WLAN Network Information Caching

• US 20080096580A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Montemurro, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A WLAN client device maintains a history of profile-location associations. An association links a profile stored in the client device with a location in the vicinity of which the client device was connected to a wireless local area network matching the profile. While in a vicinity of a certain location, the client device may scan for wireless local area networks in a manner that takes into account records of the history that include the certain location.

Claims

1. A method in a wireless local area network client device, the method comprising:

maintaining a history of profile-location associations, where an association links a profile stored in the client device with a location in a vicinity of which the client device was connected to a wireless local area network described in the profile;

determining a current location of the client device; and

scanning for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location in a manner that takes into account records of the history that include the current location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location comprises:

actively scanning by sending probe requests that include service set identifiers of profiles that are associated in the history with the current location and refraining from sending probe requests that include service set identifiers of profiles that are stored in the client device but are not associated in the history with the current location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location comprises:

actively scanning by sending probe requests that include service set identifiers of profiles that are associated in the history with the current location prior to sending probe requests that include service set identifiers of profiles that are stored in the client device but are not associated in the history with the current location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location comprises:

refraining from scanning for wireless local area networks when the history does not have any records that include the current location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the history comprises:

including in the association an indication of the communication channel on which the client device detected the wireless local area network described in the profile when in the vicinity of the location identified in the association.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein scanning for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location comprises:

scanning on one or more of the communication channels indicated in associations identifying the current location and refraining from scanning on any other communication channel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein scanning for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location comprises:

scanning on one or more of the communication channels indicated in associations identifying the current location prior to scanning on any other communication channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the history comprises:

including in the association an indication of a time at which the client device was connected to the wireless local area network described in the profile when in the vicinity of the location identified in the association.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein maintaining the history further comprises:

removing from the history associations that are older than a certain age.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

configuring the certain age.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein maintaining the history further comprises:

updating the time indicated in the association if the client device is subsequently connected to the wireless local area network described in the profile when in the vicinity of the location identified in the association.

12. A wireless client device comprising:

a processor;

a wireless local area network interface coupled to the processor, the wireless local area network interface comprising a wireless local area network controller and a radio;

an antenna coupled to the radio;

another wireless interface coupled to the processor, through which the client device is able to determine its current location; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory arranged to store profiles of wireless local area networks and arranged to store executable code means that, when executed by the processor, maintains a history of profile-location associations, where an association links a profile stored in the client device with a location in a vicinity of which the client device was connected to a wireless local area network described in the profile, and controls the wireless local area network controller to scan for wireless local area networks while in a vicinity of the current location in a manner that takes into account records of the history that include the current location.

13. The wireless client device of claim 12, wherein the memory is arranged to store the history of associations.

14. The wireless client device of claim 12, further comprising:

a cache coupled to the processor, the cache arranged to store the history of associations.

15. The wireless client device of claim 12, wherein the other wireless interface is a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

16. The wireless client device of claim 12, wherein the other wireless interface is a wireless cellular network communication interface.

17. The wireless client device of claim 12, wherein the other wireless interface is a wireless wide area network communication interface.