Assigning an access point based upon a power state of a mobile device

• US 10,142,085 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beattie, Jr., James Gordon, Peitzer, Haywood, Rios, III, Roque, Triano, Stephen Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghowrwal, Omar J
• Application Number:
  US15/169,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20170347360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1453 of modulation type
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one example, a device for assigning a mobile endpoint device to an access point based upon a power state is disclosed. For example, the device may include a processor deployed in a wireless network and a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations may include detecting power states of a plurality of mobile endpoint devices that are in communication with a first access point of the network, the power states including a first power state of a first mobile endpoint device, determining a loading condition of a region of the wireless network that includes the first access point, and assigning the first mobile endpoint device to a second access point that is outside of the region when the first mobile endpoint device is in the first power state, in response to the determining of the loading condition.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processor deployed in a wireless network; and

a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

detecting power states of a plurality of mobile endpoint devices that are in communication with a first access point of the wireless network, the power states including a first power state of a first mobile endpoint device of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices, wherein the first power state is one of;

a battery operated state or an alternating current powered state;

determining a loading condition of a region of the wireless network that includes the first access point; and

assigning the first mobile endpoint device to a second access point that is outside of the region in response to the detecting the first mobile endpoint device is in the first power state and the determining of the loading condition of the region of the wireless network.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the battery operated state comprises:

a high charge state;

or

a low charge state, the low charge state comprising a state in which a mobile endpoint device battery has less charge as compared to the high charge state.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first mobile endpoint device utilizes a higher transmit power to communicate with the second access point, as compared to a lower transmit power to communicate with the first access point.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the power states of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices are detected via power state indications from the plurality of mobile endpoint devices.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the power state indications are contained within signaling messages from the plurality of mobile endpoint devices.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first access point comprises a primary access point for registrations of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices with the wireless network, and wherein the second access point comprises a secondary access point for registration of at least a portion of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

tracking previous assignments of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices to a plurality of secondary access points, wherein the plurality of secondary access points includes the secondary access point.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first mobile endpoint device is assigned to the second access point when a number of previous assignments of the first mobile endpoint device to the plurality of secondary access points is below a threshold.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the first mobile endpoint device is assigned to the second access point when a time since the first mobile endpoint device has been assigned to the secondary access point exceeds a threshold.

10. A method comprising:

detecting, by a processor deployed in a wireless network, power states of a plurality of mobile endpoint devices that are in communication with a first access point of the wireless network, the power states including a first power state of a first mobile endpoint device of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices, wherein the first power state is one of;

a battery operated state or an alternating current powered state;

determining, by the processor, a loading condition of a region of the wireless network that includes the first access point; and

assigning, by the processor, the first mobile endpoint device to a second access point that is outside of the region in response to the detecting the first mobile endpoint device is in the first power state and the determining of the loading condition of the region of the wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the battery operated state comprises:

a high charge state;

or

a low charge state, the low charge state comprising a state in which a mobile endpoint device battery has less charge as compared to the high charge state.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first mobile endpoint device utilizes a higher transmit power to communicate with the second access point, as compared to a lower transmit power to communicate with the first access point.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the power states of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices are detected via power state indications from the plurality of mobile endpoint devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the power state indications are contained within signaling messages from the plurality of mobile endpoint devices.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first access point comprises a primary access point for registrations of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices with the wireless network, and wherein the second access point comprises a secondary access point for registration of at least a portion of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

tracking previous assignments of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices to a plurality of secondary access points, wherein the plurality of secondary access points includes the secondary access point.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first mobile endpoint device is assigned to the second access point when a number of previous assignments of the first mobile endpoint device to the plurality of secondary access points is below a first threshold or when a time since the first mobile endpoint device has been assigned to the secondary access point exceeds a second threshold.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor deployed in a wireless network, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting power states of a plurality of mobile endpoint devices that are in communication with a first access point of the wireless network, the power states including a first power state of a first mobile endpoint device of the plurality of mobile endpoint devices, wherein the first power state is one of;

a battery operated state or an alternating current powered state;

determining a loading condition of a region of the wireless network that includes the first access point; and

assigning the first mobile endpoint device to a second access point that is outside of the region in response to the detecting the first mobile endpoint device is in the first power state and the determining of the loading condition of the region of the wireless network.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the battery operated state comprises:

a high charge state;

or

a low charge state, the low charge state comprising a state in which a mobile endpoint device battery has less charge as compared to the high charge state.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first mobile endpoint device utilizes a higher transmit power to communicate with the second access point, as compared to a lower transmit power to communicate with the first access point.