ACCESS POINT SELECTION IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20160066227A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Townend, David Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,225,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00837 Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• 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 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

In a wireless network such as Wi-Fi, a wireless access point connected to a client device monitors the quality of the link to the client device. When the client device sends probe frames indicative of the link to the connected access point being too low for continued data connectivity, the access points forwards connection data to a management server. When other access points receive the probe requests, they consult the management server to obtain the low channel quality data and use it as a threshold for determining whether to respond to the client device'"'"'s probe request.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless access point in a network of wireless access points and wireless communications devices, comprising:

receiving a request for connectivity from a wireless communications device which is connected to another wireless access point;

comparing a characteristic of the signal between the wireless access point and the wireless communications device against a predetermined threshold value associated with the wireless communications device; and

responding to the request for connectivity only if the value of said signal characteristic exceeds the threshold.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value is based on information provided by said another wireless access point and other wireless access points previously connected to the wireless communications device on the network.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving said predetermined threshold value from a management server.

14. A computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a wireless access point control the wireless access point to perform the method of claim 1.

4. A method of operating a management device in a network having a plurality of wireless access points and a plurality of wireless communication devices, comprising:

receiving signal characteristic information from at least a first wireless access point relating to a connected wireless communication device which is issuing connection requests to handover to another wireless access point; and

determining a handover threshold value for the connected wireless communications device.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a connection request issued from the wireless communication device which has been forwarded by at least one other wireless access point, and a signal characteristic value between said at least one other wireless access point and said wireless communications device;

comparing the value or the or each signal characteristic value against the handover threshold value associated with that wireless communications device; and

instructing the at least one other wireless access point to respond to the connection request only if the corresponding signal characteristic value exceeds the handover threshold value.

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a connection request issued from the wireless communication device which has been forwarded by at least one other wireless access point, and a signal characteristic value between said at least one other wireless access point and said wireless communications device;

comparing the value or the or each signal characteristic value against the handover threshold value associated with that wireless communications device;

determining a set of wireless access points from the at least one other wireless access point which have signal characteristic values which exceed the handover threshold value;

ranking the set of wireless access points; and

instructing a subset from the set or wireless access points to respond to the connection request.

7. A method according to claim 4 wherein the signal characteristic is signal strength.

15. A computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a management device in a network, control the management device to perform the method of claim 4.

8. A wireless access point device for, in use, forming part of a network of wireless access points and wireless communications devices, comprising:

means for receiving a request for connectivity from a wireless communications device which is connected to another wireless access point;

means for comparing a characteristic of the signal between the wireless access point and the wireless communications device against a predetermined threshold value associated with the wireless communications device; and

means for responding to the request for connectivity only if the value of said signal characteristic exceeds the threshold.

9. A wireless access point according to claim 8, wherein the threshold value is based on information provided by said another wireless access point and other wireless access points previously connected to the wireless communications device on the network.

10. A wireless access point according to claim 8 wherein said predetermined threshold value is received from a management server.

11. A management device in a network having a plurality of wireless access points and a plurality of wireless communication devices, comprising:

means for receiving signal characteristic information from at least a first wireless access point relating to a connected wireless communication device which is issuing connection requests to handover to another wireless access point; and

means for determining a handover threshold value for the connected wireless communications device.

12. A management device according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving a connection request issued from the wireless communication device which has been forwarded by at least one other wireless access point, and a signal characteristic value between said at least one other wireless access point and said wireless communications device;

means for comparing the value of the or each signal characteristic value against the handover threshold value associated with that wireless communications device; and

instructing the at least one other wireless access point to respond to the connection request only if the corresponding signal characteristic value exceeds the handover threshold value.

13. A management device according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for receiving a connection request issued from the wireless communication device which has been forwarded by at least one other wireless access point, and a signal characteristic value between said at least one other wireless access point and said wireless communications device;

comparing the value of the or each signal characteristic value against the handover threshold value associated with that wireless communications device;

means for determining a set of wireless access points from the at least one other wireless access point which have signal characteristic values which exceed the handover threshold value;

means for ranking the set of wireless access points; and

means for instructing a subset from the set of wireless access points to respond to the connection request.