APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORK SERVICE BASED ON A LOCATION OF A MULTI-MODE PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20080130597A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: KALHAN, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 7,969,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A wireless access point monitors a wireless wide area network (WWAN) reverse link (RL) channel assigned to a multi-mode wireless communication device identified by a wireless wide area network (WWAN) as positioned proximate a geographical area at least partially including a wireless local area network (WLAN) service area of the access point. The access point sends a device proximity message to the WWAN based on a WWAN RL signal transmitted by the multi-mode wireless communication device and received at the access point. The device proximity message may indicate a request to perform a WLAN acquisition procedure to establish WLAN service from the access point.

Claims

1. An access point comprising:

a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to provide WLAN service to at least one multi-mode wireless communication device within a WLAN service area;

a network interface configured to receive, from a wireless wide area network (WWAN) communication system, identification information identifying a local multi-mode wireless communication device positioned proximate a geographical region comprising at least a portion of the WLAN service area;

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver configured to receive a reverse link WWAN signal transmitted by the local multi-mode wireless communication device; and

a controller configured to determine a proximity of the local multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point based on the WWAN reverse link signal, the network interface configured to send, to the WWAN communication system, a device proximity message in accordance with the proximity.

2. The access point of claim 1, wherein the device proximity message comprises a request selected from a group consisting of a WLAN service request to establish the WLAN service, a WWAN service termination request to terminate WWAN service, and a maintain WWAN service request to maintain WWAN service,

3. The access point of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate the proximity message when the proximity is below a WLAN proximity threshold.

4. The access point of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate the device proximity message based on a received power level of the WWAN signal.

5. The access point of claim 4, wherein the WWAN interface is further configured to receive reverse link scheduling information.

6. The access point of claim 5, where the reverse link scheduling information is recede from an access gateway and comprises frequency information and timing information.

7. The access point of claim 6, where the reverse link scheduling information comprises a carrier frequency, a sub-carrier frequency, and a reverse link time slot identifier associated with the local multi-mode wireless communication device.

8. The access point of claim 1, wherein the identification information is determined by the WWAN communication system based on location information transmitted by the local multi-mode wireless communication device.

9. The access point of claim 8, wherein location information is global positioning satellite (GPS) data.

10. The access point of claim 1, wherein the identification information is determined by the WWAN communication system based on location information determined by the WWAN communication system.

11. The access point of claim 10, wherein the location information is determined based on a WWAN service area corresponding to the geographical location.

12. The access point of claim 11, wherein the WWAN service area is a WWAN communication cell.

13. The access point of claim 11, wherein the WWAN service area is a sector of a WWAN communication cell.

14. A communication system comprising:

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) communication system configured to send identification information identifying a local multi-mode wireless communication device located within a geographical area to one or more access points providing wireless local area network (WLAN) service within WLAN service areas at least partially within the geographical area; and

a local access point, of the one or more access points, configured to receive the identification information and to send a proximity message to the WWAN communication system based on a reverse link (RL) WWAN signal received from the local multi-mode wireless communication device.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the proximity message indicates that the local multi-mode wireless communication device is within a local WLAN service area provided by the local access point.

16. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the WWAN communication system comprises a WWAN controller configured to determine the identification information based on location information.

17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the WWAN communication system further comprises a base station configured to receive a location information signal from the local multi-mode wireless communication device, the WWAN controller identifying the one or more access points based on the location information.

18. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the WWAN controller determines the location information based on at least one parameter measured at a base station.

19. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the WWAN controller wherein the at least one parameter is a WWAN service area provided by a base station, the WWAN service area corresponding to the geographical area.

20. The communication system of claim 19, WWAN service area is a sector of communication cell.

21. A computer executable method comprising:

receiving, at an access point configured to provide wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a WLAN service area and from a wireless wide area network (WWAN) communication system, identification information identifying a local multi-mode wireless communication device positioned proximate a geographical region comprising at least a portion of a WLAN service area;

receiving a reverse link (RL) WWAN signal transmitted by the local multi-mode wireless communication device;

determining a proximity of the local multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point based on the WWAN uplink signal, and

sending, to the WWAN communication system, a device proximity message in accordance with the proximity.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving reverse link scheduling information from an access gateway.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising generating the device proximity message when the proximity is below a WLAN proximity threshold.