Method and apparatus for service discovery in Wi-Fi direct network

A method of discovering a service in a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) network, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a second WFD device, a service discovery request frame transmitted from a first WFD device for discovering whether a service is supported by the second WFD device;
• generating, by the second WFD device, a service discovery response frame in response to the received service discovery request frame based on whether the service is supported by the second WFD device;
• and
• transmitting the generated service discovery response frame from the second WFD device to the first WFD device,
• wherein the service discovery request frame and the service discovery response frame are generated using a Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) information element (IE), and
• wherein the WPS IE in the service discovery request frame comprises a field configured to selectively comprise a value identifying the service and a value for discovering a plurality of services supported by the second WFD device.

A Wi-Fi direct (WFD) device in a WFD network, the WFD device comprising:

• a frame generating unit which generates a service discovery request frame for discovering whether a service is supported by another WFD device in the WFD network;
• a frame transmitting unit which transmits the generated service discovery request frame to the other WFD device;
• and
• a frame receiving unit which receives a service discovery response frame from the other WFD device in response to the transmitted service discovery request frame,
• wherein the service discovery request frame and the service discovery response frame are generated using a Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) information element (IE), and
• wherein the WPS IE in the service discovery request frame comprises a field configured to selectively comprise a value identifying the service and a value for discovering a plurality of services supported by the other WFD device.

A Wi-Fi direct (WFD) device in a WFD network, the WFD device comprising:

• a frame receiving unit which receives, from another WFD device in the WFD network, a service discovery request frame for discovering whether a service is supported by the WFD device;
• a frame generating unit which generates a service discovery response frame in response to the received service discovery request frame based on whether the service is supported by the WFD device;
• and
• a frame transmitting unit which transmits the generated service discovery response frame to the other WFD device,
• wherein the service discovery request frame and the service discovery response frame are generated using a Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) information element (IE), and
• wherein the WPS IE in the service discovery request frame comprises a field configured to selectively comprise a value identifying the service and a value for discovering a plurality of services supported by the WFD device.

A method of discovering a service in a Wi-Fi direct (WFD) network, the method comprising:

• transmitting a frame to a WFD device, the frame comprising a field configured to selectively comprise a value identifying a service and a value for discovering a plurality of services supported by the WFD device;
• receiving information regarding the service or the plurality of services supported by the WFD device in the WFD network in response to the service discovery request frame, the information being generated using a Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) information element (IE);
• and
• determining whether to establish a layer 2 secure connection based on the received information.