System and method for integrated WiFi/WiMax neighbor AP discovery and AP advertisement

• US 20070140163A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meier, Robert, Waclawsky, John, Dettloff, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A system and method wherein mobile nodes scan both 802.16 and 802.11 radio channels for neighbor access points. A mobile node reports both WiMax and WiFi neighbor access points to its parent access point. A parent access point advertises both WiMax and WiFi neighbor access points to child mobile nodes to facilitate faster roaming and load balancing. A parent WiMax AP can direct a mobile node to roam to a neighbor WiFi access point that has a lighter load or offers enhanced services. As an option, a location tracking protocol is used to determine the location of a mobile node and the mobile node'"'"'s parent AP advertises neighbor APs that offer services in the mobile node'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method for access point discovery by a single mobile node, comprising:

scanning for access points of a first radio type; and

scanning for access points of a second radio type.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a single report comprising the results of the scanning for access points of the first radio type and scanning for access points of the second radio type.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting the single report to a parent access point.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the single mobile node uses the same client address to accomplish the access point discovery.

5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising determining one of the group consisting of regulatory class, physical layer type value and channel number value from a signal received during one of the group consisting of scanning for access points of a first radio type and scanning for access points of a second radio type.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

receiving a signal from a parent access point of the first radio type requesting a scan for neighboring access points of the second radio type;

and

scanning for neighboring access of the second radio type responsive to receiving the signal from the parent access point.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal to roam to an access point of the second radio type from a parent access point of the first radio type; and

roaming to an access point of the second radio type responsive to receiving the signal to roam.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a list of neighboring access points, the list of neighboring access points comprising neighboring access points of the first radio type and neighboring access points of the second radio type; and

roaming to a neighboring access point selected from the list of neighboring access points.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a parameter indicative of coordinates of a present location; and

sending a signal containing the parameter indicative of the present location to a parent access point.

10. A method according to claim 9, the determining coordinates further comprising:

measuring signal strengths of neighboring access points of the first radio type; and

measuring signal strength of neighboring access points of the second radio type;

wherein the parameter indicative of coordinates of the present location is the measured signal strengths of neighboring access points of the first radio type and measured signal strengths of neighboring access points of the second radio type.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a rogue access point of the second radio type; and

sending a message to a parent access point of the first radio type reporting the rogue access point of the second radio type.

12. A method for advertising access points, comprising:

sending a neighboring access point list to a mobile node;

wherein the neighboring access point lists comprises access points of a first radio type and access points of a second radio type.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the neighboring access points further comprises one of the group consisting of regulatory class, physical layer type value and channel number value of the neighboring access points.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the first radio type is WiMax and the second radio type is WiFi.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising

directing a mobile node operating as a first radio type to associate with a is mobile node of the second radio type.

16. A method according to claim 12, further comprising sending an alert to a mobile node that is operating as a first radio type about a rogue access point of a second radio type.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising directing a dual mode mobile node operating as a first radio type to scan channels of the second radio type.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein an access point of the first radio type and an access point of the second radio type belonging to the same network use the same wireless metropolitan area network identification.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising receiving a scanning report from a mobile node, the scanning report comprising a neighboring access point of the first radio type and a neighboring access point of the second radio type.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the scanning report further comprises the operating characteristics of one of the group consisting of the neighboring access point of the first radio type and the neighboring access point of the second access point.

21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising determining the operating characteristics of one of the group consisting of the neighboring access point of the first radio type and the neighboring access point of the second access point by accessing a registry.

22. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining a location of an associated mobile node;

wherein the neighboring access point list is based on the location of the associated mobile node.

23. A method, comprising:

providing ubiquitous coverage in a relatively large geographical area by access points of a first radio type;

providing enhanced services in select smaller areas within the larger area by access points of a second radio type; and

advertising access points of the second radio type and enhanced services offered by access points of the second radio type by an access point of the first radio type.

24. A method according to claim 23 further comprising:

determining the location of a child mobile node equipped with the first radio type and the second radio type;

advertising access points and enhanced services that are available in the child mobile node'"'"'s location.

25. A method according to claim 23, further comprising:

storing information for access points of at least two radio types within a single wireless network in an access point registry;

receiving a report from a mobile node, the report comprising a list of access point identifiers that the mobile node has detected; and

querying the access point registry to determine whether a neighbor access point on the report is in the same wireless network and to determine the operational parameters of the neighbor access point.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising advertising the neighbor access point and operational parameters of the neighbor access and at least one other neighbor access point of a different radio type that is in the same network.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein a metropolitan area network is formed by the access points of the first radio type and access points of the second radio type;

wherein the first radio type is WiMax and the second radio type is WiFi.