Access point steering
First Claim
1. A method performed by a first access point (AP) for steering a client device from a second AP to the first AP, the method comprising:
- detecting a first message between the client device and the second AP, the first message indicative that the client device is wirelessly associated with the second AP, wherein a first network administered by the first AP is different from a second network administered by the second AP;
determining that the first AP is a primary AP for the client device based, at least in part, on a list of previous associations between the client device and the first network administered by the first AP;
determining to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP in response to a determination that the first AP is the primary AP for the client device; and
transmitting a disassociation message from the first AP to the client device, wherein, instead of identifying the first AP as a sender of the disassociation message, the disassociation message identifies the second AP as the sender of the disassociation message, and wherein the disassociation message is transmitted in response to said determining to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first access point (AP) detects a communication between a client device and a second AP. The first AP determines at least one criteria for AP steering is satisfied. AP steering is then used by the first AP to cause the client device to associate with the first AP, or a particular network of the first AP. For example, the first AP may transmit a disassociation message to the client device. The disassociation message may identify the second AP associated with the client device and cause the client device to disassociate from the second AP. After the client device disassociates from the second AP, the client device may select and associate with the first AP. The first AP may manage which network the client device associates with using a blacklist at the first AP.
24 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method performed by a first access point (AP) for steering a client device from a second AP to the first AP, the method comprising:
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detecting a first message between the client device and the second AP, the first message indicative that the client device is wirelessly associated with the second AP, wherein a first network administered by the first AP is different from a second network administered by the second AP; determining that the first AP is a primary AP for the client device based, at least in part, on a list of previous associations between the client device and the first network administered by the first AP; determining to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP in response to a determination that the first AP is the primary AP for the client device; and transmitting a disassociation message from the first AP to the client device, wherein, instead of identifying the first AP as a sender of the disassociation message, the disassociation message identifies the second AP as the sender of the disassociation message, and wherein the disassociation message is transmitted in response to said determining to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 24, 25, 26)
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10. A first access point (AP), comprising:
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a processor; a wireless network interface coupled with the processor; and a memory having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the first AP to; detect a first message between a client device and a second AP, the first message indicative that the client device is wirelessly associated with the second AP, wherein a first network administered by the first AP is different from a second network administered by the second AP; determine that the first AP is a primary AP for the client device based, at least in part, on a list of previous associations between the client device and the first network administered by the first AP; determine to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP in response to a determination that the first AP is the primary AP for the client device; and transmit a disassociation message from the first AP to the client device, wherein, instead of identifying the first AP as a sender of the disassociation message, the disassociation message identifies the second AP as the sender of the disassociation message, and wherein the disassociation message is transmitted in response to a determination to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 27, 28, 29)
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14. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a first access point (AP) for steering a client device from a second AP to the first AP, cause the first AP to:
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detect a first message between the client device and the second AP, the first message indicative that the client device is wirelessly associated with the second AP, wherein a first network administered by the first AP is different from a second network administered by the second AP; determine that the first AP is a primary AP for the client device based, at least in part, on a list of previous associations between the client device and the first network administered by the first AP; determine to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP in response to a determination that the first AP is the primary AP for the client device; and transmit a disassociation message from the first AP to the client device, wherein, instead of identifying the first AP as a sender of the disassociation message, the disassociation message identifies the second AP as the sender of the disassociation message, and wherein the disassociation message is transmitted in response to a determination to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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30. A first access point (AP) for steering a client device from a second AP to the first AP, the first AP comprising:
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means for detecting a first message between the client device and the second AP, the first message indicative that the client device is wirelessly associated with the second AP, wherein a first network administered by the first AP is different from a second network administered by the second AP; means for determining that the first AP is a primary AP for the client device based, at least in part, on a list of previous associations between the client device and the first network administered by the first AP; means for determining to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP in response to a determination that the first AP is the primary AP for the client device; and means for transmitting a disassociation message from the first AP to the client device, wherein, instead of identifying the first AP as a sender of the disassociation message, the disassociation message identifies the second AP as the sender of the disassociation message, and wherein the disassociation message is transmitted in response to said means for determining to steer the client device from the second AP to the first AP. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification