Discovering network information available via wireless networks

• US 9,794,967 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• 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): Levitan, Dmitry H
• Application Number:
  US14/298,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20140286242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-312, 370328, 370349, 370464, 709227-229, 709249
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Network information may be discoverable without requiring a connection to that network. For example, Access Network Query Protocol (“ANQP”) may allow a device to discover information about a network prior to the device associating with that network. In other words, ANQP allows a network terminal to request additional network information prior to establishing network capability. The additional network information that may be discoverable includes network latency, cellular capabilities, hotspot capabilities, mobility capabilities, neighbor reports, station identification, and multiple hotspot session identification.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

transmitting, from a wireless device to an access point (AP) to which the wireless device is not associated and while operating at a medium access control (MAC) sublayer of a data link layer, a request for information describing latency existing in the wireless network between the access point and another device in the wireless network, wherein the request comprises a first Wide Area Network (WAN) Latency Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) element, and wherein the latency existing in the wireless network is determined at least partially according to a round-trip delay time measured by the access point; and

receiving at the wireless device, a response from the AP, wherein the response comprises a second WAN Latency ANQP element that contains information describing the latency existing in the wireless network between the access point and the another device in the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first WAN Latency ANQP element is defined as a Hotspot 2.0 ANQP element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the WAN Latency ANQP element is transmitted using a generic advertisement service (GAS).

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the GAS provides support for a network selection operation of the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information describing the latency existing in the wireless network comprises an average latency of the wireless network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network as measured by the AP over a period of time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information describing the latency existing in the wireless network comprises a current latency of the wireless network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network as measured at substantially a same time as receipt of the second WAN Latency ANQP element.

5. A wireless device for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

a processor interconnected with a memory, the processor configured for;

transmitting, from the wireless device, a request for information describing latency existing in the wireless network between an access point (AP) and another device in the wireless network to which the wireless device is not associated and while operating at a media access control (MAC) sublayer of a data link layer, wherein the request comprises a first Wide Area Network (WAN) Latency Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) element, and wherein the latency existing in the wireless network is determined at least partially according to a round-trip delay time measured by the access point; and

receiving, at the wireless device, a response from the AP that comprises a second WAN Latency ANQP element, wherein the second WAN Latency ANQP element contains information describing the latency existing in the wireless network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network.

6. The wireless device of claim 5 wherein the WAN Latency ANQP element is transmitted using a generic advertisement service (GAS), and wherein the GAS provides support for a network selection operation of the wireless device.

9. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the first WAN Latency ANQP element is defined as a Hotspot 2.0 ANQP element.

13. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the information describing the latency existing in the wireless network comprises an average latency of the wireless network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network as measured by the AP over a period of time.

14. The wireless device of claim 5, wherein the information describing the latency existing in the wireless network comprises a current latency of the wireless network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network as measured at substantially a same time as receipt of the second WAN Latency ANQP element.

7. An access point (AP) associated with a wireless local area network comprising:

a processor interconnected with a memory, the processor configured to;

receive, from a wireless device to which the AP is not associated and while operating at a media access control (MAC) sublayer of a data link layer, a request for information describing latency existing in the wireless local area network, wherein the request comprises a first Wide Area Network (WAN) Latency Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) element for information describing latency existing in the wireless local area network between the AP and another device in the wireless network, and wherein the latency existing in the wireless network is determined at least partially according to a round-trip delay time measured by the access point; and

transmit, to the wireless device, a response, wherein the response comprises a second WAN Latency ANQP element that contains information describing the latency existing in the wireless local area network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network.

8. The AP of claim 7 wherein the WAN Latency ANQP element is transmitted using a generic advertisement service (GAS), and wherein the GAS provides support for a network selection operation of the wireless device.

10. The access point of claim 7, wherein the first WAN Latency ANQP element is defined as a Hotspot 2.0 ANQP element.

15. The AP of claim 7, wherein the information describing the latency existing in the wireless network comprises an average latency of the wireless local area network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network as measured by the AP over a period of time.

16. The AP of claim 7, wherein the information describing the latency existing in the wireless network comprises a current latency of the wireless local area network between the AP and the another device in the wireless network as measured at substantially a same time as transmission of the second WAN Latency ANQP element.