Patent ID: 7339484

Claim:
A discovery method to discover devices in a close physical proximity for facilitating communication between the devices in an ad-hoc network, comprising: detecting a characteristic of a common-event associated with a first device in the ad-hoc network preparing to communicate with a second device in close physical proximity to the first device, wherein the characteristic of the common-event is based on the relationship to a user, wherein the common event is a single event detected by a sensor for the first device and is also detectable by a sensor for the second device; initiating discovery of the second device by the first device responsive to detection of the common-event associated with the first device, wherein discovery includes sending a discovery signal from the first device to any devices within range of the first device; receiving a description of capabilities of the second device at the first device in response to the sensor for the second device also detecting the characteristic of the common event and the second device receiving the discovery signal; and the first device communicating with the discovered second device if the second device discovered the first device.