MANAGEMENT OF WLAN AND WWAN COMMUNICATION SERVICES TO A MULTI-MODE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE
First Claim
1. A mesh network communication system for providing wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a mesh network service area, the mesh network communication system comprising:
- a plurality of access points configured to provide WLAN service within the mesh network communication system, the plurality of access points comprising a plurality of detection access points (DAPs) configured to receive reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted by multi-mode wireless communication devices; and
a WLAN controller connected to the plurality of access points through a backhaul and configured to send, to a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a device to access point association list (device-AP association list) comprising a device identifier associated with a target access point identifier, the device identifier uniquely identifying, based on the RL WWAN signals, a target multi-mode wireless communication device within a maximum proximity of a target access point identified by the target access point identifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mesh network communication system includes a plurality of access points connected to a wireless local area network (WLAN) controller where at least one of the plurality access points is a detection access point (DAP) that receives reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted from a multi-mode wireless communication device. Based on an intercepted RL WWAN signal, the DAP forwards reverse link (RL) information to the WLAN controller. Based on the RL information, the WLAN controller generates and sends, to the WWAN communication system, a device to access point association list (device-AP association list) comprising one or more device identifiers associated with one or more target access point identifier. The device identifier uniquely identifies a multi-mode wireless communication device within a maximum proximity of a target access point identified by the target access point identifier. The WWAN system applies the device-AP association list to efficiently manage handoffs from the WWAN system to access points in the mesh network.
103 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A mesh network communication system for providing wireless local area network (WLAN) service within a mesh network service area, the mesh network communication system comprising:
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a plurality of access points configured to provide WLAN service within the mesh network communication system, the plurality of access points comprising a plurality of detection access points (DAPs) configured to receive reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted by multi-mode wireless communication devices; and a WLAN controller connected to the plurality of access points through a backhaul and configured to send, to a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a device to access point association list (device-AP association list) comprising a device identifier associated with a target access point identifier, the device identifier uniquely identifying, based on the RL WWAN signals, a target multi-mode wireless communication device within a maximum proximity of a target access point identified by the target access point identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21)
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12. A wireless local area network (WLAN) controller configured to communicate with a plurality of access points to form a mesh network providing WLAN service within a mesh network service area, the WLAN controller comprising:
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an access point interface configured to receive reverse link information related to a reverse link wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals transmitted by multi-mode wireless communication devices and received at one or more detection access points (DAPs) providing WLAN service within DAP service areas; and a WWAN interface configured to send, to a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a device to access point association list (device-AP association list) comprising a device identifier associated with a target access point identifier, the device identifier uniquely identifying, based on the RL WWAN signals, a target multi-mode wireless communication device within a maximum proximity of a target access point identified by the target access point identifier. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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22. A wireless wide area network (WWAN) system comprising:
an access gateway configured to receive a device to access point association list (device-AP association list) from a wireless local area network (WLAN) controller connected to a plurality of access points to form a mesh network, the device-AP association list comprising a device identifier associated with a target access point identifier, the device identifier uniquely identifying, based on a RL WWAN signal received at an access point, a target multi-mode wireless communication device within a maximum proximity of a target access point identified by the target access point identifier. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
Specification