Patent ID: 8107924

Claim:
A method for use in programming a mobile communication device with provisioning information in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the WLAN including a plurality of wireless access points (APs) which provide wireless communications with a plurality of mobile communication devices, wherein one of the plurality of wireless APs is designated as a provisioning wireless AP for the WLAN and set to have a substantially smaller RF coverage area than the RF coverage areas of the plurality of wireless APs, the method comprising: allowing the mobile communication device to be positioned within the provisioning RF coverage region which is set to have the substantially smaller RF coverage area than the RF coverage areas of the plurality of wireless APs; associating, by the mobile communication device, with the provisioning wireless AP with use of a provisioning service set identifier, for establishing layer-2 communications between the mobile communication device and the WLAN; while the mobile communication device is associated with the provisioning wireless AP: receiving, at the mobile communication device via the provisioning wireless AP, an IP address which is assigned to the mobile communication device, for establishing layer-3 communications with the WLAN; after the layer-3 communications are established, participating in an authentication procedure with the WLAN via the provisioning wireless AP; and after positive authentication of the mobile communication device using the authentication procedure: participating in a provisioning procedure with a provisioning server of the WLAN via the provisioning wireless AP, for receiving provisioning information from the WLAN for programming in the mobile communication device.