Supporting an access to a destination network via a wireless access network

Abstract

For supporting an access to a destination network by a mobile device via a wireless access network, the mobile device generates a predetermined request, which is addressed to a connectivity test server in the destination network. The predetermined request is transmitted to the wireless access network. In case the predetermined request reaches the connectivity test server, it generates a predetermined response and transmits it to the mobile device via the wireless access network. The mobile device determines whether a response to the predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether a received response corresponds to the predetermined response.

1 . A method comprising:
 generating, by a mobile device, at least one predetermined request for detecting connectivity to an Internet via a wireless access network, which at least one predetermined request is addressed to a connectivity test server in the Internet;   transmitting, by the mobile device, the at least one predetermined request to the wireless access network; and   determining, by the mobile device, whether a response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether a received response corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by the at least one predetermined request, wherein reception of the predetermined response is considered to indicate connectivity to the Internet via the wireless access network.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 informing at least one application or client of the mobile device about a connection to the Internet, in case it is determined that a received response corresponds to the predetermined response.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one application or client of the mobile device accesses the Internet via the wireless access network in response to being informed about the connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one application or client of the mobile device accessing the Internet via another connection than the wireless access network roams onto the wireless access network for accessing the Internet in response to being informed about the connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless access network is a public wireless local area network, wherein the mobile device comprises a prioritized list of connection methods that provide a connection to the Internet, and wherein the list includes a use of a public wireless local area network as one connection method. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 in case it is determined that the predetermined response to the at least one predetermined request is received, selecting, by the mobile device, a use of the wireless access network as a new connection method, if no higher priority connection method is present on the list and available.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in case it is determined that the predetermined response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network without browser authentication, further comprising: recording, by the mobile device, an indication that it is possible to connect to the Internet via the wireless access network in the background, as a basis for later automatic connection decisions. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the case of a reception of at least one of another response than the predetermined response and no response to the at least one predetermined request, the method further comprising:
 initiating a user interaction of a user of the mobile device with the wireless access network.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 recording in the mobile device that a user interaction of a user of the mobile device with the wireless access network is required by the wireless access network for accessing the Internet via the wireless access network.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein initiating a user interaction comprises at least one of:
 enabling a user to enter data for an authentication of the user;   presenting a logon page on a display;   presenting a logon page in a browser window on a display;   presenting several logon related pages or several logon related forms in sequence enabling a user to enter username and password;   enabling a user to accept a legal disclaimer;   enabling a user to select an option from a drop-down list;   enabling a user to select a radio button; and   enabling a user to press a submit button.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising storing user interaction related data in case it is determined one of that another response than the predetermined response and that no response to the at least one predetermined request is received. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the user interaction enables a connection to the Internet via the wireless access network, the method further comprising using the stored user interaction related data subsequently for automatically connecting to the Internet via the wireless access network without user interaction. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the user interaction related data comprises at least one of
 authentication data; and   acceptance of a legal disclaimer.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one predetermined request is a first predetermined request, the method further comprising:
 generating a second predetermined request addressed to the connectivity test server in the Internet, the first predetermined request using at least one of a first protocol and a first port and the second predetermined request using at least one of a second protocol and a second port;   transmitting the second predetermined request to the wireless access network; and   determining whether a response to the second predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether the received response to the second predetermined request corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by second predetermined request, as an indication of the level of connectivity to the Internet enabled by the wireless area network.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising a processor and stored software code,
 the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to generate at least one predetermined request for detecting connectivity to an Internet via a wireless access network, which at least one predetermined request is addressed to a connectivity test server in the Internet;   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to provide the at least one predetermined request for transmission to the wireless access network; and   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to determine whether a response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether a received response corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by the at least one predetermined request, wherein reception of the predetermined response is considered to indicate a connectivity to the Internet.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to inform at least one application or client of the apparatus about a connection to the Internet, in case it is determined that a received response corresponds to the predetermined response. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one application or client of the apparatus is configured to access the Internet via the wireless access network in response to being informed about the connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one application or client is configured to roam onto the wireless access network for accessing the Internet, when accessing the Internet via another connection than the wireless access network, in response to being informed about the connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the wireless access network is a public wireless local area network, wherein the apparatus comprises a prioritized list of connection methods that provide a connection to the Internet, and wherein the list includes a use of a public wireless local area network as one connection method. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to, in case it is determined that the predetermined response to the at least one predetermined request is received, select a use of the wireless access network as new connection method, if no higher priority connection method is present on the list and available. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to record an indication that it is possible to connect to the Internet via the wireless access network, a basis for later automatic connection decisions, in case it is determined that the predetermined response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network without browser authentication. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus, in the case of a reception of at least one of another than the predetermined response and no response to the at least one predetermined request, to initiate a user interaction of a user of the apparatus with the wireless access network. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to record in the apparatus that a user interaction of a user of the apparatus with the wireless access network is required by the wireless access network for accessing the Internet via the wireless access network. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein initiating a user interaction comprises at least one of:
 enabling a user to enter data for an authentication of the user;   presenting a logon page on a display;   presenting a logon page in a browser window on a display;   presenting several logon related pages or several logon related forms in sequence;   enabling a user to enter username and password;   enabling a user to accept a legal disclaimer;   enabling a user to select an option from a drop-down list;   enabling a user to select a radio button; and   enabling a user to press a submit button.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to store user interaction related data in case it is determined one of that another response than the predetermined response and that no response to the at least one predetermined request is received. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the user interaction enables a connection to the Internet via the wireless access network, and wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to use the stored user interaction related data subsequently for automatically connecting to the Internet via the wireless access network without user interaction. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the user interaction related data comprises at least one of
 authentication data; and   acceptance of a legal disclaimer.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one predetermined request is a first predetermined request, and wherein the software code, with the processor, is further configured to cause the apparatus to:
 generate a second predetermined request addressed to the connectivity test server in the Internet, the first predetermined request using at least one of a first protocol and a first port and the second predetermined request using at least one of a second protocol and a second port;   transmit the second predetermined request to the wireless access network; and   determine whether a response to the second predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether the received response to the second predetermined request corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by second predetermined request, as an indication of the level of connectivity to the Internet enabled by the wireless area network.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said apparatus is a mobile terminal. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus comprising a processor and stored software code,
 the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to generate at least one predetermined request for detecting connectivity to an Internet via a wireless access network, which at least one predetermined request is addressed to a connectivity test server in the Internet;   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to provide the at least one predetermined request for transmission to the wireless access network;   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to determine whether a response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether a received response corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by the at least one predetermined request, wherein reception of the predetermined response is considered to indicate a connectivity to the Internet; and   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the apparatus to initiate a user interaction of a user of the apparatus with the wireless access network in the case of a reception of at least one of another than the predetermined response and no response to the at least one predetermined request, wherein initiating a user interaction comprises at least one of:   enabling a user to enter data for an authentication of the user;   presenting a logon page on a display;   presenting a logon page in a browser window on a display;   presenting several logon related pages or several logon related forms in sequence;   enabling a user to enter username and password;   enabling a user to accept a legal disclaimer;   enabling a user to select an option from a drop-down list;   enabling a user to select a radio button; and   enabling a user to press a submit button.   
     
     
         31 . A non-transitory readable medium stored with software code, the software code causing a mobile device to perform the following when executed by a processor of the mobile device:
 generating, by a mobile device, at least one predetermined request for detecting connectivity to an Internet via a wireless access network, which at least one predetermined request is addressed to a connectivity test server in the Internet;   transmitting, by the mobile device, the at least one predetermined request to the wireless access network; and   determining, by the mobile device, whether a response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether a received response corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by the at least one predetermined request, wherein reception of the predetermined response is considered to indicate connectivity to the Internet via the wireless access network.   
     
     
         32 . A system comprising:
 at least one of: a connectivity test server in the Internet and an access point of a wireless access network; and   a mobile device including a processor and stored software code,   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the mobile device to generate at least one predetermined request for detecting connectivity to an Internet via the wireless access network, which at least one predetermined request is addressed to the connectivity test server;   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the mobile device to provide the at least one predetermined request for transmission to the wireless access network; and   the software code, with the processor, configured to cause the mobile device to determine whether a response to the at least one predetermined request is received from the wireless access network and whether a received response corresponds to a predetermined response which is known to be provided by the connectivity test server in case the connectivity test server is reached by the at least one predetermined request, wherein reception of the predetermined response is considered to indicate a connectivity to the Internet.