ACCESS POINT IDENTIFIER CONFIGURATION PROCEDURE

• US 20100008258A1
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Agrawal, Avneesh, Ji, Tingfang, Khandekar, Aamod D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

In an access point identifier configuration scheme, different procedures are used for configuring (e.g., updating) different types of access points. For example, the criteria used to determine which identifiers are to be assigned to mobile access points may be different than the criteria used to determine which identifiers are to be assigned to stationary access points.

Claims

1. An identifier management method, comprising:

determining a type of an access point, wherein the type indicates whether the access point is a mobile access point;

selecting an access point identifier configuration procedure based on the determined type; and

configuring an access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile access point sends and receives backhaul communication via a wireless link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring comprises determining the access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the configuring further comprises sending the determined access point identifier to the access point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

an access point identifier domain is partitioned into a plurality of identifier spaces;

at least one of the identifier spaces is allocated for mobile access points;

at least another one of the identifier spaces is allocated for stationary access points; and

the selection of the configuration procedure comprises identifying one of the identifier spaces based on the determined type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier spaces are mutually exclusive.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuring comprises:

selecting the access point identifier for the access point from the identified identifier space; and

configuring the access point with the selected access point identifier.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising partitioning the access point identifier domain into the plurality of identifier spaces to mitigate access point identifier collision between the mobile access points and the stationary access points.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises determining timing for configuring the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the configuring comprises configuring the access point with the access point identifier at a time that is based on the determined timing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises selecting an algorithm for generating the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the algorithm comprises a hash algorithm.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the configuring comprises:

generating the access point identifier for the access point using the selected algorithm; and

configuring the access point with the generated access point identifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point identifier for the access point comprises a physical cell identifier.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a network management node.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the access point.

17. An identifier management apparatus, comprising:

an access point type determiner configured to determine a type of an access point, wherein the type indicates whether the access point is a mobile access point;

a configuration procedure selector configured to select an access point identifier configuration procedure based on the determined type; and

an identifier configuration controller configured to configure an access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mobile access point sends and receives backhaul communication via a wireless link.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the configuring comprises determining the access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the configuring further comprises sending the determined access point identifier to the access point.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

an access point identifier domain is partitioned into a plurality of identifier spaces;

at least one of the identifier spaces is allocated for mobile access points;

at least another one of the identifier spaces is allocated for stationary access points; and

the selection of the configuration procedure comprises identifying one of the identifier spaces based on the determined type.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the identifier spaces are mutually exclusive.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the configuring comprises:

selecting the access point identifier for the access point from the identified identifier space; and

configuring the access point with the selected access point identifier.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an identifier space definer configured to partition the access point identifier domain into the plurality of identifier spaces to mitigate access point identifier collision between the mobile access points and the stationary access points.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises determining timing for configuring the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the configuring comprises configuring the access point with the access point identifier at a time that is based on the determined timing.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises selecting an algorithm for generating the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the configuring comprises:

generating the access point identifier for the access point using the selected algorithm; and

configuring the access point with the generated access point identifier.

29. An identifier management apparatus, comprising:

means for determining a type of an access point, wherein the type indicates whether the access point is a mobile access point;

means for selecting an access point identifier configuration procedure based on the determined type; and

means for configuring an access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the mobile access point sends and receives backhaul communication via a wireless link.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the configuring comprises determining the access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the configuring further comprises sending the determined access point identifier to the access point.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

an access point identifier domain is partitioned into a plurality of identifier spaces;

at least one of the identifier spaces is allocated for mobile access points;

at least another one of the identifier spaces is allocated for stationary access points; and

the selection of the configuration procedure comprises identifying one of the identifier spaces based on the determined type.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the identifier spaces are mutually exclusive.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the configuring comprises:

selecting the access point identifier for the access point from the identified identifier space; and

configuring the access point with the selected access point identifier.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising means for partitioning the access point identifier domain into the plurality of identifier spaces to mitigate access point identifier collision between the mobile access points and the stationary access points.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises determining timing for configuring the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the configuring comprises configuring the access point with the access point identifier at a time that is based on the determined timing.

39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises selecting an algorithm for generating the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the configuring comprises:

generating the access point identifier for the access point using the selected algorithm; and

configuring the access point with the generated access point identifier.

41. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

determine a type of an access point, wherein the type indicates whether the access point is a mobile access point;

select an access point identifier configuration procedure based on the determined type; and

configure an access point identifier for the access point based on the selected procedure.

42. The computer-program product of claim 41, wherein the mobile access point sends and receives backhaul communication via a wireless link.

43. The computer-program product of claim 41, wherein:

an access point identifier domain is partitioned into a plurality of identifier spaces;

at least one of the identifier spaces is allocated for mobile access points;

at least another one of the identifier spaces is allocated for stationary access points; and

the selection of the configuration procedure comprises identifying one of the identifier spaces based on the determined type.

44. The computer-program product of claim 43, wherein the identifier spaces are mutually exclusive.

45. The computer-program product of claim 43, wherein the configuring comprises:

selecting the access point identifier for the access point from the identified identifier space; and

configuring the access point with the selected access point identifier.

46. The computer-program product of claim 43, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to partition the access point identifier domain into the plurality of identifier spaces to mitigate access point identifier collision between the mobile access points and the stationary access points.

47. The computer-program product of claim 41, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises determining timing for configuring the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

48. The computer-program product of claim 47, wherein the configuring comprises configuring the access point with the access point identifier at a time that is based on the determined timing.

49. The computer-program product of claim 41, wherein the selection of the configuration procedure comprises selecting an algorithm for generating the access point identifier for the access point based on the determined type.

50. The computer-program product of claim 49, wherein the configuring comprises:

generating the access point identifier for the access point using the selected algorithm; and

configuring the access point with the generated access point identifier.