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Seamless roaming in wireless networks

  • US 9,930,595 B2
  • Filed: 09/30/2015
  • Issued: 03/27/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method performed by an access point of a plurality of access points managed by a controller of a wireless communication network the method comprising the steps of:

  • selecting the access point of the of plurality of access points to associate with a mobile station, wherein the selection of the access point is performed by the controller;

    associating the mobile station of a plurality of mobile stations with the access point by storing, at both the mobile station and the access point, a persistent, uniquely assigned BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier) that is uniquely assigned to the mobile station among a plurality of persistent uniquely-assigned BSSIDs stored at the access point that are assigned to the plurality of mobile stations, wherein each of the plurality of access points independently using layer 2 communications and the persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSID is configured in the mobile station by the access point with a beacon frame or a probe response frame sent from the mobile station to the access point;

    receiving a frame from the mobile station, the frame comprising a sender address defined by a MAC address unique to the mobile station and a receiver address defined by the persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSID, wherein the frame further comprises a response requirement;

    responsive to not matching the receiver address of the received frame to one of the stored BSSIDs, ignoring the received frame; and

    responsive to a handoff of the mobile station from the access point to another access point of the plurality of access points, wherein the handoff is determined by the controller, disassociating the mobile station from the access point by deleting the persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSID, wherein the another access point associates with the mobile station by storing the persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSID allowing the mobile station to seamlessly continue to store and use the same persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSID for communication with the wireless communication network.

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