Server for wireless application service system

• US 9,210,531 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Vu, Chuong
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh-Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Abdullahi
• Application Number:
  US13/968,933
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1042 using topology management mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A wireless client device includes a receiver, controller, and transmitter. The receiver is configured to wirelessly receive a beacon from a wireless access point. The beacon includes an information element indicating whether the wireless access point is capable of providing a wireless application service. The controller is configured to, in response to the information element indicating that the wireless access point is capable of providing a wireless application service, generate a wireless application service request. The wireless application service request identifies a requested wireless application service, and identifies a source of an application to be obtained, installed, and executed by the wireless access point. Execution of the application enables the wireless access point to provide the requested wireless application service to the wireless client device. The transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit a packet to the wireless access point. The packet includes the wireless application service request.

Claims

1. A wireless client device comprising:

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive a beacon from a wireless access point, wherein the beacon includes an information element indicating whether the wireless access point is capable of providing a wireless application service;

a controller configured to, in response to the information element indicating that the wireless access point is capable of providing a wireless application service, generate a wireless application service request, wherein the wireless application service request

identifies a requested wireless application service, and

identifies a source of an application to be obtained, installed, and executed by the wireless access point, wherein execution of the application by the wireless access point enables the wireless access point to provide the requested wireless application service to the wireless client device, and wherein the source of the application is separate from the wireless access point; and

a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a packet to the wireless access point, wherein the packet includes the wireless application service request.

2. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the source of the application in the wireless application service request includes a unique identifier of a vendor of the application.

3. The wireless client device of claim 2, wherein the unique identifier is a 3-byte organizationally unique identifier (OUI).

4. The wireless client device of claim 2, wherein the source of the application in the wireless application service request further includes an identifier of a port at the vendor from which the application can be obtained.

5. The wireless client device of claim 4, wherein the identifier of the port is two bytes in length.

6. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive a wireless application service response from the wireless access point, wherein the wireless application service response identifies the requested wireless application service.

7. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein the wireless application service request identifies a plurality of requested wireless application services including the requested wireless application service.

8. The wireless client device of claim 7, wherein the wireless application service request includes a variable-length list of identifiers of the plurality of requested wireless application services.

9. The wireless client device of claim 8, wherein the identifier of each of the plurality of requested wireless application services is transported in a tag-length-value field in the variable-length list.

10. The wireless client device of claim 1, wherein:

the receiver is configured to wirelessly receive an authentication challenge from the wireless access point,

the transmitter is configured to, in response to the authentication challenge being received by the receiver, wirelessly transmit an authentication request to the wireless access point,

the authentication request includes a security certificate, and

the requested wireless application service is available to the wireless client device only in response to the wireless access point determining that authentication was successful based on the security certificate.

11. A method of operating a wireless client device, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a beacon from a wireless access point, wherein the beacon includes an information element indicating whether the wireless access point is capable of providing a wireless application service;

in response to the information element indicating that the wireless access point is capable of providing a wireless application service, generating a wireless application service request, wherein the wireless application service request

identifies a requested wireless application service,

identifies a source of an application to be obtained, installed, and executed by the wireless access point, wherein execution of the application by the wireless access point enables the wireless access point to provide the requested wireless application service to the wireless client device, and wherein the source of the application is separate from the wireless access point; and

wirelessly transmitting a packet to the wireless access point, wherein the packet includes the wireless application service request.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the source of the application in the wireless application service request includes a unique identifier of a vendor of the application.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the unique identifier is a 3-byte organizationally unique identifier (OUI).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the source of the application in the wireless application service request includes an identifier of a port at the vendor from which the application can be obtained.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifier of the port is two bytes in length.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising wirelessly receiving a wireless application service response from the wireless access point, wherein the wireless application service response identifies the requested wireless application service.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless application service request identifies a plurality of requested wireless application services including the requested wireless application service.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the wireless application service request includes a variable-length list of identifiers of the plurality of requested wireless application services.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifier of each of the plurality of requested wireless application services is transported in a tag-length-value field in the variable-length list.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving an authentication challenge from the wireless access point; and

in response to the authentication challenge being received by the receiver, wirelessly transmitting an authentication request to the wireless access point,

wherein the authentication request includes a security certificate, and

wherein the requested wireless application service is available to the wireless client device only in response to the wireless access point determining authentication was successful based on the security certificate.