System coordinated WLAN scanning

• US 10,728,855 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2019
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jaakkola, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US16/284,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20190191380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention proposes a scan control device, wherein in the scan operation a network detection is performed, the device comprising a request receiving means for receiving at least one request for providing scan information, and a scan control means for performing a scan operation independently from receiving the scan information requests. The invention also proposes a corresponding method and a computer program product.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

an antenna;

a wireless transceiver; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan, and

centrally process at least a first scan interval and at least a second scan interval wherein the at least a first scan interval is associated with at least a first application on the apparatus and wherein the at least a second scan interval is associated with at least a second application on the apparatus,

wherein a time for performing at least one scan operation is based at least on a smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval;

perform the at least one scan operation based on the time for performing at least one scan operation,

wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a wireless network detection; and

control, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one scan operation independently from the receiving at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

if needed or requested or triggered based on a system event, perform at least the following;

centrally control performing an additional wireless scan based on the system event and not according to the time for performing the at least one scan operation;

centrally adjust the time for performing the at least one scan operation based at least on both (1) timing of the additional wireless scan and (2) on the smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval;

centrally control performing at least one other scan operation based on the centrally adjusting of the time for performing at least one scan operation,

wherein the at least one other scan operation comprises a wireless network detection; and

control, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one other scan operation independently from the receiving at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

based on receiving at least two requests for wireless scans, centrally process the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval; and

centrally control the performing of the at least one scan operation independently of the receiving of the at least two requests for wireless scans.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

based on centrally receiving at least two requests for wireless scans, centrally process the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval; and

centrally control the performing of the at least one scan operation independently of but based on the centrally receiving of the at least two requests for wireless scans.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

control, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one scan operation based at least on both a request associated with the first application and a request associated with the second application.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

use wireless local area network (WLAN) functionality for the at least one scan operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

centrally process at least two requests for registration for scan events and based on these requests for registration centrally process the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval; and

wherein one of the requests for registration for scan events is associated with at least the first application and wherein another of the requests for registration is associated with at least the second application.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

centrally process at least two latency values as part of the centrally processing of the at least a first scan interval and of the at least a second scan interval;

wherein one of the at least two latency values is associated with the first application and another of the at least two latency values is associated with the second application;

wherein one of the at least two latency values indicates a delay time by which a scan operation may be delayed for the first application; and

wherein another of the at least two latency values indicates a delay time by which a scan operation may be delayed for the second application.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

use wireless local area network (WLAN) for location information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

centrally process a first request for a wireless scan associated with the first application;

centrally process a second request for a wireless scan associated with the second application;

centrally control performing a wireless local area network (WLAN) scan as part of the control, in a centralized manner, of the performing of the at least one scan operation; and

wherein the centrally controlling the performing a wireless local area network (WLAN) scan is done independently of but based on the centrally processing of the first request for a wireless scan and independently of but based on the centrally processing of the second request for a wireless scan.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first request for a wireless scan and the second request for a wireless scan will be pending on a wireless local area network (WLAN) subsystem of the apparatus until the wireless local area network (WLAN) subsystem actually performs the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

centrally control performing at least one first wireless local area network (WLAN) scan not based on the time for performing at least one scan operation;

centrally control performing at least one subsequent wireless local area network (WLAN) scan based on the time for performing at least one scan operation; and

wherein centrally controlling the performing of the at least one subsequent wireless local area network (WLAN) scan is based on requests associated with at least the first application and the second application but independent of reception of requests associated with the first application and the second application.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

set the apparatus to operate in a low power mode comprising a centrally controlled limit on scanning frequency;

allow at least the first application and the second application to centrally register for scan events; and

centrally control performing scans for at least the first application and the second application such that performing scans for the first application and the second application separately would not be required.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

provide at least the first application and the second application information that is obtained based on the at least one scan operation.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

provide information that is obtained based on the at least one scan operation at least to the first application and the second application; and

wherein at least part of the information provided to at least the first application and the second application based on the at least one scan operation is the same.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan comprises a request associated with a location technology application utilizing wireless local area network (WLAN) functionality.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

if an immediate scan operation is either requested or required, centrally control performing the immediate scan operation based on the request or requirement for the immediate scan operation and not according to the time for performing the at least one scan operation; and

adjust the time for performing the at least one scan operation based at least on both timing of the immediate scan operation and on the smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

if an initial scan operation is either requested or required, centrally control performing the initial scan operation based on the request or requirement for the initial scan operation and not according to the time for performing the at least one scan operation; and

adjust the time for performing the at least one scan operation based at least on both timing of this initial scan operation and on the smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

if an emergency scan request is received, centrally control performing the emergency scan based on the request for the emergency scan and not according to the time for performing the at least one scan operation; and

adjust the time for performing the at least one scan operation based at least on both timing of the emergency scan and on the smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a passive wireless scan.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one scan operation comprises an active wireless local area network (WLAN) scan.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to:

centrally receive the at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan; and

control, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one scan operation independently from the centrally receiving the at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the information based on a wireless scan comprises location information.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the information based on a wireless scan comprises wireless local area network (WLAN) scan information.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) scan operation;

wherein the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan operation comprises a delayed wireless local area network (WLAN) scan event; and

wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to;

enable an application program interface configured to allow a registration associated with at least the first application for the delayed wireless local area network (WLAN) scan event and that allows a registration associated with at least the second application for the delayed wireless local area network (WLAN) scan event; and

wherein once the apparatus performs a wireless local area network (WLAN) scan associated with the delayed wireless local area network (WLAN) scan event, provide information based on the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan to both at least the first application and at least the second application; and

wherein because of the providing of the information based on the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan to both at least the first application and at least the second application, at least the first application and at least the second application would not need to poll a system on the apparatus to obtain the information based on the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) scan operation;

and

wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to;

provide a centralized and at least a partially independent way of controlling when the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan operation occurs by at least the following;

separating at least in software on the apparatus (1) an interface associated at least in part with wireless local area network (WLAN) functionality on the apparatus and (2) controlling actual implementation of the wireless local area network (WLAN) scan operation on the apparatus from (3) at least the first application and at least the second application.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) scan operation;

and

wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to;

after the performing of the at least one scan operation, centrally process at least a third scan interval and wherein the third scan interval is different from the first scan interval and from the second scan interval and wherein the third scan interval is associated with at least a third application on the apparatus;

wherein a time for performing at least one subsequent scan operation is based at least on a smallest value of (1) the at least a first scan interval and (2) the at least a second scan interval and (3) the at least a third scan interval;

perform the at least one subsequent scan operation based on the time for performing at least one subsequent scan operation,

wherein the at least one subsequent scan operation comprises a wireless network detection; and

control, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one subsequent scan operation independently from the receiving at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan and independently of but based on receiving at least one scan request.

28. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a wireless apparatus, at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan;

centrally processing at least a first scan interval and at least a second scan interval wherein the at least a first scan interval is associated with at least a first application on the wireless apparatus and wherein the at least a second scan interval is associated with at least a second application on the wireless apparatus,

wherein a time for performing at least one scan operation is based at least on a smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval;

performing the at least one scan operation based on the time for performing at least one scan operation,

wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a wireless network detection; and

controlling, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one scan operation independently from the receiving at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

based on receiving at least two requests for wireless scans, centrally processing the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval; and

centrally controlling the performing of the at least one scan operation independently of but based on the receiving of the at least two requests for wireless scans.

30. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions for causing a wireless apparatus to perform at least the following:

receiving at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan;

centrally processing at least a first scan interval and at least a second scan interval wherein the at least a first scan interval is associated with at least a first application on the wireless apparatus and wherein the at least a second scan interval is associated with at least a second application on the wireless apparatus,

wherein a time for performing at least one scan operation is based at least on a smallest value of the at least a first scan interval and the at least a second scan interval;

performing the at least one scan operation based on the time for performing at least one scan operation,

wherein the at least one scan operation comprises a wireless network detection; and

controlling, in a centralized manner, the performing of the at least one scan operation independently from the receiving at least one request to provide information based on a wireless scan.