Methods and apparatus for providing network broadcast information to WLAN enabled wireless communication devices
First Claim
1. A method for a wireless device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:
- transmitting from the wireless device to the WLAN a request for network information identifying one or more networks, the request for network information being in response to receiving a network interworking indicator at the wireless device, the network interworking indicator indicating support of a capability of the WLAN to communicate information relating to a cellular network; and
receiving the network information in response to the request for network information, wherein the network information is provided in a container field of a generic container.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One illustrative method of providing network broadcast information to a wireless device from a wireless local area network (WLAN) includes the steps of receiving, from one or more available cellular networks or a network database, cellular network broadcast information associated with the one or more available cellular networks; providing the cellular network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format according to one or more cellular standards associated with the one or more available cellular networks; and causing the generic container message to be regularly broadcasted for receipt and use by a wireless device. In an alternative approach, the steps include regularly broadcasting a network interworking indicator which is indicative of whether cellular network broadcast information is available for receipt from the WLAN; receiving a probe request from a wireless device; and causing the cellular network broadcast information to be sent to the wireless device in the generic container message in response to the probe request from the wireless device. The generic container message may alternatively or additionally include wireless network broadcast information from different types of wireless networks (e.g. Wi-MAX) which are available to the WLAN.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A method for a wireless device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:
-
transmitting from the wireless device to the WLAN a request for network information identifying one or more networks, the request for network information being in response to receiving a network interworking indicator at the wireless device, the network interworking indicator indicating support of a capability of the WLAN to communicate information relating to a cellular network; and receiving the network information in response to the request for network information, wherein the network information is provided in a container field of a generic container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A wireless device, comprising:
-
a processor configured to; transmit from the wireless device to the wireless local area network a request for network information identifying one or more networks, the request for network information being in response to receiving a network interworking indicator indicating support of a capability of a wireless local area network to receive network information from a cellular network; and receive the network information in response to the request for network information, wherein the network information is provided in a container field of a generic container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:
-
after providing a network interworking indicator to a wireless device, receiving, from the wireless device, a request message for network information which identifies one or more networks, the network interworking indicator indicating support of a capability of the WLAN to communicate network information relating to a cellular network; and in response to the request message, providing the network information in a container field of a generic container for transmission to the wireless device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A wireless local area network (WLAN) comprising:
-
a processor configured to; after providing a network interworking indicator to the wireless device, receive a message from the wireless device for requesting network information which identifies one or more networks, the network interworking indicator indicating support of a capability of the WLAN to communicate network information relating to a cellular network; and provide the network information in a container field of a generic container for transmission to the wireless device in response to receiving the message. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification