Handoffs between access points in a Wi-Fi environment

• US 9,008,045 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Srivastava, Praveen, Manroa, Arun, Bencheikh, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Khajuria, Shripal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Combs, Joe
• Application Number:
  US13/445,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20130272269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 370/332
• US Class Current: 370/332
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/34 Selective release of ongoing connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods for providing active mobility of Wi-Fi enabled devices within a given wireless local area network (WLAN). In general, techniques include dynamically commanding Wi-Fi enabled devices to disconnect from a corresponding access point in response to meeting predetermined conditions. A forced disconnect can be based on various criteria such as low-power or lost packet thresholds triggering the forced disconnect. Such techniques cause a Wi-Fi enabled device to disconnect from one access point and connect to another access point before a connection quality deteriorates to a point that causes noticeable interruptions in connectivity or a generally poor experience, thereby enabling a smooth transition among access points.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing wireless connectivity, the computer-implemented method comprising:

in a wireless local area network (WLAN), receiving a request from a client device to establish a wireless data link between the client device and a first access point device, the first access point device providing a connection to a network of interconnected computers;

in the wireless local area network (WLAN), establishing the wireless data link between the client device and the first access point device on a radio frequency communication channel, the wireless data link used to transmit data packets between the client device and the first access point device;

in the wireless local area network (WLAN), monitoring at least one parameter indicative of the wireless data link between the client device and the first access point device, the at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the wireless data link and a rate of packet errors in uplink data transmission on the wireless data link;

in response to determining that the at least one indicative parameter meets a predetermined criterion, transmitting a disassociate message to the client device, the disassociate message causing the client device to end the wireless data link with the first access point device in the wireless local area network (WLAN), the first access point device being in network communication with a second access point device, the first and second access point devices providing Wi-Fi connectivity to the computer network via a same service set identifier (SSID);

in response to transmitting the disassociate message to the client device, the second access point device receiving a request from the client device to establish a second wireless data link between the client device and the second access point device;

establishing the second wireless data link between the client device and the second access point device on a radio frequency communication channel using the same SSID, the second wireless data link used to transmit data packets between the client device and the second access point device, the client device maintaining a same Internet Protocol (IP) address as used with the first access point device;

monitoring radio signal strength of the client device via the second access point device; and

wherein determining that the at least one parameter meets a predetermined criterion includes identifying that received radio signal strength of the client device at the second access point device is greater than received radio signal strength of the client device at the first access point device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request from the client device to establish the wireless data link comprising receiving a request to establish a Wi-Fi data link, the client device being a Wi-Fi enabled device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to transmitting the disassociate message to the client, the first access point device rejecting, for a predetermined period of time, subsequent connectivity requests from the client device to re-establish the wireless data link.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first access point device and the second access point device transmit data to each other corresponding to the at least one parameter of the wireless data link via ad hoc connectivity between the first access point device and the second access point device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first access point device and the second access point device transmit data to each other corresponding to the at least one parameter of the wireless data link via an upstream server computer.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the disassociate message to the client device includes an upstream server computer causing the first access point device to transmit the disassociate message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a geographic location of the client device relative to the first access point device and the second access point device;

wherein transmitting the disassociate message is also in response to the geographic location of the client device.

8. A system for managing wireless connectivity in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the operations of;

receiving a request from a client device to establish a wireless data link between the client device and a first access point device, the first access point device providing a connection to a computer network;

establishing the wireless data link between the client device and the first access point device on a radio frequency communication channel, the wireless data link used to transmit data packets between the client device and the first access point device;

monitoring at least one parameter of the wireless data link between the client device and the first access point device, the at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the wireless data link and a rate of packet errors in uplink data transmission on the wireless data link; and

in response to determining that the at least one parameter meets a predetermined criterion, transmitting a disassociate message to the client device, the disassociate message causing the client device to end the wireless data link, the first access point device being in network communication with a second access point device, the first and second access point devices providing Wi-Fi connectivity to the computer network via a same service set identifier (SSID);

in response to transmitting the disassociate message to the client device, the second access point device receiving a request from the client device to establish a second wireless data link between the client device and the second access point device;

establishing the second wireless data link between the client device and the second access point device on a radio frequency communication channel and using the same SSID, the second wireless data link used to transmit data packets between the client device and the second access point device, the client device maintaining a same Internet Protocol (IP) address as used with the first access point device;

monitoring radio signal strength of the client device via the second access point device; and

wherein determining that the at least one parameter meets a predetermined criterion includes identifying that received radio signal strength of the client device at the second access point device is greater than received radio signal strength of the client device at the first access point device.

9. The computer system claim 8, wherein receiving the request from the client device to establish the wireless data link comprising receiving a request to establish a Wi-Fi data link, the client device being a Wi-Fi enabled device.