Ad hoc network discovery menu

A method to provide network information to an arriving wireless device which is proximate to a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the arriving device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

• maintaining in one or more network nodes in a first ad hoc network, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network and updating the first list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• maintaining in one or more network nodes in a second ad hoc network, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network and updating the second list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• discovering the first and the second ad hoc network by the arriving wireless device;
• gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• forming, by the arriving wireless device, a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information;
• and
• joining the arriving wireless device to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

A system to provide network information to an arriving wireless device which is proximate to a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the arriving device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

• one or more first wireless devices maintaining in a first ad hoc network, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network and updating the first list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• one or more second wireless devices maintaining in one or more network nodes in a second ad hoc network, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network and updating the second list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• an arriving wireless device discovering the first and the second ad hoc network;
• said arriving device gathering information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• said arriving device gathering information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• said arriving device forming a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information;
• and
• said arriving device joining to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

A computer program product to provide network information to an arriving wireless device which is proximate to a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the arriving device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• program code in said computer readable medium for maintaining in one or more network nodes in a first ad hoc network, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network and updating the first list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• program code in said computer readable medium for maintaining in one or more network nodes in a second ad hoc network, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network and updating the second list based on the information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• program code in said computer readable medium for discovering the first and the second ad hoc network by the arriving wireless device;
• program code in said computer readable medium for gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• program code in said computer readable medium for gathering, by the arriving device, information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• program code in said computer readable medium for forming, by the arriving wireless device, a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information;
• and
• program code in said computer readable medium for joining the arriving wireless device to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.

A mobile wireless device capable of gathering network information about a network that is proximate and includes a plurality other wireless devices, the network information enabling the mobile device to selectively join ad hoc networks, comprising:

• a mobile wireless device including a processor, a memory for storing program code executable by the processor, a radio, and a user interface;
• program code in said memory for establishing a connection with a first ad hoc network that maintains in one or more network nodes, a first list of available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network, the network updating the first list based on information received from the wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• program code in said memory establishing a connection with a second ad hoc network that maintains in one or more network nodes, a second list of available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network, the second network updating the second list based on information received from the wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• program code in said memory for discovering the first and the second ad hoc network;
• program code in said memory for gathering information characterizing the first ad hoc network by obtaining first service information associated with said first list describing available services of wireless devices in the first ad hoc network;
• program code in said memory for gathering information characterizing the second ad hoc network by obtaining second service information associated with said second list describing available services of wireless devices in the second ad hoc network;
• program code in said memory for forming a compiled network discovery service list including a first characteristic of the first ad hoc network derived from the first service information and a second characteristic of the second ad hoc network derived from the second service information;
• and
• program code in said memory for joining the mobile wireless device to either the first ad hoc network or the second ad hoc network based on the compiled network discovery list.