System and method for establishing an 802.11 network connection

• US 20070238413A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Knightsbridge Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Knightsbridge Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Coutts, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US11/806,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238413A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating the connection of computing devices to 802.11 networks are described.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the connection of a computing device to an 802.11 network comprising:

a Bluetooth device configured such that its name corresponds to the SSID of the 802.11 network; and

the Bluetooth device placed nearby an access point of the 802.11 network.

2. The system of claim 1 where the Bluetooth device executes a Bluetooth inquiry.

3. The system of claim 1 where the Bluetooth device transmits a request to send data.

4. The system of claim 3 where the data is one selected from the list of:

a file, a vcard and a electronic business card.

5. A method for establishing a connection to an 802.11 network, the method implemented on a computing device, the computing device having a stored information set describing at least one 802.11 network, the method comprising:

receiving a first information corresponding to the name of a Bluetooth device; and

if the first information also corresponds to information in the stored information set, attempting to connect to the 802.11 network.

6. The method of claim 5 where attempting to connect to the 802.11 network comprises increasing the power state of 802.11 circuitry on the computing device.

7. The method of claim 5 where attempting to connect to the 802.11 network comprises transmitting an 802.11 association request.

8. The method of claim 5 where attempting to connect to the 802.11 network comprises enabling a network connection service on the computing device.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising executing a Bluetooth inquiry.

10. A method for establishing a connection to an 802.11 network, the method implemented on a computing device, the computing device having a stored information set describing at least one 802.11 network, the method comprising:

enabling a first Bluetooth responsive mode on the computing device;

receiving a first information;

if the first information corresponds to information in the stored information set, attempting to connect to the 802.11 network; and

disabling the first Bluetooth responsive mode.

11. The method of claim 10 where the first information is received using the Bluetooth protocol.

12. The method of claim 10 where the first Bluetooth responsive mode is one of Bluetooth inquiry scan and Bluetooth page scan.