Wireless local access network system detection and selection

• US 8,064,927 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hsu, Raymond Tah-Sheng, Sinnarajah, Ragulan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/844,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20100291863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.04, 455/458, 455/456.2, 455/552.1, 455/456.1, 455/433, 455/411, 455/422.1, 455/414.1, 455/179.1, 455/160, 455/41.2, 455/435.2, 455/443, 455/436, 455/3.01, 455/420, 370/352, 370/328, 370/338, 370/329, 370/331, 370/252, 370/401, 370/419, 370/312, 370/324, 370/343, 370/326, 709/218, 709/227, 709/51, 709/78
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection

Abstract

Method and apparatus for detection and selection of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) service. A cellular network may provide an advertisement for a WLAN, such as in an overhead signaling message. The advertisement may identify the Access Point(s) by an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID). The remote station may then scan for the WLAN service automatically or manually.

Claims

1. A method for transferring communications between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN), comprising:

receiving, at a first wireless device, a WLAN advertisement on a common communication channel of the cellular network, wherein the WLAN advertisement includes an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) corresponding to the WLAN; and

sending an instruction to enable a second wireless device to scan for a WLAN beacon of the WLAN, based on the WLAN advertisement.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a notification of receipt of the WLAN advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to disconnect the first wireless device from the cellular network; and

disconnecting the first wireless device from the cellular network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to resume communication with the cellular network; and

reestablishing communications with the cellular network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the WLAN advertisement comprises receiving the WLAN advertisement periodically.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the WLAN advertisement comprises identifying the WLAN as having a roaming agreement with the cellular network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is one of a PC card, compact flash, external modem or internal modem.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is a laptop computer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the ESSID to an ESSID list; and

in response to the ESSID in the WLAN advertisement matching an ESSID in the ESSID list, executing the sending the instruction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN advertisement comprises position information for an Access Point (AP) supporting the WLAN.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

comparing the position information to a current location of the first wireless device; and

determining if the current location of the first wireless device is proximate to the AP.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the position information includes the latitude and the longitude of the AP.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the position information for the AP on the second wireless device.

14. An apparatus configured to transfer communications between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN), comprising:

means for receiving, at a first wireless device, a WLAN advertisement on a common communication channel of the cellular network, wherein the WLAN advertisement includes an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) corresponding to the WLAN; and

means for sending an instruction to enable a second wireless device to scan for a WLAN beacon of the WLAN, based on the WLAN advertisement.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for transmitting a notification of receipt of the WLAN advertisement.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for receiving an instruction to disconnect the first wireless device from the cellular network; and

means for disconnecting the first wireless device from the cellular network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving an instruction to resume communication with the cellular network; and

means for reestablishing communications with the cellular network.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, comprising means for receiving the WLAN advertisement periodically.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, comprising means for identifying the WLAN as having a roaming agreement with the cellular network.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first device is one of a PC card, compact flash, external modem or internal modem.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second device is a laptop computer.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for comparing the ESSID to an ESSID list; and

means for executing the sending the instruction in response to the ESSID in the WLAN advertisement matching an ESSID in the ESSID list.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the WLAN advertisement comprises position information for an Access Point (AP) supporting the WLAN.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for comparing the position information to a current location of the first wireless device; and

means for determining if the current location of the first wireless device is proximate to the AP.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the position information includes the latitude and the longitude of the AP.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for displaying the position information for the AP on the second wireless device.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, at a first wireless device a WLAN advertisement on a common communication channel of the cellular network, wherein the WLAN advertisement includes an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) corresponding to the WLAN; and

send an instruction to enable, based on the WLAN advertisement, a second wireless device to scan for a WLAN beacon of the WLAN.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

transmit a notification of receipt of the WLAN advertisement.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive an instruction to disconnect the first wireless device from the cellular network; and

disconnect the first wireless device from the cellular network.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive an instruction to resume communication with the cellular network; and

reestablish communications with the cellular network.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

receive the WLAN advertisement periodically.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

identify the WLAN as having a roaming agreement with the cellular network.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the first device is one of a PC card, compact flash, external modem or internal modem.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the second device is a laptop computer.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

compare the ESSID to an ESSID list; and

execute the sending the instruction in response to the ESSID in the WLAN advertisement matching an ESSID in the ESSID list.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the WLAN advertisement comprises position information for an Access Point (AP) supporting the WLAN.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

compare the position information to a current location of the first wireless device; and

determine if the current location of the first wireless device is proximate to the AP.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the position information includes the latitude and the longitude of the AP.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions that, if executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

display the position information for the AP on the second wireless device.

40. A first wireless device configured to transfer communications between a cellular network and a Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN), comprising:

a tuner configured to receive a WLAN advertisement on a common communication channel of the cellular network, wherein the WLAN advertisement includes an Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID) corresponding to the WLAN; and

a processor coupled to the tuner, and configured to send an instruction to enable, based on the WLAN advertisement, a second wireless device to scan for a WLAN beacon of the WLAN.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to transmit a notification of receipt of the WLAN advertisement.

42. The device of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to receive an instruction to disconnect the first wireless device from the cellular network, and to disconnect the first wireless device from the cellular network.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured to receive an instruction to resume communication with the cellular network, and the tuner is configured to reestablish communications with the cellular network based on the instruction to resume communication.

44. The device of claim 40, wherein the tuner is configured to receive the WLAN advertisement periodically.

45. The device of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to identify the WLAN as having a roaming agreement with the cellular network.

46. The device of claim 40, wherein the first device is one of a PC card, compact flash, external modem or internal modem.

47. The device of claim 40, wherein the second device is a laptop computer.

48. The device of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to compare the ESSID to an ESSID list, and send the instruction to enable in response to the ESSID in the WLAN advertisement matching an ESSID in the ESSID list.

49. The device of claim 40, wherein the WLAN advertisement comprises position information for an Access Point (AP) supporting the WLAN.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein the processor is configured to compare the position information to a current location of the first wireless device;

and to determine if the current location of the first wireless device is proximate to the AP.

51. The device of claim 49, wherein the position information includes the latitude and the longitude of the AP.

52. The device of claim 49, wherein the processor is configured to display the position information for the AP on the second wireless device.