SELECTIVELY ACQUIRING AND ADVERTISING A CONNECTION BETWEEN A USER EQUIPMENT AND A WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method of exchanging data between a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
- monitoring a local environment of the UE;
transmitting local environment information to the application server based on the monitoring;
receiving, in response to the transmission of the local environment information, WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) a list of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs;
determining a selection of one of the listed WLAN APs; and
providing a user of the UE with directions to the selected WLAN AP based on the selected WLAN AP'"'"'s associated navigation information.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an embodiment, a UE transmits information regarding its local environment to a WWAN-based application server. The application server generates a list of WLAN APs that are in a vicinity of the UE based on the local environment information. The application server sends, to the UE, WLAN AP selection assistance information (SAI) that includes at least the list of WLAN APs and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs. The UE receives the SAI and provides a user of the UE with directions to a selected WLAN AP based on the SAI. In another embodiment, a communication entity advertises a UE'"'"'s connection to a WLAN AP along with information related to an estimated duration of the UE'"'"'s connection. Another communication entity receives the connection advertisement and determines whether to transmit data to the UE based on the advertisement.
63 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of exchanging data between a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
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monitoring a local environment of the UE; transmitting local environment information to the application server based on the monitoring; receiving, in response to the transmission of the local environment information, WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) a list of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; determining a selection of one of the listed WLAN APs; and providing a user of the UE with directions to the selected WLAN AP based on the selected WLAN AP'"'"'s associated navigation information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of exchanging data between a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
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receiving information indicative of a local environment of the UE; determining a set of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE based on the local environment information; generating, based on the determined set of WLAN APs, a list of WLAN APs to be sent to the UE; generating WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) the list of WLAN APs and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; and transmitting the WLAN AP selection assistance information to the UE. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of exchanging data between a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
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determining that the UE is connected to a given WLAN access point (AP); calculating an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and advertising the UE'"'"'s connection to the given WLAN AP and information associated with the estimated duration to prompt one or more external entities to exchange an amount of data with the UE that is based on the estimated duration. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of exchanging data between a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
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receiving an advertisement indicating (i) that the UE is connected to a given WLAN AP and (ii) information associated with an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and determining whether to transmit one or more files with a size above a threshold based on the received advertisement. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and to exchange data with a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
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means for monitoring a local environment of the UE; means for transmitting local environment information to the application server based on the monitoring; means for receiving, in response to the transmission of the local environment information, WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) a list of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; means for determining a selection of one of the listed WLAN APs; and means for providing a user of the UE with directions to the selected WLAN AP based on the selected WLAN AP'"'"'s associated navigation information.
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24. An application server that is based in a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) and is configured to exchange data with a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:
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means for receiving information indicative of a local environment of the UE; means for determining a set of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE based on the local environment information; means for generating, based on the determined set of WLAN APs, a list of WLAN APs to be sent to the UE; means for generating WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) the list of WLAN APs and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; and means for transmitting the WLAN AP selection assistance information to the UE.
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25. A communication entity configured to exchange data between a User Equipment (UE) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:
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means for determining that the UE is connected to a given WLAN access point (AP); means for calculating an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and means for advertising the UE'"'"'s connection to the given WLAN AP and information associated with the estimated duration to prompt one or more external entities to exchange an amount of data with the UE that is based on the estimated duration. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A communication entity configured to exchange data between a User Equipment (UE) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:
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means for receiving an advertisement indicating (i) that the UE is connected to a given WLAN AP and (ii) information associated with an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and means for determining whether to transmit one or more files with a size above a threshold based on the received advertisement. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and to exchange data with a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, comprising:
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logic configured to monitor a local environment of the UE; logic configured to transmit local environment information to the application server based on the monitoring; logic configured to receive, in response to the transmission of the local environment information, WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) a list of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; logic configured to determine a selection of one of the listed WLAN APs; and logic configured to provide a user of the UE with directions to the selected WLAN AP based on the selected WLAN AP'"'"'s associated navigation information.
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32. An application server that is based in a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) and is configured to exchange data with a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:
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logic configured to receive information indicative of a local environment of the UE; logic configured to determine a set of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE based on the local environment information; logic configured to generate, based on the determined set of WLAN APs, a list of WLAN APs to be sent to the UE; logic configured to generate WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) the list of WLAN APs and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; and logic configured to transmit the WLAN AP selection assistance information to the UE.
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33. A communication entity configured to exchange data between a User Equipment (UE) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:
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logic configured to determine that the UE is connected to a given WLAN access point (AP); logic configured to calculate an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and logic configured to advertise the UE'"'"'s connection to the given WLAN AP and information associated with the estimated duration to prompt one or more external entities to exchange an amount of data with the UE that is based on the estimated duration. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A communication entity configured to exchange data between a User Equipment (UE) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), comprising:
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logic configured to receive an advertisement indicating (i) that the UE is connected to a given WLAN AP and (ii) information associated with an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and logic configured to determine whether to transmit one or more files with a size above a threshold based on the received advertisement. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and to exchange data with a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server, cause the UE to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
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program code to monitor a local environment of the UE; program code to transmit local environment information to the application server based on the monitoring; program code to receive, in response to the transmission of the local environment information, WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) a list of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; program code to determine a selection of one of the listed WLAN APs; and program code to provide a user of the UE with directions to the selected WLAN AP based on the selected WLAN AP'"'"'s associated navigation information.
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40. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server that is based in a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) and is configured to exchange data with a User Equipment (UE) configured to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
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program code to receive information indicative of a local environment of the UE; program code to determine a set of WLAN access points (APs) that are in a vicinity of the UE based on the local environment information; program code to generate, based on the determined set of WLAN APs, a list of WLAN APs to be sent to the UE; program code to generate WLAN AP selection assistance information that includes at least (i) the list of WLAN APs and (ii) navigation information by which the UE can navigate to the listed WLAN APs; and program code to transmit the WLAN AP selection assistance information to the UE.
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41. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a communication entity configured to exchange data between a User Equipment (UE) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), cause the communication entity to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
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program code to determine that the UE is connected to a given WLAN access point (AP); program code to calculate an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and program code to advertise the UE'"'"'s connection to the given WLAN AP and information associated with the estimated duration to prompt one or more external entities to exchange an amount of data with the UE that is based on the estimated duration. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a communication entity configured to exchange data between a User Equipment (UE) and a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)-based application server over a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), cause the communication entity to perform operations, the instructions comprising:
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program code to receive an advertisement indicating (i) that the UE is connected to a given WLAN AP and (ii) information associated with an estimated duration that the UE is expected to remain connected to the given WLAN AP; and program code to determine whether to transmit one or more files with a size above a threshold based on the received advertisement. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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Specification