Detection of a multi-mode portable communication device at a mesh network

• US 8,102,825 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kalhan, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gu, Andy
• Application Number:
  US11/565,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A mesh network communication system includes a plurality of access points connected to a wireless local area network (WLAN) controller where at least one of the plurality access points is a detection access point (DAP) that received reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted from a multi-mode wireless communication device. Based on an intercepted RL WWAN signal, the DAP forwards reverse link (RL) information to the WLAN controller. Based on the RL information, the WLAN controller sends a device proximity message to the WWAN communication system where the device proximity message is based on the proximity of the multi-mode communication device to the mesh network communication network. One or more non-detection access points (NDAPs) of the plurality of access points are capable of providing WLAN service, and may also have the capability to receive RL WWAN signals, but do not send RL information to the WLAN controller.

Claims

1. A mesh network communication system for providing wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a mesh network service area, the mesh network communication system comprising:

a plurality of access points configured to provide WLAN service within the mesh network communication system, the plurality of access points comprising a detection access point (DAP) configured to detect a reverse link wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal transmitted by a multi-mode wireless communication device and a non-detection access point (NDAP) configured, at least temporarily, not to transmit any reverse link information related to any WWAN signals transmitted from any multi-mode wireless device; and

a WLAN controller connected to the plurality of access points through a backhaul and configured to receive, through the backhaul, reverse link information related to the reverse link WWAN signal transmitted by the multi-mode wireless communication device and received at the DAP.

2. The mesh network communication system of claim 1, wherein the DAP is configured to provide WLAN service within a DAP service area having at least a portion that overlaps with a criteria area having a criteria area perimeter, the NDAP configured to provide WLAN service within a NDAP service area, wherein no portion of the NDAP service area is closer to the criteria area perimeter than any portion of the DAP service area.

3. The mesh network communication system of claim 1, wherein the DAP is configured to provide WLAN service within a DAP service area having at least a portion that overlaps with a criteria area having a criteria area perimeter, the DAP service area having a DAP service area perimeter, the DAP service area perimeter including at least a portion that is closer to the criteria area perimeter than any portion of any other perimeter of any other access point service area that at least partially overlaps the criteria area.

4. The mesh network communication system of claim 1, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to send a device proximity message to a WWAN communication system, the device proximity message based on proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the DAP.

5. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to generate the device proximity message based on the reverse link information.

6. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, wherein the device proximity message comprises a request to establish wireless service to the multi-mode wireless communication device from the mesh network communication system.

7. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, further comprising:

another detection access point (DAP) configured to provide WLAN service within another DAP service area and configured to detect the reverse link WWAN signal, the WLAN controller further configured to receive other reverse link information related to the reverse link WWAN signal received at the another DAP, wherein the device proximity message is further based on the other reverse link information.

8. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to generate the device proximity message when the proximity is below a WLAN proximity threshold.

9. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, wherein the DAP comprises a WWAN reverse link receiver configured to receive the WWAN reverse link signal transmitted from the multi-mode communication device.

10. The mesh network communication system of claim 9, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to generate the device proximity message based on a received power level of the WWAN signal at the DAP.

11. The mesh network communication system of claim 10, wherein the DAP further comprises a forward link WWAN receiver configured to receive a forward link WWAN signal comprising control data for the multi-mode wireless communication device, the WLAN controller further configured to generate the device proximity message based, at least partially, on the control data and the received power level of the WWAN signal.

12. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, further comprising a non-detection access point (NDAP) configured to provide WLAN service within a NDAP service area surrounded by one or more peripheral service areas.

13. The mesh network communication system of claim 4, wherein the WLAN controller is configured to dynamically configure at least one of the plurality of access points to operate and as a DAP.

14. The mesh network communication system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of DAPs of the plurality of access points, the WLAN controller configured to dynamically configure the DAPs to enable transmission of reverse link information.

15. The mesh network communication system of claim 14, the WLAN controller further configured to dynamically configure each DAP to enable reception of reverse link WWAN signals.

16. The mesh network communication system of claim 1, wherein the WLAN controller is an access point.

17. A wireless local area network (WLAN) controller configured to communicate with a plurality of access points to form a mesh network providing WLAN service within a mesh network service area, the WLAN controller comprising:

an access point interface configured to receive reverse link information related to a reverse link wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal received at a detection access point (DAP) providing WLAN service within a DAP service area, the DAP configured to detect the reverse link wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal transmitted by a multi-mode wireless communication device; and

a WWAN interface configured to send a device proximity message to a WWAN communication system, the device proximity message based on proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the DAP, wherein the DAP is configured to provide WLAN service within a DAP service area having at least a portion that overlaps with a criteria area having a criteria area perimeter, the DAP service area having a DAP service area perimeter, the DAP service area perimeter including at least a portion that is closer to the criteria area perimeter than any portion of any other perimeter of any other access point service area that at least partially overlaps the criteria area.

18. The WLAN controller of claim 17, wherein the DAP is selected from the plurality of access points based on a relationship to the criteria area.

19. The WLAN controller of claim 18, further comprising a processor for selecting the DAP and generating control information to configure the DAP to transmit the reverse link information.

20. The WLAN controller of claim 17, further comprising:

a processor configured to generate the device proximity message based on the reverse link information.

21. The WLAN controller of claim 20, wherein the device proximity message comprises a request to establish wireless service to the multi-mode wireless communication device from the mesh network communication system.

22. The WLAN controller of claim 20, the access point interface further configured to receive other reverse link information from another detection access point configured to provide WLAN service within another DAP service area, the other reverse link information related to the reverse link WWAN signal received at the another detection access point, wherein the device proximity message is further based on the other information.

23. A mesh network communication system comprising a plurality of wireless local area network (WLAN) access points, each configured to provide WLAN service in a WLAN access point service area within a mesh network service area provided by the mesh network communication system, the plurality of WLAN access points comprising:

a non-detection access point (NDAP) configured to provide WLAN service within a non-detection WLAN service area and configured, at least temporarily, not to transmit any reverse link information related to any wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted from any multi-mode wireless device; and

a detection access point (DAP) configured to provide wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a DAP service area, the DAP service area having a DAP service area perimeter, the DAP comprising;

a WLAN interface configured to provide the WLAN service within the DAP service area, the DAP service area at least partially overlapping a criteria area having a criteria area perimeter, the DAP service area perimeter including at least a portion that is closer to the criteria area perimeter than any portion of any other perimeter of any other WLAN access point service area provided by the plurality of WLAN access points;

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) reverse link (RL) receiver configured to receive a WWAN RL signal transmitted by a multi-mode wireless communication device capable of communicating in a WWAN and in a WLAN;

a controller configured to determine a RL signal characteristic of the WWAN RL signal; and

a network interface configured to send reverse link signal information based on the RL signal characteristic to a WLAN controller configured to manage the mesh network communication system, the reverse link signal information facilitating a determination by the WLAN controller that the multi-mode wireless communication device is within the criteria area.

24. The mesh network communication system of claim 23, where the reverse link signal information is based on a reverse link signal propagation time.

25. The mesh network communication system of claim 23, where the reverse link signal information is based on a reverse link signal propagation power attenuation.

26. The mesh network communication system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of DAPs providing a plurality of DAP service areas having DAP service area perimeters, the WLAN service area having a WLAN service area perimeter formed by portions of the DAP service area perimeters.

27. A mesh network communication system for providing wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a mesh network service area, the mesh network communication system comprising:

a plurality of access points configured to provide WLAN service within the mesh network communication system, the plurality of access points comprising a detection access point (DAP) and a non-detection access point (NDAP) configured, at least temporarily, not to transmit any reverse link information related to any wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted from any multi-mode wireless device, the DAP comprising;

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver configured to receive a reverse link (RL) WWAN signal transmitted by a multi-mode wireless communication device located within a criteria area and

a WLAN network interface configured to transmit reverse link information related to the RL WWAN signal through a backhaul; and

a WLAN controller comprising;

an access point interface connected to the plurality of access points through the backhaul, the access point interface configured to receive the reverse link information;

a processor configured to determine that the multi-mode wireless communication device is located within the criteria area based on the reverse link information and that the multi-mode wireless communication device is located at least near the mesh network service area.

28. The mesh network communication system of claim 27, wherein the DAP service area has at least a portion that overlaps with the criteria area, the criteria area having a criteria area perimeter, wherein no portion of the NDAP service area is closer to the criteria area perimeter than any portion of the DAP service area.

29. The mesh network communication system of claim 27, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to send a device proximity message to a WWAN communication system, the device proximity message based on proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point.

30. A mesh network communication system for providing wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a mesh network service area, the mesh network communication system comprising:

a plurality of access points configured to provide WLAN service within the mesh network communication system, the plurality of access points comprising a plurality of detection access points (DAPs) and a non-detection access point (NDAP) configured, at least temporarily, not to transmit any reverse link information related to any wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted from any multi-mode wireless device; and

a WLAN controller connected to the plurality of access points through a backhaul and configured to;

dynamically configure at least one of the plurality of access points to operate as a DAP;

dynamically configure the DAPs to enable transmission of reverse link information;

receive reverse link information related to a reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal transmitted by a multi-mode wireless communication device and received by at least one of the DAPs; and

send a device proximity message to a WWAN communication system, the device proximity message based on proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the DAP.

31. The mesh network communication system of claim 30, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to generate the device proximity message based on the reverse link information.

32. The mesh network communication system of claim 30, wherein the device proximity message comprises a request to establish wireless service to the multi-mode wireless communication device from the mesh network communication system.

33. The mesh network communication system of claim 30, further comprising:

another detection access point (DAP) configured to provide WLAN service within another DAP service area, the WLAN controller further configured to receive other reverse link information related to the reverse link WWAN signal received at the another DAP, wherein the device proximity message is further based on the other reverse link information.

34. The mesh network communication system of claim 30, wherein the WLAN controller is further configured to generate the device proximity message when the proximity is below a WLAN proximity threshold.

35. The mesh network communication system of claim 30, wherein the DAP comprises a WWAN reverse link receiver configured to receive the WWAN reverse link signal transmitted from the multi-mode communication device.

36. The mesh network communication system of claim 30, the WLAN controller further configured to dynamically configure each DAP to enable reception of reverse link WWAN signals.

37. A wireless local area network (WLAN) controller configured to communicate with a plurality of access points to form a mesh network providing WLAN service within a mesh network service area, the WLAN controller comprising:

an access point interface configured to receive reverse link information related to a reverse link wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal received at a detection access point (DAP) providing WLAN service within a DAP service area;

a WWAN interface configured to send a device proximity message to a WWAN communication system, the device proximity message based on proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the DAP; and

a processor for selecting the DAP from the plurality of access points based on a relationship to a criteria area and for generating control information to configure the DAP to transmit the reverse link information, the plurality of access points comprising a non-detecting access point (NDAP) configured, at least temporarily, not to transmit any reverse link information related to any wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted from any multi-mode wireless device.

38. The WLAN controller of claim 37, further comprising:

a processor configured to generate the device proximity message based on the reverse link information.

39. The WLAN controller of claim 38, wherein the device proximity message comprises a request to establish wireless service to the multi-mode wireless communication device from the mesh network communication system.

40. The WLAN controller of claim 38, the access point interface further configured to receive other reverse link information from another detection access point configured to provide WLAN service within another DAP service area, the other reverse link information related to the reverse link WWAN signal received at the another detection access point, wherein the device proximity message is further based on the other information.