Autologging the presence of a wireless local area network
View Patent ↗A method includes scanning to detect presence of a wireless local area network WLAN, detecting presence of said wireless local area network, contacting a base station of said wireless local area network detected to request the location of said base station, and receiving location of said wireless area network.
1. A method, comprising:
scanning to detect a presence of a wireless local area network;
detecting the presence of said wireless local area network;
determining a media access control identification of a base station of said wireless local area network;
comparing the media access control identification of said base station to a database of known locations of base stations of wireless local area networks and not requesting a location from said base station if the base station is in said database;
requesting and receiving a location of said base station through said wireless local area network if said base station is not in said database; and
logging the media access control identification of said base station and the received location in said database.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said location comprises a map coordinate location of said base station.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said location comprises one of a street address and longitude/latitude coordinates for said base station.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said logging of said location is one of an automated logging and a manual logging.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said location comprises global position coordinates.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises detecting signature sequences from a wireless local area network.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises detecting energy fluctuations from said wireless local area network.
8. A wireless device comprising:
a processor coupled to a memory;
a means for scanning to detect a presence of a wireless local area network;
a means for detecting the presence of said wireless local area network;
a means for determining a media access control identification of a detected base station of said wireless local area network;
a means for comparing the media access control identification of said detected base station to a database of known locations of base stations of wireless local area networks and not requesting a location from said detected base station if the detected base station is in said database;
a means for requesting and receiving a location of said detected base station of said wireless local area network if said detected base station is not in said database; and
a means for logging the media access control identification of said detected base station and the received location in said database.
9. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein said location comprises a map location of said base station.
10. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein said location comprises a street address for said base station.
11. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein said location comprises global position coordinates.
12. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein said detecting comprises detection of an energy signature from said wireless local area network.
13. The wireless device of claim 8 , further comprising the step of displaying a location of a base station of a wireless local area network logged previously that is near said wireless device.
14. A mobile device operable to communicate with a wireless communication network and a wireless local area network (WLAN), configured for carrying out the following steps:
scanning to detect a presence of a wireless local area network;
detecting the presence of said wireless local area network;
determining a media access control identification of a base station of said wireless local area network;
comparing the media access control identification of said base station to a database of known locations of base stations of wireless local area networks and not requesting a location from said base station if the base station is in said database;
requesting and receiving a location of said base station through said wireless local area network if said base station is not in said database; and
logging the media access control identification of said base station and the received location in said database.
15. The mobile device of claim 14 , wherein said location comprises a map coordinate location of said base station.
16. The mobile device of claim 14 , wherein said location comprises a street address for said base station.
17. The mobile device of claim 14 , wherein said location comprises global position coordinates.
18. The mobile device of claim 14 , further comprising displaying a location of a logged bases station of a wireless local area network near a location input by a user.