초록

During formation of an ad hoc group, the transmit power level of a user device within a wireless communication network is reduced. Potential group members are thus identified within an immediate vicinity of the user device.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for establishing an ad hoc group comprising: transmitting by a transceiver a wireless invitation signal to a plurality of potential user devices at transmit power level reduced from normal transmit power level, the reduced transmit power level corresponding to a rang

What is claimed is: 1. A method for establishing an ad hoc group comprising: transmitting by a transceiver a wireless invitation signal to a plurality of potential user devices at transmit power level reduced from normal transmit power level, the reduced transmit power level corresponding to a range from the transceiver to the plurality of potential user devices; receiving response signals from user devices that have received the wireless invitation signal; preparing a list of the user devices based on the received response signals; selecting user devices from the list; communicating by the transceiver with the selected user devices at normal transmit power level; and regularly transmitting by the transceiver beacon signals at reduced transmit power during communication with the selected user devices at normal transmit power to invite other potential user devices within the range of the transceiver to communicate with the transceiver. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the wireless invitation signal includes: selecting the reduced transmit power level from a plurality of predetermined transmit power levels. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the wireless invitation signal includes: selecting the reduced transmit power level from a plurality of predetermined transmit power levels based on an approximate physical size of a meeting area. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the wireless invitation signal includes: determining an approximate physical size of a meeting area; and calculating the reduced transmit power level based on the determined approximate physical size. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of user devices includes user names associated with the user devices. 6. A wireless communication device comprising: a wireless transceiver; and an ad hoc group controller operatively coupled to said wireless transceiver to control said wireless transceiver to transmit: i) an invitation signal at transmit power level reduced from normal transmit power level, the reduced transmit power level corresponding to a range from the transceiver to a plurality of potential user devices during ad hoc group formation; ii) normal communication at normal transmit power level during communication with user devices of the plurality of potential user devices that are members of the ad hoc group; and iii) regular beacon signals at reduced transmit power during normal communication with user devices that are members of the ad hoc group at normal transmit power to invite other potential user devices within the range of the wireless transceiver to communicate with the wireless transceiver. 7. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the ad hoc group formation includes transmission of an ad hoc group invitation signal at the reduced transmit power level. 8. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the communication with user devices that are members of the ad hoc group includes data transfer. 9. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the ad hoc group controller includes: a list compilation function for compiling a list of user devices of the plurality of potential user devices based on responses received from the user devices to an invitation signal transmitted by the wireless transceiver at the reduced transmit power. 10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the ad hoc group controller presents the list of the user devices to a local user via an output device. 11. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the ad hoc group controller includes: a user query unit to query a local user regarding an approximate size of a meeting area associated with the ad hoc group. 12. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the ad hoc group controller includes: a power level determination unit to determine the reduced transmit power level for an invitation signal based on an approximate size of a meeting area associated with the ad hoc group. 13. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein said wireless transceiver is Bluetooth compatible.