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Apple patents system for finding services on wireless mesh networks

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Apple has filed a patent application for a method that helps electronic devices find services offered by accessory devices on a wireless mesh network. The system uses a cache to store service information and automatically registers services based on whether the accessory device acts as a routing or non-routing device.

Why it mattersThis filing details a technical method for managing service discovery in complex wireless networks, which is a routine improvement for network infrastructure rather than a consumer-facing feature.

In the filing’s own words

Embodiments described herein relate to techniques for discovery and/or access of services associated with the accessory devices on a wireless mesh network. An electronic device may employ a service registration module to enable communication with the accessory devices in an environment. The service registration module may include a Service Registration Protocol server with a cache to store services associated with the accessory devices. The electronic device provides either a service associated with an accessory device (e.g., the accessory device is a non-routing device) or each of the services stored in the cache (e.g., the accessory device is a routing device) and on the wireless mesh network for discovery. Further, the electronic device refrains from enabling registration of the service based on the service being already stored in the cache. Moreover, the electronic device performs an automatic service registration based on a one-to-one connection with the accessory device.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of an electronic device, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to: store a list of one or more services registered to one or more accessory devices in a cache of a server; cause the electronic device to communicatively couple with an accessory device on a wireless network; determine the accessory device is a routing device or a non-routing device; enable discovery of each of the one or more services in the list and connected to the wireless network based on the accessory device being the routing device; and enable discovery of a service of the one or more services associated with the accessory device based on the accessory device being the non-routing device.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SERVICE DISCOVERY ON A COMMUNICATION NETWORK
Publication number
US20260303699A1
Application number
19578829
Filed
Mar 25, 2026
Published
Oct 1, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

H04L 67/51 Electricity & electronicsH04W 60/00 Electricity & electronics

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.