Method and apparatus for connecting portable terminal to WLAN

• US 9,232,471 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Jong-Mu, Han, Jeong-Hoon, Hong, Il-Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Hoon J
• Application Number:
  US12/796,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310.2, 370/311, 370/318, 370328-339, 370/349, 455/13.4, 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/343.3, 455/343.4, 455/343.5, 455/343.6, 455/422.1, 455/522, 455572-574, 713/300, 713/310, 713320-324, 713/330, 713/334
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for connecting a portable terminal to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are provided. The method includes when a WLAN connection event occurs, performing a WLAN connection procedure by keeping a WLAN module in an awake state, and when the WLAN connection is complete, operating the WLAN module according to a Power Save Mechanism (PSM).

Claims

1. A method for connecting a portable terminal to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the method comprising:

detecting a WLAN connection event with a remote access point (AP) device in a power save mode (PSM) of a WLAN module;

in response to detecting the WLAN connection event, turning off the PSM of the WLAN module and performing a WLAN connection procedure while turning off the PSM; and

when a WLAN connection is complete, automatically turning on the PSM of the WLAN module and operating the WLAN module according to the PSM,

wherein, when operating the WLAN module according to the PSM, the WLAN module iteratively changes between the awake state in which the WLAN module is capable of transmitting and receiving packets, and a sleep state in which the WLAN module is not capable of transmitting and receiving packets, and

wherein the operating of the WLAN module according to the PSM comprises operating the WLAN module according to the PSM while the WLAN module is connected to the WLAN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN connection procedure comprises at least one of authentication, association, Extensible Authentication Protocol encapsulation over LAN protocol (EAPoL), and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the awake state and the sleep state have a different amount of power, and the awake state operates with an amount of power greater than the sleep state.

4. An apparatus for connecting a portable terminal to Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the apparatus comprising:

a WLAN module configured to operate in a power save mode (PSM); and

a host processor configured to detect a WLAN connection event with a remote access point (AP) device in the PSM of a WLAN module, in response to detecting the WLAN connection event, to turn off the PSM of the WLAN module and performing a WLAN connection procedure while turning off the PSM, and when a WLAN connection is complete, to automatically turn on the PSM of the WLAN module and operate the WLAN module according to the PSM,

wherein, when operating the WLAN module according to the PSM, the WLAN module is further configured to iteratively change between the awake state in which the WLAN module is capable of transmitting and receiving packets, and a sleep state in which the WLAN module is not capable of transmitting and receiving packets, and

wherein the operating of the WLAN module according to the PSM comprises operating the WLAN module according to the PSM while the WLAN module is connected to the WLAN.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the WLAN connection procedure comprises at least one of authentication, association, Extensible Authentication Protocol encapsulation over LAN protocol (EAPoL), and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, upon completion of the WLAN connection procedure, the WLAN module is further configured to report a successful WLAN connection to the host processor.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the awake state and the sleep state have a different amount of power, and the awake state operates with an amount of power greater than the sleep state.

8. A method for connecting a portable terminal to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the method comprising:

detecting a WLAN connection event with a remote access point (AP) device in a power save mode (PSM) of a WLAN module;

in response to detect the WLAN connection event, performing a WLAN connection procedure by keeping a WLAN module in an awake state, wherein the WLAN module is kept in the awake state by turning off a the PSM; and

when a WLAN connection is complete, automatically turning on PSM of the WLAN module and operating the WLAN module according to the PSM, and

wherein, when the WLAN module is operated according to the PSM, the WLAN module iteratively changes between the awake state in which the WLAN is capable of transmitting and receiving packets, and a sleep state in which the WLAN module is not capable of transmitting and receiving packets, and

wherein the operating of the WLAN module according to the PSM comprises operating the WLAN module according to the PSM while the WLAN module is connected to the WLAN.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the WLAN connection procedure comprises at least one of authentication, association, Extensible Authentication Protocol encapsulation over LAN protocol (EAPoL), and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the awake state and the sleep state have a different amount of power, and the awake state operates with an amount of power greater than the sleep state.