On-demand services by wireless base station virtualization

• US 8,009,644 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheu, Ming-Jye, Kuo, Ted Tsei, Lin, Tian-Yuan, Jou, Tyan-Shu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/607,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/328, 455/433, 455/439
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• 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 72/543 based on requested quality, e.g. QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Initiating a virtual presence at a physical access point in response to a request for a service from a wireless access device is provided. A particular wireless service may be provided to a subscriber on an on-demand basis according to location and/or type of service requested. The service may be terminated when demand for the service comes to an end whereby a common wireless service infrastructure may be shared amongst service providers thus eliminating the need for radio channel coordination and otherwise enhancing service quality for those service providers.

Claims

1. A method for providing on-demand wireless services comprising:

receiving a service request from a wireless access device;

initiating a virtual wireless base station presence in response to the service request, the virtual wireless base station presence initiated at a physical wireless base station configured to provide the requested service, wherein the requested service is a subset of a total number of services available and dynamically mapped to the physical wireless base station;

broadcasting a plurality of beacon frames from the wireless base station, wherein the plurality of beacon frames indicate the availability of the requested service via the virtual wireless base station presence and are broadcast in response to the service request from the wireless access device;

providing the requested service to the wireless access device via the virtual wireless base station presence; and

initiating a second virtual wireless base station presence at a second wireless base station to maintain signal quality to the wireless access device when the wireless access device is roaming amongst service areas associated with each of the wireless base stations, and wherein the virtual wireless base station presence is terminated upon determination that no subscribing wireless access device remains within a service area of the wireless base station for a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating a service subscriber credential associated with the wireless access device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising terminating the virtual wireless base station presence if the service subscriber credential has not been authenticated within a set period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service request from a second wireless access device; and

providing the requested service to the second wireless access device using the virtual wireless base station presence.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating the virtual wireless base station presence if the wireless access device is no longer subscribing to the requested service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether to initiate the virtual wireless base station presence based on whether another virtual wireless base station presence is initiated at the wireless base station and providing a requested service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the requested service is associated with a wireless service indicated on an available service list.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the second virtual wireless base station presence comprises identifying that signal quality between the virtual wireless base station and the roaming wireless access device has degraded and that the degraded signal quality meets a threshold level.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the threshold level is configurable.

8. A system for providing on-demand wireless services comprising:

at least one wireless access device configured to broadcast a service request over a wireless network; and

a wireless base station configured to;

receive the service request,

initiate a virtual wireless base station presence in response to the service request, broadcast a plurality of beacon frames indicating availability of the requested service via a virtual wireless base station presence, wherein the requested service is a subset of a total number of services available and dynamically mapped to the wireless base station, the plurality of beacon frames broadcast in response to the service request from the wireless access device,

provide the requested service to the wireless access device via the virtual wireless base station presence, and

initiate a second virtual wireless base station presence at a second wireless base station to maintain signal quality to the wireless access device while the wireless access device is roaming amongst service areas associated with each of the wireless base stations, wherein the virtual wireless base station presence is terminated upon determination that no subscribing wireless access device remains within a service area of the wireless base station for a predetermined period of time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless base station is further configured to authenticate a service subscriber credential associated with the wireless access device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless base station is further configured to terminate the virtual wireless base station presence if the service subscriber credential has not been authenticated within a set period of time.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless base station is further configured to receive a service request from another wireless access device and provide the requested service to the other wireless access device via the virtual wireless base station presence.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless base station is further configured to terminate the virtual wireless base station presence if the wireless access device is no longer subscribing to the requested service.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless base station is further configured to determine whether to initiate the virtual wireless base station presence based on whether another virtual wireless base station presence is initiated at the wireless base station and providing the requested service.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless base station is further configured to determine whether the requested service is indicated on a service list.

15. A wireless base station comprising:

memory comprising;

a first set of instructions executable by a processor, wherein the execution of the first set of instructions by the processor initiates a virtual wireless base station presence in response to a service request, wherein the requested service is a subset of a total number of services available and dynamically mapped to the wireless base station, and

a second set of instructions executable by the processor, wherein the execution of the second set of instructions initiates a second virtual wireless base station presence at a second wireless base station to maintain signal quality to the wireless access device while the wireless access device is roaming amongst service areas associated with each of the wireless base stations, and wherein the virtual wireless base station presence is terminated upon determination that no subscribing wireless access device remains within a service area of the wireless base station for a predetermined period of time;

an antenna configured to receive the service request from a wireless access device, the antenna further configured to broadcast a plurality of beacon frames indicating the availability of the requested service via the virtual wireless base station presence, the plurality of beacon frames broadcast in response to the service request from the wireless access device; and

a modem coupled to the antenna, the modem configured to provide the requested service via the virtual wireless base station presence.

16. The wireless base station of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to authenticate a service subscriber credential associated with the wireless access device.

17. The wireless base station of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises a second set of instructions executable by the processor, wherein the execution of the second set of instructions terminates the virtual wireless base station presence if the service subscriber credential has not been authenticated within a set period of time.

18. The wireless base station of claim 15, wherein the antenna is further configured to receive a service request from another wireless access device and the modem is further configured to provide the requested service to the other wireless access device via the virtual wireless base station presence.

19. The wireless base station of claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to terminate the virtual wireless base station presence if the wireless access device is no longer subscribing to the requested service.

20. The wireless base station of claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to determine whether to initiate the virtual wireless base station presence based on whether another virtual wireless base station presence is initiated at the wireless base station and providing the requested service.

21. The wireless base station of claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable by the processor to determine whether the requested service is indicated on a service list.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon instructions for providing on-demand wireless services when executed by a processor, the instructions executable to perform the steps of:

receiving a service request from a wireless access device;

initiating a virtual wireless base station presence in response to the service request, the virtual wireless base station presence initiated at a physical wireless base station configured to provide the requested service, wherein the requested service is a subset of a total number of services available and dynamically mapped to the physical wireless base station;

broadcasting a plurality of beacon frames from the wireless base station, wherein the plurality of beacon frames indicate the availability of the requested service via the virtual wireless base station presence and are broadcast in response to the service request from the wireless access device;

providing the requested service to the wireless access device via the virtual wireless base station presence; and

initiating a second virtual wireless base station presence at a second wireless base station to maintain signal quality to the wireless access device while the wireless access device is roaming amongst service areas associated with each of the wireless base stations, and wherein the virtual wireless base station presence is terminated upon determination that no subscribing wireless access device remains within a service area of the wireless base station for a predetermined period of time.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable to authenticate a service subscriber credential associated with the wireless access device.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable to terminate the virtual wireless base station presence if the service subscriber credential has not been authenticated within a set period of time.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a service request from another wireless access device; and

provide the requested service to the other wireless access device via the virtual wireless base station presence.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable to terminate the virtual wireless base station presence if the wireless access device is no longer subscribing to the requested service.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine whether to initiate the virtual wireless base station presence based on whether another virtual wireless base station presence is initiated at the wireless base station and providing the requested service.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine further whether the requested service is indicated on a service list.