Patent ID: 7395083

Claim:
A method of communicating cellular network broadcast information to one or more mobile stations by a wireless local area network, the method comprising the acts of: receiving, from a plurality of cellular networks or a network database, cellular network broadcast information associated with and identifying the plurality of cellular networks available for communication with a mobile station; formatting the cellular network broadcast information in a generic container message which varies in content and format in accordance with different cellular standards associated with the plurality of cellular networks, the generic container message including a first data field for identifying a first technology standard or standard organization associated with a first cellular network, and a technology specific container field having first cellular network broadcast information which is formatted in accordance with the first technology standard or standard organization identified in the first data field; and transmitting, from the wireless local area network, the generic container message which includes the cellular network broadcast information for receipt and use by the mobile station in performing a network selection procedure to select one of the plurality of cellular networks for communication.