Abstract: A field unit includes circuitry configured to receive a signal and determine whether the received signal has a predetermined quality; circuitry configured to select a signal from a plurality of signals including a first signal indicating that the field unit is requesting an assignment of resources and the received signal was received with the predetermined quality, a second signal indicating that the field unit is requesting an assignment of resources and the received signal was not received with the predetermined quality, a third signal indicating that the field unit is not requesting an assignment of resources and the received signal was received with the predetermined quality, and a fourth signal indicating that the field unit is not requesting an assignment of resources and the received signal was not received with the predetermined quality; and circuitry configured to transmit the selected signal over a control channel.

Abstract: A technique for communication with a local area network (LAN) via a wireless connection determines whether a first short-range, high-speed, wireless communication path is available and connects to the LAN using a longer range, lower speed wireless communication path if the short-range, high-speed wireless communication path is not available. The low-range, high-speed wireless communication path is a wireless communication path is a wireless LAN connection such as an IEE 802.11-compliant wireless LAN and the long-range, low-sped wireless communication mode is a cellular CDMA-type connection. Determining whether the first IEEE 802.11 mode is available can be done by detecting a beacon signal, or transmitting a probe request message and detecting a probe response message in response to the probe request, indicating the presence or availability of the short-range, high-speed wireless communication path.