Enhanced site report by low latency roaming by passive scanning in IEEE 802.11 networks

• US 8,605,691 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Soomro, Amjad, Zhong, Zhun
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/571,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20080095125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,078 Days
• Field of Search: 4554321-455, 455/464, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/437, 455418-4221, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 370319-331, 370335-338, 370341-348, 370/320, 370/310.2, 370352-356, 370441-443, 370466-480, 370/491, 370/500
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In order to reduce the average wait time, information regarding regulatory domain, a component of channel availability, may be obtained through an apparatus and method for transmitting within available channels in a wireless network. This includes determining available channels in a wireless network by: receiving regulatory domain information within the wireless network; generating a frame with at least one component corresponding to the regulatory domain information; transmitting the frame unsolicited by a beacon; receiving the report at a station; and determining whether a channel is available for transmission based, at least in part, on the component corresponding to the regulatory domain information contained in the frame.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting within available channels in a wireless network that comprises at least a first station and a second station, the method comprising:

receiving, by the first station, regulatory information within the wireless network;

generating, by the first station, at least one protocol frame comprising at least one component corresponding to the received regulatory information and at least one component corresponding to radar presence;

transmitting, by the first station, at an interval of time shorter than the interval of time between subsequent beacon transmissions, the at least one protocol frame comprising the at least one component corresponding to said received regulatory information and the at least one component corresponding to radar presence;

receiving, by the second station, said at least one protocol frame comprising the at least one component corresponding to said received regulatory information and the at least one component corresponding to radar presence; and

determining, by the second station, an access point to associate with, re-associate with, or to roam to and whether a channel is available for transmission based in part, on the component corresponding to said regulatory information and the component corresponding to radar presence received in the at least one protocol frame,

wherein the transmitting, by the first station, occurs unsolicited and independent of beacon transmissions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the first station, further comprises receiving regulatory information on a system level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the first station, further comprises receiving the regulatory information wirelessly, through a wired system, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting, by the first station, further comprises transmitting the protocol frame from an access point when solicited by a station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, by the first station, regulatory information includes collecting the regulatory information about a channel in which the access point is operating in and about a channel in which other access points are operating in.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the first station, in the channel based on the determining.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol frame further comprises information on a collection of access points that are candidates to which a station can roam.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol frame further comprises information on a collection of access points that are candidates to which a station would prefer to roam.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the regulatory information includes regulatory domain information comprising the fields of country, local power constraint, and map/detected signal map.

10. A system for transmitting within available channels in a wireless network comprising at least a first station and a second station,

wherein the first station comprises:

a memory containing regulatory information;

a transmission device for transmitting the regulatory information within the wireless network;

a receiver for receiving the regulatory information;

a frame generator which generates a frame containing at least one component corresponding to said received regulatory information and at least one component corresponding to radar presence; and

a transmitter for transmitting said frame containing at least one component corresponding to said received regulatory information and at least one component corresponding to radar presence, unsolicited and independent of beacon transmissions and at an interval of time shorter than the interval of time between subsequent beacon transmissions;

wherein the second station comprises;

a receiver for receiving said frame; and

a processor for determining an access point to associate with, re-associate with, or to roam to and whether a channel is available for transmission based in part, on said component corresponding to said regulatory information contained in a received frame and said component corresponding to radar presence.