Methods and devices for interworking of wireless wide area networks and wireless local area networks or wireless personal area networks

• US 8,311,543 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Dravida, Subrahmanyam, Walton, Jay Rodney, Nanda, Sanjiv, Surineni, Shravan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US11/240,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,601 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 455/436, 455/437, 455/439
• US Class Current: 455/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/304 due to measured or perceived resources with higher communication quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Embodiments describe utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network. A method can include receiving beacon information from at least one access point and utilizing time-stamp information associated with the beacon information to determine whether to hand off communication with a second access point. According to other embodiments the method can further include detecting beacon quality is below a threshold level and transmitting a poor beacon quality message. Information relating to a plurality of alternate access points can be received in response to the transmitted poor beacon quality message.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving, at a first mobile device and from a first access point, beacon information corresponding to a second access point;

wherein the beacon information was previously received at the first access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the beacon information includes a timing of a beacon of the second access point based on a receipt of the beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing of the beacon of the second access point comprises time-stamp information representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the second mobile device; and

utilizing the time-stamp information associated with the beacon information to determine whether to hand off a communication of the first mobile device to the second access point.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a quality associated with a channel of the communication is below a threshold level;

transmitting a poor quality message; and

wherein the receiving further comprises receiving information relating to a plurality of alternate access points in response to the transmitted poor quality message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

choosing between the plurality of alternate access points depending at least in part on an application of the first mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of alternate access points having a beacon quality level above a predetermined threshold, wherein the plurality of access points comprise at least one of a Wireless Wide-Area Network (WWAN), Wireless Local-Area Network (WLAN) or Wireless Personal-Area Network (WPAN).

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining through a WWAN or WLAN functionality to switch between a WWAN and a WLAN to achieve a superior bandwidth or signal strength.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the information relating to the plurality of alternate access points include respective channels or beacon transmission times.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-stamp information is defined by a GPS technology or is defined relative to a WWAN timing.

8. A method for performing a handoff in a wireless network, comprising:

transmitting, by a first mobile device, location information defining a location of the first mobile device;

obtaining, from a WWAN access point, beacon timing information for a beacon of a WLAN access point in a proximity of the first mobile device based on the location information;

wherein the beacon timing information was previously received at the WWAN access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the beacon timing information includes a timing of the beacon of the WLAN access point based on a receipt of the beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the beacon timing information of the beacon of the WLAN access point represents a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the second mobile device; and

ascertaining whether to transfer the first mobile device between the WWAN and the WLAN based at least in part on the beacon timing information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein ascertaining whether to transfer between the WWAN and the WLAN further comprises:

determining if bandwidth of the WWAN or the WLAN is sufficient to accommodate an application of the first mobile device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

switching from the WWAN to the WLAN if bandwidth or signal strength is superior on the WLAN than on the WWAN.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

switching from the WLAN to the WWAN if bandwidth or signal strength is superior on the WWAN than on the WLAN.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the beacon timing information is defined by a GPS technology or is defined relative to a WWAN timing.

13. A mobile device, comprising:

a WLAN component configured to communicate with one or more WLANs;

a WWAN component configured to receive from a WWAN one or more beacon timings of one or more beacons associated with one or more WLANs;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing was previously received at the WWAN from at least one second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing includes a timing of each beacon of each WLAN based on a receipt of the respective beacon by the respective second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing represents a time on the respective second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the corresponding beacon at the respective second mobile device;

a memory that stores a requirement relating to a device application; and

a processor that analyzes information stored in the memory and determines if at least one WLAN satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding WLAN beacon timing and recommends a handoff to the at least one WLAN.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, further comprising a coupling to a computer to utilize the WWAN component or WLAN component through the computer.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein at least one beacon timing associated with the one or more WLANs is utilized by the processor to determinate a handoff management schedule.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the handoff management schedule is based at least in part on channel quality information.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the handoff management schedule is based in part on tuning to each of the one or more WLANs at corresponding beacon timings and measuring received channel quality information received from each of the one or more WLANs.

18. An apparatus for enhancing network communication through time-based information, comprising:

means for receiving, at the apparatus and from a WWAN access point, beacon information corresponding to one or more WLAN access points;

wherein the beacon information was previously received at the WWAN access point from at least one second apparatus;

wherein the beacon information includes a timing of each beacon of each of the one or more WLAN access points based on a receipt of each beacon by the at least one second apparatus;

wherein the timing of each beacon of each of the one or more WLAN access points comprises a time stamp representing a time on the at least one second apparatus corresponding to an arrival of the respective beacon at the at least one second apparatus; and

means for deciding whether to handoff the apparatus from the WWAN access point to a WLAN access point based at least in part on the time stamp associated with the beacon of the WLAN access point.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for managing a handoff schedule to accommodate an application of the apparatus.

41. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the time stamp associated with the beacon of the WLAN access point is defined by a GPS technology of the mobile device or is defined relative to a WWAN timing.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for:

receiving, at a mobile device, a beacon Comprising beacon information from one or more access points, wherein the beacon information includes location information corresponding to each of the one or more access points;

associating a time-stamp with the beacon information, based on an arrival time at the mobile device of the beacon, utilizing a timing of a Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality;

transmitting the time-stamp and the beacon information to a network management system through a WWAN functionality;

receiving a listing of local access points and corresponding beacon arrival times relative to the timing of the GPS functionality based on the location information corresponding to the beacon information;

wherein one or more of the beacon arrival times were previously received at the network management system from one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times correspond to a beacon of one or more of the local access points based on a receipt of the beacon by the one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times comprise time-stamp information representing a time on the one or more second mobile devices corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the respective second mobile device; and

determining, based on the listing, a handoff management schedule between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions for:

sending a message when a beacon quality has fallen below a threshold level;

wherein receiving the listing of local access points is in response to the sending of the message; and

switching between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN to achieve a beacon quality at or above the threshold level.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions for:

determining through a WWAN or WLAN functionality to switch between a WWAN network and a WLAN network to achieve a superior bandwidth or signal strength.

23. A processor that executes instructions for seamless switching of a mobile device between WWAN and WLAN, comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device and froth a WWAN access point, timing information of at least one WLAN beacon corresponding to at least one WLAN access point;

wherein the timing information was previously received at the WWAN access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is based on a receipt of the at least one WLAN beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is defined by a time-stamp representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival time of the at least one WLAN beacon at the second mobile device;

detecting a WLAN beacon at a receipt time according to the received timing information;

detecting a beacon quality level;

transmitting the beacon quality level with the associated receipt time to a network management system; and

switching the mobile device between the WWAN access point and a WLAN access point based on information received from the management system in response to the transmitted beacon quality level and associated beacon receipt time.

24. A method for managing communications in a wireless network, comprising:

detecting at a mobile device presence of a WWAN and a plurality of WLANs;

receiving a beacon from at least one WLAN access point;

determining beacon timing information corresponding to the beacon, the beacon timing information representing a time on the mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the mobile device; and

transmitting the beacon timing information to a WWAN access point, wherein the WWAN access point is capable of receiving and storing the beacon timing information, and wherein the WWAN access point is capable of distributing the beacon timing information to other mobile devices for ascertaining whether to transfer between the WWAN and one of the plurality of WLANs based at least in part on the associated WLAN beacon timing.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein determining the beacon timing information comprises determining using a GPS component on the mobile device.

31. The method, of claim 24, further comprising determining the beacon timing information using a WWAN component operable to receive a network signal indicating the beacon timing of the WLAN beacon relative to a network timing.

26. A mobile device, comprising:

a WLAN component operable to receive a beacon from a WLAN;

a time-stamp indicating a beacon timing of the WLAN beacon, wherein the time-stamp represents a time on the mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the WLAN beacon at the mobile device;

a processor operable to identify a network management device associated with the WWAN and to provide to the identified network management device with the WLAN beacon timing, wherein the network management device is capable of receiving and storing the WLAN beacon timing, and wherein the network management device is capable of distributing the beacon timing to other mobile devices for ascertaining whether to handoff between the WWAN and WLAN using the provided beacon timing.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising a GPS component operable to receive a GPS signal indicating the beacon timing of the WLAN beacon.

32. The device of claim 26, further comprising a WWAN component operable to receive a network signal indicating the beacon timing of the WLAN beacon relative to a network timing.

28. An apparatus for enhancing network communication through time-based information, comprising:

means for detecting at a mobile device presence of a WWAN and a plurality of WLANs;

means for receiving a beacon from at least one WLAN access point;

means for determining a beacon timing information corresponding to the beacon, wherein the beacon timing information represents a time on the mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the mobile device; and

means for transmitting the beacon timing information to a WWAN access point, wherein the WWAN access point is capable of receiving and storing the beacon timing information, and wherein the WWAN access point is capable of distributing the beacon timing information to other mobile devices for ascertaining whether to transfer between the WWAN and one of the plurality of WLANs based at least in part on the associated WLAN beacon timing.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for determining the beacon timing information using a GPS component.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for determining the beacon timing information relative to a network timing using a WWAN component.

33. A method of performing a handoff, comprising:

receiving a beacon at a mobile device, the beacon comprising beacon information from one or more access points, wherein the beacon information includes location information corresponding to each of the one or more access points;

associating a time-stamp with the beacon information, based on an arrival time at the mobile device of the beacon, utilizing a timing of a Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality;

transmitting the time-stamp and the beacon information to a network management system through a WWAN functionality;

receiving a listing of local access points and corresponding beacon arrival times relative to the timing of the GPS functionality based on the location information corresponding to the beacon information;

wherein one or more of the beacon arrival times were previously received at the network management system from one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times correspond to a beacon of one or more of the local access points based on a receipt of the beacon by the one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times comprise time-stamp information representing a time on the one or more second mobile devices corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the respective second mobile device; and

determining, based on the listing, a handoff management schedule between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

sending a message when a beacon quality has fallen below a threshold level;

wherein receiving the listing of local access points is in response to the sending of the message; and

switching between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN to achieve a beacon quality at or above the threshold level.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining through a WWAN or WLAN functionality to switch between a WWAN network and a WLAN network to achieve a superior bandwidth or signal strength.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

obtaining a requirement relating to a device application; and

determining if at least one of the access points in the listing satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding beacon arrival times and recommending a handoff to the at least one access point.

37. A mobile device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a beacon comprising beacon information from one or more access points, wherein the beacon information includes location information corresponding to each of the one or more access points;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality having a timing;

a processor configured to associate a time-stamp with the beacon information, wherein the time-stamp indicates an arrival time at the mobile device of the beacon utilizing the timing of the GPS functionality;

a WWAN functionality configured to transmit the time-stamp and the beacon information to a network management system and to receive a listing of local access points and corresponding beacon arrival times relative to the timing of the GPS functionality based on the location information corresponding to the beacon information;

wherein one or more of the beacon arrival times were previously received at the network management system from one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times correspond to a beacon of one or more of the local access points based on a receipt of the beacon by the one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times comprise time-stamp information representing a time on the one or more second mobile devices corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the respective second mobile device; and

wherein the processor is further configured to determine, based on the listing, a handoff management schedule between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN.

38. The mobile device of claim 37, further comprising:

wherein the WWAN functionality is further configured to send a message when a beacon quality has fallen below a threshold level;

wherein the WWAN functionality is further configured to receive the listing of local access points is in response to the sending of the message; and

wherein the processor is further configured to switch between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN to achieve a beacon quality at or above the threshold level.

39. The mobile device of claim 37, further comprising a WLAN functionality, and wherein the WWAN functionality or the WLAN functionality are configured to assist the processor in determining to switch between a WWAN network and a WLAN network to achieve a superior bandwidth or signal strength.

40. The mobile device of claim 37, further comprising:

a device application having a requirement relating to a communication; and

wherein the processor is further configured to determine if at least one of the access points in the listing satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding beacon arrival times and to recommend a handoff to the at least one access point.

42. A computer program product for utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising;

at least one instruction executable by a computer to receive, at a first mobile device and from a first access point, beacon information corresponding to a second access point;

wherein the beacon information was previously received at the first access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the beacon information includes a timing of a beacon of the second access point based on a receipt of the beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing of the beacon of the second access point comprises time-stamp information representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the second mobile device; and

at least one instruction executable by the computer to utilize the time-stamp information associated with the beacon information to determine whether to hand off a communication of the first mobile device to the second access point.

43. At least one processor for utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

a first processing unit, including hardware, to receive beacon information corresponding to a second access point at a first mobile device from a first access point;

wherein the beacon information was previously received at the first access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the beacon information includes a timing of a beacon of the second access point based on a receipt of the beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing of the beacon of the second access point comprises time-stamp information representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the second mobile device; and

a second processing unit to utilize the time-stamp information associated with the beacon information to determine whether to hand off a communication of the first mobile device to the second access point.

44. A mobile device for utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

a receiver to receive beacon information corresponding to a second access point at a first mobile device from a first access point;

wherein the beacon information was previously received at the first access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the beacon information includes a timing of a beacon of the second access point based on a receipt of the beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing of the beacon of the second access point comprises time-stamp information representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the second mobile device; and

a processor to utilize the time-stamp information associated with the beacon information to determine whether to hand off a communication of the first mobile device to the second access point.

45. The mobile device of claim 44, further comprising:

wherein the processor is further capable of detecting a quality associated with a channel of the communication is below a threshold level;

a transmitter to transmit a poor quality message; and

wherein the receiver is further capable of receiving information relating to a plurality of alternate access points in response to the transmitted poor quality message.

46. The mobile device of claim 45, wherein the processor is further capable of choosing between the plurality of alternate access points depending at least in part on an application of the first mobile device.

47. The mobile device of claim 45, wherein the processor is further capable of selecting one of the plurality of alternate access points having a beacon quality level above a predetermined threshold, wherein the plurality of access points comprise at least one of a Wireless Wide-Area Network (WWAN), Wireless Local-Area Network (WLAN) or Wireless Personal-Area Network (WPAN).

48. The mobile device of claim 45, wherein the processor is further capable of determining through a WWAN or WLAN functionality to switch between a WWAN and a WLAN to achieve a superior bandwidth or signal strength.

49. A mobile device, comprising:

means for communicating with one or more WLANs;

means for receiving from a WWAN one or more beacon timings of one or more beacons associated with one or more WLANs;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing was previously received at the WWAN from at least one second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing includes a timing of each beacon of each WLAN based on a receipt of the respective beacon by the respective second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing represents a time on the respective second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the corresponding beacon at the respective second mobile device;

means for storing a requirement relating to a device application; and

means for analyzing information stored in the memory and determining if at least one WLAN satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding WLAN beacon timing and recommends a handoff to the at least one WLAN.

50. A computer program product for utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising;

at least one instruction executable by a computer to communicate with one or more WLANs;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to receive from a WWAN one or more beacon timings of one or more beacons associated with one or more WLANs;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing was previously received at the WWAN from at least one second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing includes a timing of each beacon of each WLAN based on a receipt of the respective beacon by the respective second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing represents a time on the respective second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the corresponding beacon at the respective second mobile device;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to store a requirement relating to a device application; and

at least one instruction executable by the computer to analyze information stored in the memory and determine if at least one WLAN satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding WLAN beacon timing and recommends a handoff to the at least one WLAN.

51. At least one processor for utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

a first processing unit, comprising hardware, to communicate with one or more WLANs;

a second processing unit to receive from a WWAN one or more beacon timings of one or more beacons associated with one or more WLANs;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing was previously received at the WWAN from at least one second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing includes a timing of each beacon of each WLAN based on a receipt of the respective beacon by the respective second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing represents a time on the respective second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the corresponding beacon at the respective second mobile device;

a third processing unit to store a requirement relating to a device application; and

a fourth processing unit to analyze information stored in the memory and determine if at least one WLAN satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding WLAN beacon timing and recommends a handoff to the at least one WLAN.

52. A method of utilizing time-based information to improve communication in a wireless network, comprising:

communicating via a WLAN component with one or more WLANs;

receiving, via a WWAN component and from a WWAN, one or more beacon timings of one or more beacons associated with one or more WLANs;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing was previously received at the WWAN from at least one second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing includes a timing of each beacon of each WLAN based on a receipt of the respective beacon by the respective second mobile device;

wherein each WLAN beacon timing represents a time on the respective second mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the corresponding beacon at the respective second mobile device;

storing a requirement relating to a device application; and

analyzing, by a processor, information stored in the memory and determining if at least one WLAN satisfies the device application requirement based in part on the corresponding WLAN beacon timing and recommends a handoff to the at least one WLAN.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising a coupling to a computer to utilize the WWAN component or the WLAN component through the computer.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein at least one beacon timing associated with the one or more WLANs is utilized by the processor to determine a handoff management schedule.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the handoff management schedule is based at least in part on channel quality information.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the handoff management schedule is based in part on tuning to each of the one or more WLANs at corresponding beacon timings and measuring received channel quality information received from each of the one or more WLANs.

57. A mobile device capable of performing a handoff, comprising:

means for receiving a beacon comprising beacon information from one or more access points, wherein the beacon information include location information corresponding to each of the one or more access points;

means for associating a time-stamp with the beacon information, based on an arrival time at the mobile device of the beacon, utilizing a timing of a Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality;

means for transmitting the time-stamp and the beacon information to a network management system;

means for receiving a listing of local access points and corresponding beacon arrival times relative to the timing of the GPS functionality based on the location information corresponding to the beacon information;

wherein one or more of the beacon arrival times were previously received at the network management system from one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times correspond to a beacon of one or more of the local access points based on a receipt of the beacon by the one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times comprise time-stamp information representing a time on the one or more second mobile devices corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the respective second mobile device; and

means for determining, based on the listing, a handoff management schedule between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN.

58. At least one processor capable of performing a handoff, comprising:

a first processing unit, comprising hardware, to receive a beacon comprising beacon information from one or more access points, wherein the beacon information includes location information corresponding to each of the one or more access points;

a second processing unit to associate a time-stamp with the beacon information, based on an arrival time at the mobile device of the beacon, utilizing a timing of a Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality;

a third processing unit to transmit the time-stamp and the beacon information to a network management system;

a fourth processing unit to receive a listing of local access points and corresponding beacon arrival times relative to the timing of the GPS functionality based on the location information corresponding to the beacon information;

wherein one or more of the beacon arrival times were previously received at the network management system from one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times correspond to a beacon of one or more of the local access points based on a receipt of the beacon by the one or more second mobile devices;

wherein the one or more beacon arrival times comprise time-stamp information representing a time on the one or more second mobile devices corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the respective second mobile device; and

a fifth processing unit to determine, based on the listing, a handoff management schedule between a WWAN, WLAN or WPAN.

59. A mobile device for seamless switching between a WWAN and a WLAN, comprising:

means or receiving, from a WWAN access point, timing information of at least one WLAN beacon corresponding to at least one WLAN access point;

wherein the timing information was previously received at the WWAN access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is based on a receipt of the at least one WLAN beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is defined by a time-stamp representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival time of the at least one WLAN beacon at the second mobile device;

means or detecting a WLAN beacon at a receipt time according to the received timing information;

means or detecting a beacon quality level;

means for transmitting the beacon quality level with the associated receipt time to a network management system; and

means for switching the mobile device between the WWAN access point and a WLAN access point based on information received from the management system in response to the transmitted beacon quality level and associated beacon receipt time.

60. A computer program product for seamless switching between a WWAN and a WLAN, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising;

at least one instruction executable by a computer to receive, at a mobile device and from a WWAN access point, timing information of at least one WLAN beacon corresponding to at least one WLAN access point;

wherein the timing information was previously received at the WWAN access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is based on a receipt of the at least one WLAN beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is defined by a time-stamp representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival time of the at least one WLAN beacon at the second mobile device;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to detect a WLAN beacon at a receipt time according to the received timing information;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to detect a beacon quality level;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to transmit the beacon quality level with the associated receipt time to a network management system; and

at least one instruction executable by the computer to switch the mobile device between the WWAN access point and a WLAN access point based on information received from the management system in response to the transmitted beacon quality level and associated beacon receipt time.

61. A method executable by a mobile device for seamless switching between a WWAN and a WLAN, comprising:

receiving, at a receiver and from a WWAN access point, timing information of at least one WLAN beacon corresponding to at least one WLAN access point;

wherein the timing information was previously received at the WWAN access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is based on a receipt of the at least one WLAN beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is defined by a time-stamp representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival time of the at least one WLAN beacon at the second more device;

detecting a WLAN beacon at a receipt time according to the received timing information;

detecting a beacon quality level;

transmitting the beacon quality level with the associated receipt time to a network management system; and

switching the mobile device between the WWAN access point and a WLAN access point based on information received from the management system in response to the transmitted beacon quality level and associated beacon receipt time.

62. A mobile device for seamless switching between a WWAN and a WLAN, comprising:

a receiver to receive, from a WWAN access point, timing information of at least one WLAN beacon corresponding to at least one WLAN access point;

wherein the timing information was previously received at the WWAN access point from a second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is based on a receipt of the at least one WLAN beacon by the second mobile device;

wherein the timing information is defined by a time-stamp representing a time on the second mobile device corresponding to an arrival time of the at least one WLAN beacon at the second mobile device;

wherein the receive is further to detect a WLAN beacon at a receipt time according to the received timing information, and to detect a beacon quality level;

a transmitter to transmit the beacon quality level with the associated receipt time to a network management system; and

a processor to switch the mobile device between the WWAN access point and a WLAN access point based on information received from the management system in response to the transmitted be on quality level and associated beacon receipt time.

63. A computer program product for managing communications in a wireless network, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising;

at least one instruction executable by a computer to detect, at a mobile device, presence of a WWAN and a plurality of WLANs;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to receive a beacon from at least one WLAN access point;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to determine beacon timing information corresponding to the beacon, the beacon timing information representing a time on the mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the mobile device; and

at least one instruction executable by the computer to transmit the beacon timing information to a WWAN access point for storage and distribution thereof to other mobile devices for ascertaining whether to transfer between the WWAN and one of the plurality of WLANs based at least in part on the associated WLAN beacon timing.

64. At least one processor to manage communications in a wireless network, comprising:

a first processing unit, comprising hardware, to detect at a mobile device presence of a WWAN and a plurality of WLANs;

a second processing unit to receive a beacon from at least one WLAN access point;

a third processing unit to determine beacon timing information corresponding to the beacon, the beacon timing information representing a time on the mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the mobile device; and

a fourth processing unit to transmit the beacon timing information to a WWAN access point for storage and distribution thereof to other mobile devices for ascertaining whether to transfer between the WWAN and one of the plurality of WLANs based at least in part on the associated WLAN beacon timing.

65. A computer program product for enhancing network communication through time-based information, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising;

at least one instruction executable by a computer to detect at a mobile device presence of a WWAN and a plurality of WLANs;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to receive a beacon from at least one WLAN access point;

at least one instruction executable by the computer to determine a beacon timing information corresponding to the beacon, wherein the beacon timing information represents a time on the mobile device corresponding to an arrival of the beacon at the mobile device; and

at least one instruction executable by the computer to transmit the beacon timing information to a WWAN access point, wherein the WWAN access point is capable of receiving and storing the beacon timing information, and wherein the WWAN access point is capable of distributing the beacon timing information to other mobile devices for ascertaining whether to transfer between the WWAN and one of the plurality of WLANs based at least in part on the associated WLAN beacon timing.