Methods and devices for associating a mobile device to access points within a WLAN

• US 20060146768A1
• Filed: 12/31/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Shawn Smith, Mark Anthony, Bejerano, Yigal, Han, Seung-Jae, Golestani, S. Jamaloddin
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

Unique identifiers are assigned to sets of adjacent access points in a wireless, local area network (WLAN). Thereafter, a unique identifier may be forwarded to a mobile device which uses the identifier to associate itself with one of the adjacent access points. Associating a mobile device with an adjacent access point using unique identifiers allows a WLAN to meet its load balancing objectives.

Claims

1. A method for associating a mobile device to an adjacent access point (AP) in a wireless, local area network (WLAN) comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one AP identifier from a plurality of AP identifiers, wherein each of the identifiers identifies one AP within a first set of adjacent APs; and

forwarding the identifier to a mobile device to associate the mobile device to an AP that is identified by the forwarded identifier.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the identified AP is not an AP that provides a transmission to the mobile device with a highest signal-to-noise level.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

identifying the set of adjacent APs from an adjacency graph;

assigning an identifier to each AP within the set of adjacent APs,

wherein each identifier is assigned to only one of the APs within the set.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

forwarding the same, at least one identifier to another mobile device to associate the other mobile device to another AP within another set of adjacent APs.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of forwarding a plurality of identifiers to the at least one mobile device, each forwarded identifier identifying one AP among the first set.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of:

forwarding at least one identifier to each one of a plurality of mobile devices to associate each of the mobile devices to an AP within a set of adjacent APs,

wherein each of the forwarded identifiers uniquely identifies a single AP within a set of adjacent APs.

7. A method for associating a mobile device to an access point (AP) in a wireless, local area network (WLAN) comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one AP identifier, the identifier identifying one AP within a set of adjacent APs,

associating with the one AP,

wherein the one AP is not necessarily an AP that can provide a transmission with a highest signal-to-noise level.

8. The method as in claim 7 further comprising the step of storing the received identifier.

9. The method as in claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of AP identifiers, each identifier uniquely identifying one AP among a set of adjacent APs; and

storing the plurality of identifiers.

10. A device, for associating a mobile device to an adjacent access point (AP) in a wireless, local area network (WLAN), operable to:

select at least one AP identifier from a plurality of AP identifiers, wherein each of the identifiers identifies one AP within a first set of adjacent APs; and

forward the identifier to a mobile device to associate the mobile device to an AP that is identified by the forwarded identifier.

11. The device as in claim 10 wherein the identified AP is not an AP that provides a transmission to the mobile device with a highest signal-to-noise level.

12. The device as in claim 10 further operable to:

identify the set of adjacent APs from an adjacency graph;

assign an identifier to each AP within the set of adjacent access points,

wherein each identifier is assigned to only one of the APs within the set.

13. The device as in claim 10 further operable to:

forward the same, at least one identifier to another mobile device to associate the other mobile device to another AP within another set of adjacent APs.

14. The device as in claim 10 further operable to forward a plurality of identifiers to the at least one mobile device, each forwarded identifier identifying one AP among the first set.

15. The device as in claim 10 further operable to:

forward at least one identifier to each one of a plurality of mobile devices to associate each of the mobile devices to an AP within a set of adjacent APs,

wherein each of the forwarded identifiers uniquely identifies a single AP within a set of adjacent APs.

16. The device as in claim 10 wherein the device comprises a controller.

17. A wireless device operable to:

receive at least one access point (AP) identifier, the identifier identifying one AP among a set of adjacent APs,

associate with the one AP,

wherein the one AP is not necessarily an AP that can provide a transmission with a highest signal-to-noise level.

18. The wireless device as in claim 17 further operable to store the received identifier.

19. The wireless device as in claim 17 further operable to:

receive a plurality of AP identifiers, each identifier uniquely identifying one AP among a set of adjacent APs; and

store the plurality of identifiers.

20. The wireless device as in claim 17 wherein the wireless device comprises a computer.

21. The wireless device as in claim 17 wherein the wireless device comprises a telephone.

22. The wireless device as in claim 17 wherein the wireless device comprises a personal digital assistant.

23. The wireless device as in claim 17 wherein the wireless device comprises a pager.

24. The wireless device as in claim 17 wherein the wireless device comprises a digital music player.