Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating client handoffs in wireless network systems
First Claim
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1. A wireless network access device, comprising:
- a network interface;
a processor;
a memory; and
a wireless network access application, stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the processor and the network interface to;
advertise a network address of the wireless network access device in one or more wireless network management frames;
establish wireless connections with one or more wireless stations, one or more of the wireless stations each providing a network address of a wireless network access device with which the wireless station has been associated and a handoff counter value;
store the handoff counter values in association with wireless station identifiers;
maintain connection state information for the wireless stations in association with the corresponding wireless station identifiers;
receive a mobility notification message from a remote wireless network access device, wherein the mobility notification message includes a wireless station identifier and a handoff counter value; and
respond to the mobility notification message by transmitting the connection state information corresponding to the wireless station identifier of the mobility notification message, if the stored handoff counter value corresponding to the wireless station is less than the handoff counter value in the mobility notification message.
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Abstract
Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to facilitating roaming and client handoffs in wireless networks. In one implementation, the present invention is directed to a coordination mechanism facilitating handoffs of wireless clients in a wireless network infrastructure. In one implementation, the coordination mechanism minimizes the use of group- or multi-casting to provide a scalable wireless network roaming infrastructure.
106 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wireless network access device, comprising:
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a network interface; a processor; a memory; and a wireless network access application, stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the processor and the network interface to; advertise a network address of the wireless network access device in one or more wireless network management frames; establish wireless connections with one or more wireless stations, one or more of the wireless stations each providing a network address of a wireless network access device with which the wireless station has been associated and a handoff counter value; store the handoff counter values in association with wireless station identifiers; maintain connection state information for the wireless stations in association with the corresponding wireless station identifiers; receive a mobility notification message from a remote wireless network access device, wherein the mobility notification message includes a wireless station identifier and a handoff counter value; and respond to the mobility notification message by transmitting the connection state information corresponding to the wireless station identifier of the mobility notification message, if the stored handoff counter value corresponding to the wireless station is less than the handoff counter value in the mobility notification message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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advertising, from a wireless network access device, a network address of the wireless network access device in one or more wireless network management frames; establishing, at the wireless network access device, wireless connections with one or more wireless stations, one or more of the wireless stations each providing a network address of a wireless network access device with which the wireless station has been associated and a handoff counter value; storing, at the wireless network access device, the handoff counter values in association with wireless station identifiers; maintaining, at the wireless network access device, connection state information for the wireless stations in association with the corresponding wireless station identifiers; receiving, at the wireless network access device, a mobility notification message from a remote wireless network access device, wherein the mobility notification message includes a wireless station identifier and a handoff counter value; and responding to the mobility notification message by transmitting the connection state information corresponding to the wireless station identifier of the mobility notification message, if the stored handoff counter value corresponding to the wireless station is less than the handoff counter value in the mobility notification message. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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a first wireless network access device and a second wireless network access device; wherein first wireless network access device configured to; store a network address of the first wireless network access device; advertise the network address of the first wireless network access device in one or more wireless network management frames; establishing a wireless connection with a wireless station, the wireless station providing a network address of the second wireless network access device with which the wireless station has been associated and a handoff counter value; store the handoff counter values in association with a wireless station identifier corresponding to the wireless station; maintain connection state information for the wireless station in association with the corresponding wireless station identifier; transmit, using the network address of the second wireless network access device, a mobility notification message identifying the wireless station and the first wireless network access device, wherein the mobility notification message further comprises the handoff counter value provided by the wireless station; wherein the second wireless network access device is operative to; receive the mobility notification message; and respond to the mobility notification message by transmitting connection state information corresponding to the wireless station identifier of the mobility notification message, if a handoff counter value stored at the second wireless network access device and corresponding to the wireless station is less than the handoff counter value in the mobility notification message. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification