Methods and apparatus for providing network broadcast information to WLAN enabled wireless communication devices

• US 20050232209A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Buckley, Adrian, Kezys, Vytautas Robertas
• Granted Patent: US 8,964,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

One illustrative method of providing network broadcast information to a wireless device from a wireless local area network (WLAN) includes the steps of receiving, from one or more available cellular networks or a network database, cellular network broadcast information associated with the one or more available cellular networks; providing the cellular network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format according to one or more cellular standards associated with the one or more available cellular networks; and causing the generic container message to be regularly broadcasted for receipt and use by a wireless device. In an alternative approach, the steps include regularly broadcasting a network interworking indicator which is indicative of whether cellular network broadcast information is available for receipt from the WLAN; receiving a probe request from a wireless device; and causing the cellular network broadcast information to be sent to the wireless device in the generic container message in response to the probe request from the wireless device. The generic container message may alternatively or additionally include wireless network broadcast information from different types of wireless networks (e.g. Wi-MAX) which are available to the WLAN.

Claims

1. A method of providing network broadcast information to one or more wireless devices by a wireless local area network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from one or more available wireless networks or a network database, wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

providing the wireless network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format according to one or more wireless standards associated with the one or more available wireless networks; and

causing the generic container message to be regularly broadcasted for receipt and use by a wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the generic container message to be regularly broadcasted comprises periodically broadcasting the generic container message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network broadcast information is associated with a plurality of wireless networks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic container message includes a technology-specific container.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network broadcast information comprises cellular network broadcast information associated with a plurality of cellular networks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first format and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second format different from the first format and associated with a second wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first information content and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second information content different from the first information content and associated with a second wireless network.

9. A wireless local area network (WLAN) being adapted to receive, from one or more available wireless networks or a network database, wireless network broadcast information associated with one or more available wireless networks;

provide the wireless network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format according to one or more wireless standards associated with the one or more available wireless networks; and

cause the generic container message to be regularly broadcasted for receipt and use by a wireless device.

10. The WLAN of claim 9, wherein the WLAN is further adapted to periodically broadcast the generic container message.

11. The WLAN of claim 9, wherein the generic container message includes a technology-specific container.

12. The WLAN of claim 9, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

13. The WLAN of claim 9, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes first wireless network information which identifies the first wireless network.

14. The WLAN of claim 9, wherein the wireless network broadcast information is associated with one or more available wireless networks comprising a plurality of wireless networks.

15. A method of receiving and processing network broadcast information from a wireless local area network by a wireless device, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring for broadcast information from a wireless local area network;

receiving a generic container message from the wireless local area network which is regularly broadcasted by the wireless local area network, the generic container message including wireless network broadcast information associated with one or more available wireless networks which varies in content and format in accordance with one or more wireless standards associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

decoding the generic container message to identify the wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks; and

storing the wireless network broadcast information in memory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the generic container message which is regularly broadcasted is periodically broadcasted by the wireless local area network.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting one of the one or more available wireless networks for communication using the wireless network broadcast information stored in the memory.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless network broadcast information comprises cellular network broadcast information associated with a plurality of cellular networks.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first information content and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second information content different from the first information content and associated with a second wireless network.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first format and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second format different from the first format and associated with a second wireless network.

22. A wireless device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

an antenna coupled to the RF transceiver;

the one or more processors being operative to;

monitor for broadcast information from a wireless local area network with use of the RF transceiver;

receive generic container message which is regularly broadcasted by the wireless local area network, the generic container message including wireless network broadcast information associated with one or more available wireless networks which varies in content and format in accordance with one or more wireless standards associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

decode the generic container message to identify the wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks; and

store the wireless network broadcast information in the memory.

23. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the generic container message which is regularly broadcasted is periodically broadcasted by the wireless local area network.

24. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to select one of the one or more available wireless networks for communication using the wireless network broadcast information stored in the memory.

25. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the generic container message includes a technology-specific container.

26. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

27. A method of providing network broadcast information to one or more wireless devices by a wireless local area network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from one or more available wireless networks or a network database, wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

providing the wireless network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format according to one or more wireless standards associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

receiving a probe request from a wireless device; and

causing the generic container message to be sent to the wireless device in response to the probe request.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the generic container message is sent as part of a probe response to the wireless device.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

causing a network interworking indicator to be regularly broadcasted.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

causing a network interworking indicator to be regularly broadcasted, the network interworking indicator being indicative of whether the wireless network broadcast information is available for receipt from the wireless local area network.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first information content and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second information content different from the first information content and associated with a second wireless network.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first format and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second format different from the first format and associated with a second wireless network.

34. A wireless local area network (WLAN) being adapted to receive, from one or more available wireless networks or a network database, wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

provide the wireless network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format according to one or more wireless standards associated with the one or more available wireless networks;

receive a probe request from a wireless device; and

cause the generic container message to be sent to the wireless device in response to the probe request.

35. The WLAN of claim 34, wherein the generic container message is sent as part of a probe response to the wireless device.

36. The WLAN of claim 34, wherein the WLAN is further operative for causing a network interworking indicator to be regularly broadcasted.

37. The WLAN of claim 34, wherein the WLAN is further operative for causing a network interworking indicator to be regularly broadcasted, the network interworking indicator being indicative of whether the wireless network broadcast information is available for receipt from the WLAN.

38. The WLAN of claim 34, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

39. A method of receiving and processing network broadcast information from a wireless local area network by a wireless device, the method comprising the steps of:

causing a probe request to be sent to a wireless local area network;

receiving a generic container message from the wireless local area network in response to the probe request, the generic container message varying in content and format according to one or more wireless standards associated with one or more available wireless networks;

decoding the generic container message to identify wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks; and

storing the wireless network broadcast information in memory.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

selecting one of the one or more available wireless networks for communication using the wireless network broadcast information stored in the memory.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the wireless network broadcast information comprises cellular network broadcast information associated with a plurality of cellular networks.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first information content and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second information content different from the first information content and associated with a second wireless network.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the wireless network broadcast information includes:

first wireless network information having a first format and associated with a first wireless network; and

second wireless network information having a second format different from the first format and associated with a second wireless network.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

monitoring for broadcast information from the wireless local area network; and

receiving a network interworking indicator which is indicative of whether the wireless network broadcast information is available for receipt from the wireless local area network.

46. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

monitoring for broadcast information from the wireless local area network;

receiving a network interworking indicator which is regularly broadcasted;

identifying that the network interworking indicator is indicative that the wireless network broadcast information is available from the wireless local area network; and

wherein the step of causing the probe request to be sent is based on identifying that the step of identifying.

47. A wireless device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

an antenna coupled to the RF transceiver;

the one or more processors being operative to;

cause a probe request to be sent to a wireless local area network;

receive a generic container message from the wireless local area network in response to the probe request, the generic container message varying in content and format according to one or more wireless standards associated with one or more available wireless networks;

decode the generic container message to identify wireless network broadcast information associated with the one or more available wireless networks; and

store the wireless network broadcast information in memory of the wireless device.

48. The wireless device of claim 47, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to select one of the one or more available wireless networks for communication using the wireless network broadcast information stored in the memory.

49. The wireless device of claim 47, wherein the wireless network broadcast information comprises cellular network broadcast information associated with a plurality of cellular networks.

50. The wireless device of claim 47, wherein the generic container message includes a data field for identifying a technology standard or standard organization associated with a first wireless network.

51. The wireless device of claim 47, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

monitor for broadcast information from the wireless local area network; and

receive a network interworking indicator which is regularly broadcasted.

52. The wireless device of claim 47, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

monitor for broadcast information from the wireless local area network; and

receive a network interworking indicator which is indicative of whether the wireless network broadcast information is available for receipt from the wireless local area network.

53. The wireless device of claim 47, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

monitor for broadcast information of the wireless local area network;

receive a network interworking indicator which is regularly broadcasted;

identifying that the network interworking indicator is indicative that the wireless network broadcast information is available from the wireless local area network; and

wherein causing the probe request to be sent is based on identifying that the network interworking indicator is indicative that the wireless network broadcast information is available from the wireless local area network.