Systems and Methods for Enabling Stations to Connect to Wireless Hotspots Using Non-Unicode Service Set Identification Information

1. A method of encoding character set information, comprising: retrieving character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for an access point broadcasting a wireless beacon, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point; identifying at least one field in the wireless beacon associated with the service set identification in which to encode the character set information; embedding the character set information in the at least one field of the wireless beacon for decoding by one or more wireless stations receiving the wireless beacon to display the non-Unicode character set in Unicode format for selection of a network connection; and packing at least a portion of the service set identification information element in the wireless beacon according to the non-Unicode character set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified field of the service set identification information element.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a vendor-specific information element.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point comprises a wireless router.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the wireless router comprises a WiFi™ device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an authentication frame from the at least one station to establish a connection to the access point.

11. A wireless system, comprising: a wireless interface to at least one wireless station in wireless range of an access point; and a processor, communicating with the at least one station via the wireless interface, the processor being configured to: retrieve character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for the access point, the access point being configured to broadcast a wireless beacon, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point; identify at least one field in the wireless beacon associated with the service set identification in which to encode the character set information; embed the character set information in the at least one field of the wireless beacon for decoding by at least one wireless station receiving the wireless beacon to display the non-Unicode character set in Unicode format for selection of a network connection; and pack at least a portion of the service set identification information element in the wireless beacon according to the non-Unicode character set.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified field of the service set identification information element.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a vendor-specific information element.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the access point comprises a wireless router.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the wireless router comprises a WiFi™ device.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive an authentication frame from at least one wireless station to establish a connection to the access point.

21. A wireless system, comprising: wireless interface means to at least one wireless station means in wireless range of access point means; and processor means, communicating with the at least one station via the wireless interface, the processor means being configured to: retrieve character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for the access point means, the access point means being configured to broadcast a wireless beacon, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point means; identify at least one field in the wireless beacon associated with the service set identification in which to encode the character set information; embed the character set information in the at least one field of the wireless beacon for decoding by at least one wireless station means receiving the wireless beacon to display the non-Unicode character set in Unicode format for selection of a network connection; and pack at least a portion of the service set identification information element in the wireless beacon according to the non-Unicode character set.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified field of the service set identification information element.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

25. The system of claim 21 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a vendor-specific information element.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

27. The system of claim 25 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

28. The system of claim 21 , wherein the access point means comprises a wireless router means.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the wireless router means comprises a WiFi™ device means.

30. The system of claim 21 , wherein the processor means is further configured to receive an authentication frame from the at least one wireless station means to establish a connection to the access point means.

31. A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising: at least one instruction for causing a computer to retrieve character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for an access point broadcasting a wireless beacon, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point; at least one instruction for causing the computer to identify at least one field in the wireless beacon associated with the service set identification in which to encode the character set information; at least one instruction for causing the computer to embed the character set information in the at least one field of the wireless beacon for decoding by one or more wireless stations receiving the wireless beacon to display the non-Unicode character set in Unicode format for selection of a network connection; and at least one instruction for causing the computer to pack at least a portion of the service set identification information element in the wireless beacon according to the non-Unicode character set.

32. The computer program product of claim 31 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified field of the service set identification information element.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

34. The computer program product of claim 32 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

35. The computer program product of claim 31 , wherein embedding the character set information comprises embedding the character set information in a vendor-specific information element.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

38. The computer program product of claim 31 , wherein the access point comprises a wireless router.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 , wherein the wireless router comprises a WiFi™ device.

40. The computer program product of claim 31 , further comprising at least one instruction for causing a computer to receive an authentication frame from at least one station to establish a connection to the access point.

41. A method of decoding character set information, comprising: locating character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for an access point in a wireless beacon broadcast by the access point, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point encoded in the character set; decoding the service set identification information element packed in the wireless beacon in accordance with the non-Unicode character set and broadcast by the access point using the non-Unicode character set; and presenting the service set identification in Unicode format to a user of at least one station receiving the wireless beacon to select a network connection.

42. The method of claim 41 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified field of the service set identification information element.

43. The method of claim 42 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

44. The method of claim 42 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

45. The method of claim 41 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a vendor-specific information element.

46. The method of claim 45 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

47. The method of claim 45 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

48. The method of claim 41 , wherein the access point comprises a wireless router.

49. The method of claim 48 , wherein the wireless router comprises a WiFi™ device.

50. The method of claim 41 , further comprising transmitting an authentication frame from at least one station to establish a connection to the access point.

51. A wireless station, comprising: a wireless interface to at least one wireless access point in wireless range of the wireless station; and a processor, communicating with the at least one access point via the wireless interface, the processor being configured to— locate character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for the access point in a wireless beacon broadcast by the access point, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point encoded in the character set, decode the service set identification information element packed in the wireless beacon in accordance with the non-Unicode character set and broadcast by the access point using the non-Unicode character set, and present the service set identification in Unicode format to a user of the wireless station to select a network connection.

52. The wireless station of claim 51 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified field of the service set identification information element.

53. The wireless station of claim 52 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

54. The wireless station of claim 52 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

55. The wireless station of claim 51 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a vendor-specific information element.

56. The wireless station of claim 55 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

57. The wireless station of claim 55 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

58. The wireless station of claim 51 , wherein the access point comprises a wireless router.

59. The wireless station of claim 58 , wherein the wireless router comprises a WiFi™ device.

60. The wireless station of claim 51 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an authentication frame from the wireless station to establish a connection to the access point.

61. A wireless station, comprising: wireless interface means to at least one wireless access point in wireless range of the wireless station means; and processor means, communicating with the at least one access point means via the wireless interface means, the processor means being configured to— locate character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for the access point in a wireless beacon broadcast by the access point means, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point means encoded in the character set, decode the service set identification information element packed in the wireless beacon in accordance with the non-Unicode character set and broadcast by the access point using the non-Unicode character set, and present the service set identification in Unicode format to a user of the wireless station means to select a network connection.

62. The wireless station of claim 61 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified field of the service set identification information element.

63. The wireless station of claim 62 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

64. The wireless station of claim 62 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

65. The wireless station of claim 61 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a vendor-specific information element.

66. The wireless station of claim 65 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

67. The wireless station of claim 65 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

68. The wireless station of claim 61 , wherein the access point means comprises wireless router means.

69. The wireless station of claim 68 , wherein the wireless router means comprises WiFi™ device means.

70. The wireless station of claim 61 , wherein the processor means is further configured to transmit an authentication frame from the wireless station to establish a connection to the access point means.

71. A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising: at least one instruction for causing a computer to locate character set information identifying a non-Unicode character set for an access point in a wireless beacon broadcast by the access point, the wireless beacon comprising a service set identification information element comprising a service set identification for the access point encoded in the character set, at least one instruction for causing a computer to decode the service set identification information element packed in the wireless beacon in accordance with the non-Unicode character set and broadcast by the access point using the non-Unicode character set, and at least one instruction for causing a computer to present the service set identification in Unicode format to a user of at least one station receiving the wireless beacon to select a network connection.

72. The computer program product of claim 71 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified field of the service set identification information element.

73. The computer program product of claim 72 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a dedicated encoding field of the service set identification information element.

74. The computer program product of claim 72 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a specified subset of bits of a length field of the service set identification information element.

75. The computer program product of claim 71 , wherein locating the character set information comprises extracting the character set information from a vendor-specific information element.

76. The computer program product of claim 75 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, a version field, and a Cisco-compatible type extensions version field.

77. The computer program product of claim 75 , wherein the vendor-specific information element comprises at least an element ID field, a length field, an organizationally unique identifier field, and a data field.

78. The computer program product of claim 71 , wherein the access point comprises a wireless router.

79. The computer program product of claim 78 , wherein the wireless router comprises a WiFi™ device.

80. The computer program product of claim 71 , further comprising at least one instruction for causing a computer to transmit an authentication frame from at least one station to establish a connection to the access point.