US 7,593,730 B2 · System selection and acquisition for WWAN and WLAN systems

Abstract

A preferred roaming list (PRL) carries system and acquisition records for wireless wide area network (WWAN) systems and wireless local area network (WLAN) systems. New system and acquisition records may be defined for WLAN. The PRL and system and acquisition records may be defined to be backward compatible with TIA-683-C. System and acquisition information for WLAN systems may be stored in the new system and acquisition records, respectively. Information used to perform encryption and/or authentication for WLAN systems may be stored in a separate WLAN authentication profile table. The system record for each WLAN system indicates a acquisition record and a profile record for that WLAN system. A network identifier table may also carry system records and profile records for WLAN systems. The system records carry information used for WLAN system selection and acquisition. The profile records carry information used to perform encryption and/or authentication for WLAN systems.

Claims42

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a memory unit operative to store a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system;
wherein the PRL comprises
an acquisition record for each WLAN system, and wherein each acquisition record indicates at least a band class for the respective WLAN system;
and
a profile identifier pointing to a profile table corresponding to the at least one WLAN system, the profile table carrying at least information used for authentication and encryption for the at least one WLAN system;
wherein the PRL and the profile table comprise one set of a plurality of different sets of PRLs and profile tables selected depending on a service plan;
and
a processor operative to use the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

5 more elements

A method of performing system selection and acquisition, comprising:

obtaining a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system;
wherein the PRL comprises
an acquisition record for each WLAN system, and wherein each acquisition record indicates at least a band class for the respective WLAN system;
and
a profile identifier pointing to a profile table corresponding to the at least one WLAN system, the profile table carrying at least information used for authentication and encryption for the at least one WLAN system;
wherein the PRL and the profile table comprise one set of a plurality of different sets of PRLs and profile tables selected depending on a service plan;
and
using the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

5 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining a preferred roaming list (PRL) for at least one wireless wide area network (WWAN) system and at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system;
wherein the PRL comprises
an acquisition record for each WLAN system, and wherein each acquisition record indicates at least a band class for the respective WLAN system;
and
a profile identifier pointing to a profile table corresponding to the at least one WLAN system, the profile table carrying at least information used for authentication and encryption for the at least one WLAN system;
wherein the PRL and the profile table comprise one set of a plurality of different sets of PRLs and profile tables selected depending on a service plan;
and
means for using the PRL for system selection and acquisition.

5 more elements

A wireless device comprising:

a memory unit operative to store at least one file containing system and security-related information for at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) system;
wherein the at least one file comprises
at least one system record for the at least one WLAN system, and wherein each system record indicates at least a band class for the respective WLAN system;
and
at least one profile table containing at least information used for authentication and encryption for the at least one WLAN system;
wherein the system record and the profile table comprise one set of a plurality of different sets of system records and profile tables selected depending on a service plan;
and
wherein the at least one file is used by the wireless device for system selection and acquisition for the at least one WLAN system;
and
a processor operative to use the at least one file to acquire and select a WLAN system.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System selection and acquisition for WWAN and WLAN systems

Life of this patent

System selection and acquisition for WWAN and WLAN systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42