Apparatus and method for detecting a wireless access point for wireless network communication

• US 20060128415A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Horikoshi, Hideto, Odaohhara, Shigefumi
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless network communication card usable with a host apparatus is disclosed. The wireless network communication card includes an access point detection circuit that detects a wireless access point through a wireless antenna. A power inlet to which power is supplied in response to an access point detection request from a user when the power of the host apparatus is suspended, the power inlet being connected to the access point detection circuit is included, as is an indicator coupled to said access point detection circuit that indicates a presence of an available wireless access point in response to a detection by said access point detection circuit.

Claims

1. A wireless network communication card usable with a host apparatus, the wireless network communication card comprising:

an access point detection circuit that detects a wireless access point through a wireless antenna;

a power inlet to which power is supplied in response to an access point detection request from a user when the power of the host apparatus is suspended, the power inlet being connected to the access point detection circuit; and

an indicator coupled to said access point detection circuit that indicates a presence of an available wireless access point in response to a detection by said access point detection circuit.

2. The wireless network communication card of claim 1, further comprising a memory storing instructions for operating the access point detection circuit in response to the power having been supplied from the power inlet, wherein said instructions include instructions for sending an access point detection signal to said indicator in response to said detection by said access point detection circuit, and whereby detection of a wireless access point is enabled without activating the host apparatus.

3. The card according to claim 2, wherein the access point detection circuit includes the memory.

4. The wireless network communication card of claim 1, wherein the access point detection circuit includes a processor for performing a digital signal processing and a radio frequency circuit.

5. The wireless network communication card of claim 1, further comprising a switch for from said host apparatus in response to power of the host apparatus being engaged.

6. The wireless network communication card of claim 1, wherein the access point detection circuit detects communication security by using wireless access point information from the detected wireless access point.

7. An apparatus having incorporated the card according to any of claim 1, further comprising:

input means for requesting access point detection; and

a circuit for supplying power to the card in the state that the apparatus is turned off or suspended.

8. A method for detecting an access point, said method comprising:

receiving power supplied to an access point detection circuit in response to an access point detection request from a user when a power supply from a host apparatus is suspended;

detecting a wireless access point through a wireless antenna; and

indicating a presence of an available wireless access point in response to a detection by said access point detection circuit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of indicating said presence of said available wireless access point in response to said detection by said access point detection circuit further comprises displaying colored light from a light emitting diode.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting communication security by using wireless access point information from the detected wireless access point.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of indicating said presence of said available wireless access point in response to said detection by said access point detection circuit further comprises emitting sound from a speaker.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising verifying that a detected wireless access point is registered in the access point detection circuit, by using wireless access point information from the detected wireless access point.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing an electric certificate issued by the certificate authority for the access point for validity confirmation of a detected access point.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising initializing the access point detection circuit, in response to the supply of the power.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of detecting an access point includes a step of scanning a beacon from a wireless access point.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a reset signal for terminating the supply of the power to the access point detection circuit after a lapse of a predetermined time.

17. A machine-readable medium having a plurality of instructions processable by a machine embodied therein, wherein said plurality of instructions, when processed by said machine, causes said machine to perform a method, said method comprising:

receiving power supplied to an access point detection circuit in response to an access point detection request from a user when a power supply from a host apparatus is suspended;

detecting a wireless access point through a wireless antenna; and

indicating a presence of an available wireless access point in response to a detection by said access point detection circuit.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said step of indicating said presence of said available wireless access point in response to said detection by said access point detection circuit further comprises displaying colored light from a light emitting diode.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 17, said method further comprising detecting communication security by using wireless access point information from the detected wireless access point.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein said step of indicating said presence of said available wireless access point in response to said detection by said access point detection circuit further comprises emitting sound from a speaker.