Method and apparatus for indicating service set identifiers to probe for

• US 20050147073A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Eronen, Pasi, Hietalahti, Hannu
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method for use by a WLAN terminal in determining which of at least some SSIDs on a preferred SSID list hosted by the WLAN terminal are available at one or another accessible WLAN access point, based on sending probe messages to accessible WLAN access points, each probe message indicating a respective SSID, but sending such a probe message for an SSID on the list only if a respective indicator included in the list indicates that the WLAN terminal is to probe for the SSID.

Claims

1. A method for use by a wireless local area network (WLAN) terminal in determining which of at least some service set identifiers (SSIDs) on a preferred list of SSIDs hosted by the WLAN terminal are available at a WLAN access point, the method including a step of sending probe messages so as to be received by accessible WLAN access points, each probe message indicating a respective SSID, the method characterized by:

sending a probe message for an SSID on the preferred list of SSIDs only if an indicator hosted by the WLAN terminal and associated with the SSID on the list indicates that the WLAN terminal is to probe for the SSID.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the list includes the indicator indicating that the WLAN terminal is to probe for the SSID.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the indicator is stored separately from the list but so as to have a well-defined association with the SSID on the list.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the indicator is stored in a memory card of the WLAN terminal.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the indicator is stored in a subscriber identification module used with the WLAN terminal.

6. An apparatus for use by a wireless local area network (WLAN) terminal in determining which of at least some service set identifiers (SSIDs) on a preferred list of SSIDs hosted by the WLAN terminal are available at a WLAN access point, the apparatus including means for sending probe messages so as to be received by accessible WLAN access points, each probe message indicating a respective SSID, the apparatus characterized by:

means for sending a probe message for an SSID on the preferred list of SSIDs only if an indicator hosted by the WLAN terminal and associated with the SSID on the list indicates that the WLAN terminal is to probe for the SSID.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the list includes the indicator indicating that the WLAN terminal is to probe for the SSID.

8. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the indicator is stored separately from the list but so as to have a well-defined association with the SSID on the list.

9. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the indicator is stored in a memory card of the WLAN terminal.

10. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the indicator is stored in a subscriber identification module used with the WLAN terminal.