DISCOVERING NETWORK INFORMATION AVAILABLE VIA WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20130070644A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: McCann, Stephen, Montemurro, Michael Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Network information may be discoverable without requiring a connection to that network. For example, Access Network Query Protocol (“ANQP”) may allow a device to discover information about a network prior to the device associating with that network. In other words, ANQP allows a network terminal to request additional network information prior to establishing network capability. The additional network information that may be discoverable includes network latency, cellular capabilities, hotspot capabilities, mobility capabilities, neighbor reports, station identification, and multiple hotspot session identification.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

transmitting, prior to network association, a request to a first wireless network for a report on a neighboring wireless network, wherein the neighboring wireless network is located proximate to the first wireless network; and

receiving, prior to network association, a response from the first wireless network, wherein the response comprises the report on the neighboring wireless network and includes features about the neighboring wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the features about the neighboring wireless network comprises an identifier, reachability, and security for the neighboring wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the report covers additional neighboring wireless networks and includes features about the additional neighboring wireless networks.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the request and the response comprise access network query protocol (“

ANQP”

) messages.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the ANQP messages are carried by extensible authentication protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the neighboring wireless network is part of a basic service set or an extended service set with the first wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the features for the neighboring wireless network comprises a BSS identifier for the neighboring wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to a first wireless network is at a first access point and the neighboring wireless network is at a neighboring access point.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting and receiving prior to network association occurs during network discovery.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing the first wireless network and the neighboring wireless network based on the features in the received neighbor report; and

associating with one of the first wireless network or the neighboring wireless network based on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the neighbor report comprises the Neighbor Report Element in the IEEE 802.11§

8.4.2.39 specification.

12. A method for receiving information about wireless networks comprising:

requesting, prior to network association, a neighbor report from one of the wireless networks, wherein the neighbor report comprises information about each of the wireless networks neighboring the one of the wireless networks that receives the neighbor report request; and

receiving, prior to network association, a response that includes the neighbor report.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the requesting and the response are communicated according to access network query protocol (“

ANQP”

).

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the neighbor report is communicated as an ANQP message that is carried with by extensible authentication protocol.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

comparing, prior to network association, the one of the wireless networks that receives the neighbor report and each of the neighboring wireless networks based on the information in the neighbor report; and

associating with one of the wireless networks based on the comparison.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the information in the neighbor report comprises an identifier, reachability, and security for each of the wireless networks.

17. A device comprising:

a processor configured to;

transmit, prior to network association, a request to a first wireless network for a report on a neighboring wireless network, wherein the neighboring wireless network is located proximate to the first wireless network; and

receive, prior to network association, a response from the first wireless network, wherein the response comprises the report on the neighboring wireless network and includes features about the neighboring wireless network.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the features about the neighboring wireless network comprises an identifier, reachability, and security for the neighboring wireless network.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the report covers additional neighboring wireless networks and includes features about the additional neighboring wireless networks.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the request and the response comprise access network query protocol (“

ANQP”

) messages.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the ANQP messages are carried by extensible authentication protocol.

22. The device of claim 17 wherein the neighboring wireless network is part of a basic service set or an extended service set with the first wireless network.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the features for the neighboring wireless network comprises a BSS identifier for the neighboring wireless network.

24. The device of claim 17 further comprising:

comparing the first wireless network and the neighboring wireless network based on the features in the received neighbor report; and

associating with one of the first wireless network or the neighboring wireless network based on the comparison.

25. A device comprising:

a processor configured to;

submit an access network query protocol (“

ANQP”

) request for a neighbor report from one of the wireless networks, wherein the neighbor report comprises information about each of the wireless networks neighboring the one of the wireless networks that receives the neighbor report request; and

receive an ANQP response that includes the neighbor report.

26. The device of claim 25 further comprising:

comparing the one of the wireless networks that receives the neighbor report and each of the neighboring wireless networks based on the information in the neighbor report; and

associating with one of the wireless networks based on the comparison.

27. The device of claim 25 wherein the information in the neighbor report comprises an identifier, reachability, and security for each of the wireless networks.

28. A method for network communication comprising:

submitting an access network query protocol (“

ANQP”

) request carried over extensible authentication protocol (“

EAP”

) for network information; and

receiving an ANQP response carried over EAP that includes the requested network information.