Ad hoc network routing for hotspot mitigation and load balancing in wireless LANs

• US 20050100029A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Das, Samir R.
• Application Number:
  US10/988,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100029A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0861 between base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for balancing network load among mobile hosts includes determining and monitoring a performance of a first access point connected to a mobile host by an infrastructure network, determining that the performance of the first access point is undesirable, and virtualizing a network interface of the mobile host connected to the first access point, wherein an ad hoc network are established in addition to the infrastructure network. The method further including determining a route to a second access point through at least one cooperating mobile host, and switching a connection of the mobile host to the second access point via the route to the second access point, wherein the connection is established via the ad hoc network.

Claims

1. A method for balancing network load among mobile hosts comprising:

determining and monitoring a performance of a first access point connected to a mobile host by an infrastructure network;

determining that the performance of the first access point is undesirable;

virtualizing a network interface of the mobile host connected to the first access point, wherein an ad hoc network are established in addition to the infrastructure network;

determining a route to a second access point through at least one cooperating mobile host; and

switching a connection of the mobile host to the second access point via the route to the second access point, wherein the connection is established via the ad hoc network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the performance of the second access point during the connection of the mobile host to the second access point.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising switching to the first access point on the infrastructure network upon determining the performance of the second access point to be undesirable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance is measured by data throughput.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance is measured by determining dropped associations to the first access point.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching from the second access point to the first access point upon determining a breakage of the route to the second access point.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the performance of the first access point upon determining a breakage of the route;

switching from the second access point to the first access point upon determining the performance to be desirable; and

determining a route to a third access point upon determining the performance to be undesirable.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising relaying data from a current access point to the mobile host through the at least one cooperating mobile host.

9. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for balancing network load among mobile hosts, the method steps comprising:

determining and monitoring a performance of a first access point connected to a mobile host by an infrastructure network;

determining that the performance of the first access point is undesirable;

virtualizing a network interface of the mobile host connected to the first access point, wherein an ad hoc network are established in addition to the infrastructure network;

determining a route to a second access point through at least one cooperating mobile host; and

switching a connection of the mobile host to the second access point via the route to the second access point, wherein the connection is established via the ad hoc network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising monitoring the performance of the second access point during the connection of the mobile host to the second access point.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising switching to the first access point on the infrastructure network upon determining the performance of the second access point to be undesirable.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the performance is measured by data throughput.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the performance is measured by determining dropped associations to the first access point.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising switching from the second access point to the first access point upon determining a breakage of the route to the second access point.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the performance of the first access point upon determining a breakage of the route;

switching from the second access point to the first access point upon determining the performance to be desirable; and

determining a route to a third access point upon determining the performance to be undesirable.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising relaying data from a current access point to the mobile host through the at least one cooperating mobile host.

17. A method for balancing network load among mobile hosts comprising:

determining and monitoring a performance of a first access point connected to a mobile host by an infrastructure network;

determining that the performance of the first access point is undesirable;

establishing a connection to an ad hoc network of at least one cooperating mobile host;

determining a route to a second access point through the at least one cooperating mobile host; and

switching a connection of the mobile host to the second access point via the route to the second access point, wherein the connection is established via the ad hoc network, the ad hoc network relaying data between the second access point and the mobile host.