Method and system of informing WAN user of nearby WLAN access point

• US 20040203873A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: H. Gray, William
• Application Number:
  US10/247,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203873A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A system and method of informing a WAN user of nearby WLAN access points, comprising determining a current position of a mobile appliance associated with the WAN user, transmitting the current position of said mobile appliance to a WAN service provider over a WAN network, determining the location of one or more WLAN access points that are accessible to the WAN user from the current position of the mobile appliance to provide a WLAN location information; and transmitting the WLAN location information to the mobile device over the WAN network, thereby enabling the WAN user to access and utilize a WLAN network.

Claims

1. A method of informing a Wide Area Network (WAN) user of nearby Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access points, comprising:

determining a current position of a mobile appliance associated with said WAN user;

transmitting the current position of said mobile appliance to a WAN service provider over a WAN network;

determining the location of one or more WLAN access points that are accessible to said WAN user from the current position of said mobile appliance to provide a WLAN location information; and

transmitting said WLAN location information to said mobile device over said WAN network, thereby enabling said WAN user to locate, access and utilize a WLAN network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the location of WLAN access points includes:

determining directions to said one or more WLAN access points from the current position of said mobile appliance.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the current position determines the current position of said mobile appliance after receiving a request for nearby WLAN access points from said WAN user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the current position comprises:

transmitting a message to said mobile appliance that there is an email with attachment for said WAN user along with an offer to provide said WLAN location information to said WAN user over said WAN network; and

determining the current position of said mobile appliance after receiving an offer acceptance message from said mobile appliance over said WAN network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the location of WLAN access points comprises:

reading a database to determine the location of nearby WLAN access points that are accessible by said WAN user from the current position of said mobile appliance.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining the location of WLAN access points includes:

prioritizing the order of said one or more WLAN access points based on WLAN access point'"'"'s proximity to the current position of said mobile appliance.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of transmitting said WLAN location information transmits the location and directions to a WLAN access point that is nearest to the current position of said mobile appliance.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting said WLAN location information transmits the location and directions to a WLAN access point that is second nearest to the current position of said mobile appliance.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the current position determines the current position of said mobile appliance either using a global position system or based on registration of said mobile appliance to a cell site of said WAN network.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting said WLAN location information includes:

billing a predetermined amount to an account of said WAN user.

11. A system for informing a Wide Area Network (WAN) user of nearby Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access points, comprising:

a WAN network having a plurality of cell sites and at least one position location server;

a plurality of WLAN access points in communication with a WLAN network;

a mobile appliance associated with said WAN user and in communication with a serving cell site, said serving cell site being one of said plurality of cell sites;

means for determining a current position of said mobile appliance;

wherein said serving site is operable to transmit the current position of said mobile appliance to said position location server over said WAN network; and

wherein said position location server is operable to determine the location of one or more WLAN access points that are accessible to said WAN user from the current position of said mobile appliance to provide a WLAN location information and to transmit said WLAN location information to said mobile device over said WAN network and said serving site, thereby enabling said WAN user to locate, access and utilize said WLAN network.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said position location server is operable to determine directions to said one or more WLAN access points from the current position of said mobile appliance.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile appliance transmits a request location information of nearby WLAN access points to a service provider of said WAN network;

and wherein said means for determining is operable to determine the current position of said mobile appliance when a service provider of said WAN network receives said request.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile appliance receives a message that there is an email with attachment for said WAN user and an offer to provide said WLAN location information to said WAN user from a service provider of said WAN network;

wherein said mobile appliance is operable to transmit an offer acceptance message to request said WLAN location information to said service provider; and

wherein said means for determining is operable to determine the current position of said mobile appliance when said service provider receives said offer acceptance message.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising a database connected to said position location server;

and wherein said position location server is operable to search said database to determine the location of one or more WLAN access points that are accessible to said WAN user from the current position of said mobile appliance.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said position location server is operable to transmit the location and directions to a WLAN access point that is nearest to the current position of said mobile appliance and the location and directions to another WLAN access point accessible by said WAN user.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said means of determining is operable to determine the current position of said mobile appliance either using a global position system or based on registration of said mobile appliance to a cell site of said WAN network.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile appliance is one of the following:

a cell phone, an email device, a PDA, a data terminal or a pager.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile appliance is WLAN enabled to communicate with both said cell sites and said WLAN access points.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said mobile appliance is operable to transmit and receive data from both cell sites and said WLAN access points.