Apparatus, system and method for initiating WLAN service using beacon signals
First Claim
1. An access point comprising:
- a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to exchange WLAN signals with a multimode wireless communication device;
a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver configured to receive a WWAN uplink signal transmitted from the multimode wireless communication device;
WWAN transmitter configured to transmit a beacon signal to the multimode wireless communication device within a WWAN frequency band when the WWAN uplink signal indicates that a distance between the multimode wireless communication device and the access point is less than a proximity threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An access point transmits a beacon signal when a multimode communication device is within a maximum proximity of the access point. A wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver in the access point monitors a WWAN uplink channel used by the multimode wireless communication device to communicate with a WWAN base station. The access point determines, or at least estimates, a proximity of the multimode communication device to the access point based on a received WWAN uplink signal transmitted by the multimode wireless communication device. If the proximity is less than a proximity threshold, the access point transmits the beacon signal. The beacon signal at least indicates the presence of the access point and, in some circumstances, includes instructions or information to assist in a handoff from the WWAN to the WLAN.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An access point comprising:
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a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to exchange WLAN signals with a multimode wireless communication device; a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver configured to receive a WWAN uplink signal transmitted from the multimode wireless communication device; WWAN transmitter configured to transmit a beacon signal to the multimode wireless communication device within a WWAN frequency band when the WWAN uplink signal indicates that a distance between the multimode wireless communication device and the access point is less than a proximity threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method performed at an access point configured to communicate with a multimode wireless communication device, the method comprising:
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receiving a wireless wide area network (WWAN) downlink signal comprising uplink transmission control information; receiving a WWAN uplink signal from the multimode wireless communication device; determining a proximity of the multimode wireless communication device to the access point based on the uplink transmission control information and the WWAN uplink signal; transmitting a beacon signal within a WWAN frequency band to the multimode wireless communication device when the proximity is less than a threshold; and exchanging wireless local area network (WLAN) signals with the multimode wireless communication device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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an access point comprising; a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to exchange WLAN signals with a multimode wireless communication device; a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver configured to receive a WWAN uplink signal transmitted from the multimode wireless communication device; a WWAN transmitter configured to transmit a beacon signal within a WWAN frequency band when the WWAN uplink signal indicates that a distance between the multi mode wireless communication device and the access point is less than a proximity threshold; and at least one multimode wireless communication device, operative to receive the beacon signal and to exchange WLAN signals with the access point. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A multimode wireless communication device comprising:
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a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver to receive wireless communication signals within a WWAN downlink frequency band from a WWAN base station and to receive a beacon signal within the WWAN downlink frequency band from an access point; a WLAN receiver to receive WLAN signals from the access point; and a processor to activate, in response to a determination that a characteristic of the beacons signal exceeds a threshold, the WLAN receiver to receive the WLAN signals. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification