ACQUIRING A SIGNAL PARAMETER FOR A NEIGHBORING ACCESS POINT

• US 20110176434A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pandey, Santosh, Girimaji, Jagdish, Thomson, Allan, Hart, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,861,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a wireless device is configured to associate with a first access point on a first frequency. The wireless device listens for a predefined frame, which may be sent by neighboring access points or other wireless devices. When the wireless device receives a signal comprising a predefined frame, the wireless device acquires a parameter, such as signal strength, for the signal. The wireless device sends the parameter for the signal to the first access point.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

control logic communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver and configured to communicate with other wireless devices via the wireless transceiver;

wherein the control logic is configured to associate with a first wireless device;

wherein the control logic is configured to determine a parameter of a predetermined signal received via the wireless transceiver from a second wireless device; and

wherein the control logic is configured to send data representative of the parameter to the first wireless device via the wireless transceiver.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless device is a first access point operating on a first frequency;

wherein the wireless transceiver communicates with the first access point on the first frequency; and

wherein the second wireless device is a second access point configured to communicate primarily on a second frequency, and is further configured to send the predetermined signal on the first frequency.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises a received signal strength indication.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises a time of arrival.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises an angle of arrival.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to determine an identifier for the source of the predetermined signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control logic is further configured to send data representative of the identifier with the data representative of the parameter.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the identifier comprises a selected one of a group consisting of a Medium Access Control address, a timestamp, and a sequence number.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined signal is a fake beacon.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined signal is a predefined management frame.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control logic receives a list of identifiers for wireless devices from the first wireless device for determining whether a signal received via the wireless transceiver is a predetermined signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the control logic is configured to switch the wireless transceiver to the second channel and listen for wireless devices operating on the second channel;

wherein the control logic is configured to record identifiers for wireless devices detected operating on the second channel; and

wherein the control logic is further configured to switch the wireless transceiver to the first channel; and

wherein the control logic determines that a signal received from the second wireless device is a predetermined signal based on matching an identifier recorded on the second channel to the second wireless device.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control logic periodically switches the wireless transceiver to the second channel.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control logic is configured to switch the wireless transceiver to the second channel and listen for beacons from access points operating on the second channel;

wherein the control logic is configured to record identifiers for access points detected operating on the second channel; and

wherein the control logic is further configured to switch the wireless transceiver to the first channel; and

wherein the control logic determines that a signal received the second wireless device having an identifier matching an identifier for an access point recorded on the second channel is a predetermined signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to transmit a predetermined response signal via the wireless transceiver responsive to the predetermined signal.

16. A method, comprising:

associating with a first access point;

receiving a signal from a second access point;

determining whether the signal is a predefined signal;

acquiring a parameter for the signal responsive to determining the signal is a predefined signal; and

sending the parameter for the signal to the first access point.

19. The method set forth in claim 16, wherein the parameter is a received signal strength indication.

17. The method set forth in claim 17, further comprising determining an identifier for the second access point;

and

sending the parameter further comprises sending the identifier.

18. The method set forth in claim 17, wherein the identifier is a Medium Access Control address.

20. Logic encoded in a tangible media and when executed operable to:

associate with a first access point;

receive data representative of a signal from a second access point;

determining whether the data representative of a signal indicates that the signal is a predefined signal;

acquire a parameter for the signal responsive to determining the signal is a predefined signal;

acquire a Medium Access Control (MAC) address for a source of the signal; and

sending the MAC address and the parameter for the signal to the first access point.