Network Address Resolution for Interworking Between Cellular Network Domain and Wireless Local Area Network Domain

Abstract

A user equipment receives a management frame from an access point of a wireless local area network domain. The management frame indicates an identity of the access point. The user equipment sends a report indicating the identity of the access point to a node of a cellular network domain, and in response, receives information on the access point from the node of the cellular network domain.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of supporting interworking between a cellular network domain and a wireless local area network (WLAN) domain, implemented by a user equipment, the method comprising:
 receiving a management frame from an access point of the WLAN domain, the management frame indicating an identity of the access point; and   sending a report to a node of the cellular network domain, the report indicating the identity of the access point; and   receiving information on the access point from the node of the cellular network domain in response to the report.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling utilization of the access point based on the received information on the access point. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identity of the access point comprises a Basic Service Set Identifier, a Homogeneous Extended Service Set Identifier, and/or a Service Set Identifier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the information on the access point comprises receiving a currently available capacity of the access point, and the method further comprises controlling utilization of the access point based on the currently available capacity of the access point. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the information on the access point comprises receiving a current load on a radio interface of the access point, and the method further comprises controlling utilization of the access point based on the current load on the radio interface of the access point. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the information on the access point comprises receiving a current load on an Internet interface of the access point, and the method further comprises controlling utilization of the access point based on the current load on the Internet interface of the access point. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending an 802.11 probe request frame, wherein receiving the management frame comprises receiving an 802.11 probe response frame in response to the 802.11 probe request frame. 
     
     
         8 . A user equipment, comprising:
 a cellular interface configured to access a cellular network domain;   a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface configured to access a WLAN domain;   processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the user equipment is configured to:
 receive, via the WLAN interface, a management frame from an access point of the WLAN domain, the management frame indicating an identity of the access point; 
 send, via the cellular interface, a report to a node of the cellular network domain, the report indicating the identity of the access point; and 
 receive, via the cellular interface, information on the access point from the node of the cellular network domain in response to the report. 
   
     
     
         9 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the user equipment is further configured to control utilization of the access point based on the received information on the access point. 
     
     
         10 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the identity of the access point comprises a Basic Service Set Identifier, a Homogeneous Extended Service Set Identifier, and/or a Service Set Identifier. 
     
     
         11 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein to receive the information on the access point the user equipment is configured to receive a currently available capacity of the access point, and the user equipment is further configured to control utilization of the access point based on the currently available capacity of the access point. 
     
     
         12 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein to receive the information on the access point the user equipment is configured to receive a current load on a radio interface of the access point, and the user equipment is further configured to control utilization of the access point based on the current load on the radio interface of the access point. 
     
     
         13 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein to receive the information on the access point the user equipment is configured to receive a current load on an Internet interface of the access point, and the user equipment is further configured to control utilization of the access point based on the current load on the Internet interface of the access point. 
     
     
         14 . The user equipment of  claim 8 , wherein the user equipment is further configured to send an 802.11 probe request frame via the WLAN interface, wherein to receive the management frame the user equipment is configured to receive an 802.11 probe response frame in response to the 802.11 probe request frame. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product for supporting interworking between a cellular network domain and a wireless local area network (WLAN) domain, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on processing circuitry of a user equipment of the cellular network domain, causes the user equipment to:
 receive a management frame from an access point of the WLAN domain, the management frame indicating an identity of the access point; and   send a report to a node of the cellular network domain, the report indicating the identity of the access point; and   then receive information on the access point from the node of the cellular network domain in response to the report.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the user equipment is further caused to control utilization of the access point based on the received information on the access point. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein to receive the information on the access point the user equipment is caused to receive a currently available capacity of the access point, and the user equipment is further caused to control utilization of the access point based on the currently available capacity of the access point. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein to receive the information on the access point the user equipment is caused to receive a current load on a radio interface of the access point, and the user equipment is further caused to control utilization of the access point based on the current load on the radio interface of the access point. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein to receive the information on the access point the user equipment is caused to receive a current load on an Internet interface of the access point, and the user equipment is further caused to control utilization of the access point based on the current load on the Internet interface of the access point. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the user equipment is further caused to send an 802.11 probe request frame, wherein to receive the management frame the user equipment is caused to receive an 802.11 probe response frame in response to the 802.11 probe request frame.