System and method of conforming wireless devices to worldwide regulations

• US 20060019660A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Connectivity Patent Trust
• Original Assignee: Atheros Communications Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Sheung
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Countries or regions of the world can have different regulations governing wireless devices. A client product advantageously conforms to any regulatory environment, thereby allowing the client product to operate permissibly in any wireless network. The client product scans all frequencies at a predetermined interval for explicit information on regulation-conformant methods of operation, including frequencies and output power levels. If the client product receives a beacon, then the client product extracts relevant information from the beacon. Based on the relevant information, the client product operates in either the infrastructure mode or the ad hoc mode. On the other hand, if the client product does not receive explicit information, the client product detects other types of information and implicitly derives methods of operation in both infrastructure and ad hoc modes that conform to local regulations.

Claims

1. A method of conforming a wireless networking client product to a regulatory environment, the method comprising:

passively scanning all frequencies at a first interval for a beacon;

if receiving a beacon, then extracting relevant information from the beacon and operating in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad hoc mode based on the relevant information; and

if not receiving a beacon, then operating in the ad hoc mode at a frequency acceptable in substantially all regulatory environments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if not receiving the beacon, and the client product is set to the infrastructure mode, then further including passively scanning all frequencies at a second interval for the beacon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein if receiving the beacon, and the beacon is an 802.11d beacon, then further including operating in a set mode based on a regulatory domain indicated in the 802.11d beacon, the set mode including one of the infrastructure mode and the ad hoc mode.

4. An automatic startup process for a client product, the process ensuring permissible operation in an unknown regulatory environment, the process comprising:

passively scanning all frequencies at a first interval for a beacon;

if an 802.11d beacon is found, wherein the 802.11d beacon indicates a regulatory domain, then determining whether the client product is set in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad hoc mode;

if set in the infrastructure mode, then associating in the infrastructure mode in a wireless network using the regulatory domain derived from the 802.11d beacon; and

if set in the ad hoc mode, then operating in the ad hoc mode in the wireless network using the regulatory domain derived from the 802.11d beacon.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the client product is set in the ad hoc mode, then further including

searching for an ad hoc beacon;

if an ad hoc beacon is found, then operating includes associating in the ad hoc mode in the wireless network using the regulatory domain derived from the 802.11d beacon; and

if an ad hoc beacon is not found, then operating includes initiating the ad hoc mode in the wireless network using the regulatory domain derived from the 802.11d beacon.

6. A wireless device operational in an unknown regulatory environment, the wireless device including software for performing the following steps:

passively scanning all frequencies at a first interval for a beacon;

if receiving a beacon, then extracting relevant information from the beacon and operating in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad hoc mode based on the relevant information; and

if not receiving a beacon, then operating in the ad hoc mode at a frequency acceptable in substantially all regulatory environments.

7. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein if not receiving the beacon and set to the infrastructure mode, then further including passively scanning all frequencies at a second interval for the beacon.

8. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein if receiving the beacon, and the beacon is an 802.11d beacon, then further including operating in a set mode using a regulatory domain derived from the 802.11d beacon, the set mode including one of the infrastructure mode and the ad hoc mode.

9. Software for ensuring permissible operation of a wireless device in an unknown regulatory environment, the software comprising:

code for passively scanning all frequencies at a first interval for a beacon;

code, if receiving a beacon, for extracting relevant information from the beacon and operating in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad hoc mode based on the relevant information; and

code, if not receiving a beacon, for operating in the ad hoc mode at a usable frequency in substantially all regulatory environments.

10. The software of claim 9, further including

code, if not receiving the beacon and set to the infrastructure mode, for passively scanning all frequencies at a second interval for the beacon.

11. The software of claim 9, further including

code, if receiving an 802.11d beacon, for operating in a set mode using a regulatory domain derived from the 802.11d beacon, the set mode including one of the infrastructure mode and the ad hoc mode.

12. A system for ensuring permissible operation of a wireless device in an unknown regulatory environment, the system comprising:

means for passively scanning all frequencies at a first interval for a beacon;

means, if receiving a beacon, for extracting relevant information from the beacon and operating in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad hoc mode based on the relevant information; and

means, if not receiving a beacon, for operating in the ad hoc mode at a usable frequency in substantially all regulatory environments.