AP-local dynamic switching
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a processor coupled to a memory and that is configured to execute a dynamic switch,the dynamic switch implemented in a non-transitory computer readable medium, and configured to be coupled to a radio and a station switching record (SSR) database storing an SSR associated with a first wireless station that is operatively coupled to an access point (AP) that defines a first virtual access point and a second virtual access point;
the dynamic switch configured to send a signal such that (1) based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the first virtual access point, traffic received by the radio from the first wireless station is Layer 2 (L2) switched locally via the first virtual access point to a second wireless station connected to the AP, and (2) based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the second virtual access point, the traffic received by the radio from the first wireless station is L2 tunneled upstream via the second virtual access point to the second wireless station.
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Abstract
A technique for implementing AP-local dynamic switching involves Layer 2 switching. This may be accomplished by providing data associated with wireless stations to an AP sufficient to enable the AP to determine whether traffic from a particular wireless station should be locally switched. Alternatively, the wireless station may be able to determine whether to locally switch traffic based upon the traffic itself. For example, it may be desirable to AP-locally switch voice traffic to avoid latency, which is particularly detrimental to voice transmissions such as voice-over-IP. Traffic that is not to be switched locally is Layer 2 tunneled upstream.
683 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor coupled to a memory and that is configured to execute a dynamic switch, the dynamic switch implemented in a non-transitory computer readable medium, and configured to be coupled to a radio and a station switching record (SSR) database storing an SSR associated with a first wireless station that is operatively coupled to an access point (AP) that defines a first virtual access point and a second virtual access point; the dynamic switch configured to send a signal such that (1) based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the first virtual access point, traffic received by the radio from the first wireless station is Layer 2 (L2) switched locally via the first virtual access point to a second wireless station connected to the AP, and (2) based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the second virtual access point, the traffic received by the radio from the first wireless station is L2 tunneled upstream via the second virtual access point to the second wireless station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor coupled to a memory and that is configured to execute a dynamic switch engine; and the dynamic switch engine configured to be coupled to a wireless switch and an access point (AP) that defines a first virtual access point and a second virtual access point and is connected to a first wireless station; and the dynamic switch engine implemented in at least one of a processor or a memory, the dynamic switch engine configured to determine whether to (1) Layer 2 switch traffic locally at the AP via the first virtual access point to a second wireless station connected to the AP based upon the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the first virtual access point or (2) Layer 2 tunnel the traffic upstream via the second virtual access point toward the wireless switch for upstream switching to the second wireless station connected to the AP based upon the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the second virtual access point. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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defining, at an access point (AP) that is operatively coupled to a first wireless station and a second wireless station, a first virtual access point and a second virtual access point; based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the second virtual access point, Layer 2 tunneling traffic from the first wireless station upstream via the second virtual access point to the second wireless station; and based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the first virtual access point, Layer 2 switching the traffic from the first wireless station AP-locally via the first virtual access point to the second wireless station. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method, comprising:
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defining, at an access point (AP) that is operatively coupled to a first wireless station and a second wireless station, a first virtual access point and a second virtual access point; receiving data indicating a priority characteristic of the first wireless station; determining whether to AP-locally switch traffic from the first wireless station based on the data associated with the priority characteristic of the first wireless station; based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the second virtual access point, Layer 2 tunneling traffic from the first wireless station upstream via the second virtual access point to the second wireless station; and based on the first wireless station being operatively coupled to the first virtual access point, Layer 2 switching the traffic from the first wireless station AP-locally via the first virtual access point to the second wireless station. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification