Method and apparatus for transferring network management information to wireless nodes

• US 20080037482A1
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Douglas, Bretton Lee, Davi, Gregg Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to providing network management information to wireless access points in a wireless network. In one implementation, a wireless client interrogates a wireless access point for its MAC address, for service set identifier (SSID) information, and/or for authentication-related information. If the wireless client determines that the wireless access point is the correct wireless access point, the wireless client polls sensors for physical environment and parameter (PEP) data, which the wireless client then transmits to the wireless access point.

Claims

1. Logic for capturing wireless network management information, the logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed operable to:

interrogate a selected element of a wireless network;

poll the one or more sensors for physical environment information; and

transmit a message including the physical environment information to the selected element.

2. The logic of claim 1 wherein the logic is further operable to enable an operator to provide manual input or override the physical environment information.

3. The logic of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors is a global positioning system receiver.

4. The logic of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sensors is one of a laser rangefinder for height above ground, an altimeter for altitude, and a compass for antenna pointing direction.

5. The logic of claim 1 wherein the logic is further operable to display polled physical environment information.

6. The logic of claim 5 wherein the logic is further operable to:

display fields for the polled physical environment information; and

enable a user to modify the polled physical environment information.

7. The logic of claim 5 wherein the logic is further operable to display a graphic user interface for displaying polled physical environment information.

8. The logic of claim 1 the logic is further operable to query the selected wireless node for data.

9. The logic of claim 1 wherein the logic is further operable to apply one or more security policies.

10. The logic of claim 1 wherein the message is cryptographically secured.

11. An apparatus for capturing wireless network management information, comprising

one or more sensors;

one or more wireless network interfaces;

a memory;

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more media for execution by the one or more processors; and

when executed operable to cause the one or more processors to;

interrogate a selected element of a wireless network;

poll the one or more sensors for physical environment information; and

transmit a message including the physical environment information to the selected element.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the logic is further operable to enable an operator to provide manual input or override the physical environment information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one of the sensors is a global positioning system receiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one of the sensors is one of a laser rangefinder for height above ground, an altimeter for altitude, and a compass for antenna pointing direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to display polled physical environment information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to:

display fields for the polled physical environment information; and

enable a user to modify the polled physical environment information.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to display a graphic user interface for displaying polled physical environment information.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to query the selected wireless node for data.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to apply one or more security policies.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the message is cryptographically secured.

21. An method for capturing wireless network management information, comprising:

interrogating a selected element of a wireless network;

polling the one or more sensors for physical environment information; and

transmitting a message including the physical environment information to the selected element.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising enabling an operator to provide manual input or override the physical environment information.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising displaying polled physical environment information.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

displaying fields for the polled physical environment information; and

enabling a user to modify the polled physical environment information.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising displaying a graphic user interface for displaying polled physical environment information.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising querying the selected wireless node for data.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising applying one or more security policies.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the message is cryptographically secured.

29. A system comprising:

a sensor device, comprising one or more sensors, operable to interrogate a selected wireless access point of a wireless network, poll the one or more sensors for physical environment information, and transmit a message including the physical environment information to the selected wireless access point; and

a wireless access point operable to receive a physical environment parameter message including physical environment information from the sensor device, and store the physical environment information.

30. Logic for capturing wireless network management information, the logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed operable to:

receive a physical environment parameter message including physical environment information; and

store the physical environment information in the physical environment parameter message;

wherein the physical environment information is collected by a remote sensing device comprising one or more sensors.

31. The logic of claim 30 wherein the logic is further operable to authenticate the physical environment parameter message.

32. The logic of claim 30 wherein the logic is further operable to respond to queries for the physical environment information.

33. A method for capturing wireless network management information comprising:

receiving a physical environment parameter message including physical environment information; and

store the physical environment information in the physical environment parameter message;

wherein the physical environment information is collected by a remote sensing device comprising one or more sensors.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising authenticating the physical environment parameter message.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising responding to queries for the physical environment information.