Blackberry Corporation

Research in Motion Corporation

Ion Barbu

Krishna Kumar Bakthavathsalu

Nayef Fawaz Mendahawi

Ahmad Mohammad Mohammad Kholaif

Nayef F Mendahawi

Krishna K Bakthavathsalu

Ahmad Mohammad Kholaif

Ahmad M Kholaif

Denis Fedotenko

Nayef Mendahawi

Ahmad Kholaif

Krishna Bakthavathsalu

Mendahawi Nayef Fawaz Fawaz

One method for allowing and controlling access to an open WLAN network is through the use of a secure website such as a Hotspot or Captive Portal landing page that the device must 'log in' to in order to have access to the network. Credentials for a Captive Portal or Hotspot landing page (or other websites) are conventionally managed by a browser application and stored in a browser data storage space. According to some aspects of the disclosure, an electronic device obtains credentials for a website, such as a Captive Portal or Hotspot landing page. The credentials are stored in a network settings space on the electronic device. The credentials may be stored in a WLAN profile. The device may automatically log in to a webpage using the credentials, which may facilitate seamless connectivity.

Method and device for facilitating authentication over a wireless network

A wireless communications device stores a first cryptographic key in connection with a profile, the profile indicating a security type requiring no credentials and a network name. An access point (AP) supports a wireless local area network (WLAN), the WLAN having the network name, the WLAN supporting the security type and the WLAN requiring a second cryptographic key for encryption. The wireless communications device successfully authenticates and associates with the AP, thus joining the WLAN. Subsequent to joining the WLAN, the wireless communications device conducts encrypted communications with the AP and detects from the encrypted communications that there is a mismatch between the first cryptographic key and the second cryptographic key. Responsive to detecting the mismatch, the wireless communications device bans the profile or the AP or both.

Handling mismatch of cryptographic keys and related battery drain and communication exchange failures

In the event of an authentication process failure, a mobile station bans a connection profile storing the credentials provided by the mobile station when initiating the failed authentication process, thus affecting how subsequent scans&#x2014;other than discovery scans&#x2014;and connection attempts are handled. In the event of an authentication process failure, a mobile station bans or suppresses an access point with which the mobile station initiated the failed authentication process. The mobile station refrains from transmitting any communications addressed to the unique identifier of any banned access point. The mobile station may ignore any communications received from a banned access point. Suppressed access points are occasionally not made available to the mobile station for selection as a target for a connection attempt.

Authentication failure in a wireless local area network

A system and method of reducing the WLAN power consumption and limiting battery drain of a mobile communications device is provided. The mechanism continuously monitors for changes in the WLAN and cellular signal strength and modifies the WLAN profile scanning activity accordingly. By monitoring for changes, transitions can be detected which indicate the location of the mobile device (i.e., indoor or outdoor). An increase in cellular signal strength and a decrease in WLAN signal strength indicates the user is transitioning outdoors where WLAN coverage may be limited. To reduce battery power consumption, background scanning is suspended or its frequency significantly lowered. Moving indoors is indicated by a decrease in cellular signal strength and an increase in WLAN signal strength. Background/Connectivity scanning frequency is increased to provide shorter time-to-connect to WLAN Networks for the user within the WLAN coverage area.

Reducing WLAN power consumption on a mobile device utilizing a cellular radio interface

Techniques in a mobile device for use in initiating vertical handover of a voice or a data call between a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wide area wireless network (WWAN) are described. The mobile device performs communication operations for maintaining the voice or the data call via the WLAN or the WWAN. During the voice or the data call, the mobile device identifies a WLAN signal quality value of signals with the WLAN, as well as a WWAN signal quality value of signals with the WWAN. The mobile device then performs a comparative evaluation of the WLAN and the WWAN signal quality values, and initiates a vertical handover of the voice or the data call between the WLAN and the WWAN based on the comparative evaluation of the WLAN and WWAN signal quality values. The comparative evaluation may involve calculating a signal indicator value which is based on a ratio of the WLAN and the WWAN signal quality values. Alternatively, the comparative evaluation may involve comparing or finding the difference between the WLAN and the WWAN signal quality values.

Methods and apparatus for use in initiating vertical handover based on comparative evaluation of WLAN and WWAN signal qualities

A method for network access and a mobile station configured for the same is described. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for network access on a mobile station comprising: scanning for Wi-Fi networks; receiving responses from available wireless access points (APs) of the Wi-Fi networks; selecting a Wi-Fi network in accordance with past connectivity data associated with the Wi-Fi networks of the available APs; and attempting to connect to the selected Wi-Fi network.

Network access and a mobile station configured for the same

A target access point is selected from the results of a discovery scan so that a mobile station can attempt a connection with the target access point. The mobile station determines whether the target access point belongs to a small office/home office (SOHO)-type wireless local area network (WLAN) deployment or to a corporate/enterprise-type WLAN deployment. The mobile station then configures itself according to the determination of the type of WLAN deployment to which the target access point belongs.

Configuring mobile station according to type of wireless local area network (WLAN) deployment

A power reduction mechanism in a mobile communications device detects the use of a wrong WEP encryption key in the establishment of a WLAN connection between the mobile device and an access point for both static and dynamic IP WLAN profiles. The power reduction mechanism detects an incorrect WEP key; authentication failure; failure to acquire an IP address for dynamic IP WLAN profiles; decryption errors; and broadcast/multicast frames from the handset not being redirected back to the BSS by the AP. Upon such detection, the mobile device takes one or more power conserving actions, e.g., adding the AP/profile to a ban list; attempting WLAN association for a banned AP/profile at longer intervals than for a non-banned AP/profile; skipping an AP/profile on the ban list for a time duration defined by a timer to conserve power; and flagging the banned AP/profile with a special mark to indicate it is banned.

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Waterloo, Canada

Ion Barbu