Network access across wireless technologies
View Patent ↗Techniques for accessing wireless networks are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus may include a control module to broadcast messages for transmission within a coverage area of a first type of a wireless communications network. In addition, the apparatus may include a storage medium that stores access parameters for wireless network(s) of a second type that are accessible within the coverage area. Additionally, the control module may generate messages for transmission that include the one or more access parameters. The types of wireless communications networks may be, for example, wireless cellular networks and wireless data communications networks.
1. A method, comprising:
scanning a coverage area of a cell included within a wireless cellular communications network for one or more wireless data networks, the scanning using one or more probe messages that solicit a response identifying one or more wireless data networks that are accessible within the coverage area and preferred by a network operator;
storing multiple access parameters for the one or more identified wireless data networks in a networks list, the multiple access parameters including a network name, a service set identifier (SSID), and an access channel;
storing signal strength information for one or more neighboring wireless data networks; and transmitting over a broadcast control channel of the cellular communications network a cellular system information message, the cellular system information message including the one or more multiple access parameters and the signal strength information for the one or more neighboring wireless data networks.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the wireless data networks is an IEEE 802.11 network and/or an IEEE 802.16 network.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the multiple access parameters from an operator of the wireless cellular communications network.
4. An apparatus, comprising:
a control module operative to generate probe messages for transmission within a cell of a wireless cellular communications network, the probe messages to solicit a response identifying one or more wireless data networks that are accessible within a coverage area and preferred by a network operator; and
a storage medium operative to store multiple access parameters for the one or more identified wireless data networks that are accessible within the coverage area in a networks list, the storage medium to store signal strength information for one or more neighboring wireless data networks;
wherein the multiple access parameters include a network name, a service set identifier (SSID), and an access channel, and
wherein the control module is to generate for transmission, over a broadcast control channel of the cellular communications network, a cellular system information message including the multiple access parameters and the signal strength information for the one or more neighboring wireless data networks.
5. An apparatus, comprising:
a first radio module operative to receive a message from a cellular base station over a broadcast control channel of a cellular communications network, the message including multiple access parameters for one or more wireless data networks that are accessible within a coverage area of the cellular base station and preferred by a network operator and signal strength information for one or more neighboring wireless data networks, the first radio module to send the multiple access parameters to a second radio module, the one or more multiple access parameters to enable the second radio module to acquire one of the one or more wireless data networks;
wherein the multiple access parameters include a network name, a service set identifier, and an access channel.