Method for multiple configurations of wireless network connection settings

• US 7,155,437 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Appliances Corporation (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Ju-Nan, Lee, Wen-Biao
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid Al
• Application Number:
  US10/064,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/101, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/201, 709/223, 709/220, 709/203, 455/414, 711/129, 711/153, 701/209, 705/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for a terminal to connect to wireless networks in a wireless network system is disclosed. The wireless network system has a plurality of wireless networks, each having a unique identity. The terminal includes a network database for storing a plurality of predetermined identities, a plurality of configuration tables with each associating different predetermined identities to different priorities, and a status pointer representing when or where the terminal operates. The method includes selecting one configuration table according to the status pointer, comparing the identities received by the terminal with the predetermined identities in the selected configuration table, selecting an identity among the matched identities according to the priority associated with the matched predetermined identities, and connecting to the wireless network corresponding to the selected identity.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a network connection of the terminal in a wireless network system, the terminal capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data, the wireless network system comprising a plurality of wireless networks, the different wireless networks having different identities capable of being transmitted wirelessly by each wireless network, the terminal comprising:

a plurality of distinct sorting pointers, each distinct sorting pointer representing a unique priority;

a network database for recording a plurality of predetermined identities, wherein the network database has a plurality of key IDs stored in the database with each of key IDs corresponding to a predetermined identity;

a plurality of configuration tables, each configuration table for corresponding one predetermined identity to one unique sorting pointer, and each configuration table having at least a unique predetermined identity which corresponds to a sorting pointer; and

a status pointer for representing an operational location and time;

the method comprising;

receiving identities of the plurality of wireless networks via wireless transmission;

choosing a configuration table from the plurality of configuration tables according to the status pointer;

comparing the predetermined identity of the chosen configuration table with the identities received, and if any of the plurality of identities received matches the predetermined identity, then choosing an identity according to the sorting pointer corresponding to the status pointer; and

wirelessly connecting to the wireless network corresponding to the chosen identity, wherein a certification program is first processed, then the data being uploaded or downloaded between the terminal and the wireless network is encrypted according to the key ID which is corresponding to the wireless identity, and data being uploaded or downloaded between the terminal and the wireless network is encrypted according to the key ID corresponding to the network identity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein when choosing an identity according to the matched sorting pointer corresponding to the predetermined identity, the predetermined identities matching the chosen identity have sorting pointers with higher priorities.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each wireless network has at least an access point, and the identity of each wireless network is transmitted by the access point of each wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the terminal is a notebook computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the wireless networks is capable of continuously sending out a beacon signal comprising a corresponding identity of the wireless network, and the terminal is capable of receiving the plurality of identities corresponding to the wireless networks.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

choosing an identity via a predetermined method when comparing the predetermined identities of the chosen configuration table to the identities received from the terminal results in no received identities being identical to any of the predetermined identities.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined method chooses an identity randomly.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

wirelessly connecting to the wireless network which is corresponding to the chosen identity; and

updating the chosen configuration table according to the chosen identity.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

updating all configuration tables according to the chosen identities.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each configuration table corresponds to a unique list of prioritized user preferences for a specific operational time and physical location of the terminal.

11. A method for controlling a network connection of the terminal in a wireless network system, the terminal capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data, the wireless network system comprising a plurality of wireless networks, the different wireless networks having different identities capable of being transmitted wirelessly by each wireless network, and the plurality of wireless networks being capable of responding to a probe signal by wirelessly transmitting the identity corresponding to the wireless network, the terminal comprising:

a plurality of distinct sorting pointers, each distinct sorting pointer representing a unique priority;

a network database for recording a plurality of predetermined identities;

a plurality of configuration tables, each configuration table for corresponding one predetermined identity to one unique sorting pointer, and each configuration table having at least a unique predetermined identity which corresponds to a sorting pointer; and

a status pointer for representing an operational location and time;

the method comprising;

sending out a probe signal through the terminal;

having the plurality of wireless networks respond to their own corresponding identities via wireless transmission to make the terminal capable of receiving the identities corresponding to the plurality of wireless networks;

choosing a configuration table from the plurality of configuration tables according to the status pointer;

comparing the predetermined identity of the chosen configuration table with the identities received, and if any of the plurality of identities received matches the predetermined identity, then choosing an identity according to the sorting pointer corresponding to the status pointer; and

wirelessly connecting to the wireless network corresponding to the chosen identity.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein when choosing an identity according to the matched sorting pointer corresponding to the predetermined identity, the predetermined identities matching the chosen identity have sorting pointers with higher priorities.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein each wireless network has at least an access point, and the identity of each wireless network is transmitted by the access point of each wireless network.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the terminal is a notebook computer.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein each of the wireless networks is capable of continuously sending out a beacon signal comprising a corresponding identity of the wireless network, and the terminal is capable of receiving the plurality of identities corresponding to the wireless networks.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

choosing an identity via a predetermined method when comparing the predetermined identities of the chosen configuration table to the identities received from the terminal results in no received identities being identical to any of the predetermined identities.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the predetermined method chooses an identity randomly.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

wirelessly connecting to the wireless network which is corresponding to the chosen identity; and

updating the chosen configuration table according to the chosen identity.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

updating all configuration tables according to the chosen identities.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein each configuration table corresponds to a unique list of prioritized user preferences for a specific operational time and physical location of the terminal.