Systems and methods for enhanced network handoff to wireless local area networks

A system, comprising:

• a wireless wide area network interface configured to communicate with a wireless device;
• a wireless local area network interface configured to communicate with the wireless device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the wireless wide area network interface and to the wireless local area network interface, the processor configured to:
• communicate using at least one of the wireless wide area network interface and the wireless local area network interface,
• receive, from the wireless wide area network interface, a set of location information associated with the wireless device,
• identify, using the set of location information, a set of access points that are within connection range of the wireless device,
• transmit, via the wireless wide area network interface, a set of access point information associated with the set of access points to the wireless device, the set of access point information identifying to the wireless device a plurality of the access points,
• transmit a set of station information associated with the wireless device to at least one access point in the set of access points, and
• initiate a handoff of the wireless device from the wireless wide area network interface to the wireless local area network interface based on the set of access point information and based on the transmission of the set of station information to the at least one access point.

A system, comprising:

• means for communicating via a wireless wide area network;
• means for communicating via a wireless local area network;
• and
• means for processing information, the means for processing information coupled to the means for communicating via a wireless wide area network and to the means for communicating via a wireless local area network, the means for processing information configured to:
• communicate using at least one of the means for communicating via a wireless wide area network and the means for communicating via a wireless local area network, and
• receive, from the means for communicating via a wireless wide area network, a set of location information associated with a means for communicating wirelessly,
• identify, using the set of location information, a set of means for providing access that are within connection range of the means for communicating wirelessly,
• transmit, via the means for communicating via a wireless wide area network, a set of access point information associated with the set of means for providing access to the means for communicating wirelessly, the set of access point information identifying to the means for communicating wirelessly a plurality of the means for providing access,
• transmit a set of station information associated with the means for communicating wirelessly to at least one means for providing access in the set of means for providing access, and
• initiate a handoff of the means for communicating wirelessly from the means for communicating via a wireless wide area network to the means for communicating via a wireless local area network based on the set of access point information and based on the transmission of the set of station information to the at least one means for providing access.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to initiate operations comprising:
• receiving, from a wireless wide area network interface, a set of location information associated with a wireless device,
• identifying, using the set of location information, a set of access points that are within connection range of the wireless device,
• transmitting a set of access point information associated with the set of access points to the wireless device via the wireless wide area network interface, the set of access point information identifying to the wireless device a plurality of the access points,
• transmitting a set of station information associated with the wireless device to at least one access point in the set of access points, and
• initiating a handoff of the wireless device from the wireless wide area network interface to a wireless local area network interface based on the set of access point information and based on the transmitting of the set of station information to the at least one access point.

A method of configuring data connections on a wireless device, the method comprising:

• transmitting a set of location information associated with the wireless device via a wireless wide area network interface to a wireless handoff gateway;
• receiving, in the wireless device from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of access point information associated with a set of access points that are within connection range of the wireless device via a wireless local area network interface;
• transmitting a set of station information associated with the wireless device to the wireless handoff gateway;
• identifying at least one access point in the set of access points to establish a data connection with the wireless device via the wireless local area network interface;
• and
• transitioning the data connection of the wireless device from the wireless wide area network interface to the wireless local area network interface based on identifying the at least one access point.

A wireless device, comprising:

• a first interface configured to communicate with a wireless wide area network;
• a second interface configured to communicate with a wireless local area network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the first interface and to the second interface, the processor configured to:
• communicate using the first interface and the second interface,
• transmit, via the first interface, a set of location information associated with the wireless device to a wireless handoff gateway,
• receive, in the wireless device from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of access point information associated with a set of access points that are within connection range of the wireless device via the wireless local area network, the set of access point information identifying to the wireless device a plurality of the access points,
• identify at least one access point in the set of access points to establish a data connection of the wireless device via the wireless local area network, and
• transition the data connection of the wireless device from the first interface to the second interface based on the identification of the at least one access point.

A wireless device, comprising:

• first means for interfacing to a wireless wide area network;
• second means for interfacing to a wireless local area network;
• and
• means for processing information, the means for processing information coupled to the first means for interfacing and to the second means for interfacing, the means for processing information configured to:
• communicate using the first means for interfacing and the second means for interfacing,
• transmit, via a wireless wide area network interface, a set of location information associated with the wireless device to a wireless handoff gateway,
• receive, in the wireless device from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of access point information associated with a set of access points that are within connection range of the wireless device via the wireless local area network, the set of access point information identifying to the wireless device a plurality of the access points,
• identify at least one access point in the set of access points to establish a data connection of the wireless device via the wireless local area network, and
• transition the data connection of the wireless device from the first means for interfacing to the second means for interfacing based on the identification of the at least one access point.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by a computer to initiate operations comprising:
• transmitting a set of location information associated with a wireless device via a wireless wide area network interface to a wireless handoff gateway;
• receiving, in the wireless device from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of access point information associated with a set of access points that are within connection range of the wireless device via a wireless local area network, the set of access point information identifying to the wireless device a plurality of the access points;
• identifying at least one access point in the set of access points to establish a data connection of the wireless device via the wireless local area network;
• and
• transitioning the data connection of the wireless device from the wireless wide area network interface to a wireless local area network interface based on the identifying of the at least one access point.

A method of associating a wireless device with an access point, the method comprising:

• transmitting, from the access point to a wireless handoff gateway, a set of access point information;
• receiving, from the wireless handoff gateway via a wireless wide area network interface, a set of location information associated with the wireless device;
• transmitting a set of access point information associated with the access point to the wireless handoff gateway;
• receiving, from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of station information associated with the wireless device in the access point;
• and
• establishing a data connection between the access point and the wireless device via a wireless local area network interface based on the set of access point information and the set of station information.

An access point device, comprising:

• a first interface configured to communicate with a wireless wide area network;
• a second interface configured to communicate with a wireless local area network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the first interface and to the second interface, the processor configured to:
• communicate using the first interface and the second interface,
• transmit, to a wireless handoff gateway, access point information that is associated with the access point device and that is included in a set of access point information provided to a wireless device, the set of access point information identifying a plurality of access points that includes the access point device,
• receive, from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of station information associated with the wireless device, and
• establish a data connection with the wireless device via the wireless local area network based on the set of access point information and the set of station information.

An access point device, comprising:

• first means for interfacing to a wireless wide area network;
• second means for interfacing to a wireless local area network;
• and
• means for processing information, the means for processing information coupled to the first means for interfacing and to the second means for interfacing, the means for processing information configured to:
• communicate with the first means for interfacing and the second means for interfacing,
• transmit, to a wireless handoff gateway, access point information that is associated with the access point device and that is included in a set of access point information provided to a wireless device, the set of access point information identifying a plurality of access points that includes the access point device,
• receive, from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of station information associated with the wireless device, and
• establish a data connection with the wireless device via the wireless local area network based on the access point information and the set of station information.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a computer to initiate operations comprising:
• transmitting, from an access point to a wireless handoff gateway, a set of access point information;
• receiving, from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of location information associated with a wireless device;
• transmitting access point information that is associated with the access point and that is included in a set of access point information provided to a wireless device, the set of access point information identifying a plurality of access points that includes the access point;
• receiving, from the wireless handoff gateway, a set of station information associated with the wireless device in the access point;
• and
• establishing a data connection between the access point and the wireless device based on the set of access point information and the set of station information.