Sending an identifier of a wireless local area network to enable handoff of a mobile station to the wireless local area network
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAnit Lohtia, Yuqiang Tang, Miroslav Budic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a wireless communications network, the presence of a wireless local area network in a cell segment is determined. An identifier of the wireless local area network in the cell segment is sent to at least one mobile station in the cell segment to enable the at least one mobile station to hand off to the wireless local area network. Optionally, information identifying geographic boundaries of cell segments and the wireless local area network can be sent to the at least one mobile station.
Claims20
A method for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:
- a node in the wireless communication network identifying at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) for a mobile station;
- and
- the node transmitting one or more messages to the mobile station identifying the at least one WLAN for handoff of the mobile station to a WLAN of the at least one WLAN, wherein the one or more messages comprise other information for the mobile station to select a WLAN from the at least one WLAN, wherein the other information comprises preference information regarding a preferred one or more WLANs.
A method for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:
- a mobile station receiving one or more messages from a node in the wireless communication network, wherein the one or more messages identify at least one wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the one or more messages comprises other information used by the mobile station to select a WLAN from the at least one WLAN;
- and
- the mobile station selecting a first WLAN from the at least one WLAN for handoff, wherein the mobile station is configured to use the other information to perform the selecting, wherein the other information comprises preference information regarding a preferred one or more WLANs.
A mobile station, configured to perform handover between a wireless communication network and a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the mobile station comprises:
- wireless communication circuitry for communicating with wireless networks;
- and
- processing hardware coupled to the wireless communication circuitry, wherein the processing hardware is configured to:
- receive one or more messages from a node in the wireless communication network, wherein the one or more messages identify at least one wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the one or more messages comprise other information used by the mobile station to select a WLAN from the at least one WLAN;
- and
- select a first WLAN from the at least one WLAN for handoff, wherein the mobile station is configured to use the other information to perform the selecting, wherein the other information comprises preference information regarding a preferred one or more WLANs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.