Method and apparatus for utilizing bluetooth for WLAN service authentication and discovery

• US 20050286478A1
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HMD Global Oy
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Mela, Martti, Vehmanen, Kai, Jalava, Teemu
• Granted Patent: US 7,656,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A device having wireless connectivity may be coupled to Internet Protocol (IP) service available in a network, including a wireless local area network (WLAN), local area network (LAN), Ethernet or other suitable Internet access point, by broadcasting a wireless protocol service discovery query requesting information about the IP service available in the network and waiting for a reply from another device having wireless connectivity in the network. The device includes a wireless protocol service discovery query module that broadcasts the wireless protocol service discovery query and waits for the reply from the second device. The scope of the invention also includes a network having such devices with the features described above, as well as a computer program product with a program code that is stored on a machine readable carrier, for carrying out the steps according to the aforementioned method when the computer program is run in a processor module of the first device.

Claims

1. A method for a device having wireless connectivity to determine the availability of Internet Protocol (IP) service in a network, including a wireless local area network (WLAN), local area network (LAN), Ethernet or other suitable Internet access point, characterized in that

the device broadcasts a wireless protocol service discovery query requesting information about the IP service available in the network and waits for a reply from another device having wireless connectivity in the network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reply includes information about an IP address of a serving device to be used via the network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the respective devices exchange information needed for the IP service, including a URL plus the name of a service or some other free format text field, so that the device may connect to the IP service via the network.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes using Bluetooth for providing the wireless connectivity between a first BT-enabled device and a second BT-enabled device.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes coupling the device to the IP service based on the information received from the other device.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the other device provides protocol identifier, IP addresses, ports and optional service specific parameters of a proximity server to the device.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein, after receiving the protocol identifier, IP addresses, ports and optional service specific parameters of the proximity server, the device starts a transfer of data between the proximity server via the network.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein proximity services include a remote screen, a display, loudspeakers or other suitable device accessible as an IP-service.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is Bluetooth and the Generic Access Profile (GAP) is used to authorize a BT-enabled device to use the IP service.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device is either a mobile terminal, a mobile phone, user equipment, a laptop, a notebook computer, a desktop computer or other suitable device.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes combining the service discovery application protocol of Bluetooth to service usage of the network.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is used to negotiate the authorization and authentication of the IP service.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is Bluetooth.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the other device is an IP service user connected via the network to a host device that is not connected to the network.

44. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises implementing the step of the method via a computer program running in a respective controller in each device.

45. A computer program product with a program code, which program code is stored on a machine readable carrier, for carrying out the steps according to claim 1 when the computer program is run in a processor module of the first device.

15. A device having wireless connectivity for coupling to Internet Protocol (IP) service available in a network, including a wireless local area network (WLAN), local area network (LAN), Ethernet or other suitable Internet access point, characterized in that

the device includes a wireless protocol service discovery query module that broadcasts a wireless protocol service discovery query requesting information about the IP service available in the network and waits for a reply from another device having wireless connectivity in the network.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the reply includes information about an IP address of a serving device to be used via the network.

17. A device according to claim 15, wherein the respective devices include respective wireless connectivity protocol modules that exchange information needed for the IP service, including a URL plus the name of a service or some other free format text field, so that the device may connect to the IP service via the network.

18. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device and the other device use Bluetooth for providing the wireless connectivity.

19. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device includes an IP service module for coupling to the IP service based on the information received from the other device.

20. A device according to claim 15, wherein the other device includes a wireless IP service discovery reply module for providing protocol identifier, IP addresses, ports and optional service specific parameters of a proximity server to the device.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein the device includes an IP service module that starts a transfer of data between the proximity server via the network.

22. A device according to claim 20, wherein proximity services include a remote screen, a display, loudspeakers or other suitable device accessible as an IP-service.

23. A device according to claim 19, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is Bluetooth and the Generic Access Profile (GAP) is used to authorize a BT-enabled device to use the IP service.

24. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device is either a mobile terminal, a mobile phone, user equipment, a laptop, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, or other suitable device.

25. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device includes means for combining Bluetooth service discovery to service usage of the network.

26. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device includes a wireless connectivity protocol module that is used to negotiate the authorization and authentication of the IP service.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is Bluetooth.

28. A device according to claim 15, wherein the other device is an IP service user connected via the network to a host device that is not connected to the network.

29. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device includes a wireless IP service discovery reply module for responding to a corresponding wireless protocol service discovery query from another device requesting information about the IP service available in the network and providing a corresponding reply having information about an IP address of a serving device to be used via the network.

30. A network having a device with wireless connectivity to be coupled to Internet Protocol (IP) service available in the network, including a wireless local area network (WLAN), local area network (LAN), Ethernet or other suitable Internet access point, characterized in that

the device broadcasts a wireless protocol service discovery query requesting information about the IP service available in the network and waits for a reply from another device having wireless connectivity in the network.

31. A network according to claim 30, wherein the reply includes information about an IP address of a serving device to be used via the network.

32. A network according to claim 30, wherein the respective devices exchange information needed for the IP service, including a URL plus the name of a service or some other free format text field, so that the device may connect to the IP service via the network.

33. A network according to claim 30, wherein Bluetooth is used for providing the wireless connectivity between the respective devices.

34. A network according to claim 30, wherein the device is coupled to the IP service after receiving the information about the IP service available in the network from the other device.

35. A network according to claim 30, wherein the other device provides the protocol identifier, IP addresses, ports and additional service specific parameters of a proximity server to the device.

36. A network according to claim 35, wherein, after receiving the IP addresses and ports of the proximity server, the device starts a transfer of data between the proximity server via the network.

37. A network according to claim 36, wherein proximity services include a remote screen, a display, loudspeakers or other suitable device accessible as an IP-service.

38. A network according to claim 30, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is Bluetooth and the Generic Access Profile (GAP) is used to authorize a BT-enabled device to use the IP service.

39. A network according to claim 30, wherein the device is either a mobile terminal, a mobile phone, user equipment, a laptop, a notebook computer, a desktop computer or other suitable device.

40. A network according to claim 30, wherein the service discovery application protocol (SDAP) of Bluetooth is combined with service usage of the network.

41. A network according to claim 30, wherein a wireless connectivity protocol is used to negotiate the authorization and authentication of the IP service.

42. A network according to claim 41, wherein the wireless connectivity protocol is Bluetooth.

43. A network according to claim 30, wherein the other device is an IP service user connected via the network to a host device that is not connected to the network.