System and method for broadcasting application-specific information in wireless local area networks

• US 20050286456A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG (Datax Handelsgmbh)
• Original Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG (Datax Handelsgmbh)
• Inventors: McNew, Justin Paul, Liu, Jun, Chan, Johnny Yat Ming
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A system and method for a novel broadcasting scheme (NBS) in a wireless local area network are described, which can operate with or without a network connection. The system permits transmission of application-specific data through a specific field in a beacon frame, the Service Set Identity (SSID). By implementing a NBS Processor in an AP and a NBS Parser in stations, the AP can broadcast application-specific data while the stations can automatically act upon the receipt of the broadcast.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting application data in a wireless network, the method comprising:

placing the application data in a buffer;

placing the application data from the buffer in a beacon frame of the wireless network data communication format; and

broadcasting the beacon frame including the application data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising compressing the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network and the application data is transmitted in a Service Set Identity (SSID) field of the beacon frame.

6. A system for transmitting application data in a wireless network comprising:

an application module for receiving the application data

a processor for preparing the received application data and placing the received application data in a beacon frame; and

a beacon frame generator for assembling and broadcasting the beacon frame.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for compressing the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for encoding the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for encrypting the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network and the application data is transmitted in a Service Set Identity (SSID) field of the beacon frame.

11. A method for data communication in a wireless network, the method comprising:

placing an application data to be transmitted in a beacon frame of the wireless network data communication format;

broadcasting the beacon frame including the application data through the wireless network;

receiving the broadcast beacon frame;

validating the frame as a beacon frame; and

extracting the application data from the beacon frame.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising compressing the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising encoding the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising encrypting the application data before placing it in the beacon frame.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network and the application data is broadcast in a Service Set Identity (SSID) field of the beacon frame.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the application data is displayed for a user.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the application data is location based information.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the application data is advertisement.

19. A system for data communication in a wireless network comprising:

a processor for placing an application data to be transmitted in a beacon frame of the wireless network data communication format;

a frame generator for assembling and broadcasting the beacon frame including the application data through the wireless network;

a receiver for receiving the broadcast beacon frame; and

a parser for extracting the application data from the beacon frame.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network and the application data is broadcast in a Service Set Identity (SSID) field of the beacon frame.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for compressing the application data before placing it in the beacon frame;

and means for decompressing the received compressed data.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for encoding the application data before placing it in the beacon frame;

and means for decoding the received encoded data.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for encrypting the application data before placing it in the beacon frame;

and means for decrypting the received encrypted data.