Scanning method in wireless system

• US 9,264,981 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seok, Yong Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US12/922,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/310, 370/315, 455/3.04
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A scanning method in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a station supporting the scanning method, and a new type of interworking information element format including information about a distribution system (DS) are disclosed. In the scanning method, information about a DS is included in a beacon frame or a probe request frame/frame response frame. Such information about the DS may be included in a network type field of, for example, an interworking information element. In an active scanning method, a user equipment (UE) may specify its DS type by transmitting a probe request frame including DS information such as the DS type or the like. In a passive scanning method, the UE may select a suitable AP by using DS information such as a DS type included in the beacon frame or the like. The DS type may be information indicating whether a DS is a wireless network such as a mesh network or any other wired network.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring network information, performed by a station, in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:

transmitting a probe request frame to an access point, the probe request frame including a Homogeneous Extended Basic Service Set ID (HESSID) field and a network type field, the HESSID field including a HESSID desired by the station, the network type field including a network type desired by the station;

receiving a probe response frame from the access point, the probe response frame being transmitted when the network type of the network type field is matched with a network type of the access point and the HESSID of the HESSID field in the probe request frame is matched with a HESSID of the access point, the probe response frame comprises the HESSID field and the network type field;

transmitting a request frame to the access point, the request frame including a request for information about a link connecting the WLAN and another network; and

receiving a response frame from the access point in response to the request frame, the response frame including the information about the link,

wherein the information about the link comprises a field indicating a speed of the link that is used to connect the WLAN and the another network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network type desired by the station or the network type of the access point is one among a private network, a private network with guest access, a chargeable public network, a free public network, and an emergency network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the probe request frame further comprises an indication bit set to ‘

1’

for indicating that information related to the HESSID field is included in the probe request frame.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is a distribution system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the station is not associated with the access point.

6. A wireless apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency unit configured to transmit and receive a signal; and

a processor coupled to the radio frequency unit and configured to;

transmit a probe request frame to an access point, the probe request frame including a Homogeneous Extended Basic Service Set ID (HESSID) field and a network type field, the HESSID field including a HESSID desired by the wireless apparatus and the HESSID of the HESSID field in the probe request frame is matched with a HESSID of the access point, the network type field including a network type desired by the wireless apparatus,

receive a probe response frame from the access point, the probe response frame being transmitted when the network type of the network type field is matched with a network type of the access point, the probe response frame comprises the HESSID field and the network type field,

transmit a request frame to the access point, the request frame including a request for information about a link connecting the WLAN and another network, and

receive a response frame from the access point in response to the request frame, the response frame including the information about the link,

wherein the information about the link comprises a field indicating a speed of the link that is used to connect the WLAN and the another network.

7. The wireless apparatus of claim 6, wherein the network type desired by the station or the network type of the access point is one among a private network, a private network with guest access, a chargeable public network, a free public network, and an emergency network.

8. The wireless apparatus of claim 7 wherein the probe request frame further comprises an indication bit set to ‘

1’

for indicating that information related to the HESSID field is included in the probe request frame.