Network identity and timezone (NITZ) functionality for non-3GPP devices

• US 7,664,527 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bari, Farooq, Bonner, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse; Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US11/462,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 455/101, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/456.1, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices

Abstract

A system that provisions a multimode mobile or converged device with local time information and network provider identification when the multimode mobile device is operating within the purview of a wireless local area network (WLAN). The system includes components that receive protocol data and that extract network provider identification from the received protocol data as well as utilizing the received protocol data to ascertain the local time.

Claims

1. A system that provides a multimode mobile device with a local time and a network identification, comprising:

an identification component that receives a first protocol data and employs the first protocol data to extract the network identification when the multimode mobile device transitions from a mobile wireless network to a private network environment; and

a locator component that obtains a second protocol data and utilizes the second protocol data to ascertain the local time when the multimode mobile device transitions from a mobile wireless network to a private network environment, the locator component comprises an analytics component and an extractor component, wherein the extractor component transmits the second protocol data to the analytics component, which determines information necessary to ascertain the local time.

2. The system of claim 1, the identification component and the locator component are supplied with protocol data via a wireless access point.

3. The system of claim 1, the first and second protocol data is propagated from a protocol server.

4. The system of claim 1, the first protocol data is a network identifier, the network identifier includes a service set identification (SSID) that uniquely identifies at least one of a basic service set (BSS) or an extended service set (ESS).

5. The system of claim 4, the service set identification (SSID) is employed by an extractor component included in the identification component to compare the service set identification (SSID) with a lookup table in an associated data repository included within the identification component.

6. The system of claim 1, the second protocol data generated by a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service.

7. The system of claim 6, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service executes on at least one of a wireless access point, a protocol server, or a wireless router.

8. The system of claim 6, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) supplies time zone information that can be in the form of an offset in seconds from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

9. The system of claim 1, the second protocol data generated by a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) service.

10. The system of claim 9, the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) service executes on at least one of a wireless access point, a protocol server, a wireless router, or a multimode device.

11. The system of claim 9, the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) service provides a facility to carry time zone information during the initiation of a session.

12. The system of claim 1, the second protocol data generated by an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) service.

13. The system of claim 12, the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) service executes on at least one of a wireless access point, a protocol server, a wireless router, or a multimode device.

14. The system of claim 12, the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) service is extended to provide location or time zone information as part of the authentication process.

15. A multimode mobile device, comprising:

a transmitting component configured to transmit a first protocol data and a second protocol data to a wireless access point of a system, wherein the system uses the first protocol data to determine a network identification when the multimode mobile device transitions from a mobile wireless network to a private network environment, and wherein the system uses the second protocol data to determine a local time at the location of the multimode mobile device when the multimode mobile device transitions from a mobile wireless network to a private network environment; and

a receiving component that receives an indication of the network identification and an indication of the local time from the wireless access point.

16. A multimode mobile device as in claim 15, further comprising:

a display component that displays at least one of the network identification or the local time.

17. A multimode mobile device as in claim 16, wherein the display component displays both the network identifier and the local time.