Apparatus and methods for adapting mobile unit to wireless LAN

• US 6,484,029 B2
• Filed: 10/13/1998
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Gurpreet, Hughes, John K
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/172,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/434, 455/435, 455/454, 455/552, 455/556, 455/524, 455/525, 455/522, 455/62, 455/517, 455/515, 455/509, 370/908, 370/245, 370/338, 370/313, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/908 Local area network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatically adapting a mobile unit to the communications requirements of a particular country or geographic region is provided. A wireless data communication network located in a particular country or geographic region includes one or more access points for communicating with the mobile unit. The mobile unit receives from an access point an announcement message broadcast. The message has a unique frequency characteristic associated with the geographic location of the access point from which it was broadcast. The mobile unit then determines an allowable frequency set for use in the country or geographic location associated with the access point. The mobile unit adjusts its frequency set to operate o the allowable frequency set. The mobile unit may also adjust others of its operating parameters in a similar fashion.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless local area network for a mobile unit the networks having one or more access points, said method comprising:

receiving a message in the mobile unit, wherein said message is broadcast by an access point of the one or more of access points, said message having a unique frequency spectrum associated with a physical geographic region associated with said access point from which said message was broadcast;

determining, in the mobile unit from said message, an allowable frequency set within said physical geographic region; and

adjusting a tuned frequency set of the mobile unit to coincide with said allowable frequency set such that said mobile unit is configured to operate in a wireless local area network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step further includes:

comparing said unique frequency spectrum of said message to a table stored in memory, said table containing a list of a plurality of allowable frequency sets corresponding to a plurality of recorded geographic regions;

matching said unique frequency spectrum to said allowable frequency set in said table; and

associating said allowable frequency set corresponding to a physical geographic region associated with said access point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said table further includes a list of a plurality of allowable power output levels corresponding to said plurality of recorded geographic regions.

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

comparing a power setting of said message to said table;

matching said power setting to an allowable power output range in said table;

associating said allowable power output range corresponding to said physical geographic region; and

adjusting an operational power output level of the mobile unit to operate within said allowable power output range.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said table further includes a listing of a plurality of regulations corresponding to said plurality of recorded geographic regions.

6. The method of claim 5, further including:

displaying to a user a regulation in said plurality of said regulations, said regulation associated with the physical geographic region in which the unit is located.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

associating said regulation corresponding to said physical geographic region; and

adjusting a plurality of operating settings of the mobile unit to comply with said regulation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is a hand-held data gathering device.

9. The method of claim 1, further including:

prompting a user to verify that an identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit is correctly associated with said access point; and

transmitting if said user verifies said identified geographic region.

10. The method of claim 1, further including:

utilizing a Global Positioning System locator to verify said physical geographic region in which the mobile unit is located; and

transmitting if said Global Positioning System locator verifies an identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit is correctly associated with said access point.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a user may disable any of said receiving, determining, and adjusting.

12. A method for operating a mobile unit on an operating frequency, said mobile unit designed for use in a wireless local area network and located in a physical geographic region, said method comprising:

scanning a frequency spectrum to detect an announcement message from an access point in the physical geographic region;

examining a frequency spectrum of said announcement message;

comparing said frequency spectrum with a table in memory, said table listing a plurality of recorded geographic regions;

selecting an identified geographic region listed in said table to correspond to the physical geographic region by matching said frequency spectrum with said identified geographic region listed in said table, said table also listing a frequency range for each recorded geographic region; and

adjusting the operating frequency of the mobile unit to correspond with said frequency range corresponding to the physical geographic region such that said mobile unit is configured to operate in a wireless local area network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said table further includes a list of allowable power output levels corresponding to said each recorded geographic region.

14. The method of claim 13, further including adjusting an operating power output level of the mobile unit to correspond with said allowable power output levels corresponding to the physical geographic region.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said table further includes a list of regulations corresponding to said each recorded geographic region.

16. The method of claim 15, further including:

displaying to a user said regulations corresponding to the physical geographic region in which the unit is located.

17. The method of claim 15, further including adjusting an operating setting of the mobile unit to correspond with said regulations associated with the physical geographic region.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile unit is a hand-held data gathering device.

19. The method of claim 12, further including:

prompting a user to verify that an identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit correctly corresponds to the physical geographic region; and

transmitting if said user verifies that said identified geographic region.

20. The method of claim 12, further including:

utilizing a Global Positioning System locator to verify the physical geographic region in which the mobile unit is located;

transmitting if said Global Positioning Sensor locator verifies that an identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit is equivalent to the physical geographic region in which the mobile unit is located.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein a user may disable any of said scanning, examining, comparing, selecting and adjusting.

22. A mobile unit for use in a wireless local area network that includes one or more access points, wherein the frequency set of the mobile unit may be modified and the mobile unit includes:

a receiver which receives one or more messages correspondingly broadcast by the one or more the access points in the network, each of said one or more messages having a unique frequency spectrum associated with a physical geographic location corresponding to an access point from which said one or more messages is broadcast;

a processing unit, which determines from said unique frequency spectrum an allowable frequency set in said physical geographic region associated with said access point; and

a frequency set adjuster, which adjusts a tuned frequency set to coincide with said allowable frequency set such that said mobile unit is configured to operate in a wireless local area network.

23. The mobile unit of claim 22, wherein said processing unit includes:

a comparator, which compares said unique frequency spectrum of said one or more messages to a table stored in memory, said table containing a list of allowable frequency sets for corresponding to a plurality of geographic regions;

a matcher, which matches said unique frequency spectrum to said allowable frequency set in said table; and

a frequency reader, which refers to said allowable frequency set corresponding to said physical geographic regions.

24. The mobile unit of claim 23, wherein said table further includes a list of allowable power output levels corresponding to said plurality of recorded geographic regions.

25. The mobile unit of claim 24, wherein the power output level of the mobile unit may be adjusted and the mobile unit includes:

a power reader, which associates said allowable power output range corresponding to said physical geographic region; and

a power output level adjuster, which adjusts a power output level of the mobile unit to operate within said allowable power output range.

26. The mobile unit of claim 23, wherein said table further includes a listing of a plurality of regulations corresponding to said plurality of geographic regions.

27. The mobile unit of claim 26, further including:

a display, which displays to a user a regulations set in said listing corresponding to said physical geographic region in which the unit is located.

28. The mobile unit of claim 26, wherein a plurality of operating characteristics of the mobile unit may be adjusted and the mobile unit includes:

a regulation reader, which refers to said regulations corresponding to said physical geographic region; and

an operating setting adjuster, which adjust the plurality of operating settings of the mobile unit to comply with said regulations.

29. The mobile unit of claim 22, wherein the mobile unit is a hand-held data gathering device.

30. The mobile unit of claim 22, further including:

a display, which prompts a user to verify that an identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit corresponds with said physical geographic region containing the access point; and

a wireless transmitter, which transmits if said user verifies that said identified geographic region corresponds with said physical geographic region.

31. The mobile unit of claim 22, further including:

a Global Positioning System locator, which verifies said physical geographic region in which the mobile unit is located; and

a wireless transmitter, which transmits if said physical geographical region verified by said Global Positioning System locator matches said identified geographic region that the mobile unit determines is associated with said access point.

32. The mobile unit of claim 22, wherein a user may disable any of said receiver, said processing unit and said frequency set adjuster.

33. A mobile unit for use in a wireless local area network, the mobile unit located in a physical geographic region and including:

a frequency scanner, which scans a frequency spectrum to detect an announcement message from an access point;

a frequency spectrum detector, which examines a frequency spectrum of said announcement message;

a comparator, which compares said frequency spectrum with a table in memory, said table listing a plurality of recorded geographic regions;

a determiner, which selects an identified geographic region listed in said table to correspond to the physical geographic region by matching said frequency spectrum with said identified geographic region listed in said table. said table also listing a frequency range for each recorded geographic region; and

a frequency adjuster, which adjusts the operating frequency of the mobile unit to correspond with said frequency range corresponding to the physical geographic region such that said mobile unit is configured to operate in a wireless local area network.

34. The mobile unit of claim 33, wherein said table further includes a list of allowable power output levels corresponding to each recorded geographic region.

35. The mobile unit of claim 33, further including a power output adjuster, which adjusts an operating power output level of the mobile unit to correspond with said allowable power output levels corresponding to the physical geographic region.

36. The mobile unit of claim 33, wherein said table further includes a list of regulations corresponding to each recorded geographic region.

37. The mobile unit of claim 36, further including:

a display, which displays to a user said regulations corresponding to the physical geographic region in which the unit is located.

38. The mobile unit of claim 36, further including an operating setting adjuster, which adjusts an operating setting of the mobile unit to correspond with said regulations associated with the physical geographic region.

39. The mobile unit of claim 33, wherein the mobile unit is a hand-held data gathering device.

40. The mobile unit of claim 33, further including:

a display, which prompts a user to verify that an identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit corresponds with said physical geographic region containing the access point; and

a wireless transmitter, which transmits if said user verifies that said identified geographic region corresponds with said physical geographic region.

41. The mobile unit of claim 33, further including:

a Global Positioning System locator, which verifies said physical geographic region in which the mobile unit is located; and

a wireless transmitter, which transmits if said physical geographical region verified by said Global Positioning System locator matches said identified geographic region determined by the mobile unit.

42. The mobile unit of claim 33, wherein a user may disable any of said frequency scanner, said frequency spectrum detector, said comparator, said determiner, and said frequency adjuster.