Hidden nodes detection

• US 9,131,392 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plume Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wildfire.Exchange, Inc. (Plume Design, Inc.)
• Inventors: Madan, Ritesh K., Chandrasekhar, Vikram, Goldsmith, Andrea, Krishna, Santhosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Chery, Dady
• Application Number:
  US13/958,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20140036709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/252, 370/338, 370/445, 455/69, 455/456.5, 375/346, 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method of detecting a hidden node is disclosed. Reports from a plurality of access points (APs) are received. The method includes determining that transmissions from a second AP are not detected by a first AP based on the received report from the first AP. The method includes determining that transmissions from a client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP based on the received report from the second AP. The method further includes detecting that the second AP is a hidden node, wherein transmissions from the hidden node interfere with transmissions between the client and the first AP, and wherein the detection is based at least in part on the determination that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and the determination that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a hidden node, comprising:

receiving reports from a plurality of access points (APs) through an interface;

determining by a processor that transmissions from a second AP are not detected by a first AP based on the received report from the first AP;

determining by the processor that transmissions from a client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP based on the received report from the second AP; and

detecting that the second AP is a hidden node, wherein transmissions from the hidden node interfere with transmissions between the client and the first AP, and wherein the detection is based at least in part on the determination that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and the determination that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection is based at least in part on a level of interference caused by the second AP to one or more clients associated with the first AP.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection is based at least in part on a level of interference caused by the first AP to one or more clients associated with the second AP.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection is based at least in part on one or more of the following:

whether network traffic direction is mainly upstream, and whether network traffic direction is mainly downstream.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a packet failure rate prior to performing the step of determining that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and prior to performing the step of determining that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and the step of determining that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP are not performed in the event that the packet failure rate is below a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting Wi-Fi parameters of the plurality of APs based at least in part on whether a hidden node is detected.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a report received from an AP comprises measurement data collected by the AP, the measurement data comprising one or more of the following:

receive signal strength indication (RSSI) of packets sent by another AP or another client, noise level of packets sent by another AP or another client, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of packets sent by another AP or another client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a report received from an AP comprises information corresponding to the AP, the information comprising one or more of the following:

a MAC address of the AP, a current channel assigned to the AP, load information of the AP, and MAC addresses of clients associated with the AP.

10. A system for detecting a hidden node, comprising:

an interface configured to receive reports from a plurality of access points (APs);

a processor configured to;

determine that transmissions from a second AP are not detected by a first AP based on the received report from the first AP;

determine that transmissions from a client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP based on the received report from the second AP; and

detect that the second AP is a hidden node, wherein transmissions from the hidden node interfere with transmissions between the client and the first AP, and wherein the detection is based at least in part on the determination that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and the determination that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the detection is based at least in part on a level of interference caused by the second AP to one or more clients associated with the first AP.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the detection is based at least in part on a level of interference caused by the first AP to one or more clients associated with the second AP.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the detection is based at least in part on whether network traffic direction is mainly upstream.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the detection is based at least in part on whether network traffic direction is mainly downstream.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:

monitor a packet failure rate prior to performing the step of determining that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and prior to performing the step of determining that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the step of determining that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and the step of determining that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP are not performed in the event that the packet failure rate is below a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:

adjust Wi-Fi parameters of the plurality of APs based at least in part on whether a hidden node is detected.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein a report received from an AP comprises measurement data collected by the AP, the measurement data comprising one or more of the following:

receive signal strength indication (RSSI) of packets sent by another AP or another client, noise level of packets sent by another AP or another client, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of packets sent by another AP or another client.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein a report received from an AP comprises information corresponding to the AP, the information comprising one or more of the following:

a MAC address of the AP, a current channel assigned to the AP, load information of the AP, and MAC addresses of clients associated with the AP.

20. A computer program product for detecting a hidden node, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving reports from a plurality of access points (APs);

determining that transmissions from a second AP are not detected by a first AP based on the received report from the first AP;

determining that transmissions from a station (client) associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP based on the received report from the second AP; and

detecting that the second AP is a hidden node, wherein transmissions from the hidden node interfere with transmissions between the client and the first AP, and wherein the detection is based at least in part on the determination that transmissions from the second AP are not detected by the first AP and the determination that transmissions from the client associated with the first AP are detected by the second AP.