Methods for network selection and discovery of service information in public wireless hotspots

• US 20060223527A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Yui-Wah, Miller, Scott C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• 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 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A roaming information code which can be wirelessly or otherwise transmitted as a SSID or other data field(s) of a wireless technology or standard. Further, a RIC-VAP scheme for provider-specific security information. Still further, wirelessly or otherwise transmitted compact price and AP workload information codes.

Claims

1. A method for discovering service information, the method comprising:

coding roaming service information to form a roaming information code; and

wirelessly transmitting the roaming information code from a network access point (AP) to a mobile terminal (MT) of a user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the AP is associated with a public wireless hotspot and the roaming service information comprises information about wireless network service provider availability on the AP.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a part of the roaming information is encoded as a bitmap comprising a plurality of bits, each of the bits representing a roaming organization having or not having a roaming agreement with an owner of the AP.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a bit with a value of one (1) indicates the owner of the AP has a roaming agreement with the roaming organization for whom the bit is assigned, and wherein a bit with a value of zero (0) indicates that the owner of the AP does not have a roaming agreement with the roaming organization for whom the bit is assigned.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein a bit with a value of zero (0) indicates the owner of the AP has a roaming agreement with the roaming organization for whom the bit is assigned, and wherein a bit with a value of one (1) indicates that the owner of the AP does not have a roaming agreement with the roaming organization for whom the bit is assigned.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a part of the roaming information is encoded as a series of concatenated numbers, wherein each number is an identity of a roaming organization.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the presence of the number of a roaming organization in the series indicates that an operator of the AP has a roaming agreement with that roaming organization, and wherein the omission of the number of a roaming organization in the series indicates that the operator of the AP does not have a roaming agreement with that roaming organization.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the code formed by a plurality of octets, at least one of the octets being for the coded service information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of octets define a plurality of bits, at least one of the bits being for a prefix.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a subset of the prefixes comprises a country code—

top level domain.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of octets define a plurality of bits, at least one of the bits being for control purposes.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of octets define a plurality of bits, at least one of the bits being for identifying a version of the service information code.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one bit for control purposes comprises a check bit for distinguishing the RIC from a legacy service set identity.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the check bit comprises the most significant bit of at least one of the octets, wherein the check bit is set to 1 (one) to ensure that the at least one octet does not form an ASCII character.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein at least one bit for control purposes comprises a check bit for distinguishing the RIC from a legacy ASCII string.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the check bit comprises the most significant bit of at least one of the octets, wherein the check bit is set to 1 (one) to ensure that the at least one octet does not form an ASCII character.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wirelessly transmitting step is performed by wirelessly transmitting the RIC as a service set identity (SSID).

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wirelessly transmitting step is performed by wirelessly transmitting the RIC as a data field in a communication packet.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the data field comprises an information element.

20. A system comprising:

a mobile terminal (MT); and

a network access point (AP) wirelessly transmitting a roaming information code (RIC) containing roaming service information;

wherein the MT receives the RIC from the AP and uses the roaming service information contained in the RIC for determining whether to select the AP.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the AP is associated with a public wireless hotspot and the roaming service information comprises information about wireless network service provider availability on the AP.

22. A roaming information code (RIC) to be wirelessly transmitted from a network access point (AP) to a mobile terminal (MT), the RIC comprising coded roaming service information which enables the MT to determine whether to select the AP.