System-assisted wireless local area network detection

Abstract

A method includes receiving, at a mobile device via a first network, an indication that the mobile device is within communications range of a second network. The method also includes increasing an amount of power supplied to a network interface of the mobile device in response to the indication. The network interface is associated with communication via the second network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a mobile device via a first network, an indication that the mobile device is within communications range of a second network; and   increasing an amount of power supplied to a network interface of the mobile device in response to the indication, wherein the network interface is associated with communication via the second network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network is a cellular telecommunications network, and wherein the second network is a wireless local area network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network interface includes a transceiver configured to communicate with the second network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication is received from a computing device coupled to the first network, and wherein the computing device is distinct from the mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 prior to receiving the indication:
 determining a position of the mobile device; and 
 sending, to the computing device, position information associated with the position of the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the computing device includes a server computing system, a networking appliance, or a core network server associated with the first network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network interface is in a low power state when the indication is received. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network interface is in an off state when the indication is received, and wherein power is not supplied to the network interface in the off state. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after receiving the indication, receiving access data to enable the mobile device to communicate via the second network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after increasing the amount of power, facilitating establishment of communication with an access point of the second network via the network interface. 
     
     
         11 . A device comprising:
 a processor;   a first network interface coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a first network;   a second network interface coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a second network; and   a memory in communication with the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including:
 receiving, via the first network interface, an indication that the device is within a communications range of the second network; and 
 increasing an amount of power supplied to the second network interface in response to the indication. 
   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first network interface includes a first transceiver configured to communicate via the first network, and wherein the second network interface includes a second transceiver configured to communicate via the second network. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the indication further indicates that the processor is to route packet-switched network data to the second network. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further include, after increasing the amount of power, communicatively coupling the second network interface with an access point of the second network. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the operations further include transmitting, via the second network interface, the packet-switched network data to the access point using an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the indication is received while the second network interface is not in communication with the access point. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising a global positioning system device coupled to the processor, wherein the global positioning system device is configured to determine a position of the global positioning system device and to generate position information based on the position, and wherein the position information of the mobile device is communicated to another device to enable the other device to determine whether the device is within the communications range of the second network. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor of a mobile device to perform operations including:
 receiving, at the mobile device via a first network, an indication that the mobile device is within communications range of a second network; and   increasing an amount of power supplied to a network interface of the mobile device in response to the indication, wherein the network interface is associated with communication via the second network.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise, after increasing the amount of power, facilitating establishment of communication with an access point of the second network via the network interface, wherein the mobile device is coupled to the first network via a base transceiver station that is associated with multiple sectors of coverage, and wherein the mobile device is determined to be within the communications range of the second network when the mobile device and the access point are both located in the same sector of coverage of the multiple sectors of coverage. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise, after receiving the indication, receiving access data to enable the mobile device to communicative via the second network.