Probe response suppression
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving a probe request at a wireless access point from a wireless client device;
preparing a probe response to respond to the probe request;
determining whether the wireless client device is likely to associate with the wireless access point; and
responsive to a determination that the wireless client device is unlikely to associate with the wireless access point, delaying transmission of the probe response by a predetermined amount of time if a signal strength of the probe request is lower than a first threshold, wherein the predetermined amount of time increases as a difference between the signal strength of the probe request and the first threshold increases.
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Abstract
In response to receiving a probe request from a mobile client, an access point determines whether it should suppress a probe response. The access point receives a probe request from a wireless client device, and prepares a probe response to respond to the probe request. The access point determines whether the wireless client device is likely to associate with the wireless access point. Responsive to a determination that the wireless client device is unlikely to associate with the wireless access point, the access point suppresses the transmission of the probe response.
21 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a probe request at a wireless access point from a wireless client device; preparing a probe response to respond to the probe request; determining whether the wireless client device is likely to associate with the wireless access point; and responsive to a determination that the wireless client device is unlikely to associate with the wireless access point, delaying transmission of the probe response by a predetermined amount of time if a signal strength of the probe request is lower than a first threshold, wherein the predetermined amount of time increases as a difference between the signal strength of the probe request and the first threshold increases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a wireless network interface unit to provide access to a wireless network for a wireless client device; a processor coupled to the wireless network interface unit, wherein the processor is configured to; receive via the wireless network interface, a probe request from the wireless client device; prepare a probe response to respond to the probe request; determine whether the wireless client device is likely to access the wireless network through the apparatus; and responsive to a determination that the wireless client device is unlikely to access the wireless network through the apparatus, delay transmission of the probe response by a predetermined amount of time if a signal strength of the probe request is lower than a first threshold, wherein the predetermined amount of time increases as a difference between the signal strength of the probe request and the first threshold increases. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a plurality of wireless access points to provide access to one or more wireless networks; a first wireless access point among the plurality of wireless access points to; receive a probe request from a wireless client device; prepare a probe response to respond to the probe request; determine whether the wireless client device is likely to access the one or more wireless networks through the first wireless access point; and responsive to a determination that the wireless client device is unlikely to access the one or more wireless networks through the first wireless access point, delay transmission of the probe response by a predetermined amount of time if a signal strength of the probe request is lower than a first threshold, wherein the predetermined amount of time increases as a difference between the signal strength of the probe request and the first threshold increases. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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receiving a probe request at a central controller in communication with a plurality of radio transceivers, the probe request being forwarded from at least one of the plurality of radio transceivers as a first baseband signal received from a wireless client device; preparing a probe response to respond to the probe request; determining a particular radio transceiver among the plurality of radio transceivers that is likely to associate with the wireless client device; causing delay of transmission of the probe response by the particular radio transceiver by a predetermined amount of time if a signal strength of the probe request is lower than a first threshold, wherein the predetermined amount of time increases as a difference between the signal strength of the probe request and the first threshold increases; and providing the probe response to the particular radio transceiver as a second baseband signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification