Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100157865 | Power-Save for Wireless Networks - Embodiments of the present invention enable power-save methods for wireless networks. Embodiments of the present invention are compliant with the IEEE 802.11 protocol. Further, embodiments of the present invention are readily inter-operable with other third party implementations. | 06-24-2010 |
20110305264 | Beacon Miss Prevention in Power Save Modes Using Timing Synchronization Function - An integrated circuit comprising a transceiver module, a beacon miss module, and a control module. The transceiver module is configured to, at predetermined times, transition a wireless network device from an inactive mode to an active mode. The beacon miss module is configured to count a number of delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) beacons missed by the transceiver module during each of a first predetermined period and a second predetermined period, wherein the first predetermined period is shorter than the second predetermined period. The control module is configured to adjust the predetermined times at which the wireless network device is transitioned from the inactive mode to the active mode based on the number of the DTIM beacons missed by the transceiver module during each of i) the first predetermined period and ii) the second predetermined period. | 12-15-2011 |
20130077549 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND METHOD WITH PRE-BEACON ACTIVATION TIME ADJUSTMENT - An integrated circuit including a transceiver module that receives beacons from an access point (AP), and transition a wireless network device to an active mode based on: a predetermined beacon interval; and a first predetermined period prior to one of multiple beacons. A timestamp module calculates a first correction value based on a first timestamp received from the AP. An adjustment module adjusts the first predetermined period based on the first correction value. A beacon module detects a beacon missed during an inactive mode by the transceiver module. The timestamp module transmits a probe request signal to the AP a second predetermined period after detection of the missed beacon, receives a second timestamp from the AP in response to the probe request signal, and recalculates the first correction value based on the second timestamp. The adjustment module adjusts the first predetermined period based on the recalculated first correction value. | 03-28-2013 |
20130150012 | MECHANISMS TO IMPROVE MOBILE DEVICE ROAMING IN WIRELESS NETWORKS - A mobile wireless device adapts roaming parameters used to determine searching for and switching among access points. The roaming parameters are adjusted based on a wireless network characterization for access points that includes a detected wireless network type. In an embodiment, the wireless network type is characterized by a service set identifier and a number of unique basic service set identifiers associated with the service set identifier per radio frequency band. Roaming parameters include a scan threshold, a roam threshold and a time interval between successive scans. | 06-13-2013 |
20130225161 | SEAMLESS TRANSITION FROM CELLULAR TO Wi-Fi COMMUNICATION - An electronic device receives a list of available networks and associated access credentials via a cellular-telephone network. These available networks may be other than the cellular-telephone network and may use a communication technique other than a cellular-telephone communication technique, such as an IEEE 802.11 protocol. For example, a base station in the cellular-telephone network may track the location of the electronic device, and may provide the list to the electronic device when the cellular-telephone network performance is constrained or degraded. In response to receiving the list, the electronic device may select a network from the available networks based on a communication criterion, such as: proximity to the electronic device, a signal strength, security, and/or communication quality. Information specifying this selection may be provided via the cellular-telephone network, and then instructions that transition communication with the electronic device from the cellular-telephone network to the selected network may be received. | 08-29-2013 |
20130288601 | AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES - The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the configuration of a first electronic device. During operation, the system detects a non-configured state of the first electronic device in proximity to a second electronic device. Next, the system establishes a network connection between the first and second electronic devices. Finally, the system uses the network connection to transmit configuration information from the second electronic device to the first electronic device, wherein the configuration information is used to configure the first electronic device without receiving manual input from a user through a user interface of the first electronic device. | 10-31-2013 |
20130331098 | Automatically Determining and Alerting Users to Available Wireless Networks - Automatically determining and alerting a user to available wireless networks. Initially, the method may automatically determine that one or more wireless networks are available to a wireless device at a location. The method may determine if the wireless device has been present at the first location for more than a threshold amount of time, e.g., based on periodic determination of the available wireless networks to the wireless device. Based on the wireless device being present at the first location for more than the threshold amount of time, an alert may be automatically displayed to the user on a display of the wireless device. The alert may indicate at least one wireless network of the one or more wireless networks at the first location. The wireless device may connect to wireless network indicated by the alert in response to user input. | 12-12-2013 |
20130331101 | Automatically Modifying Wireless Network Connection Policies Based on User Activity Levels - Modifying network connection policies of a wireless device based on user activity levels. One or more activity indicators of the wireless device may be monitored. One or more criteria for wireless network blacklisting may be selected based on the one or more activity indicators. The criteria may include different types of connectivity problems. A wireless network may be detected. The wireless network may be monitored for connectivity problems. The wireless network may be blacklisted if connectivity problems meeting the selected criteria for wireless network blacklisting are determined to have occurred. | 12-12-2013 |
20130331118 | PERFORMING ENHANCED BACKGROUND LOCATION SCANS TO FACILITATE LOCATION-BASED GEO-FENCING - The disclosed embodiments facilitate location awareness in mobile computing devices while also reducing power consumption. A baseband processor performs background scanning of wireless networks, tracking the status of surrounding wireless networks while a primary application processor operates in a lower-power sleep state. Upon detecting a wireless network of interest, the baseband processor notifies (and wakes up) the application processor. The baseband processor can also be configured to track a subset of the wireless networks detected from previous scans to facilitate trajectory tracing. | 12-12-2013 |
20130332598 | INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS IPv4/IPv6 BASED PACKET FILTERING IN WoWLAN MODE - One embodiment of the present invention provides a system configured to apply Internet Protocol (IP) address based packet filtering prior to entering Wake on Wireless LAN (WoWLAN) mode. During operation, the system receives a request to enter WoWLAN mode. In response to this request, the system collects a set of active IP addresses, as well as a set of active ports. Next, the system filters out packets destined to IP addresses that are not members of the set of active IP addresses, and ports that are not members of the set of active ports. Finally, the system enters WoWLAN mode. | 12-12-2013 |
20130332599 | NEIGHBOR DISCOVERY OFFLOAD IN MOBILE DEVICES - One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates offloading neighbor discovery from a host prior to the host entering Wake on Wireless LAN (WoWLAN) mode. During operation, the system receives a request from a host executing on the processor to enter WoWLAN mode. Next, the system collects a set of active IP addresses on the host. The system then places the apparatus in WoWLAN mode. Next, the system receives neighbor discovery requests from IP addresses external to the host at a networking chip external to the processor. The system then responds to the neighbor discovery requests from the networking chip on behalf of the host and without waking the host from WoWLAN mode for requests destined to IP addresses that are members of the set of active IP addresses. Finally, the system also prevents, at the networking chip, the neighbor discovery requests from waking the host. | 12-12-2013 |
20140064140 | QUICKLY JOINING WI-FI NETWORKS USING NEIGHBORING ACCESS POINTS - One embodiment of the present invention provides a device for joining a known Wi-Fi network. During operation, the device performs a scanning operation during a scanning process to find a known access point of a WLAN for the device to join. Next, if the scanning operation finds an access point, the device determines whether the access point neighbors a known access point. If so, the device attempts to associate with the known access point by performing a scanning operation on the specific channel associated with the known access point. | 03-06-2014 |
20140068727 | WI-FI CREDENTIAL SHARING USING IMAGES - In order to facilitate access to a wireless network, access information (and, more generally, credentials) may be provided to an electronic device via an image. In particular, the electronic device may capture an image that includes a representation of the access information. For example, the electronic device may scan a two-dimensional representation of the access information, such as a Quick Response (QR) code. Then, the electronic device may analyze the image to extract the access information. Next, the access information may be used to access the wireless network. This communication technique allows a user of the electronic device to access the wireless network with less effort, thereby improving the user's experience. | 03-06-2014 |
20140086233 | SYNCHRONIZATION REQUESTS TO REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION - An electronic device is described. In order to facilitate the communication of synchronization information with another electronic device in a wireless network, the electronic device provides a request for the synchronization information to the other electronic device at a time other than a predefined synchronization transmission time of the other electronic device. Then, the electronic device receives the synchronization information from the other electronic device in response to the request. In this way, the probability that the synchronization information is successfully communicated is increased, and the amount of time the electronic device is in an active mode is reduced, thereby reducing power consumption. | 03-27-2014 |
20140092889 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Location-Aware Wi-Fi Access - Methods and systems for providing location-aware WiFi access for a portable device include receiving, at a mobile communication device, locations and ranges for a set of one or more WiFi access points from a location provider system. The mobile communication device uses the locations and ranges to determine whether to power on a WiFi transceiver, and to determine for which WiFi access points to scan if the WiFi transceiver is powered on. | 04-03-2014 |
20140098729 | BUFFERED INDICATION OF INDIVIDUALLY ADDRESSED TRAFFIC WITH REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION - Embodiments provide a technique for enabling a wireless device to operate in a power saving mode without completely cutting off the wireless device from receiving outside communications. The technique includes, at an access point (AP), generating traffic indication map (TIM) information that indicates whether downlink data directed to the wireless device is buffered at the AP. The AP precedes a beacon frame with at least one “lightweight” traffic indication map (TIM) frame that includes the TIM information, which is a subset of the information that is included in the beacon frame. The AP can be configured to transmit the TIM broadcast frame, the beacon frame, and any other frames that include the TIM information during a single transmit opportunity to reduce the number of instances where the wireless device is required to transition from an idle state to a listen state. | 04-10-2014 |
20140105086 | MOTION-BASED ADAPTIVE SCANNING - In order to facilitate reduced power consumption of an electronic device (such as a smartphone) when communicating with another electronic device (such as an access point) in a wireless network, the electronic device may change a frequency of network scans performed by an interface circuit in the electronic device based on a motion profile of the electronic device. In particular, the electronic device may determine the motion profile based on spatial information, such as: acceleration data, orientation data, Global Positioning System data and/or data from the wireless network. Then, the electronic device may change the frequency of the network scans performed by the interface circuit based on the motion profile. In this way, the frequency of the network scans can be reduced when the electronic device is stationary or moving rapidly (such as when a user of the electronic device is driving in a car). | 04-17-2014 |
20140105195 | DETECTING NEIGHBORING ACCESS POINTS IN A NETWORK - An electronic device, e.g., a mobile device, having access to a wireless network roams from one access point (AP) to another using access point detection based on location and learning. A learning scheme may modify a list of nearby access points determined based on location to identify neighboring access points where roaming is possible. The identified neighboring access points where roaming is possible may be ordered based on roaming history, such as the frequency of the roams to a particular AP. The roaming history may be maintained on a per client basis or aggregated across all clients using an AP. | 04-17-2014 |
20140105197 | LOCATION AWARE BACKGROUND ACCESS POINT SCANNING FOR WLAN - Respective distances between a communication device and a plurality of wireless local area network (WLAN) access points are determined. One of the plurality of WLAN access points with which the communication device is to associate is selected based on the determined distances. A background scanning process is initiated based on determined distances. The background scanning process includes at least selecting one of the plurality of WLAN access points with which the communication device is to associate based on the determined respective distances by evaluating the plurality of WLAN access points in an order based on the determined respective distances. If it is determined that a WLAN access point is acceptable, evaluation of the plurality of WLAN access points is stopped before all of the plurality of WLAN access points have been evaluated. | 04-17-2014 |
20140128063 | Extending Use of a Cellular Communication Capabilities in a Wireless Device to Another Device - Extending cellular telecommunication service from a first UE to another device. The first UE may register for cellular telecommunication service with a cellular network using a first cellular service account, using a cellular communication link via a cellular radio. A second device may be discovered and a communication link may be established between the first UE and the second device. The second device may be registered to use cellular telecommunication capability provided by the first UE. Communications between the second device and the cellular network may be conveyed via the communication link between the first UE and the second device and the cellular communication link. Conveying communications between the second device and the cellular network may provide use of the first cellular service account for cellular telecommunication service to the second device. | 05-08-2014 |
20140211676 | DYNAMIC ADAPTATION OF A TRAFFIC INACTIVITY TIMER - A method for dynamically adapting a traffic inactivity timer is disclosed. The method can include a wireless communication device determining a data traffic level on a wireless network interface and determining whether the data traffic level exceeds a threshold data traffic level. The method can further include the wireless communication device using a first inactivity timeout period for the traffic inactivity timer in an instance in which it is determined that data traffic level does not exceed the threshold data traffic level. The method can additionally include the wireless communication device using a second inactivity timeout period for the traffic inactivity timer in an instance in which it is determined that the data traffic level exceeds the threshold data traffic level. The second inactivity timeout period can define a longer time period than the first inactivity timeout period. | 07-31-2014 |
20140233406 | DETERMINING PARAMETERS OF AN ACCESS POINT - A method and system are described for determining parameters of an access point (AP). In the described embodiments, during a first time period, a portable electronic device (PED) scans for APs on a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel. Then, when an AP is detected on the WLAN channel, the PED determines if the AP includes a general advertisement service (GAS) protocol to make available information related to services provided by the AP. If the AP includes the GAS protocol, then the PED transmits a GAS request frame to the AP. If a response to the GAS request frame is not received from the AP within the first time period, then the PED extends the dwell time to wait for the response for a second time period, wherein a duration of the second time period is determined based on a total allowable time to scan for APs. | 08-21-2014 |
20140254443 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH LOW-POWER ROAMING - A low-power roaming mechanism is described. This low-power roaming mechanism is used by a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device enters a stand-by mode (sleep mode). During this stand-by mode, the portable electronic device allows a wireless interface to look for surrounding wireless networks with a configurable quota. This quota is allotted for roaming based on the usage or communication pattern of the portable electronic device. Once the allotted quota is completely used, the portable electronic device is blocked from performing roaming operations to prevent the portable electronic device from draining the battery. | 09-11-2014 |
20140267135 | APPLICATION-BASED TOUCH SENSITIVITY - A sensing threshold of a touch sensing surface may be specified based on a user interface context. For example, inadvertent touches may be more likely in a map application that is often used in a car where a user experiences constant jostling. Accordingly, a high sensing threshold can be associated with the map application, and other applications can be associated with a lower sensing threshold. | 09-18-2014 |
20140269404 | DETERMINING THE RELIABILITY OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND AN ACCESS POINT - A method and system are described for determining the reliability of the communications between a portable electronic device and an access point (AP) before associating with the AP. In the described embodiments, a first probe request frame is transmitted to the AP at a first data rate, and a first probe response frame is received from the AP, wherein the first probe response frame is responsive to the first probe request frame. Then, a second probe request frame is transmitted to the AP at a second data rate, wherein the first data rate is lower than the second data rate. Then, the portable electronic device determines if a second probe response frame is received from the AP, wherein the second probe response frame is responsive to the second probe request frame. The portable electronic device then determines the reliability of the communications between the portable electronic device and the AP. | 09-18-2014 |