System, apparatus and method for managing AP selection and signal quality
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving an access point (AP) beacon including channel information from a first wireless node operating as an access point, the channel information is placed within at least one reserved field within a media access control header of the beacon and includes each channel number used by one or more wireless nodes operating as an access point that are detected by the first wireless node to be operating within a signal coverage area of the first wireless node;
conducting an active scan of a range of frequency spectrum for wireless signals based on the channel information by initially scanning frequencies associated with each channel number used by the one or more wireless nodes; and
determining whether to (i) maintain wireless communications with the first wireless node or (ii) establish wireless communications with a selected wireless node of the one or more wireless nodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention involves a method for selecting and maintaining wireless communications for wireless mesh networks between tier-2 and tier-3 nodes. The method comprises a first operation of receiving channel information from a first wireless node operating as an access point. The channel information includes each channel number used by one or more wireless nodes that are detected by the first wireless node to be operating within a signal coverage area of the first wireless node. Then, an active scan is conducted on a frequency spectrum for wireless signals based on the channel information. Such scanning is accomplished by initially scanning frequencies of each channel number used by the one or more wireless nodes. After the scanning, a determination is made whether to (i) maintain wireless communications with the first wireless node or (ii) establish new wireless communications with a new wireless node (AP). Other embodiments are described and claimed.
35 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving an access point (AP) beacon including channel information from a first wireless node operating as an access point, the channel information is placed within at least one reserved field within a media access control header of the beacon and includes each channel number used by one or more wireless nodes operating as an access point that are detected by the first wireless node to be operating within a signal coverage area of the first wireless node; conducting an active scan of a range of frequency spectrum for wireless signals based on the channel information by initially scanning frequencies associated with each channel number used by the one or more wireless nodes; and determining whether to (i) maintain wireless communications with the first wireless node or (ii) establish wireless communications with a selected wireless node of the one or more wireless nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A portable apparatus comprising:
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a radio logic unit adapted for tuning to a selected frequency associated with a particular wireless channel in order to establish communications with a first wireless node operating as an access point; and a processor in communication with the radio logic unit, the processor to; extract channel information from a non-unicast message received from the first wireless node, the non-unicast message is an access point (AP) beacon and the channel information is placed within at least one reserved field within a media access control header of the beacon, the channel information includes a channel number used by a second wireless node that is operating as an access point and transmitting signals within a signal coverage area at least partially used by the first wireless node, conduct an active scan of a frequency spectrum for wireless signals based on the channel information by initially scanning frequencies associated with the channel number used by the second wireless node, and determine whether to (i) maintain wireless communications with the first wireless node or (ii) establish wireless communications with the second wireless node.
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9. A memory storing software that is executed by a processor implemented within a first wireless node being a portable, battery-powered electronic device with data processing capability and wireless communication capabilities, to perform the operations of:
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measuring parameters associated with a wireless signal after a monitoring time period has elapsed, the wireless signal being received over a first wireless channel from a second wireless node that is operating as an access point for a wireless network and is currently in wireless communications with the first wireless node; performing an active scan process in (i) searching wireless channels different than the first wireless channel using a same network identification of the second wireless node, (ii) detecting wireless signals by a third wireless node over a second wireless channel, and (iii) selecting either second wireless node or the third wireless node for subsequent wireless communications; increasing the monitoring time period by an incremental value if the second wireless node is selected; and resetting the monitoring time period to a minimum value if the third wireless node is selected. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification