Frequency beacon to broadcast allowed frequency

• US 7,218,944 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Locker, Howard Jeffrey, Jakes, Philip John, Ward, James Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aminzay; Shaima Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/103,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20030181215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 455/515, 455/465, 455/435.2, 455/11.1, 455/41.2, 455/432.1, 455/41.1, 455/439, 455/899, 370/338, 370/348, 709/220, 709/221
• US Class Current: 455/515
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A wireless communication network comprising: (1) a plurality of mobile devices each configured to receive a beacon being broadcasted within the network and determine based on information transmitted within the beacon whether the mobile device is supported within the network; and (2) one or more access devices configured to broadcast the beacon within the network. Each of the mobile devices has a transmitting mechanism for communicating with the one or more access device. However, only those mobile devices that are supported by the network respond to the receipt of the beacon. Thus, no transmission occurs from the mobile devices until the device is identified as being supported by the network. These mobile devices instantiating a communication path with the one or more access devices and request an authentication from the one or more access devices. In this manner, a handshake mechanism is established between the access devices and the mobile devices that are supported by the network. Unnecessary requests from illegal mobile devices that clutter up the air waves when attempting to establish a handshake within networks with which they are not compatible is substantially eliminated.

Claims

1. A wireless communication network comprising:

one or more network access devices configured to broadcast a network parameter beacon within said network, which network parameter beacon is a first transmission within a communication involving mobile devices entering into the network area and powering-on within the network, wherein said network parameter beacon comprises network parameters from among frequency ranges, power levels, and channels supported by said network; and

at least one mobile device configured with logic to (1) power on to a standby, receive-only operational mode, (2) monitor for receipt of a network parameter beacon being broadcasted within said network, (3) determine, based on information transmitted within said network parameter beacon, whether said mobile device is supported by said network, wherein, when the network parameter is a frequency range within which mobile device operation is supported, a handshake between the mobile device and an access device among the one of more network access devices is only initiated when a pre-set operating frequency of the mobile device falls within the frequency range provided by the network, (4) transition from the receive-only mode to an authentication mode when the device is supported by the network and initiate an authentication session with an access device among the one or more network access devices, (5) following an authentication of the mobile device, transition to a transmit-and-receive operational mode within the network, wherein the mobile device is able to complete general wireless communication within the network; and

(6) enabling subsequent general wireless transmissions from the mobile device following the request for authentication only after the mobile device is authenticated;

wherein said subsequent general wireless transmissions are not enabled from the mobile device and the mobile device remains in the receive-only mode when either the mobile device is not supported by the network or the mobile device is not authenticated; and

wherein said mobile device only transmits general wireless transmission within said network in response to receipt of the network parameter beacon and a determination that said mobile device is supported by said network followed by the authentication of the mobile device, wherein said determination includes comparing the network parameters within said beacon with pre-set network parameters within the mobile device that allow the mobile device to communicate within a network.

2. The wireless communication network of claim 1, wherein said mobile device comprises:

transmitting mechanism for communicating with said one or more network access device; and

logic means, upon receipt of said network parameter beacon and following an internal determination that the mobile device is supported by said network, for instantiating a handshake with the access device via said transmitting mechanism.

3. The wireless communication network of claim 2, wherein said instantiating includes requesting an authentication from said access devices.

4. The wireless communication network of claim 3, wherein said access devices further comprises a handshake response mechanism for responding to receipt of the request for authentication from the mobile device by establishing a communication path with said mobile device to allow said mobile device to communication within said network.

5. A method for authenticating client devices within a wireless communication network, said method comprising:

initially powering up said client device in a receive-only mode, such that said client device does not transmit wireless signals ont to the network;

receiving a broadcast of a network parameter beacon generated by one or more access devices of said network, wherein said network parameter beacon comprises network parameters from among frequency ranges, power levels, and channels supported by said said network;

evaluating said network parameter beacon for characteristics indicating whether said client device is one that has the correct operational parameters to transmit wireless communications within said network, wherein said client device operates in the receive-only mode until said client device determines it has the correct operational parameters to transmit wireless communications within the network; and

responsive to said client device having the correct operational parameters for wireless communications within said network, transmitting a request to said one or more access device for authentication of the client device to enable subsequent transmissions, wherein said client device only transmits requests for authentication after determining that the client device has the correct operational parameters;

wherein, when the network parameter is a frequency range within which mobile device operation is supported, a handshake between the mobile device and an access device among the one or more access devices is only initiated when a pre-set operating frequency of the mobile device falls within the frequency range provided by the network; and

enabling subsequent general wireless transmissions from the client device following the request for authentication only after the client device is authenticated, wherein said subsequent general wireless transmissions are not enabled from the client device and the client device remains in the receive-only mode when either the client device is not supported by the network or the client device is not authenticated.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring airwaves for said network parameter beacon and restricting transmission within the network until after said beacon is received and an authentication handshake is completed between the mobile device and the access device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said beacon comprises parameter values of which frequency ranges, power levels, and channels are supported by said network, said evaluating step comprising:

comparing corresponding parameters supported by said network with parameters required for network transmissions of said client device; and

initiating an authentication communication with said one or more access devices only when a value of each operating parameter of said client device falls within said corresponding parameters supported by said network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said client device is set to the receive-only mode during regular power on and awake-from-sleep mode, said method further comprising resetting said client device to a non-transmit, receive-only mode when said client device enters a low power state, wherein said client device does not enter into said general wireless transmit mode following regular power on unless said client device determines that it is supported by said network following the receipt of said network parameter beacon.

9. A system for authenticating a client device within a wireless communication network, said system comprising:

means for initially powering up said client device in a receive-only mode, such that said client device does not transmit wireless signals out to the network;

a receiver that receives a broadcast of a network parameter beacon generated by one or more access devices of said network;

means for evaluating said beacon for characteristics indicating whether said client device is supported within said network, wherein said client device operates in the receive-only mode until said client device determines it has the correct operational parameters to transmit wireless communications within the network;

means, responsive to said client device being supported within said network, for placing the client device in an authentication mode from the receive-only mode and transmitting a request to said one or more access device for authentication of the client device to enable subsequent transmissions, wherein said client device only transmits requests for authentication after said evaluating means determines that the client device has the correct operational parameters; and

means for enabling subsequent general wireless transmissions following the request for authentication only after the client device is authenticated and removed from the authentication mode to a transmission mode;

wherein said subsequent general wireless transmissions are not enabled if the client device is not supported and authenticated enabled and the client device remains in the receive-only mode when the device is not supported by the network and returns to the receive-only mode when the authentication is not approved.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for initially activating said client device in the receive-only mode;

monitoring means for monitoring airwaves for said network parameter beacon; and

means for reconfiguring said client device to operate in both a transmit and a receive mode when the client device has operational parameters that are supported within the network.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said network parameter beacon comprises parameter values of one or more of which frequency ranges, power levels, and channels are supported by said network, said evaluating means comprising:

means for comparing said one or more parameters values supported by said network with operational parameters of said client device; and

means for initiating a communication with said one or more access devices only when a value of each operating parameter of said client device thus within said one or more parameter values supported by said network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said client device is set to a receive-only mode during regular power on, said system further comprising means for resetting said client device to the receive-only mode when said client device enters a low power state, wherein said client device does not enter into said transmit mode following regular power on unless said client device determines that it is supported by said network following the receipt of said network parameter beacon.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for generating and broadcasting said beacon utilizing an access device of said network.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving a transmission of said request for authentication; and

means, responsive to said receipt, for completing said authentication of said client device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for enabling network access for a subsequent general wireless transmission with said client device following said authentication.

16. A client device for utilization within at least one of a plurality of wireless communication networks, said client device comprising:

means for dynamically entering a receive-only mode during regular power on of the client device, wherein said client device is initially enabled to only receive transmissions generated from within the wireless communication network; and

a receiver that receives a broadcast of a beacon generated by one or more access devices of said network;

means for evaluating said beacon for characteristics indicating whether operating parameters of said client device is supported within said network,

means, responsive to said client device being supported within said network, for automatically enabling an authentication-only transmit mode of the client device and transmitting a request to said one or more access device for authentication;

means for enabling subsequent general wireless transmissions following the request for authentication only after the client device is authenticated and removed from the authentication-only transmit mode to a full network access transmission mode;

wherein said subsequent general wireless transmissions are enabled while in the full network access transmission mode and said transmissions are not enabled if the client device is not authenticated, and the client device remains in the receive-only mode when the operating parameters of the client device are not supported by the network and returns to the receive-only mode when the authentication is not approved.

17. The client device of claim 16, further comprising monitoring means for monitoring airwaves for said beacon, wherein:

said beacon comprises a plurality of network parameters from among frequency ranges, power levels, and channels supported by said network; and

when the network parameter is a frequency range within which client device operation is supported, a handshake between the client device and one of the one or more network access devices is only initiated when a pre-set operating frequency of the client device falls within the frequency range supported by the network.

18. The client device of claim 17, wherein said beacon comprises information about device operating parameters supported by said network, said evaluating means comprising:

means for comparing values of said parameters supported by said network with operating parameters required for operation of said client device; and

means for initiating a communication with said one or more access device only when, a value of each of said operating parameters falls within said parameter values supported by said network.

19. The client device of claim 18, further comprising:

means for resetting said receiving mode to the receive-only mode when said client device enters a low power state.

20. The client device of claim 16, further comprising a transmitter and logic associated therewith, wherein said transmitter only transmits within said network following a determination that operating parameter values of said client device are within the parameter values supported by said network.

21. An access device of a wireless communication network, said access device comprising:

a transmitter;

means for broadcasting via said transmitter a network parameter beacon indicating characteristics of said network utilized by every client device desiring to access the network to determine whether a particular client device is supported by said network and comprises the required operating parameters required to transmit general wireless transmissions within the network wherein said client device is prevented from transmitting within the network until (a) the client device determines that it'"'"'s operating parameters correspond to parameters supported by the network using the network parameter values transmitted within the network parameter beacon, and (b) the access device authenticates the particular client device via an authentication session initiated following a receipt of an authentication request from the particular client device, which authentication request is only transmitted from the particular client device when the particular client device completes a self-determination that it operates according utilizing operating parameters required to transmit general wireless transmissions within the network;

wherein said network parameter beacon comprises one or more network parameters from among frequency ranges, power levels, and channels supported by said network; and

wherein when the network parameter is a frequency range within which client device operation is supported, a handshake between the client device and a network access device is only initiated when a pre-set operating frequency of the client device falls within the frequency range supported by the network.

22. The access device of claim 21, further comprising means receiving data included within said beacon.

23. The access device of claim 21, further comprising means for generating said beacon with network specific operating parameter values.

24. The access device of claim 23, wherein said means for generating includes means for providing within said beacon information about which frequency ranges, power levels, and channels are supported by said network.

25. The access device of claim 23, wherein said means for generating said beacon includes means for broadcasting said beacon on a periodic basis.

26. The access device of claim 21, further comprising linking means for connecting to other components of said network.

27. The access device of claim 21, further comprising:

a receiver that receives transmissions of a request for authentication from one or more client devices located within said network; and

means, responsive to said receipt for completing an authentication of said client device

when said client device is supported by said network.

28. The access device of claim 27, further comprising means for enabling a general wireless communication with said client device when requested following said authentication of the client device.