Method of probing a node

• US 20050174945A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Carrion-Rodrigo, Immaculada
• Granted Patent: US 8,908,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method of probing a node that includes sending a request to the node and determining, at the node, network identity information. Also, a system that includes at least one node and at least one client, wherein a client in the system sends a request to a node in the system, wherein the request includes part of the network identity information and wherein the node is configured to determine network identity information containing the part of the identity information. Further, a node in the system, wherein the node includes a receiving means and a connection means.

Claims

1. A method of probing a node, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a request to said node comprising part of network identity information; and

determining, at said node, network identity information containing said part of the identity information.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in said sending step, said part of network identity information comprises at least one of network characteristic information and network operator information.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

formulating said request containing said part of network identity information.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing said node to comprise an access node.

5. A method as claimed claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises determining a plurality of network identity information containing said part of the identity information.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

sending a plurality of said determined network identity information to a sender of said request.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of:

selecting one of the network identity information.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said selecting step is carried out by one of said sender of said request and said access node.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

making a connection with a network identified in said determining step by said network identity information.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing said network identity information to comprise a SSID.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a WLAN entity as at least one of said node and said client.

26. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing WLAN identity information as said network identity information.

11. A system comprising at least one node and at least one client, a first client configured to send a request to a first node comprising a first part of network identity information;

and wherein said first node is configured to determine network identity information containing said first part of the identity information.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first part of network identity information comprises at least one of network characteristic information and network operator information.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first client is configured to formulate said request containing said first part of network identity information.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein first said node comprises an access node.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first node is configured to determine a plurality of network identity information containing said first part of the identity information.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first node comprises means for sending a plurality of said determined network identity information to said first client.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first client or the first node is configured to select one of the network identity information.

18. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first client is configured to be connected with a network identified by said network identity information.

19. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said network identity information comprises a SSID.

24. The system recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of said first node and first client comprises a WLAN entity.

27. The system recited in claim 11, wherein said network identity information comprises WLAN identity information.

20. A client in a system comprising at least one node and at least one client, a first client configured to send a request to a first node comprising part of network identity information.

21. A first node in a system comprising at least one node and at least one client, said first node comprising:

receiving means for receiving from a first client a request comprising a part of network identity information, said first node being configured to determine network identity information containing said part of the identity information; and

connection means for connecting the first node to a first client.

25. The first node as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of said first node and a first client comprises a WLAN entity.

28. The first node as claimed in claim 21, wherein said network identity information comprises WLAN identity information.

22. A method of probing a node, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a request to said node identifying at least one group, said group comprising a plurality of members having different network identity information; and

determining at said node at least one member of said group.

29. A system for probing a node, said system comprising:

sending means for sending a request to said node, wherein said node comprises part of network identity information; and

determining means for determining, at said node, network identity information containing said part of the identity information.