Patent · US Active

Wireless internet access

US10531363B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

2References

16Claims

0Family size

Assignee

BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company · GB

Inventors

David Townend · London, GB
Francis Scahill · London, GB
Simon Ringland · London, GB

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 27, 2035

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH04W88/08
WIPO fieldDigital communication
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of controlling wireless Internet access is disclosed. A problem with conventional wireless Internet access is that users of wireless Internet access devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptop computers are often presented with an indication of the availability of an Internet connection, but find when they try to use that connection that it is of a disappointing quality. In some cases, the disappointing quality is caused by a poor radio link between the wireless device and an access point. In order to alleviate the problem in those cases, a method of controlling wireless Internet access is disclosed in which the attachment of a wireless device to a wireless network triggers the access point providing that wireless network to send the wireless device a series of test frames. Only if successful receipt of those test frames is acknowledged by the wireless device, does the access point provide the wireless device with the information it needs in order to establish a connection to the Internet through the access point.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.