System and method for providing network advertisement information via a network advertisement broker (NAB)

Abstract

A scheme is provided for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment having one or more radio access networks (RANs), one or more core networks (CNs) and one or more service networks (SNS). A combination of codes is provided to a wireless user equipment (UE) device for facilitating discovery of applicable RAN-CN-SN combinations and subsequent network selection by the UE device.

1 . A network advertisement method operable in a network environment having one or more radio access networks, one or more core networks, and one or more service networks, comprising: 
 broadcasting an advertisement message by each radio access network (RAN) on a broadcast control channel associated therewith, said advertisement message including a combination of identification codes, wherein each combination comprises (i) an identification code associated with each particular RAN available to said wireless UE device, (ii) an identification code associated with a core network (CN) that is supported by said particular RAN, and (iii) an identification code associated with a service network (SN) that is supported by a particular core network; and    receiving each advertisement message by a wireless user equipment (UE) device in a scanning procedure for facilitating network selection based at least in part upon said combination of identification codes.    
   
   
       2 . The network advertisement method operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said advertisement message further includes indications of services supported by each RAN.  
   
   
       3 . The network advertisement method operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said advertisement message further includes indications of services supported by each core network.  
   
   
       4 . The network advertisement method operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said advertisement message further includes indications of services supported by each service network.  
   
   
       5 . The network advertisement method operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said combination of identification codes is provided to said particular RAN by a network advertisement broker (NAB).  
   
   
       6 . The network advertisement method operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said NAB is associated with at least one of a RAN, a core network, a service network, and a public packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network.  
   
   
       7 . A network advertisement system operable in a network environment having one or more radio access networks, one or more core networks, and one or more service networks, comprising: 
 means associated with each radio access network (RAN) for broadcasting an advertisement message on a broadcast control channel for reception by a wireless user equipment (UE) device; and    means for including in said advertisement message a combination of identification codes, wherein each combination comprises (i) an identification code associated with each particular RAN available to said wireless UE device, (ii) an identification code associated with a core network (CN) that is supported by said particular RAN, and (iii) an identification code associated with a service network (SN) that is supported by a particular core network.    
   
   
       8 . The network advertisement system operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said means for including in said advertisement message further comprises means for including indications of services supported by each RAN.  
   
   
       9 . The network advertisement system operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said means for including in said advertisement message further comprises means for including indications of services supported by each core network.  
   
   
       10 . The network advertisement system operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said means for including in said advertisement message further comprises means for including indications of services supported by each service network.  
   
   
       11 . The network advertisement system operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said combination of identification codes is provided to said particular RAN by a network advertisement broker (NAB).  
   
   
       12 . The network advertisement system operable in a network environment as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said NAB is associated with at least one of a RAN, a core network, a service network, and a public packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network.  
   
   
       13 . A method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment, comprising: 
 scanning by a wireless user equipment (UE) device in a frequency band for discovering available radio access networks;    upon selecting a particular radio access network (RAN), authenticating by said wireless UE device with an authentication server;    upon successful authentication, obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a network advertisement broker (NAB) from a domain name server (DNS);    contacting said NAB by said wireless UE device using said IP address; and    obtaining network advertisement information from said NAB.    
   
   
       14 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said network advertisement information includes a combination of identification codes, each combination comprising at least one of (i) an identification code associated with each RAN available to said wireless UE device, (ii) an identification code associated with a core network (CN) that is supported by said RAN, and (iii) an identification code associated with a service network (SN) that is supported by a particular core network.  
   
   
       15 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said network advertisement information further includes indications of services supported by each RAN.  
   
   
       16 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said network advertisement information further includes indications of services supported by each core network.  
   
   
       17 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said network advertisement information further includes indications of services supported by each service network.  
   
   
       18 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said NAB is associated with at least one of a RAN, a core network, a service network and a public packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network.  
   
   
       19 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said scanning is performed in one or more frequency bands.  
   
   
       20 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said scanning is performed in one or more radio access technologies.  
   
   
       21 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said scanning is performed as an initial scanning process by said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       22 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said scanning is performed as a background scanning process by said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       23 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising customizing said network advertisement information based on geographic location of said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       24 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said scanning is effectuated in a frequency band compliant with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from: IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.  
   
   
       25 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said scanning is effectuated in a frequency band compliant with at least one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3 rd  Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.  
   
   
       26 . The method of acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said IP address of said NAB is obtained via a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) query initiated by said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       27 . A system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment, comprising: 
 means associated with a wireless user equipment (UE) device for scanning in a frequency band for discovering available radio access networks;    means for authenticating said wireless UE device with an authentication server;    means, operable responsive to successful authentication of said wireless UE device, for obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a network advertisement broker (NAB) from a domain name server (DNS); and    means associated with said wireless UE equipment for contacting said NAB using said IP address and obtaining network advertisement information from said NAB.    
   
   
       28 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said network advertisement information includes a combination of identification codes, wherein each combination comprises (i) an identification code associated with each RAN available to said wireless UE device, (ii) an identification code associated with a core network (CN) that is supported by said RAN, and (iii) an identification code associated with a service network (SN) that is supported by a particular core network.  
   
   
       29 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said network advertisement information further includes indications of services supported by each RAN.  
   
   
       30 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said network advertisement information further includes indications of services supported by each core network.  
   
   
       31 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 28 , wherein said network advertisement information further includes indications of services supported by each service network.  
   
   
       32 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said NAB is associated with at least one of a RAN, a core network, a service network, and a public packet-switched Internet Protocol (IP) network.  
   
   
       33 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said scanning is performed in one or more frequency bands.  
   
   
       34 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said scanning is performed in one or more radio access technologies.  
   
   
       35 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein means for scanning comprises means for effectuating an initial scanning process in said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       36 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said means for scanning comprises means for effectuating a background scanning process in said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       37 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , further comprising means for customizing said network advertisement information based on geographic location of said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       38 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said IP address of said NAB is obtained via a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) query initiated by said wireless UE device.  
   
   
       39 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said means for scanning is operable in a frequency band compliant with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from: IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.  
   
   
       40 . The system for acquiring network advertisement information in a network environment as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said means for scanning is operable in a frequency band compliant with at least one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3 rd  Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.