The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 02, 2016

Filed:

Jan. 27, 2014
Applicant:

Sprint Communications Company L.p., Overland Park, KS (US);

Inventor:

Christopher Lee Moncrief, Belton, MO (US);

Assignee:

Sprint Communications Company L.P., Overland Park, KS (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04W 4/00 (2009.01); H04W 76/04 (2009.01); H04W 88/06 (2009.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H04W 76/045 (2013.01); H04W 88/06 (2013.01);
Abstract

A wireless communication device (WCD) and wireless communication method are provided. The WCD in one example includes a WI-FI transceiver configured to exchange wireless communications using a WI-FI communication protocol, an alternative wireless transceiver configured to exchange wireless communications using an alternative wireless communication protocol, and a processing system coupled to the WI-FI transceiver and the alternative wireless transceiver. The processing system is configured to transmit keep-alive messages to a wireless hotspot at intervals using the alternative wireless transceiver, determine WI-FI connectivity to the wireless hotspot based on wireless hotspot responses to the keep-alive messages, and if WI-FI connectivity to the wireless hotspot is to be initiated in the WCD, then generate a WI-FI communication readiness indication in the WCD if wireless hotspot connectivity is available and exchange communications with the wireless hotspot by emulating WI-FI communications using the alternative wireless transceiver.


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