Method and system for wireless local area network proximity recognition
First Claim
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1. A method for detecting in a venue, the proximity of a mobile device that is enabled, according to a communications protocol, to request access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure element, comprising the steps of:
- (a) monitoring wireless communications in the venue in accordance with the communications protocol;
(b) detecting first message from the mobile device that was sent as part of the communications protocol to request access to the WLAN infrastructure element, and reading from said first message, the identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element;
(c) artificially provoking second message to be sent from the mobile device by sending a provocatively-formatted message to the mobile device without the use of WLAN infrastructure elements, the provocatively-formatted message being a message that is formatted with an identity of its source, to be said read identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element of said first message, said second message counting as more than normal for the communications protocol as being provoked by said provocatively-formatted message that uses as its out-of-protocol source address, said read identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element.
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Abstract
A method and system for proximity detection, recognition and classification of a wireless local area network (WLAN) enabled device without a WLAN infrastructure. The proximity recognition system monitors WLAN communications at one or more known locations. The proximity of a WLAN device (transmitter) is sensed by examining signal strength received therefrom as the device engages in a sequence of protocol data unit exchanges seeking WLAN association.
10 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for detecting in a venue, the proximity of a mobile device that is enabled, according to a communications protocol, to request access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure element, comprising the steps of:
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(a) monitoring wireless communications in the venue in accordance with the communications protocol; (b) detecting first message from the mobile device that was sent as part of the communications protocol to request access to the WLAN infrastructure element, and reading from said first message, the identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element; (c) artificially provoking second message to be sent from the mobile device by sending a provocatively-formatted message to the mobile device without the use of WLAN infrastructure elements, the provocatively-formatted message being a message that is formatted with an identity of its source, to be said read identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element of said first message, said second message counting as more than normal for the communications protocol as being provoked by said provocatively-formatted message that uses as its out-of-protocol source address, said read identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A proximity detection device for detecting in a venue, the proximity of a mobile device that is enabled, according to a communications protocol, to request access to a WLAN infrastructure element organized under that protocol, that
(a) monitors wireless communications in the venue in accordance with the communications protocol; -
(b) detects first message from the mobile device that was sent as part of the communications protocol to request access to the wireless local area network, and reads from said first message, the identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element; (c) artificially provokes second message from the mobile device by sending a provocatively-formatted message to the mobile device without the use of WLAN infrastructure elements, the provocatively-formatted message being a message that is formatted with an identity of its source, to be said read identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element of said first message, said second message counting as more than normal for the communications protocol as being provoked by said provocatively-formatted message that uses as its out-of-protocol source address, said read identity of the requested WLAN infrastructure element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification