System and method for providing access points to assist in a handoff decision in a wireless environment

• US 7,383,046 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stephenson, David S., Jagadeesan, Ramanathan T., Nguyen, Bich T., Kang, Chol Su, Rebo, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US11/051,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/426, 455/455.2, 455/456.6, 455/554, 455/555, 455/437, 455/439, 455/440, 455/574, 370/210, 370/331, 370/225, 370/338, 370/352, 370/329, 370/401, 370/389
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

According to a particular embodiment, a method for assisting in a handoff is provided that includes receiving signaling from one or more access points, which may transmit information to a mobile station. The information may be used to execute a handoff from an enterprise network to a cellular network or from the cellular network to the enterprise network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communicating in a wireless network environment, comprising:

a mobile station operable to receive signaling from one or more access points, which may transmit information to the mobile station to be used in order to execute a handoff from an enterprise network to a cellular network or from the cellular network to the enterprise network, wherein the mobile station is operable to enter into one or more power save operations after receiving the information, whereby the mobile station actively scans for the access points, wherein the access points are edge access points and portal access points both of which transmit beacons, which represent periodic transmissions, to the mobile station to trigger the handoff and to trigger the power save operations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information is provided in one or more probe responses that are communicated to the mobile station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is operable to interface with a wireless local access network (WLAN) management module that facilitates the handoff.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the WLAN management module includes information associated with locations of one or more of the access points.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the access points are portal access points that are manually configured.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the access points are dynamically delegated using collected statistics associated with one or more of the access points.

7. A method for communicating in a wireless network environment, comprising:

receiving signaling from one or more access points, which may transmit information to a mobile station; and

using the information to execute a handoff from an enterprise network to a cellular network or from the cellular network to the enterprise network, wherein the mobile station is operable to enter into one or more power save operations after receiving the information, whereby the mobile station actively scans for the access points, wherein the access points are edge access points and portal access points both of which transmit beacons, which represent periodic transmissions, to the mobile station to trigger the handoff and to trigger the power save operations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information is provided in one or more probe responses that are communicated to the mobile station.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

interfacing with a wireless local access network (WLAN) management module that facilitates the handoff.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the WLAN management module includes information associated with locations of one or more of the access points.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

registering with the cellular network after receiving the information.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

associating with a portal access point after receiving the information; and

monitoring signal strength such that when the signal strength drops below a given threshold, then the mobile station opts to register with the cellular network.

13. Software for communicating in a wireless network environment, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code such that when executed is operable to:

receive signaling from one or more access points, which may transmit information to a mobile station; and

use the information to execute a handoff from an enterprise network to a cellular network or from the cellular network to the enterprise network, wherein the mobile station is operable to enter into one or more power save operations after receiving the information, whereby the mobile station actively scans for the access points, wherein the access points are edge access points and portal access points both of which transmit beacons, which represent periodic transmissions, to the mobile station to trigger the handoff and to trigger the power save operations.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the information is provided in one or more probe responses that are communicated to the mobile station.

15. The medium of claim 13, wherein the code is further operable to:

interface with a wireless local access network (WLAN) management module that facilitates the handoff.

16. The medium of claim 13, wherein the code is further operable to:

register with the cellular network after receiving the information.

17. The medium of claim 13, wherein the code is further operable to:

associate with a portal access point after receiving the information; and

monitor signal strength such that when the signal strength drops below a given threshold, then the mobile station opts to register with the cellular network.