A near-me area network is a logical communication network built on top of existing physical network infrastructures that focuses on communication among wireless devices in close proximity. Unlike local area networks (LANs), in which the devices are in the same network segment and share the same broadcast domain, the devices in a NAN can belong to different proprietary network infrastructures (for example, different mobile carriers). So, even though two devices are geographically close, the communication path between them might, in fact, traverse a long distance, going from a LAN, through the Internet, and to another LAN.
NAN applications focus on two-way communications among people within a certain proximity to each other. Nonetheless, the applications aren’t always concerned with those people’s exact locations.

Background

The Internet

Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 employs many different types of communication networks. A local area network

Local area network

A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...

 (LAN) covers a small geographic area, such as a school or company; a metropolitan area network

Metropolitan area network

A metropolitan area network is a computer network that usually spans a city or a large campus. A MAN usually interconnects a number of local area networks using a high-capacity backbone technology, such as fiber-optical links, and provides up-link services to wide area networks and the...

 (MAN) usually spans a larger area, such as a city or state, whereas a wide area network

Wide area network

A wide area network is a telecommunication network that covers a broad area . Business and government entities utilize WANs to relay data among employees, clients, buyers, and suppliers from various geographical locations...

 (WAN) provides communication in a broad geographic area covering national and international locations. Personal area network

Personal area network

A personal area network is a computer network used for communication among computer devices, including telephones and personal digital assistants, in proximity to an individual's body. The devices may or may not belong to the person in question. The reach of a PAN is typically a few meters...

s (PANs) are wireless LANs with a very short range (up to a few meters), enabling computer devices (such as PDAs and printers) to communicate with other nearby devices and computers. Due to the increasing popularity of location-enabled (or GPS-enabled) mobile devices (e.g., iPhone

IPhone

The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...

and Android phones), a new type of communication network is emerging — the near-me area network (NAN).

Examples of applications

Some services are meaningful only to a group of people in close proximity, which has generated the need for NANs. The following scenarios show some example NAN applications:

• Ben is going to the ABC supermarket to buy three bottles of red wine. The supermarket offers a 30 percent discount on the purchase of six bottles, so he sends a message to other customers to see if they would like to buy the other three bottles of wine.
• Susan bought a movie ticket 15 minutes ago, but she now feels dizzy and can’t watch the film. She sends out messages to people around the cinema to see if anyone will purchase her ticket at 50 percent off.
• In a theme park, guests would like to know each ride’s queue status to reduce their waiting time. So, they take a photo of the queue they’re in and share it with other guests through a NAN application.
• Ann works in Causeway Bay and would like to find someone to have lunch with. She checks her friend list to see who is closest to her at this moment and invites that friend to join her.
• Carol just lost her son in the street, so she sends out his picture, which is stored in her mobile device, to passers-by to see if they can find him.