Wireless network having control plane segregation

• US 7,917,624 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanjay M. Gidwani
• Original Assignee: Sanjay M. Gidwani
• Inventors: Gidwani, Sanjay M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sabouri; Mazda
• Application Number:
  US10/993,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20060104230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,322 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/338, 455/436
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A wireless network having control plane segregation is described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary network architecture includes, but is not limited to, multiple access points coupled to a wired network, where each of the access points is capable of communicating with one or more mobile nodes over a wireless network. The exemplary network architecture further includes a controller coupled to the access points over the wired network, where the controller maintains network traffic information of the wireless network and communicates the network traffic information with the access points to enable the access points to cooperate with each other to provide network services to the one or more mobile nodes over the wireless network. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A network architecture, comprising:

a plurality of access points coupled to a wired network, each of the access points being capable of communicating with a mobile node over a wireless network; and

a controller coupled to the access points over the wired network, the controller maintaining network traffic information of the wireless network and communicating the network traffic information with the access points to enable the access points to cooperate with each other to provide network services responsive to real-time network conditions to the mobile node over the wireless network,

wherein the controller determines an association between the mobile node and at least one of the access points based on signal strength and the real-time network conditions, wherein the controller communicates with the at least one access point regarding the real-time network conditions over a control and command channel that is different than a data channel where data is transmitted,

wherein in response to a connection request from the mobile node, the at least one access point uses an ingress based policy control to determine channel allocation to the mobile node by interrogating already-established connections and the real-time network conditions including traffic congestion,

wherein at least one access point is dynamically configurable at real time by the controller to operate in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad-hoc mode based on the signal strength and the real-time network conditions, wherein during the infrastructure mode, the at least one access point operates as an actual access point to allow other mobile nodes operating as clients to access the wired network via one or more wireless interfaces and a wired interface of the at least one access point, and wherein during the ad-hoc mode, the one or more wireless interfaces allow the at least one access point to operate as a client to directly communicate with another mobile node over the wireless network.

2. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the controller is separated from the access points and is to centrally maintain and manage the network traffic information on behalf of the access points.

3. The network architecture of claim 2, wherein the controller periodically queries each of the access points regarding status of the respective access point, and wherein the controller further provides status updates regarding other access points to each of the access points.

4. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the control and command channel is established using a communication frequency different than a communication frequency of the data channel.

5. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein each of the access points further maintains a local network traffic profile including at least a portion of the network traffic information of the controller.

6. The network architecture of claim 5, wherein each of the access points manages the network traffic of the respective access point using the network traffic information provided by the controller over a wired network when a communication link between the controller and the respective access point is available.

7. The network architecture of claim 6, wherein each of the access points manages the network traffic of the respective access point using the local network traffic information maintained locally by the respective access point when a communication link between the controller and the respective access point is unavailable.

8. The network architecture of claim 7, wherein the respective access point synchronizes the network traffic information with the controller when the link becomes available again.

9. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the network traffic information includes at least one of a frequency usage, a power usage, and frequency interference.

10. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the controller communicates with the access points over a communications channel in a secure and encrypted manner.

11. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the at least one access point is dynamically configurable by the controller based on the signal strength and the real-time network conditions to operate in a semi-hoc mode, in which the at least one access point operates in the infrastructure mode with a first mobile node while substantially concurrently operates in the ad-hoc mode with a second mobile node.

12. The network of claim 10, wherein a security mechanism used for a given channel changes from time to time.

13. The network architecture of claim 10, wherein the control and command channel is established using a different security mechanism than a communication frequency of the data channel.

14. The network architecture of claim 10, wherein the control and command channel is established using a plurality of security mechanisms.

15. The network architecture of claim 10, wherein the data channel is established using a plurality of security mechanisms.

16. The network architecture of claim 10, where in a plurality of data channels are established using a given security mechanism.

17. The network architecture of claim 10, wherein a plurality of data channels are established using a plurality of security mechanisms.

18. The network of claim 11, wherein the security mechanism used for a given channel changes from time to time.

19. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein the control and command channel is established using a different security mechanism than a communication frequency of the data channel.

20. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein the control and command channel is established using a plurality of security mechanisms.

21. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein the data channel is established using a plurality of security mechanisms.

22. The network architecture of claim 11, where in a plurality of data channels are established using a given security mechanism.

23. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein a plurality of data channels are established using a plurality of security mechanisms.

24. A method, comprising:

maintaining network traffic information within a controller coupled to a plurality of access points over a wired network, each of the access points being capable of communicating with one or more mobile nodes over a wireless network;

the controller communicating the network traffic information with the access points to enable the access points to cooperate with each other to provide network services responsive to real-time network conditions to the one or more mobile nodes over the wireless network; and

determining by the controller an association between a mobile node and at least one of the access points based on signal strength and the real-time network conditions, wherein the controller communicates with the at least one access point regarding the real-time network conditions over a control and command channel that is different than a data channel where data is transmitted, and

wherein in response to a connection request from the mobile node, the at least one access point uses an ingress based policy control to determine channel allocation to the mobile node by interrogating already-established connections and the real-time network conditions including traffic congestion,

wherein at least one access point is dynamically configurable at real time by the controller to operate in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad-hoc mode based on the signal strength and the real-time network conditions, wherein during the infrastructure mode, the at least one access point operates as an actual access point to allow other mobile nodes operating as clients to access the wired network via one or more wireless interfaces and a wired interface of the at least one access point, and wherein during the ad-hoc mode, the one or more wireless interfaces allow the at least one access point to operate as a client to directly communicate with another mobile node over the wireless network.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

means for maintaining network traffic information within a controller coupled to a plurality of access points over a wired network, each of the access points being capable of communicating with a mobile node over a wireless network;

means for the controller communicating the network traffic information with the access points to enable the access points to cooperate with each other to provide network services responsive to real-time network conditions to the mobile node over the wireless network; and

means for determining by the controller an association between the mobile node and at least one of the access points based on signal strength and the real-time network conditions, wherein the controller communicates with the at least one access point regarding the real-time network conditions over a control and command channel that is different than a data channel where data is transmitted, and

wherein in response to a connection request from the mobile node, the at least one access point uses an ingress based policy control to determine channel allocation to the mobile node by interrogating already-established connections and the real-time network conditions including traffic congestion,

wherein at least one access point is dynamically configurable at real time by the controller to operate in one of an infrastructure mode and an ad-hoc mode based on the signal strength and the real-time network conditions, wherein during the infrastructure mode, the at least one access point operates as an actual access point to allow other mobile nodes operating as clients to access the wired network via one or more wireless interfaces and a wired interface of the at least one access point, and wherein during the ad-hoc mode, the one or more wireless interfaces allow the at least one access point to operate as a client to directly communicate with another mobile node over the wireless network.

26. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the access points within a first radius of a mobile node are associated with the mobile node at a high data rate, and the access points within a second radius of the mobile node are associated with the mobile node at a low data rate, the first radius being smaller than the second radius.

27. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the network traffic information includes information for a plurality of traffic classes of egress and ingress data to the access points.

28. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the network traffic information includes information for respective total ingress and egress traffic requirements at the access points.