System and method for basic service set association

• US 9,913,209 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Calcev, George, Chen, Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Elallam, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US15/276,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20170013550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a station (STA) from an access point (AP), a frame including a device type indicator and comparing the device type indicator with a device type accepted by a basic service set (BSS) of the AP to produce a comparison. The method also includes determining whether to associate the STA with the AP in accordance with the comparison, associating the STA with the AP upon determining to associate the STA with the AP, and not associating the STA with the AP upon determining not to associate the STA with the AP.

Claims

1. A method for Basic Service Set (BSS) association, comprising:

receiving, by a station (STA) from an access point (AP), a frame comprising a traffic type indicator, wherein the traffic type indicator indicates a type of STA that is allowed to associate with the AP and the frame is a beacon frame or a probe response frame;

determining whether to associate the STA with the AP based upon a device type of the STA that is indicated by the traffic type indicator; and

associating the STA with the AP upon determining that the device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator.

2. A method for Basic Service Set (BSS) association, comprising:

transmitting, by an access point (AP) to a station (STA), a frame comprising a traffic type indicator, wherein the traffic type indicator indicates a type of STA that is allowed to associate with the AP and the frame is a beacon frame or a probe response frame;

determining whether to associate the STA with the AP in accordance with whether a device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator; and

associating the STA with the AP upon determining that the device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the traffic type indicator is two bits.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising changing, by the AP, the type of STA that is allowed to associate with the AP.

5. A station (STA) comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to;

receive a frame comprising a traffic type indicator, wherein the traffic type indicator indicates a type of STA that is allowed to associate with the AP and the frame is a beacon frame or a probe response frame;

determine whether to associate the STA with the AP in accordance with whether a device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator; and

associate the STA with the AP upon determining that the device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator.

6. The STA of claim 5, wherein the traffic type indicator is two bits.

7. An access point (AP) comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to;

transmit a frame comprising a traffic type indicator, wherein the traffic type indicator indicates a type of station (STA) that is allowed to associate with the AP and the frame is a beacon frame or a probe response frame;

determine whether to associate the STA with the AP in accordance with whether a device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator; and

associate the STA with the AP upon determining that the device type of the STA is indicated by the traffic type indicator.

8. The AP of claim 7, wherein the traffic type indicator is two bits.

9. The AP of claim 7, wherein the programming further including instructions to change the type of STA that is allowed to associate with the AP.