OPTIMIZING THE USE OF SHARED RADIO FREQUENCY MEDIUM USING INTELLIGENT SUPPRESSION OF PROBE REQUEST FRAMES

• US 20160255661A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 09/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Aruba Networks Incorporated (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: SIRAJ, Mohd, GANU, Sachin, NARASIMHAN, Partha
• Granted Patent: US 9,622,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Described herein are systems, methods and computer program products for controlling operation of wireless network devices, such as wireless access points and wireless client devices. The techniques described simplify the process of associating wireless devices with wireless networks. Wireless devices can associate with a wireless access point without knowing details of the wireless access point, such as a service set identifier (SSID). Upon associating with a wireless access point, client devices cease transmission of or reduce a transmission rate of wireless probe requests, resulting in more efficient wireless radio frequency use and reduced possibility of interference due to wireless probe request transmissions.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving a probe request at a wireless access point, wherein the wireless access point includes an access point network identifier, wherein probe requests include directed probe requests and null probe requests, wherein a directed probe request includes a probe network identifier, wherein the probe network identifier is different from the access point network identifier, and wherein a null probe request does not include a network identifier;

determining whether the probe request is a directed probe request or a null probe request;

determining a probe response, wherein the probe response includes a response network identifier, wherein the response network identifier is different from the access point network identifier, wherein the response network identifier is the probe network identifier when the probe request is a directed probe request, wherein the response network identifier is a default network identifier when the probe request is a null probe request, and wherein the default network identifier is different from the access point network identifier;

transmitting the probe response;

receiving an association request, wherein the association request includes the response network identifier and a station identifier for a client device; and

transmitting an association response, wherein the association response includes an association identifier for a client device having the station identifier and wherein receiving the association identifier at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to become associated with the wireless access point using the response network identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a beacon frame, wherein the beacon frame includes a neighboring network identifier;

storing the neighboring network identifier in a list of neighboring networks, wherein probe requests including neighboring network identifiers on the list are ignored.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the association identifier at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to reduce a transmission rate of or cease transmissions of probe requests.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the probe network identifier with a list of excluded network identifiers, wherein probe requests including probe network identifiers on the list are ignored.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a wireless authentication request, wherein the wireless authentication request includes the station identifier; and

transmitting a wireless authentication response including the station identifier, wherein the wireless authentication response indicates whether authentication was successful.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the wireless authentication response at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to transmit an association request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a network identifier includes a service set identifier (SSID).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a station identifier includes a media access control (MAC) address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the default network identifier is selected from a list of predetermined network identifiers, wherein the predetermined network identifiers are different from the access point network identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the probe request is a null probe request, and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting an additional probe request, wherein the additional probe includes an additional network identifier different from the access point network identifier and different from the default network identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second probe request including a second probe network identifier, wherein the second probe network identifier is different from the access point network identifier,

determining a second probe response, wherein the second probe response includes the second probe network identifier, and wherein the second probe network identifier is different from the response network identifier;

transmitting the second probe response;

receiving a second association request, wherein the second association request includes the second probe network identifier and a second station identifier for a second client device; and

transmitting a second association response, wherein the second association response includes the second association identifier for the second client device having the second station identifier and wherein receiving the second association identifier at the second client device having the second station identifier causes the second client device to become associated with the wireless access point using the second probe network identifier.

12. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more procesors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving a probe request at a wireless access point, wherein the wireless access point includes an access point network identifier, wherein probe requests include directed probe requests and null probe requests, wherein a directed probe request includes a probe network identifier, wherein the probe network identifier is different from the access point network identifier, and wherein a null probe request does not include a network identifier;

determining whether the probe request is a directed probe request or a null probe request;

determining a probe response, wherein the probe response includes a response network identifier, wherein the response network identifier is different from the access point network identifier, wherein the response network identifier is the probe network identifier when the probe request is a directed probe request, wherein the response network identifier is a default network identifier when the probe request is a null probe request, and wherein the default network identifier is different from the access point network identifier;

transmitting the probe response;

receiving an association request, wherein the association request includes the response network identifier and a station identifier for a client device; and

transmitting an association response, wherein the association response includes an association identifier for a client device having the station identifier and wherein receiving the association identifier at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to become associated with the wireless access point using the response network identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

receiving a beacon frame, wherein the beacon frame includes a neighboring network identifier;

storing the neighboring network identifier in a list of neighboring networks, wherein probe requests including neighboring network identifiers on the list are ignored.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving the association identifier at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to reduce a transmission rate of or cease transmissions of probe requests.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

comparing the probe network identifier with a list of excluded network identifiers, wherein probe requests including probe network identifiers on the list are ignored.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

receiving a wireless authentication request, wherein the wireless authentication request includes the station identifier; and

transmitting a wireless authentication response including the station identifier, wherein the wireless authentication response indicates whether authentication was successful.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein receiving the wireless authentication response at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to transmit an association request.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein a network identifier includes a service set identifier (SSID).

19. The system of claim 12, wherein a station identifier includes a media access control (MAC) address.

20. -22 (canceled)

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving a probe request at a wireless access point, wherein the wireless access point includes an access point network identifier, wherein probe requests include directed probe requests and null probe requests, wherein a directed probe request includes a probe network identifier, wherein the probe network identifier is different from the access point network identifier, and wherein a null probe request does not include a network identifier;

determining whether the probe request is a directed probe request or a null probe request;

determining a probe response, wherein the probe response includes a response network identifier, wherein the response network identifier is different from the access point network identifier, wherein the response network identifier is the probe network identifier when the probe request is a directed probe request, wherein the response network identifier is a default network identifier when the probe request is a null probe request, and wherein the default network identifier is different from the access point network identifier;

transmitting the probe response;

receiving an association request, wherein the association request includes the response network identifier and a station identifier for a client device; and

transmitting an association response, wherein the association response includes an association identifier for a client device having the station identifier and wherein receiving the association identifier at a client device having the station identifier causes the client device to become associated with the wireless access point using the response network identifier.

24. -33. (canceled)