WLAN having load balancing based on access point loading

• US 8,249,039 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kostic, Zoran, Leung, Kin K., Yin, Hujun
• Primary Examiner(s): Aminzay, Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US13/026,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/235, 370/236, 370/329, 370/332, 370/333, 370/345, 3703951-39521, 370/400, 370/522, 455/41.2, 455/453, 455/500, 455/522, 455/524
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/122 by diverting traffic away from congested entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• 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 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A network having distribution of access point loading includes access points to which mobile stations can associate themselves based upon access point beacon signal levels and loading levels for the various access points. A mobile station receives beacon signals from various access points and determines a signal strength for the received beacon signals. The mobile station also receives access point loading information from the access points. The mobile station associates with an access point based upon the access point beacon signal strengths and the access point loading information.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an association between a mobile station and an access point in a wireless network comprising:

determining values for a plurality of parameters comprising load level information of the access point, an access point priority, mobile station priority weighting, and an overall network loading;

transmitting the values for a plurality of parameters to the mobile station; and

associating the mobile station with the access point based on the values for a plurality of parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the values for a plurality of parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the load level information further comprises a transmission queue length and a number of transmitted error packets.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a beacon signal from the access point to the mobile station.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the values for a plurality of parameters comprises:

transmitting the values for a plurality of parameters in a beacon frame.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request for the values for a plurality of parameters from the mobile station, wherein the transmitting the values for a plurality of parameters to the mobile station is in response to the request.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing link quality information.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a cost function based on the values for a plurality of parameters.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

transmitting the cost function to the mobile station.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the cost function further comprises:

determining the cost function based on a traffic intensity of the access point.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the cost function further comprises:

determining the cost function based on a signal strength of the access point.

12. An access point comprising:

a processor;

a module coupled to the processor, the module configured to determine values for a plurality of parameters comprising load level information of the access point, an access point priority, mobile station priority weighting, and overall network loading;

an interface configured to transmit the values for a plurality of parameters to a mobile station; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store the values for the plurality of parameters and a number of currently associated mobile stations.

13. The access point according to claim 12 wherein the load level information comprises a transmission queue length and a number of transmitted error packets.

14. The access point according to claim 12 wherein the memory is further configured to store link quality information.

15. A mobile station comprising:

a processor; and

a module coupled to the processor, the module configured to;

select to associate the mobile station with one of a plurality of access points based on values for a plurality of parameters comprising load level information of an access point, an access point priority, a mobile station priority weighting, and an overall network loading; and

associate the mobile station with one of the plurality of access points based on the values for a plurality of parameters.

16. The mobile station according to claim 15 further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store the values for a plurality of parameters.

17. The mobile station according to claim 16 wherein the memory is further configured to store link quality information.

18. The mobile station according to claim 15 wherein the load level information comprises a transmission queue length and a number of transmitted error packets.