Device, system and method of locating a wireless communication device

• US 7,495,551 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Waxman, Shai
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US11/235,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20070069884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/573.4, 340/572.1, 340/825.49, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Briefly, some embodiments of the invention provide devices, systems and methods for locating a wireless communication station. For example, a system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a wireless access point to transmit a low-power security query through a dedicated security channel; and a wireless communication station to transmit, in response to said security query, a low-power security response through said dedicated security channel.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver to receive a security query transmitted according to a wireless communication standard through a first wireless channel, the first channel being a dedicated security channel, the security query comprising a data item identifying a wireless communication system and a first power level for a low-power security response, and the wireless communication standard used for transmitting data through a second wireless channel at a second power level higher than the first power level, wherein the first power level corresponds to a geographical distance within which the low-power security response can be received; and

a transmitter to transmit according to the wireless communication standard, in response to said security query, the low-power security response at the first power level through said first channel if the apparatus belongs to the wireless communication system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said receiver is to scan said first channel for an incoming security query at a scanning rate higher than a scanning rate used by said receiver to scan the second wireless channel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said security query and said low-power security response are transmitted at a power level lower than five milliwatts.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a power level of said security query and said low-power security response is lower than five percent of a power level used by said transmitter to transmit data.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a security query transmitted according to a wireless communication standard through a first wireless channel, the first channel being a dedicated security channel, the security query comprising a data item identifying a wireless communication system and a first power level for a low-power security response, and the wireless communication standard used for transmitting data through a second wireless channel at a second power level higher than the first power level, wherein the first power level corresponds to a geographical distance within which the low-power security response can be received; and

in response to said security query, transmitting according to the wireless communication standard the low-power security response at the first power level through said first channel if a receiver of the security query belongs to the wireless communication system.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

scanning said first channel for an incoming security query at a scanning rate higher than a scanning rate used for scanning the second wireless communication channel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting said low-power security response comprises transmitting said low-power security response at less than one milliwatt.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting said low-power security response comprises transmitting said low-power security response at a power level smaller than five percent of another power level used for data transmission.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, based on said security response, a location of a wireless communication station.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, based on said security response, an entry of a wireless communication station into an area of interest covered by a wireless access point.

11. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless communication station comprising;

a dipole antenna to transmit and receive wireless communication signals;

a receiver to receive a security query transmitted according to a wireless communication standard through a first wireless channel, the first channel being a dedicated security channel, the security query comprising a data item identifying a wireless communication system and a first power level for a low-power security response, and the wireless communication standard used for transmitting data through a second wireless channel at a second power level higher than the first power level, wherein the first power level corresponds to a geographical distance within which the low-power security response can be received; and

a transmitter to transmit according to the wireless communication standard, in response to said security query, the low-power security response at the first power level through said first channel if the wireless communication station belongs to the wireless communication system.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, further comprising:

a wireless access point to transmit said security query at the first low power level through said first channel.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein said security query is transmitted at less than one milliwatt, and wherein said low-power security response is transmitted at less than one milliwatt.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein a power level of said security query and said low-power security response is lower than five percent of a power level used by said wireless access point to transmit data.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said wireless communication station is to scan said dedicated security channel for an incoming security query at a scanning rate higher than a scanning rate used by said wireless communication station to scan the second wireless communication channel.

16. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless access point comprising;

a transmitter to transmit a low-power security query according to a wireless communication standard through a first wireless channel, the first channel being a dedicated security channel, the security query comprising a data item identifying the wireless communication system and a first power level for a low-power security response, and the wireless communication standard used for transmitting data through a second wireless channel at a second power level higher than the first power level, wherein the first power level corresponds to a geographical distance within which the low-power security response can be received; and

a receiver to receive, in response to said security query, a security response at the first power level through said first channel transmitted according to the wireless communication standard from a wireless communication station belonging to the wireless communication system.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 16, wherein said wireless access point is to determine, based on said security response, a location of the wireless communication station.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 16, wherein said wireless access point is to determine, based on said security response, an entry of the wireless communication station into an area of interest covered by said wireless access point.