portion of each of the silent periods.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes based on a discovery signal received from each of at least one of the one or more mobile nodes.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining that the apparatus is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes based on information received from the server.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the apparatus comprises a power source, wherein the duration of the silent periods is changed as a function of the power source.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the apparatus further comprises a transmitter having a transmission power, wherein the duration of the silent periods as a function of the transmission power.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein the decrease of the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals is decreased in accordance with a non-linear function that comprises a random, polynomial, or exponential function.

26. A computer-program product for supporting wireless communication, comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing system to:

support a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods, wherein the plurality of discovery signals support discovery of mobile nodes in a dynamically configurable wireless network;

provide a message to a server relating to a location of the apparatus;

receive a list from the server in response to the message, the list indicating whether the one or more mobile nodes are within a vicinity of the apparatus;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are not within the vicinity of the apparatus, remain in a first state where a duration of the silent periods is maintained;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are within the vicinity of the apparatus, enter a second state that includes, in response to a determination that an apparatus is moving from a location outside a radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to a location within radio range of the one or more mobile nodes, change the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals such that the durations for the silent periods decrease progressively from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals; and

in response to a determination that discovery of all of the one or more mobile nodes identified in the list has been completed, enter a third state that includes increasing the duration of the silent periods.

27. An access terminal for wireless communications, comprising:

a processor and memory configured to support a broadcast of a plurality of discovery signals spaced apart in time by silent periods, wherein the plurality of discovery signals support discovery of mobile nodes in a dynamically configurable wireless network, the processor and memory being further configured to direct the access terminal to:

provide a message to a server relating to a location of the access terminal;

receive a list from the server in response to the message, the list indicating whether the one or more mobile nodes are within a vicinity of the access terminal;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are not within the vicinity of the, remain in a first state where a duration of the silent periods is maintained;

in response to a determination, based on the list, that the one or more mobile nodes are within the vicinity of the access terminal, enter a second state that includes, in response to a determination that the access terminal is moving from a location outside a radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to a location within radio range of the one or more mobile nodes, change the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals such that the durations for the silent periods decrease progressively from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals; and

in response to a determination that discovery of all of the one or more mobile nodes identified in the list has been completed, enter a third state that includes increasing the duration of the silent period.

28. The access terminal of claim 27 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to receive a discovery signal from one or more nodes.

29. The access terminal of claim 28 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to support a connection to one of the one or more nodes in response to receiving the discovery signal from said one of the one or more nodes.

30. The access terminal of claim 28 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to determine whether the discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to a specific set of nodes.

31. The access terminal of claim 28 wherein the wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to determine whether the discovery signal received from one of the one or more nodes belongs to the specific set of nodes based on information received from the server.

32. The access terminal of claim 31 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to provide the message to the server relating to the location of the access terminal and means for receiving the information from the server in response to the message.

33. The access terminal of claim 27 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to enter a sleep mode during at least a portion of each of the silent periods.

34. The access terminal of claim 27 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to determine that the access terminal is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes based on a discovery signal received from each of at least one of the one or more mobile nodes.

35. The access terminal of claim 27 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to determine that the access terminal is moving from the location outside the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes to the location within the radio range of the one or more mobile nodes based on information received from the server.

36. The access terminal of claim 27 further comprising a power source for providing power to the apparatus, wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to change the duration of the silent periods as a function of a power source.

37. The access terminal of claim 27 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to direct the access terminal to transmit a signal at a transmission power, and to change the duration of the silent periods as a function of the transmission power.

38. The access terminal of claim 27 wherein the means for changing the duration is configured to decrease the duration of the silent periods from discovery signal to discovery signal of the plurality of discovery signals in accordance with a non-linear function that comprises a random, polynomial, or exponential function.