System selection and acquisition for WWAN and WLAN systems

• US 20060286977A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khandelwal, Deepak, Cooper, Rotem, Uchida, Nobuyuki, Jaikumar, Selvaraj
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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

A preferred roaming list (PRL) carries system and acquisition records for wireless wide area network (WWAN) systems and wireless local area network (WLAN) systems. New system and acquisition records may be defined for WLAN. The PRL and system and acquisition records may be defined to be backward compatible with TIA-683-C. System and acquisition information for WLAN systems may be stored in the new system and acquisition records, respectively. Information used to perform encryption and/or authentication for WLAN systems may be stored in a separate WLAN authentication profile table. The system record for each WLAN system indicates a acquisition record and a profile record for that WLAN system. A network identifier table may also carry system records and profile records for WLAN systems. The system records carry information used for WLAN system selection and acquisition. The profile records carry information used to perform encryption and/or authentication for WLAN systems.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory unit operative to store a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system; and

a processor operative to use the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to acquire at least one system based on acquisition records in the PRL.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to select a system from among the at least one WWAN system and the at least one WLAN system based on system records in the PRL.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to obtain, from the PRL, system records for WWAN and WLAN systems in a geographic area, to determine preferences for the WWAN and WLAN systems in the geographic area based on the system records, and to select at least one system among the WWAN and WLAN systems in the geographic area based on the preferences.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to acquire a WWAN system initially and to acquire a WLAN system next, if available, based on the acquired WWAN system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to attempt acquisition of a WWAN system first and to attempt acquisition of a WLAN system if no WWAN systems are acquired.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory unit is operative to store a profile table for the at least one WLAN system, the profile table carrying information used for authentication and encryption for the at least one WLAN system.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is operative to obtain from the profile table a profile record for a selected WLAN system and to perform authentication with the selected WLAN system based on the profile record.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is operative to determine an authentication scheme to use for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record, to obtain security-related information from the profile record, and to perform authentication with the selected WLAN system in accordance with the authentication scheme and further based on the security-related information.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is operative to obtain from the profile table a profile record for a selected WLAN system and to perform encryption for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is operative to determine an encryption scheme to use for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record, to obtain security-related information from the profile record, and to perform encryption for the selected WLAN system in accordance with the encryption scheme and further based on the security-related information.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PRL comprises one system record for each WLAN system, and wherein each system record indicates a service set identifier (SSID), an acquisition record, a profile record, a preference, a prefix, or a combination thereof for an associated WLAN system.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PRL comprises one acquisition record for each WLAN system, and wherein each acquisition record indicates a technology, a band class, a channel, or a combination thereof for an associated WLAN system.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the profile table comprises one profile record for each WLAN system, and wherein each profile record indicates an authentication scheme, an encryption scheme, a security key, a password, an user identifier, or a combination thereof for an associated WLAN system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory unit is operative to store a profile table comprised of at least one profile record, and wherein each profile record stores particular types of information determined by a profile type for the profile record.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one WLAN system is assigned a predetermined profile type value.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the PRL is backward compatible with TIA-683-C standard.

18. A method of performing system selection and acquisition, comprising:

obtaining a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system; and

using the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the using the PRL for system selection and acquisition comprises

obtaining, from the PRL, at least one acquisition record,

acquiring at least one system based on the at least one acquisition record, obtaining, from the PRL, system records for the at least one acquired system and WWAN and WLAN systems in same geographic area as the at least one acquired system, and

selecting a system in the geographic area based on the system records.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

obtaining a profile record for a selected WLAN system;

determining an authentication scheme to use for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record;

obtaining security-related information for the selected WLAN system from the profile record; and

performing authentication with the selected WLAN system in accordance with the authentication scheme and further based on the security-related information.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

obtaining a profile record for a selected WLAN system;

determining an encryption scheme to use for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record;

obtaining security-related information for the selected WLAN system from the profile record; and

performing encryption for the selected WLAN system in accordance with the encryption scheme and further based on the security-related information.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system; and

means for using the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for using the PRL for system selection and acquisition comprises

means for obtaining, from the PRL, at least one acquisition record,

means for acquiring at least one system based on the at least one acquisition record,

means for obtaining, from the PRL, system records for the at least one acquired system and WWAN and WLAN systems in same geographic area as the at least one acquired system, and

means for selecting a system in the geographic area based on the system records.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for obtaining a profile record for a selected WLAN system;

means for determining an authentication scheme to use for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record;

means for obtaining security-related information for the selected WLAN system from the profile record; and

means for performing authentication with the selected WLAN system in accordance with the authentication scheme and further based on the security-related information.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for obtaining a profile record for a selected WLAN system;

means for determining an encryption scheme to use for the selected WLAN system based on the profile record;

means for obtaining security-related information for the selected WLAN system from the profile record; and

means for performing encryption for the selected WLAN system in accordance with the encryption scheme and further based on the security-related information.

26. A processor readable media for storing instructions operable in a wireless device to:

obtain a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system; and

use the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

27. The processor readable media of claim 26, and further for storing instructions operable to:

obtain, from the PRL, at least one acquisition record,

direct acquisition of at least one system based on the at least one acquisition record,

obtain, from the PRL, system records for the at least one acquired system and WWAN and WLAN systems in same geographic area as the at least one acquired system, and

select a system in the geographic area based on the system records.

28. A wireless device comprising:

a memory unit operative to store at least one file containing system and security-related information for at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system, wherein the at least one file is used by the wireless device for system selection and acquisition for the at least one WLAN system; and

a processor operative to use the at least one file to acquire and select a WLAN system.

29. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is operative to obtain from the at least one file at least one system record for the at least one WLAN system, to select one of the at least one WLAN system based on the at least one system record, and to acquire a selected WLAN system based on an associated system record.

30. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is operative to obtain from the at least one file a profile record for a selected WLAN system, to determine an authentication scheme based on the profile record, and to perform authentication with the selected WLAN system in accordance with the authentication scheme, if any, determined for the selected WLAN system.

31. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the processor is operative to obtain from the at least one file a profile record for a selected WLAN system, to determine an encryption scheme based on the profile record, and to perform encryption for the selected WLAN system in accordance with the encryption scheme, if any, determined for the selected WLAN system.

32. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the at least one file comprises at least one system record for the at least one WLAN system, and wherein each system record indicates a technology, a band class, a channel, a mode, a service set identifier (SSID), or a combination thereof for an associated WLAN system.

33. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the at least one file comprises at least one profile record for the at least one WLAN system, and wherein each profile record indicates an authentication scheme, an encryption scheme, a security key, a password, an user identifier, or a combination thereof for an associated WLAN system.

34. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the at least one file comprises at least one system record for the at least one WLAN system and at least one other system record for at least one other system utilizing a technology different than the technology for the at least one WLAN system.

35. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the memory unit is operative to store a single file containing both the system and security-related information for the at least one wireless WLAN system.

36. The wireless device of claim 28, wherein the memory unit is operative to store a first file containing the system information for the at least one wireless WLAN system and a second file containing the security-related information for the at least one wireless WLAN system.

37. A method of performing system selection and acquisition, comprising:

obtaining at least one file containing system and security-related information for at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system, wherein the at least one file is used by a wireless device for system selection and acquisition for the at least one WLAN system; and

using the at least one file to acquire and select a WLAN system.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the using the at least one file for system selection and acquisition comprises

obtaining from the at least one file at least one system record for the at least one WLAN system,

selecting one of the at least one WLAN system based on the at least one system record, and

acquiring a selected WLAN system based on an associated system record.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

obtaining from the at least one file a profile record for a selected WLAN system;

determining an authentication scheme based on the profile record;

performing authentication with the selected WLAN system in accordance with the authentication scheme, if any, determined for the selected WLAN system;

determining an encryption scheme based on the profile record; and

performing encryption for the selected WLAN system in accordance with the encryption scheme, if any, determined for the selected WLAN system.

40. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining at least one file containing system and security-related information for at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system, wherein the at least one file is used by a wireless device for system selection and acquisition for the at least one WLAN system; and

means for using the at least one file to acquire and select a WLAN system.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the means for using the at least one file for system selection and acquisition comprises

means for obtaining from the at least one file at least one system record for the at least one WLAN system,

means for selecting one of the at least one WLAN system based on the at least one system record, and

means for acquiring a selected WLAN system based on an associated system record.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

means for obtaining from the at least one file a profile record for a selected WLAN system;

means for determining an authentication scheme based on the profile record;

means for performing authentication with the selected WLAN system in accordance with the authentication scheme, if any, determined for the selected WLAN system;

means for determining an encryption scheme based on the profile record; and

means for performing encryption for the selected WLAN system in accordance with the encryption scheme, if any, determined for the selected WLAN system.