Access point neighbor discovery for radio resource management

1 . A method of access point (AP) discovery, by a network controller, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first AP, AP configuration information for a plurality of potential neighboring APs, the AP configuration information being received from the plurality of potential neighboring APs as part of a neighbor discovery protocol performed at a plurality of times;

storing the AP configuration information for the plurality of potential neighboring APs in a neighbor discovery profile for the first AP, where the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP includes historical potential neighbor information including an identification of the potential neighboring APs identified at the plurality of times;

identifying an inconsistent AP in the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP the inconsistent AP identified as being detected by the first AP during a first portion of the plurality of times but undetected by the first AP during a second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times;

in response to the inconsistent AP being undetected during the second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times, determining that the inconsistent AP should be considered a neighboring AP to the first AP based on a frequency of appearance of the inconsistent AP in the historical potential neighbor information;

calculating a neighbor discovery index (NDI) which is a metric that represents a spectral power density around the first AP; and

determining a radio resource management (RRM) operation for the first AP using the NDI.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying an asymmetric AP for inclusion in the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP as one of the potential neighboring APs, the asymmetric AP is one which is not detected by the first AP, but the first AP was detected by the asymmetric AP which reported the first AP to the network controller.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the neighbor discovery index (NDI) is a ratio of a sum of RSSI values from the neighboring APs and a number of neighboring APs.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the network controller, a dwell time of the neighboring APs and the first AP;

configuring, by the network controller, the first AP to send a neighbor discovery check on a home channel of the first AP, wherein a transmission time of the neighbor discovery check is approximately half of the time of the dwell time of the neighboring APs.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining, by the network controller, a number of the neighboring APs to the first AP operating on a DFS channel of a plurality of DFS channels; and

increasing, by the network controller, the dwell time of the neighboring APs and the first AP in relation to the number of the neighboring APs operating on the DFS channels, such that the dwell time is longer when there are more of the neighboring APs operating on the DFS channels.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the inconsistent AP should be considered the neighboring AP to the first AP further comprises:

giving a higher weight to instances in which the inconsistent AP was detected when the inconsistent AP was detected on a non-DFS channel when the first AP is operating on a DFS channel;

giving the higher weight to the instances in which the inconsistent AP was detected when the inconsistent AP was detected on the non-DFS channel when the first AP is also operating on the non-DFS channel; or

filtering the instances in which the inconsistent AP is detected when the inconsistent AP has a RSSI stronger than a threshold.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the RRM operation for the first AP also includes using information known to the network controller about APs considered to be the neighboring AP to the first AP, wherein the information known to the network controller includes the determined inconsistent AP as a neighboring AP despite the inconsistent AP being undetected during the second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times.

8 . A network device comprising:

one or more memories having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and

one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to:

receive, from a first AP, AP configuration information for a plurality of potential neighboring APs, the AP configuration information being received from the plurality of potential neighboring APs as part of a neighbor discovery protocol performed at a plurality of times;

store the AP configuration information for the plurality of potential neighboring APs in a neighbor discovery profile for the first AP, where the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP includes historical potential neighbor information including an identification of the potential neighboring APs identified at the plurality of times;

identify an inconsistent AP in the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP, the inconsistent AP identified as being detected by the first AP during a first portion of the plurality of times but undetected by the first AP during a second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times;

in response to the inconsistent AP being undetected during the second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times, determine that the inconsistent AP should be considered a neighboring AP to the first AP based on a frequency of appearance of the inconsistent AP in the historical potential neighbor information;

calculating a neighbor discovery index (NDI) which is a metric that represents a spectral power density around the first AP; and

determine a radio resource management (RRM) operation for the first AP using the NDI.

9 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

identify an asymmetric AP for inclusion in the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP as one of the potential neighboring APs, the asymmetric AP is one which is not detected by the first AP, but the first AP was detected by the asymmetric AP which reported the first AP to the network controller.

10 . The network device of claim 8 , the neighbor discovery index (NDI) is a ratio of a sum of RSSI values from the neighboring APs and a number of neighboring APs.

11 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine, by the network controller, dwell times of the neighboring APs to the first AP; and

configure, by the network controller, the first AP to send a neighbor discovery check on a home channel of the first AP, wherein a transmission time of a neighbor discovery check is approximately half of the time of the dwell time of the neighboring APs.

12 . The network device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine, by the network controller, a number of the neighboring APs to the first AP operating on a DFS channel of a plurality of DFS channels; and

increase, by the network controller, the dwell time of the neighboring APs and the first AP in relation to the number of the neighboring APs operating on the DFS channels, such that the dwell time is longer when there are more of the neighboring APs operating on the DFS channels.

13 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

give a higher weight to instances in which the inconsistent AP was detected when the inconsistent AP was detected on a non-DFS channel when the first AP is operating on a DFS channel;

give the higher weight to the instances in which the inconsistent AP was detected when the inconsistent AP was detected on the non-DFS channel when the first AP is also operating on the non-DFS channel; or

filter the instances in which the inconsistent AP is detected when the inconsistent AP has a RSSI stronger than a threshold.

14 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein determining the RRM operation for the first AP also includes using information known to the network controller about APs considered to be the neighboring AP to the first AP, wherein the information known to the network controller includes the determined inconsistent AP as a neighboring AP despite the inconsistent AP being undetected during the second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a network appliance, cause the network appliance to:

receive, from a first AP, AP configuration information for a plurality of potential neighboring APs, the AP configuration information being received from the plurality of potential neighboring APs as part of a neighbor discovery protocol performed at a plurality of times;

store the AP configuration information for the plurality of potential neighboring APs in a neighbor discovery profile for the first AP, where the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP includes historical potential neighbor information including an identification of the potential neighboring APs identified at the plurality of times;

identify an inconsistent AP in the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP, the inconsistent AP identified as being detected by the first AP during a first portion of the plurality of times but undetected by the first AP during a second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times;

in response to the inconsistent AP being undetected during the second, subsequent portion of the plurality of times, determine that the inconsistent AP should be considered a neighboring AP to the first AP based on a frequency of appearance of the inconsistent AP in the historical potential neighbor information;

calculating a neighbor discovery index (NDI) which is a metric that represents a spectral power density around the first AP; and

determine a radio resource management (RRM) operation for the first AP using the NDI.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the network appliance, cause the network appliance to:

identify an asymmetric AP for inclusion in the neighbor discovery profile for the first AP as one of the potential neighboring APs, the asymmetric AP is one which is not detected by the first AP, but the first AP was detected by the asymmetric AP which reported the first AP to the network controller.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the neighbor discovery index (NDI) is a ratio of a sum of RSSI values from the neighboring APs and a number of neighboring APs.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the network appliance, cause the network appliance to:

determine, by the network controller, dwell times of the neighboring APs to the first AP; and

configure, by the network controller, the first AP to send a neighbor discovery check on a home channel of the first AP, wherein a transmission time of a neighbor discovery check is approximately half of the time of the dwell time of the neighboring APs.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the network appliance, cause the network appliance to:

give a higher weight to instances in which the inconsistent AP was detected when the inconsistent AP was detected on a non-DFS channel when the first AP is operating on a DFS channel;

give the higher weight to the instances in which the inconsistent AP was detected when the inconsistent AP was detected on the non-DFS channel when the first AP is also operating on the non-DFS channel; or

filter the instances in which the inconsistent AP is detected when the inconsistent AP has a RSSI stronger than a threshold.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the network appliance, cause the network appliance to:

determine, by the network controller, a number of the neighboring APs to the first AP operating on a DFS channel of a plurality of DFS channels; and

increase, by the network controller, the dwell time of the neighboring APs and the first AP in relation to the number of the neighboring APs operating on the DFS channels, such that the dwell time is longer when there are more of the neighboring APs operating on the DFS channels.