Predefined roaming and idle channels

• US 8,768,352 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Qi, Emily H., Hattig, Myron P.
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/053,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/434, 455/41.2, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 370/328, 370/329, 370/330
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

In various embodiments, only a few selected channels are available to be used for scanning for a network controller in a wireless network. In various other embodiments, only a few selected channels are available to be used as an idle channel in a wireless network. In both cases, the channels available for such purposes are fewer in number than the channels available for operational communications. In some embodiments, these channels are in a different industry band than the channels used for operational communications.

Claims

1. A method of communicating in a wireless network, comprising:

scanning only roaming channels in a pre-defined subset of available channels in a first industry band of channels to find an available network controller;

identifying a particular network controller on a particular channel in the subset;

forming an association with the particular network controller; and

performing operational communications with the particular network controller on at least one operational channel different than any scanned roaming channel in the pre-defined subset of available channels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one operational channel is in a second industry band different than the first industry band.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first industry band is a 2.4 GHz band and the second industry band is either a 5 GHz band or a 60 GHz band.

4. The method of claim 1, the pre-defined subset of available channels comprising channels 1, 6, and 11 of a 2.4 GHz band.

5. An apparatus for communicating in a wireless network, the apparatus having a processor, a memory, and a radio, the apparatus to:

scan only roaming channels in a pre-defined subset of available channels in a first industry band of channels to find an available network controller;

identify a particular network controller on a particular channel in the subset;

form an association with the particular network controller; and

perform operational communications with the particular network controller on at least one operational channel different than any scanned roaming channel in the pre-defined subset of available channels.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said at least one operational channel is in a second industry band different than the first industry band.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first industry band is a 2.4 GHz band and the second industry band is either a 5 GHz band or a 60 GHz band.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, the pre-defined subset of available channels comprising channels 1, 6, and 11 of a 2.4 GHz band.

9. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

scanning only roaming channels in a pre-defined subset of available channels in a first industry band of channels to find an available network controller;

identifying a particular network controller on a particular channel in the subset;

forming an association with the particular network controller; and

performing operational communications with the particular network controller on at least one operational channel different than any scanned roaming channel in the pre-defined subset of available channels.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein said at least one operational channel is in a second industry band different than the first industry band.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the first industry band is a 2.4 GHz band and the second industry band is either a 5 GHz band or a 60 GHz band.

12. The medium of claim 9, the pre-defined subset of available channels comprising channels 1, 6, and 11 of a 2.4 GHz band.

13. A method of communicating in a wireless network, comprising:

forming an association with a device in a wireless communications network; and

communicating, with the device, an indication of which channel to use as an idle channel to maintain the association with the device during a period of non-operational communications with the device;

wherein the indicated idle channel is selected from a pre-defined subset of available channels in a pre-defined industry communications band and is in a different industry band than channels used for operational communications with the ether device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the subset of channels consists of channels 1, 6, and 11 in a 2.4 GHz band.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said communicating the indication comprises communicating the indication in a beacon and/or a probe response.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said communicating the indication comprises transmitting the indication to a mobile device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said communicating the indication comprises receiving the indication from a network controller.

18. An apparatus for communicating in a wireless network, the apparatus having a processor, a memory, and a radio, the apparatus to:

form an association with a device in a wireless communications network; and

communicate, with the device, an indication of which channel to use as an idle channel to maintain the association with the device during a period of non-operational communications with the device;

wherein the indicated idle channel is selected from a pre-defined subset of available channels in a pre-defined industry communications band and is in a different industry band than channels used for operational communications with the ether device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the subset of channels consists of channels 1, 6, and 11 in a 2.4 GHz band.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said communicating the indication comprises communicating the indication in a beacon and/or a probe response.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a network controller to transmit the indication to a mobile device.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile device to receive the indication from a network controller.

23. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations for communicating in a wireless network comprising:

forming an association with a device in a wireless communications network; and

communicating, with the device, an indication of which channel to use as an idle channel to maintain the association with the device during a period of non-operational communications with the device;

wherein the indicated idle channel is selected from a pre-defined subset of available channels in a pre-defined industry communications band and is in a different industry band than channels used for operational communications with the ether device.

24. The medium of claim 23, wherein the subset of channels consists of channels 1, 6, and 11 in a 2.4 GHz band.

25. The medium of claim 23, wherein said communicating the indication comprises communicating the indication in a beacon and/or a probe response.

26. The medium of claim 23, wherein said communicating the indication comprises transmitting the indication to a mobile device.

27. The medium of claim 25, wherein said communicating the indication comprises receiving the indication from a network controller.