Method and corresponding wireless access point for adjusting data rate of secondary users

• US 10,070,345 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Townend, David Paul, Ringland, Simon Patrick Alexander, Scahill, Francis James
• Primary Examiner(s): Masur, Paul H
• Application Number:
  US15/104,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20170006504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0257 the individual bearer or channel having a maximum bit rate or a bit rate guarantee
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a dual network access point capable of establishing a home wireless network and a further secondary wireless network for a number of wireless devices. The first wireless network is a private home WLAN while the second wireless network is a guest network or a hotspot network. To prevent secondary network users impacting the performance of the first network, the access point monitors the devices connected to the first network and adjusts the advertised minimum supportable rate on the second network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless access point device having a wireless network interface configured to generate a primary wireless network for a plurality of wireless client devices, and a secondary wireless network, the primary wireless network and the secondary wireless network configured to operate at the same wireless frequency, the method comprising a wireless network controller performing a method comprising:

accessing a set of connection speed data rate values relating to a current connection speed of each of the plurality of wireless client devices to the primary wireless network;

identifying a lowest data rate from the set of connection speed data rate values;

determining a minimum connection speed value for the secondary wireless network, the minimum connection speed value being dependent on a value of the identified lowest data rate on the primary wireless network; and

modifying the wireless network interface so that, when a request by a further wireless client device to connect to the secondary network is received, a response by the wireless network interface excludes connection data rates which are lower than the determined minimum connection speed value for the secondary wireless network, such that the further wireless client device will only connect to the secondary wireless network if the further wireless client device is able to connect at or above the determined minimum connection speed value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of a minimum connection speed value comprises accessing a lookup table in a data store of the wireless access point device, the lookup table containing mappings between data rates of the primary network and corresponding minimum connection speed values for the secondary network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the data store contains a plurality of lookup tables, each lookup table having a different mapping between data rates of the primary network and minimum connection speed values for the secondary network, and wherein one of the plurality of lookup tables is accessed in accordance with a current time.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the minimum connection speed value for the secondary network comprises calculating the minimum connection speed value in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring usage parameters relating to the plurality of connected wireless client devices to the primary wireless network and updating the set of connection speed data rate values.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary wireless network is a private network of the wireless access point device for private network users and the secondary wireless network is a public hotspot network.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless network interface configured to generate a primary wireless network for a plurality of wireless client devices, and a secondary wireless network, the primary wireless network and the secondary wireless network configured to operate at the same wireless frequency;

a network monitor for accessing a set of connection speed data rate values relating to a current connection speed of each of the plurality of wireless client devices to the primary wireless network;

an identifier for identifying a lowest data rate from the set of connection speed data rate values;

a determiner for determining a minimum connection speed value for the secondary wireless network, the minimum connection speed value being dependent on a value of the identified lowest data rate on the primary wireless network; and

a modifier for modifying the wireless network interface so that, when a request by a further wireless client device to connect to the second network is received, a response by the wireless network interface excludes connection data rates which are lower than the determined minimum connection speed value for the secondary wireless network, such that the further wireless client device will only connect to the secondary wireless network if the further wireless client device is able to connect at or above the determined minimum connection speed value.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a data store storing a lookup table containing mappings between data rates of the primary network and corresponding minimum connection speed values for the secondary network, wherein the determiner is operable to access the lookup table to determine the minimum connection speed value.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the data store contains a plurality of lookup tables, each lookup table having a different mapping between data rates of the primary network and minimum connection speed values for the secondary network, and wherein the determiner is operable to access one of the plurality of lookup tables in accordance with a current time.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the determiner is operable to calculate the minimum connection speed value in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the network monitor is configured to monitor usage parameters relating to the plurality of connected wireless client devices to the primary wireless network and update the set of connection speed data rate values.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the primary wireless network is a private network of a wireless access point for private network users and the secondary wireless network is a public hotspot network.

13. A wireless network system comprising:

the apparatus as set out in claim 7 having a primary wireless network and secondary wireless network;

a first set of wireless client devices connected to the primary wireless network; and

a second set of wireless client devices which are connectable to the secondary wireless network.