ENTERPRISE LOCATION DISCOVERY IN DUAL-MODE PHONES

• US 20090258668A1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Aruba Networks Incorporated (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Iyer, Pradeep J., Mahajan, Arun, Kumar, Chetan R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Enterprise location discovery in dual-mode phones. As dual-mode phones move within the enterprise Wi-Fi network, they track which cell tower they are associated with, reporting this information to an enterprise mobility controller. The enterprise mobility controller builds a list of cell tower identifiers which are associated with enterprise Wi-Fi coverage, and makes this list available to subscribing dual-mode phones. Subscribing dual-mode phones can use this list to only scan for Wi-FI availability when they are associated with a cell tower which is on the list.

Claims

1. A method of operating a network of dual-mode phones having a first radio for communicating with a cellular network comprising a plurality of cell towers and a second radio for communicating with a mobility controller associated with an enterprise Wi-Fi network, the method comprising:

the dual-mode phone collecting cell tower identification information when connected to both cellular and Wi-Fi networks,

the dual-mode phone transferring the cell tower identification information to the mobility controller associated with the Wi-Fi network, and

the mobility controller collecting the cell tower identification from the dual-mode phones to form a list of cell towers associated with enterprise Wi-Fi availability.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the mobility controller providing the list of cell towers associated with enterprise Wi-Fi availability to the dual-mode phones.

3. The method of claim 2 where the step of providing the list to the plurality of dual-mode phones further comprises pushing the list from the mobility controller to Wi-Fi connected dual-mode phones.

4. The method of claim 2 where the step of providing the list to the plurality of dual-mode phones further comprises dual-mode phones requesting the list from the mobility controller.

5. The method of claim 1 where the list is aged by the mobility controller.

6. The method of claim 2 where the list is aged by the dual-mode phone.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising;

the dual-mode phone moving the second radio for communicating with a Wi-Fi network to a lower power state when out of range of the enterprise Wi-Fi network, and

the dual-mode phone moving the second radio to a higher power state when the first radio of the dual-mode phone is connected to a cell tower on the list of cell towers associated with enterprise Wi-Fi availability.

8. The method of claim 7 where the second radio is powered off when out of range of the enterprise Wi-Fi network.

9. The method of claim 7 where the second radio is powered on when the first radio of the dual-mode phone is connected to a cell tower on the list of cell towers associated with enterprise Wi-Fi availability.