Patent ID: 9144047
Filing Date: 2015-09-22
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method, performed by a user station (STA), for operating in a first social network, the method comprising: receiving a first beacon from a device in the first social network; synchronizing to the first social network based on time synchronization information in the first beacon; transmitting the time synchronization information of the first beacon to a second social network, a portion of a coverage area of the second social network being outside a coverage area of the first social network; detecting a second beacon transmitted from the second social network; extracting discovery information from the second beacon to determine a discovery window of the second social network, the discovery information being included in the second beacon as an information element (IE); discovering devices of the second social network, subsequent to transmitting the time synchronization information of the first beacon, using the discovery information included in the IE extracted from the second beacon; and communicating with discovered devices of the second social network using the discovery information of the second beacon.