METHODS AND APPARATUS TO REGISTER WITH EXTERNAL NETWORKS IN WIRELESS NETWORK ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20110164596A1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: McCann, Stephen, Montemurro, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to register with external networks in wireless network environments are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves sending a registration request from the device to a network entity and receiving a registration response at the device. The registration response indicates one or more registration plans. The example method also involves selecting a registration plan from the one or more registration plans and sending registration information associated with the device to the network entity. The registration information is selected based on the selected registration plan.

Claims

1. A method to enhance connectivity for a device in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:

receiving a registration response at the device, the registration response indicating one or more registration plans;

selecting a registration plan from the one or more registration plans; and

sending registration information associated with the device to a network entity, the registration information selected based on the selected registration plan.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the registration response at the device, sending a registration request from the device to the network entity.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the registration information includes at least one of a terms and conditions acceptance, a username, or a user identity.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more registration plans is associated with one of a time-based plan, a pay-as-you-go plan, or a free access plan.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network entity provides access to a local area network.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the one or more registration plans are associated with registering the device with an external network in communication with the local area network.

14. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

sending a provisioning request from the device to the network entity; and

receiving, in response to the provisioning request, a provisioning status indicative of whether the device is successfully provisioned.

15. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the sending of the registration information associated with the device to the network entity comprises sending the registration information using an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) method.

2. (canceled)

4-6. -6. (canceled)

11-13. -13. (canceled)

16. An apparatus to enhance connectivity for a device in a wireless local area network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a registration response at the device, the registration response indicating one or more registration plans;

select a registration plan from the one or more registration plans; and

send registration information associated with the device to a network entity, the registration information selected based on the selected registration plan.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the network entity is an access point.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to, prior to receiving the registration response at the device, send a registration request from the device to the network entity.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the registration response is communicated by the network entity in response to the registration request from the device.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to send an identifier of the selected registration plan to the network entity in association with the registration information.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the network entity provides access to a local area network.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the one or more registration plans are associated with registering the device with an external network in communication with the local area network.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the external network is a service provider network that operates based on subscription-based services available to the device based on the one or more registration plans.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein the local area network is a wireless local area network.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the one or more registration plans are in an extensible markup language (XML) format.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to:

send a provisioning request to the network entity; and

receive, in response to the provisioning request, a provisioning status indicative of whether the device is successfully provisioned.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to send the registration information associated with the device to the network entity by sending the registration information using an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) method.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

30-89. -89. (canceled)