Device to device round-trip time (RTT) measurement via neighbor aware network

A device comprising:

• a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface;
• one or more processors;
• and
• data storage configured to store instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:
• send, over the WLAN interface to one or more devices within a neighbor aware network (NAN) cluster, a schedule that invites devices within the NAN cluster to request, within a time window, to perform a round trip time (RTT) determination with the first device, wherein the schedule indicates that the time window begins at a time offset from a NAN discovery window and ends after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, wherein the NAN cluster is operating on a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel;
• operating, during the time window, in a WLAN infrastructure mode in which the WLAN interface is connected to a wireless access point;
• receiving a NAN synchronization frame during the NAN discovery window that indicates a timer value, the timer value enabling the devices within the NAN cluster to synchronize respective clocks;
• receiving, from at least one of the one or more devices, a request to perform a respective RTT determination with the first device;
• based on receiving the request within the time window, performing fully within the time window RTT determinations with the at least one of the one or more devices that is also within the NAN cluster, wherein performing the RTT determination comprises:
• sending an echo request message to the at least one or the one or more devices;
• generating, based on a timer that is synchronized to the NAN cluster and adjusted based on the time value, a first time stamp that indicates a time at which the echo request message was sent;
• receiving an echo message;
• in response to receiving the echo message, generating, based on the timer, a second time stamp that indicates a time at which the echo message was received;
• and
• determining the RTT based on the first time stamp and the second time stamp;
• determining, based on the timer that is synchronized to the NAN cluster, that the time offset from the NAN discovery window has elapsed;
• and
• responsive to the determination, transitioning from the WLAN infrastructure mode in which the WLAN interface is connected to the wireless access point to a NAN mode in which the WLAN interface is disconnected from the wireless access point and in which the WLAN interface is configured to receive on the WLAN channel.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a first device, cause the device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• publishing, over a wireless network interface by the first device within a neighbor aware network (NAN) cluster, a schedule that invites devices within the NAN cluster receiving the schedule to request, within a time window, to perform a round trip time (RTT) determination with the first device, wherein the schedule indicates that the time window begins at a particular time offset from a NAN discovery window and ends after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, wherein the NAN cluster is operating on a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel;
• the first device operating, during the time window, in a WLAN infrastructure mode in which the first device is connected to a wireless access point;
• receiving a NAN synchronization frame during the NAN discovery window that indicates a timer value, the timer value enabling the devices within the NAN cluster to synchronize respective clocks;
• receiving a request, from a second device, to perform the RTT determination with the first device;
• and
• based on receiving the request within the time window, performing, fully within the time window, the RTT determination with the second device that is also within the NAN cluster, wherein performing the RTT determination comprises:
• sending an echo request message to the second device;
• generating, based on a timer that is synchronized to the NAN cluster and adjusted based on the time value, a first time stamp that indicates a time at which the echo request message was sent;
• receiving an echo message;
• in response to receiving the echo message, generating, based on the timer, a second time stamp that indicates a time at which the echo message was received;
• and
• determining the RTT based on the first time stamp and the second time stamp;
• determining, based on the timer that is synchronized to the NAN cluster, that the time offset from the NAN discovery window has elapsed;
• and
• responsive to the determination, transitioning from the WLAN infrastructure mode in which the first device is connected to the wireless access point to a NAN mode in which the first device is disconnected from the wireless access point and in which the device is configured to receive on the WLAN channel.