Virtual access point using single service set identifiers
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson
InventorsKaiyuan Huang, Stephen G. Rayment
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Abstract
An Access Point (“AP”) apparatus comprising one or more processors containing program code. The program code may be configured to: (i) cause the AP to broadcast a beacon containing a single SSID identifying the AP; (ii) cause the AP to receive from the STA an query for network information for at least one network operator accessible through the AP; and (iii) cause the AP to send to the STA, for the at least one network operator, a network information description element, in response to the network information query. The AP providing the plural responses broadcasts only a single service set identification (“SSID”).
Claims21
An Access Point (AP) apparatus, comprising:
- at least one antenna;
- and
- one or more processors containing program code configured to:
- cause the AP to broadcast a beacon containing a single Service Set Identification (SSID) identifying (i) the AP, and (ii) plural network operators accessible through said AP;
- cause the AP to receive from a user device station (STA) an Internet Protocol (IP) Address Type Availability Query for each of the plural network operators accessible through the AP;
- and
- cause the AP to send to the STA, for each of the plural network operators, an IP address type availability information element in response to the IP Address Type Availability Query, and before the STA is associated with one of said network operators.
A mobile station (STA) apparatus, comprising:
- at least one antenna;
- and
- one or more processors containing program code configured to:
- cause the STA to receive from an Access Point (AP) a beacon containing a single Service Set Identification (SSID) identifying the AP;
- cause the STA to send to the AP an Internet Protocol (IP) Address Type Availability Query for at least one network operator accessible through the AP;
- and
- cause the STA to receive from the AP, for the at least one network operator, an IP address type availability information element, in response to the IP Address Type Availability Query before the STA is associated with one of said at least one network operator.
A computer implemented method for indicating network capabilities at an Access Point (AP), the method comprising the steps of:
- the AP broadcasting a beacon containing a single Service Set Identification (SSID) identifying (i) the AP and (ii) plural network operators accessible through said AP;
- receiving from an STA an Internet Protocol (IP) Address Type Availability Query for each of the plural network operators accessible through the AP;
- and
- sending to the STA, for each of the plural network operators, an IP address type availability information element, in response to the IP Address Type Availability Query.
A computer-implemented method for indicating network capabilities at a receiving station (STA), the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving from an Access Point (AP) a beacon containing a single Service Set Identification (SSID) identifying the AP;
- sending to the AP an Internet Protocol (IP) Address Type Availability Query for at least one network operator accessible through the AP;
- and
- receiving from the AP, for the at least one network operator, an IP address type availability information element, in addition to standard Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) protocol, in response to the IP Address Type Availability Query.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.