METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED SCANNING OF A RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) BAND FOR WLANs IN AN UNKNOWN REGULATORY DOMAIN
First Claim
1. A method for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band while regulatory information for the RF band is unknown, the method comprising the acts of:
- scanning the RF band using a passive scan operation on RF channels having a passive scan status;
during the passive scan operation, attempting to decode an information frame on the RF channel;
in response to successfully decoding an information frame on the RF channel during the passive scan operation;
changing the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status; and
performing an active scan operation on the RF channel having the active scan status.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band for wireless local area networks (WLANs) while regulatory information for the RF band is deemed unknown are disclosed. A mobile communication device includes one or more processors and a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors. In one illustrative embodiment, a processor of the mobile device utilizes the wireless transceiver to cause the RF band to be scanned using a passive scan operation on RF channels having a passive scan status. During the passive scan operation, the processor attempts to decode an information frame on the RF channel. In response to successfully decoding an information frame on the RF channel during the passive scan operation, the processor changes the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status, and causes an active scan operation to be performed on the RF channel having the active scan status. The information frame that is successfully decoded may be any suitable frame of the WLAN protocol, such as a control, data, and/or management frame from a WLAN or even from other mobile device. The processor utilizes the wireless transceiver to scan additional RF channels of the RF band in the same manner, using the passive scan operation or the active scan operation based on the scan status of each RF channel. The scanning process may continue until regulatory information for the RF band is received. Advantageously, scanning of an RF band for WLANs is more efficient and power consumption of the mobile device is reduced.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A method for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band while regulatory information for the RF band is unknown, the method comprising the acts of:
-
scanning the RF band using a passive scan operation on RF channels having a passive scan status; during the passive scan operation, attempting to decode an information frame on the RF channel; in response to successfully decoding an information frame on the RF channel during the passive scan operation; changing the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status; and performing an active scan operation on the RF channel having the active scan status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A mobile communication device, comprising:
-
one or more processors; a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors; a user interface which includes a visual display and a plurality of keys; the one or more processors being operative to; cause scanning to be performed on a radio frequency (RF) band, via the wireless transceiver, using a passive scan operation on RF channels having a passive scan status; during the passive scan operation, attempt to decode an information frame on the RF channel; in response to successfully decoding an information frame on the RF channel during the passive scan operation; change the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status; and perform an active scan operation on the RF channel having the active scan status. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band for a wireless communication network by a mobile communication device, the method comprising the acts of:
-
scanning RF channels of the RF band in accordance with a first scan mode; during the scanning in accordance with the first scan mode, identifying whether valid information exists on an RF channel of the RF band; and scanning RF channels of the RF band in accordance with a second scan mode in response to identifying that valid information exists on the RF channel of the RF band. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A mobile communication device, comprising:
-
one or more processors; a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors; a user interface which includes a visual display and a plurality of keys; the one or more processors being operative to; cause radio frequency (RF) channels of an RF band to be scanned, using the wireless transceiver, in accordance with a first scan mode; during the scanning in accordance with the first scan mode, identify whether valid information exists on an RF channel of the RF band; and cause RF channels of the RF band to be scanned, using the wireless transceiver, in accordance with a second scan mode in response to identifying that valid information exists on the RF channel of the RF band. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification