1. Network Discovery Considerations
Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
Jan 2012
Network Discovery Considerations
Date:
Authors:
Name
Affiliations
Address
Phone
Jing-Rong Hsieh
HTC Corp.
1F, 6-3 Baoqiang Road, Xindian district, New Taipei City, Taiwan
HTC
John Doe, Some Company

2. Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
Jan 2012
Abstract
This document proposes an idea of Network Discovery which can help achieve the goal of FILS
The proposal is more suitable for Smartphones/Tablets which have other communication interfaces in addition to Wi-Fi
The resulted Wi-Fi connection can help cellular traffic offloading and reduce user intervention
HTC
John Doe, Some Company

3. Conformance w/ TGai PAR & 5C
Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
Jan 2012
Conformance w/ TGai PAR & 5C
Conformance Question
Response
Does the proposal degrade the security offered by Robust Security Network Association (RSNA) already defined in ? No
Does the proposal change the MAC SAP interface?
Does the proposal require or introduce a change to the architecture?
Does the proposal introduce a change in the channel access mechanism?
Does the proposal introduce a change in the PHY?
Which of the following link set-up phases is addressed by the proposal?
(1) AP Discovery (2) Network Discovery (3) Link (re-)establishment / exchange of security related messages (4) Higher layer aspects, e.g. IP address assignment
1, 2
HTC
John Doe, Some Company

4. User wishing to retrieve contents via Wi-Fi …
Jan 2012
User wishing to retrieve contents via Wi-Fi …
Successfully connect to Internet
Safely connect to Internet
Easily connect to Internet
Better UI to direct user
Clear directions and fewer steps
Quickly connect to Internet
Automatically (eliminate human intervention)
Lengthy network association
Waste of time, battery power, radio resource, expense
Could be error-prone and confusing to general users
Lead to user experience frustration and loss of chance for Business/Service matching
Slide 4
HTC

5. Background FILS can be hindered by the following (11/1523)
Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
Jan 2012
Background
FILS can be hindered by the following (11/1523)
Excessive air link traffic generated by active scan
A probe request generating several probe responses from different APs
Passive scan requires waiting for the next beacon
Scanning multiple channels before converging on the channel of the required AP
HTC
John Doe, Some Company

6. Background Jan 2012 Why so much overhead? Total stranger assumed
Only if SSID is recorded and no captive portal is required can avoid user intervention for initial link setup
Conventional idea: AP discovery → Network discovery
AP discovery using Wildcard SSID
Anybody here?
(Long) Beacon
Various capabilities in AP part
Network discovery if 11u is supported
Flexibility on channel selection
Operating channel is unknown and may be subject to change
Have to determine a BSS to join after reviewing multiple BSSs with intersecting coverage and have to speak one after another
Focus on merging these processes and reducing redundancy
Slide 6
HTC

7. Discovery requirements (11/1548r0)
Jan 2012
Discovery requirements (11/1548r0)
Pre-association messages should provide just enough information to ensure that a particular service/application will work
No need to provide all capabilities or any negotiation
Action frame based discovery should have clear back-off rules to prevent flooding
Define format for a list of APs:
Identifying information for AP
Location, Band, etc
Discovery should be focused on:
Authentication domain or similar construct
Required services
Marvell
Slide 7
HTC

8. Characteristics of Smartphone/Tablet
Jan 2012
Characteristics of Smartphone/Tablet
Mobility
Battery powered
Limited band supporting
Multiple communications options
Often GPS included or can obtain approximate location info via alternative methods like cellular network [1]
The quality of uplink is weaker than downlink
Multiple Internet applications in addition to web browser
Certain services are subscribed
Usually “smarter” than Layer-2/Layer-3 device such as AP
Slide 8
HTC

9. Introduction Key principles followed in this contribution:
Month Year
doc.: IEEE yy/xxxxr0
Jan 2012
Introduction
Key principles followed in this contribution:
Idea: I am here, so what network/service is available for me?
Conventional: What AP can I found now? (no matter where I am)
Network discovery prior to AP discovery
The existence of BSS does not necessarily imply the availability of going online
Use of location information
Help determine if there is available network in this neighborhood
Subscribed/free network database required
HTC
John Doe, Some Company

10. Jan 2012
Proposal
User has subscribed some network services cooperating with WiFi services or free WiFi is available
Should have a mechanism and format to specify a set of subscribed/available networks of the user
A retrieving protocol of the above info
Location-based Network (Entrance) Discovery
Look for the database for locations of BSSs
Online or offline
Obtain local special offers or temporary network unavailability announcement
Many popular applications also utilize location info so it is useful for the MID to know its location with reasonable update period
Slide 10
HTC

11. Proposal Required info to join a network
Jan 2012
Proposal
Required info to join a network
SSID (BSSIDs, SSIDs, HESSIDs, Venues)
Roaming consortium ID/ Free public WiFi
Operating Channel
Security parameters (credentials)
Capabilities
Optional
BSS Loading info
BSS Coverage info
Service range should take uplink limitations into consideration
Slide 11
HTC

12. Jan 2012
Proposal
Trigger network joining process when Applications ( , Social network, Weather, …) are launched
Determine device location
Determine suitable BSSs based on subscribed/free service provided in current location
Preloaded/loaded-upon-request list of usable SSIDs
Perform authentication and association
Bring up captive portal if necessary
Reduce human intervention as much as possible
Slide 12
HTC

13. Things to do and concerns
Jan 2012
Things to do and concerns
Requirement for the connection manager
List/format of available SSIDs/BSSIDs in current venue
The association/authentication/IP configuration
Forms of preassociation: based on location/subscription/application
Network unavailability notifications/reports
Positioning
Level of Accurateness
Privacy
Security
Necessity of multi-layer encryption (necessary in open/free hotspot)
The credentials should be protected since the actions are intended to be automated without human intervention
Access notification/confirmation/approval (double-check)
Backward compatibility
Unified log-in info and process are preferable but seems not feasible now
Slide 13
HTC

14. Reference OMA SUPL (Secure User Plane Location) V2.0
11/1523, Access Delay Reduction for FILS: Network Discovery & Access congestion Improvements
11/1548, TGai Discovery Proposal
Slide 14
HTC

15. Questions and Comments?
Jan 2012
Questions and Comments?
Slide 15
HTC