Device beacon for handoff management of handoffs to access nodes

• US 8,552,789 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kalhan, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US13/541,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 455 59-355
• US Class Current: 327/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

An access node receives a device beacon transmitted from a wireless communication device in accordance with a system timing of a wireless wide area network (WWAN). When transmitted within a WWAN uplink channel, the device beacon is mapped to designated beacon channels within the time-frequency space of the uplink WWAN channel assignment. In response to the reception of the device beacon, communications between the wireless communication device and the access node are established. In one example, the access node is a femtocell base station. In another example, the access node is a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point.

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (WLAN) access point comprising:

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) interface configured to receive WWAN system timing information from a WWAN; and

a device beacon detector configured to apply the WWAN system timing information to receive a device beacon transmitted by a wireless communication device in accordance with the WWAN system timing.

2. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the device beacon detector comprises a WWAN receiver configured to receive WWAN uplink signals, the device beacon transmitted within a WWAN uplink channel.

3. The WLAN access point of claim 2, wherein the device beacon is transmitted within a WWAN subcarrier time slot.

4. The WLAN access point of claim 3, wherein the device beacon is transmitted within a WWAN OFDM subcarrier time slot.

5. The WLAN access point of claim 3, wherein the device beacon is transmitted within a WWAN Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) subcarrier time slot.

6. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the device beacon is transmitted in accordance with WWAN system timing received at the wireless communication device from a WWAN base station.

7. The WLAN access point of claim 6, wherein the WWAN interface is further configured to send, to the WWAN, a device proximity message indicating at least that the wireless communication device was detected by the WLAN access point.

8. The WLAN access point of claim 7, wherein to device proximity message is configured to invoke transmission from the WWAN of a search message instructing the wireless communication device to adjust a searching scheme for searching for the WLAN access point.

9. The WLAN access point of claim 6, wherein the WWAN interface is configured to send the device proximity message to the WWAN to invoke transmission of the search message from the WWAN base station, the search message instructing the wireless communication device to activate a WLAN receiver to search for the WLAN access point.

10. The WLAN access point of claim 6, wherein the WLAN access point is configured to receive the WWAN system timing information through backhaul connecting the WLAN access point to the WWAN.

11. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the WLAN access point is configured to provide WLAN wireless communication service within a WLAN geographical service area smaller than a WWAN base station geographical service area of the WWAN base station.

12. The WLAN access point of claim 11, wherein the WLAN access point is configured to receive the WWAN system timing information through at least one WWAN downlink signal transmitted by the WWAN base station.

13. A wireless communication system comprising:

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) base station configured to transmit WWAN downlink signals indicating a WWAN system timing to a wireless communication device;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point connected to the WWAN, the WLAN access point comprising a device beacon detector configured to detect a device beacon signal transmitted from the wireless communication device within a WWAN uplink channel in accordance with the WWAN system timing derived at the wireless communication device from the WWAN downlink signals, the WWAN base station configured to transmit, in response to the detection of the device beacon at the access node, a search message to the wireless communication device to adjust a searching scheme of the wireless communication device for the WLAN access point.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 13, wherein the device beacon is transmitted within a WWAN subcarrier time slot.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 14, wherein the device beacon is transmitted within an OFDMA subcarrier time slot.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 14, wherein the device beacon is transmitted within a WWAN Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) subcarrier time slot.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 13, wherein the WLAN access point is configured to provide WLAN wireless communication service within a WLAN geographical service area smaller than a WWAN base station geographical service area of the WWAN base station.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 17, wherein the WWAN interface is configured to send the device proximity message to the WWAN to invoke transmission of the search message from the WWAN base station, the search message instructing the wireless communication device to activate a WLAN receiver to search for WLAN signals transmitted from the access node.