Method and system for presenting lists of wireless local area network profile information

Abstract

A method for selecting a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) for a wireless device, comprising: generating a first list of WLAN identifiers for a first group of one or more wireless local area networks (“WLANs”) accessible at a first geographic location and storing the first list in the wireless device; generating a second list of WLAN identifiers for a second group of one or more WLANs accessible at a second geographic location and storing the second list in the wireless device; selecting one of the first and second lists as an active list; and, scanning for WLANs identified by the active list to identify an available WLAN for the wireless device.

1 . A method for selecting a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) for a wireless device, comprising:
 generating a first list of WLAN identifiers for a first group of one or more wireless local area networks (“WLANs”) accessible at a first geographic location and storing the first list in the wireless device; 
 generating a second list of WLAN identifiers for a second group of one or more WLANs accessible at a second geographic location and storing the second list in the wireless device; 
 selecting one of the first and second lists as an active list based on proximity of a current geographic location of the wireless device to the first and second geographic locations, respectively; 
 including in the active list WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANs associated with the current geographic location; and, 
 scanning for WLANs identified by the active list to identify an available WLAN for the wireless device. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lists exclude WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising receiving the WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANS from a server. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  and further comprising storing the WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANS in the wireless device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising determining the current geographic location of the wireless device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the current geographic location is determined from global positioning system (“GPS”) information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each WLAN identifier is one of a service set identifier (“SSID”), a network name, and a profile name. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each WLAN identifier has an associated WLAN profile including a geographic location of the respective WLAN. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second groups of WLANs are accessible from at least one of the first and second geographic locations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising presenting the first and second lists on a display screen of the wireless device. 
     
     
         11 . A system for selecting a wireless local area network (“WLAN”), the system comprising:
 a processor coupled to memory and to an interface to one or more wireless local area networks (“WLANs”); and, 
 at least one or hardware and software modules within the memory and controlled or executed by the processor, the modules including: 
 a module for generating a first list of WLAN identifiers for a first group of one or more WLANs accessible at a first geographic location and storing the first list in the system; 
 a module for generating a second list of WLAN identifiers for a second group of one or more WLANs accessible at a second geographic location and storing the second list in the system; 
 a module for selecting one of the first and second lists as an active list based on proximity of a current geographic location of the system to the first and second geographic locations, respectively; 
 a module for including in the active list WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANs associated with the current geographic location; and, 
 a module for scanning for WLANs identified by the active list to identify an available WLAN for the system. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first and second lists exclude WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANs. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  and further comprising a module for receiving the WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANS from a server. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  and further comprising a module for storing the WLAN identifiers of infrequently used WLANS in the system. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  and further comprising a module for determining the current geographic location of the system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the current geographic location is determined from global positioning system (“GPS”) information. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein each WLAN identifier is one of a service set identifier (“SSID”), a network name, and a profile name. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein each WLAN identifier has an associated WLAN profile including a geographic location of the respective WLAN. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second groups of WLANs are accessible from at least one of the first and second geographic locations. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1  and further comprising a module for presenting the first and second lists on a display screen of the system.