Wireless local access network system detection and selection

• US 7,590,708 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hsu, Raymond T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barqadle; Yasin M
• Application Number:
  US10/373,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,395 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-230, 370230-231, 370/912, 370/913, 370/914, 455/3.01, 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 725/62
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Method and apparatus for detection and selection of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service. A remote device includes a preference database for storing selection criteria for a plurality of access media. Access medium detector(s) determine accessibility of access media, and a selector selects one of the access media based on the selection criteria. The selection criteria indicate when to switch between access media.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device to access a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a wireless cellular communication network, the device comprising:

an application for transmitting a request to the wireless cellular communication network and receiving provisioning information in response to the request, wherein the provisioning information comprises parameters for establishing communication with at least one WLAN, wherein the provisioning information comprises selection criteria, and wherein the wireless communication device receives the provisioning information from the wireless cellular communication network;

a preference database configured to receive the selection criteria while the device is in a packet data session with the wireless cellular communication network and further configure to store the selection criteria for selecting an access medium, the selection criteria including parameters instructing the device when to scan for WLAN access;

a selector in communication with the preference database for enabling and disabling at least one access medium; and

at least one access medium detector coupled to the selector and configured to actively scan to detect the at least one WLAN based on the provisioning information.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the application is a computer-readable program.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein the application supports a protocol stack.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein the application is manually enabled.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein the preference database is manually configurable.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein the application loads system selection criteria into the preference database.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein the selector retrieves selection criteria from the preference database.

8. The device as in claim 7, wherein the request is one of a registration request and a WLAN information request.

9. The device as in claim 1, wherein a selection criteria indicates a preference for a WLAN service.

10. A method for operating a wireless communication device to access a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a wireless cellular communication network, the method comprising:

transmitting a request to the wireless cellular communication network;

receiving provisioning information in response to the request while the device is in a packet data session with the wireless cellular communication network, wherein the provisioning information comprises parameters for establishing communication with at least one WLAN, wherein the provisioning information comprises selection criteria, and wherein the wireless communication device receives the provisioning information from the wireless cellular communication network;

storing the selection criteria in a preference database, the selection criteria including instructing the device when to scan for WLAN access;

actively scanning to detect the at least one WLAN based on the provisioning information;

selecting a selected WLAN for communications based on the selection criteria; and

establishing communications with the selected WLAN.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising:

processing an application via the selected WLAN.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the request is one of a registration request and a WLAN information request.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein the selection criteria is a specific to the application.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving WLAN provisioning information from the wireless cellular communication network prior to the storing selection criteria in a preference database.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the selection criteria includes instructing the device to scan for WLAN access using the WLAN provisioning information while the device is in a packet data session with the wireless cellular communication network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the WLAN provisioning information are received over a common channel.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the WLAN provisioning information are received from a broadcast over a dedicated channel.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the WLAN provisioning information are received in overhead messages.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the WLAN provisioning information are received in a signaling message defined specifically for WLAN provisioning.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving location identification for the WLAN.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

using a registration message indicating WLAN capability to trigger transmission of the WLAN provisioning information from a base station controller (BSC) of the wireless cellular communication network.

23. The method of claim 15, the receiving WLAN provisioning information from the wireless cellular communication network comprising:

receiving location information for the WLAN, the location information for the WLAN comprising latitude and longitude identifiers for an access point.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

storing a local map; and

displaying the location information for the WLAN in context of the local map.

14. An apparatus for a wireless communication device to access a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a wireless cellular communication network, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving provisioning information associated with available WLANs in response to a request to the wireless cellular communication network, wherein the provisioning information comprises parameters for establishing communication with at least one WLAN, wherein the provisioning information comprises selection criteria, wherein the provisioning information is received while the device in is in a packet data session with the wireless cellular communication network, and wherein the wireless communication device receives the provisioning information from the wireless cellular communication network;

means for storing the selection criteria in a preference database, the selection criteria including instructing the apparatus when to scan for WLAN access;

means for actively scanning based on the provisioning information to detect at least one access medium;

means for selecting a selected access medium for communications based on the selection criteria; and

means for enabling the selected access medium.

25. A computer-program product for facilitating access to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a wireless cellular communication network by a wireless communication device, the computer-program product comprising a computer readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

code for receiving provisioning information associated with available WLANs in response to a request to the wireless cellular communication network, wherein the provisioning information comprises parameters for establishing communication with at least one WLAN, wherein the provisioning information comprises selection criteria, wherein the provisioning information is received while the device in is in a packet data session with the wireless cellular communication network, and wherein the wireless communication device receives the provisioning information from the wireless cellular communication network;

code for storing the selection criteria in a preference database, the selection criteria including instructing the apparatus when to scan for WLAN access;

code for actively scanning based on the provisioning information to detect at least one access medium;

code for selecting a selected access medium for communications based on the selection criteria; and

code for enabling. the selected access medium.