Method and system of detecting duplicate SSID via self-scanning in WLAN

• US 8,509,199 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Won, Sang-Yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Dung B
• Application Number:
  US12/071,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/348, 370/328, 370/329, 370/350, 370/254, 370/248, 370/249, 370/327, 455/422.1, 455/426.2, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/449, 455/453
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A method and a system of detecting a duplicate service set identifier (SSID) via self-scanning in a WLAN are provided. An access point (AP), when a scan request is given, generates a probe request packet by inserting a SSID of the AP thereinto, transmits the probe request packet to neighbor APs, receives probe response packets, in response to the probe request packet, from the neighbor APs, detects SSIDs from the probe response packets, and informs the presence of a neighbor AP, the SSID of which is the same as that of the AP, if any of the detected SSIDs is the same as the SSID of the AP.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a duplicate service set identifier in a wireless local area network, the method comprising:

generating a probe request packet by inserting a service set identifier of a service access point in the probe request packet in response to a scan request;

transmitting the probe request packet to neighbor access points;

receiving probe response packets;

detecting service set identifiers included in the probe response packets;

determining, by the service access point, a presence of a neighbor access point having a service

set identifier that is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point in response to at least one of the detected service set identifiers of at least one of the neighbor access points being the same as the service set identifier of the service access point;

receiving beacons transmitted from the neighbor access points;

scanning the neighbor access points to acquire information of the neighbor access points;

detecting service set identifier fields of the received beacons;

determining whether any of the detected service set identifiers of the beacons is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point; and

transmitting a result of the determining to a user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining an absence of a neighbor access point having a service set identifier that is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point in response to no probe response packet being received from the neighbor access points.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining an absence of a neighbor access point having a service set identifier that is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point in response to none of the detected service set identifiers of the probe response packets being the same as the service set identifier of the service access point.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the probe response packets comprises collecting the probe response packets for about 500 milliseconds.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a client or user generates the scan request transmitted to the service access point.

6. A system of detecting a duplicate service set identifier in a wireless local area network, the system comprising:

a service access point to generate a probe request packet by inserting a service set identifier of the service access point in the probe request packet in response to a scan request, to transmit the probe request packet to neighbor access points, to receive probe response packets from the neighbor access points, to detect service set identifiers of the probe response packets, and to determine a presence of a neighbor access point having a service set identifier that is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point in response to at least one of the detected service set identifiers of at least one of the neighbor access points being the same as the service set identifier of the service access point,

wherein the service access point comprises;

a packet transceiver to receive beacons transmitted from the neighbor access points;

a packet collector to scan the neighbor access points to acquire information of the neighbor access points;

a duplicate service set identifier detector to detect service set identifier fields of the received beacons, and to determine whether any of the detected service set identifiers of the beacons is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point; and

a duplicate service set identifier result reporter to transmit a result of the determination by the duplicate service set identifier detector, from the duplicate service set identifier detector to a user.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the service access point determines an absence of a neighbor access point having a service set identifier that is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point in response to no probe response packet being received from the neighbor access points.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the service access point determines an absence of a neighbor access point having a service set identifier that is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point in response to none of the detected service set identifiers being the same as the service set identifier of the service access point.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the service access point collects the probe response packets for 500 milliseconds.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the service access point comprises:

a packet transceiver to transmit the probe request packet to the neighbor access points in response to the scan request, and to receive the probe response packets from the neighbor access points;

a packet collector to collect the probe response packets to acquire information of the neighbor access points;

a duplicate service set identifier detector to detect the service set identifier fields of the probe response packets collected by the packet collector, and to determine whether any of the detected service set identifiers of the probe response packets is the same as the service set identifier of the service access point; and

a duplicate service set identifier result reporter to transmit a result of the determination by the duplicate service set identifier detector, from the duplicate service set identifier detector.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the packet collector collects the probe response packets in response to a service set identifier being set or in response to an event of abnormal data service.

12. The system according to claim 6, wherein the service access point broadcasts the probe request packet in a channel.

13. The system according to claim 6, wherein the service access point is coupled to a terminal, and the scan request is transmitted by the terminal.