Wireless network service transaction protocol

• US 9,622,155 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: McCann, Stephen, Montemurro, Michael Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US14/854,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20160007272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 370252
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• 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 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A mobile device may retrieve service information about a network prior to associating with the network. Utilizing an advertisement protocol to transmit service query messages, a mobile device may receive service query responses from a network that identify the services available prior to establishing network capability. In other words, the messaging is prior to the exchange of any authentication parameters between the device and the network as well prior to the establishment of a recognized session between the device and the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a service information request for service information encapsulated with an advertisement protocol from a wireless communication device, wherein the service information comprises information about a service requested by the wireless communication device;

utilizing a service string placed within the service information request to determine whether the service is available, wherein the service string identifies the service; and

transmitting, prior to an association with a wireless local area network (“

WLAN”

), a service information response to the wireless communication device using the advertisement protocol,

wherein, if a string matching the service string is not identified, the service information response notifies the wireless communication device that the service requested is not available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service information response includes a return code field for matching the service information request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is by a proxy server that contains a cache of service information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the proxy server is coupled with an access point that exchanges information between the access point and the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device is a mobile device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the proxy server initiates service discovery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service information request is an Access network Query Protocol (ANQP) request element, and wherein the advertisement protocol is ANQP.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the advertisement protocol supports free form query strings containing wildcard characters, wherein if the service string contains a wildcard character, the service information response comprises a list of all service strings matching the service string.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the service information comprises requirements or resources from a network that are necessary for operation of an application on the wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a service discovery message from an access point for the WLAN prior to an association with the access point;

transmitting, to the access point prior to association with the WLAN, a service request message that requests information about available services when the service discovery message indicates support for the advertisement protocol, wherein the service request message includes a certificate field;

verifying the certificate field; and

receiving, from the access point prior to association with the WLAN and upon the verifying, a service response message that provides the information about available services in response to the service request message.

10. A network device comprising:

at least one storage device; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored on the at least one storage device, wherein executing the instructions cause the network device to;

receive a service information request for service information encapsulated with an advertisement protocol from a wireless communication device, wherein the service information comprises information about a service requested by the wireless communication device;

utilize a service string placed within the service information request to determine whether the service is available, wherein the service string identifies the service; and

transmit, prior to an association with a wireless local area network (“

WLAN”

), a service information response to the wireless communication device using the advertisement protocol,

wherein, if a string matching the service string is not identified, the service information response notifies the wireless communication device that the service requested is not available.

11. The network device of claim 10, wherein the service information response includes a return code field for the status of the service information request.

12. The network device of claim 10, wherein the service information response is transmitted by a proxy server that contains a cache of service information.

13. The network device of claim 12, wherein the proxy server is coupled with an access point that exchanges information between the access point and the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device is a mobile device.

14. The network device of claim 12, wherein the proxy server initiates service discovery.

15. The network device of claim 10, wherein the service information request is an Access network Query Protocol (ANQP) request element, and wherein the advertisement protocol is ANQP.

16. The network device of claim 10, wherein the advertisement protocol supports free form query strings containing wildcard characters, wherein if the service string contains a wildcard character, the service information response comprises a list of all service strings matching the service string.

17. A non-transitory computer medium storing computer readable instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for:

receiving a service information request for service information encapsulated with an advertisement protocol from a wireless communication device, wherein the service information comprises information about a service requested by the wireless communication device;

utilizing a service string placed within the service information request to determine whether the service is available, wherein the service string identifies the service; and

transmitting, prior to an association with a wireless local area network (“

WLAN”

), a service information response to the wireless communication device using the advertisement protocol,

wherein, if a string matching the service string is not identified, the service information response notifies the wireless communication device that the service requested is not available.

18. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 17, wherein the service information response includes a return code field for the status of the service information request.

19. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 17, wherein the transmitting is by a proxy server that contains a cache of service information.

20. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 19, wherein the proxy server is coupled with an access point that exchanges information between the access point and the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device is a mobile device.

21. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 19, wherein the proxy server initiates service discovery.

22. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 17, wherein the service information request is an Access network Query Protocol (ANQP) request element, and wherein the advertisement protocol is ANQP.

23. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 17, wherein the advertisement protocol supports free form query strings containing wildcard characters, wherein if the service string contains a wildcard character, the service information response comprises a list of all service strings matching the service string.