Methods and apparatus for scanning radio frequency bands in wireless local area networks
First Claim
1. A method for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band for a mobile communication device which is enabled to communicate in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards in compliance with regulatory requirements of a regulatory domain based on country information communicated in one or more IEEE 802.11 beacon frames, the method comprising:
- scanning the RF band using passive scan operations on RF channels having a passive scan status, wherein a passive scan operation comprises monitoring an RF channel in attempt to decode an IEEE 802.11 beacon frame;
in response to successfully decoding, on the RF channel for the passive scan operation, an IEEE 802.11 information frame of a type that is different from an IEEE 802.11 beacon frame;
changing the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status;
performing an active scan operation on the RF channel having the active scan status; and
wherein the acts of changing and performing are performed prior to receiving any country information which indicates the regulatory domain of operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for scanning a radio frequency band in a mobile communication device without knowing regulatory information. A processor of the mobile communication device utilizes a wireless transceiver to scan the RF band using a passive scan operation on an RF channel having a passive scan status. During the passive scan operation, the processor attempts to decode an information frame on the RF channel. In response to successfully decoding an information frame, the processor changes the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status, and causes an active scan operation to be performed on the RF channel having the active scan status. The scanning process may continue until the regulatory information for the RF band is received.
35 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for use in scanning a radio frequency (RF) band for a mobile communication device which is enabled to communicate in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards in compliance with regulatory requirements of a regulatory domain based on country information communicated in one or more IEEE 802.11 beacon frames, the method comprising:
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scanning the RF band using passive scan operations on RF channels having a passive scan status, wherein a passive scan operation comprises monitoring an RF channel in attempt to decode an IEEE 802.11 beacon frame; in response to successfully decoding, on the RF channel for the passive scan operation, an IEEE 802.11 information frame of a type that is different from an IEEE 802.11 beacon frame; changing the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status; performing an active scan operation on the RF channel having the active scan status; and wherein the acts of changing and performing are performed prior to receiving any country information which indicates the regulatory domain of operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A mobile communication device which is enabled to communicate in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards in compliance with regulatory requirements of a regulatory domain based on country information communicated in one or more IEEE 802.11 beacon frames, the mobile communication device comprising:
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one or more processors; a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the one or more processors and configured for communications in an RF band; a user interface which includes a display; the one or more processors being configured to perform the following actions prior to receiving any country information which indicates the regulatory domain of operation; cause scanning to be performed over the RF band, with use of the RF transceiver, using passive scan operations on RF channels having a passive scan status, wherein a passive scan operation comprises monitoring an RF channel in attempt to decode an IEEE 802.11 beacon frame; for each passive scan operation on an RF channel of the RF band, attempt to decode an IEEE 802.11 information frame on the RF channel; in response to successfully decoding, on the RF channel for the passive scan operation, an IEEE 802.11 information frame of a type that is different from an IEEE 802.11 beacon frame; change the passive scan status of the RF channel to an active scan status; and perform an active scan operation on the RF channel having the active scan status. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification