Method and system of detecting duplicate SSID via self-scanning in WLAN

• US 20080198826A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Won, Sang-Yeon
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A method and a system of detecting a duplicate service set identifier (SSID) via self-scanning in a WLAN are provided. An access point (AP), when a scan request is given, generates a probe request packet by inserting a SSID of the AP thereinto, transmits the probe request packet to neighbor APs, receives probe response packets, in response to the probe request packet, from the neighbor APs, detects SSIDs from the probe response packets, and informs the presence of a neighbor AP, the SSID of which is the same as that of the AP, if any of the detected SSIDs is the same as the SSID of the AP.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a duplicate service set identifier in a wireless local area network, comprising:

generating a probe request packet by inserting a service set identifier of a service access point to the probe request packet whenever a scan request is given;

transmitting the probe request packet to neighbor access points;

receiving probe response packets that are sent in response to the probe request packet from the neighbor access points;

detecting service set identifiers included in the probe response packets; and

informing presence of a neighbor access point whose service set identifier is the same as that of the service access point, if any of the detected service set identifiers is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing absence of a neighbor access point whose service set identifier is the same as that of the service access point, if none of the probe response packets is received from the neighbor access points.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing absence of a neighbor access point whose service set identifier is the same as that of the service access point, if none of the detected service set identifiers of the probe response packets is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving probe response packets further including a step of collecting the probe response packets for about 500 milliseconds.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the scan request given to the access point is made by a client or a user.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving beacons transmitted from the neighbor access points;

scanning the neighbor access points in order to acquire information of the neighbor access points;

detecting service set identifier fields of the received beacons;

determining whether or not any of the detected service set identifiers of the beacons is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point; and

7. A system of detecting a duplicate service set identifier in a wireless local area network, comprising:

a service access point, wherein the service access point generates a probe request packet by inserting a service set identifier of the service access point to the prove request packet whenever a scan request is given, transmits the probe request packet to neighbor access points, receives probe response packets that are sent in response to the probe request packet from the neighbor access points, detects service set identifiers of the probe response packets, and informs presence of a neighbor access point whose service set identifier is the same as that of the service access point if any of the detected service set identifiers is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point informs absence of a neighbor access point whose service set identifier is the same as that of the access point, if none of the probe response packets is received from the neighbor access points.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point informs absence of a neighbor access point whose service set identifier is the same as that of the access point, if none of the detected service set identifiers is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point collects the probe response packets for 500 milliseconds.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point comprises:

a packet transceiver for transmitting the probe request packet to the neighbor access points in response to the scan request from a user, and for receiving the probe response packets sent in response to the probe request packet from the neighbor access points;

a packet collector for collecting the probe response packets in order to acquire information of the neighbor access points;

a duplicate service set identifier detector for detecting service set identifier fields of the probe response packets collected by the packet collector, the duplicate service set identifier detector determining whether or not any of the detected service set identifiers of the probe response packets is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point; and

a duplicate service set identifier result reporter for informing a result from the duplicate service set identifier detector to the user.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the packet collector operates to collect the probe response packets whenever the user sets a service set identifier or in an event of abnormal data service.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point comprises:

a packet transceiver for receiving beacons transmitted from the neighbor access points;

a packet collector for scanning the neighbor access points in order to acquire information of the neighbor access points;

a duplicate service set identifier detector for detecting service set identifier fields of the received beacons, the duplicate service set identifier detector determining whether or not any of the detected service set identifiers of the beacons is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point; and

a duplicate service set identifier result reporter for informing a result from the duplicate service set identifier detector to the user.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point broadcasts the probe request packet in a predetermined channel.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service access point is coupled to a user terminal, and the scan request is given by the user terminal.