APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORK SERVICE TO A MULTI-MODE PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE
First Claim
1. An access point comprising:
- a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to exchange WLAN signals with a multi-mode wireless communication device;
a wireless wide area network (WWAN) interface configured to send a device proximity message to a WWAN, the device proximity message based on a proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point; and
a controller configured to generate the device proximity message based on a WWAN signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless access point manages wireless service to a multi-mode wireless communication device based on a wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal. The access point transmits a device proximity message to the WWAN based on the proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point where the proximity is at least partially based on a WWAN signal. The device proximity message may indicate a request to perform an alternate network acquisition procedure to establish wireless service from an alternate network different than a current network providing service to the multi-mode wireless communication device. Where the current network is WWAN, and the WWAN signal is a WWAN reverse link signal transmitted by the communication device and received at the access point, the access point determines the proximity of the communication device to the access point at least partially based on the WWAN reverse link signal. The access point determines whether to provide WLAN service to the multi-mode wireless communication device at least partially on a characteristic of the WWAN signal such as, for example, a power level or signal quality. The alternate network acquisition procedure may include an instruction from the WWAN to the multi-mode wireless communication device to search for an alternate network, to search for the access point, and/or to acquire an alternate network.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An access point comprising:
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a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to exchange WLAN signals with a multi-mode wireless communication device; a wireless wide area network (WWAN) interface configured to send a device proximity message to a WWAN, the device proximity message based on a proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point; and a controller configured to generate the device proximity message based on a WWAN signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An access point comprising:
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a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to exchange WLAN signals with a multi-mode wireless communication device; WWAN reverse link (RL) receiver configured to receive a WWAN RL signal transmitted from the multi-mode wireless communication device; a wireless wide area network (WWAN) interface configured to transmit a device proximity message to a WWAN; and a controller configured to generate the device proximity message based on the WWAN RL signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method performed at an access point configured to communicate with a multi-mode wireless communication device, the method comprising:
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receiving a wireless wide area network (WWAN) forward link (FL) signal comprising reverse link (RL) transmission control information; receiving a WWAN RL signal from the multi-mode wireless communication device; determining a proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point based on the RL transmission control information and the WWAN RL signal; sending a device proximity message to a WWAN system if the proximity is less than a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification