Wireless access point load balancing

1 . A wireless access point, comprising:

a wireless interface to exchange wireless signals with authenticated devices in proximity thereto; and

a controller configured to implement a load balancing process for managing authenticated devices to exchange signals via the wireless interface, the load balancing process configured to force a disassociation of one or more of the authenticated devices according to a disassociation process,

wherein the disassociation process includes:

iteratively disassociating the authenticated devices according to an order specified in a ranking until a throughput of the wireless interface meets or exceeds a threshold; and

determining the order as a function of at least one traffic type associated with wireless signaling being exchanged between the wireless interface and the authenticated devices and/or a service related indicator and/or a roaming partner in common with a secondary access point, such that a first authenticated device associated with a first traffic type is disassociated prior to the first authenticated device being associated with a second traffic type,

wherein the at least one traffic type is selected from the group consisting of legacy video, legacy voice and data, non-legacy video, and non-legacy voice and data.

2 . The wireless access point of claim 1 , wherein the disassociation process further includes determining the order such that the authenticated devices having a lower relative signal strength are disassociated prior to authenticated devices having a higher relative signal strength.

3 . The wireless access point of claim 1 , wherein the load balancing process further includes a cessation of advertisements previously used for indicating wireless spectrum available through the wireless interface for at least a first roaming partner upon occurrence of one or more triggering events.

4 . The wireless access point of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to implement the cessation according to an advertisement process, wherein the advertisement process includes:

determining a first plurality of roaming partners permitted access to the wireless spectrum, the first plurality of roaming partners including the first roaming partner;

determining a plurality of secondary access points in proximity to the wireless access point, including determining a second plurality of roaming partners permitted access to wireless spectrum available from the plurality of secondary access points;

comparing the first plurality of roaming partners to the second plurality of roaming partners to determine common roaming partners, the common roaming partners being each of the first plurality of roaming partners matching with one of the second plurality of roaming partners; and

selecting the first roaming partner to correspond with one or more of the common roaming partners.

5 . The wireless access point of claim 4 , wherein the disassociation process further includes:

determining a service related indicator associated with each of the first plurality of roaming partners;

ordering the first plurality of roaming partners in a ranking according to the service related indicator; and

selecting the first roaming partner as a function of the service related indicator ranking.

6 . The wireless access point of claim 4 , wherein the disassociation process further includes:

determining the signal strength and/or the number of clients for each of the secondary access points as a function of advertisements broadcast therefrom;

ordering the secondary access points in a ranking according to the signal strength and/or the number of clients associated with each of the secondary access points; and

selecting the first roaming partner as a function of the ranking.

7 . The wireless access point of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to implement the cessation when a throughput of the wireless interface falls below a threshold, the throughput being one of the one or more triggering events.

8 . The wireless access point of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

check the throughput after the cessation of advertisements for the first roaming partner;

continue advertisements for each of the first plurality of roaming partners other than the first roaming partner when the throughput is checked to at least meet the threshold; and

cease advertisements for at least a second roaming partner of the common roaming when the throughput is checked to fall below the threshold, the second roaming partner being one or more of the first plurality of roaming partners other than the first roaming partner.

9 . A wireless access point, comprising:

a wireless interface to exchange wireless signals with authenticated devices in proximity thereto; and

a controller configured to implement a load balancing process for managing authenticated devices to exchange signals via the wireless interface, the load balancing process configured to force a disassociation of one or more of the authenticated devices according to a disassociation process and a cessation of advertisements previously used for indicating a wireless spectrum available through the wireless interface for at least a first roaming partner upon occurrence of one or more triggering events according to an advertisement process,

wherein the disassociation process is configured to:

iteratively disassociate the authenticated devices according to an order specified in a ranking until a throughput of the wireless interface meets or exceeds a threshold; and

determine the order as a function of at least one traffic type associated with wireless signaling being exchanged between the wireless interface and the authenticated devices and/or a service related indicator and/or a roaming partner in common with a secondary access point,

wherein the advertisement process is configured to:

determine a first plurality of roaming partners permitted access to the wireless spectrum, the first plurality of roaming partners including the first roaming partner;

determine a plurality of secondary access points in proximity to the wireless access point, including determination of a second plurality of roaming partners permitted access to wireless spectrum available from the plurality of secondary access points;

compare the first plurality of roaming partners to the second plurality of roaming partners to determine common roaming partners, the common roaming partners being each of the first plurality of roaming partners matching with one of the second plurality of roaming partners; and

select the first roaming partner to correspond with one or more of the common roaming partners.

10 . The wireless access point of claim 9 , wherein the disassociation process further includes determining the order such that a first authenticated device associated with a first traffic type is disassociated prior to the first authenticated device being associated with a second traffic type.

11 . The wireless access point of claim 9 , wherein the at least one traffic type is selected from the group consisting of legacy video, legacy voice and data, non-legacy video, and non-legacy voice and data.

12 . The wireless access point of claim 9 , wherein the disassociation process is further configured to:

determine a service related indicator associated with each of the first plurality of roaming partners;

order the first plurality of roaming partners in a ranking according to the service related indicator; and

select the first roaming partner as a function of the service related indicator ranking.

13 . The wireless access point of claim 9 , wherein the disassociation process is further configured to:

determine a signal strength and/or a number of clients for each of the secondary access points as a function of advertisements broadcast therefrom;

order the secondary access points in a ranking according to the signal strength and/or the number of clients associated with each of the secondary access points; and

select the first roaming partner as a function of the ranking.

14 . The wireless access point of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to implement the cessation when a throughput of the wireless interface falls below a threshold, the throughput being one of the one or more triggering events.

15 . The wireless access point of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

check the throughput after the cessation of advertisements for the first roaming partner;

continue advertisements for each of the first plurality of roaming partners other than the first roaming partner when the throughput is checked to at least meet the threshold; and

cease advertisements for at least a second roaming partner of the common

roaming when the throughput is checked to fall below the threshold,

wherein the second roaming partner includes one or more of the first plurality of roaming partners other than the first roaming partner.

16 . A wireless access point, comprising:

a wireless interface configured to exchange wireless signals with authenticated devices in proximity thereto;

a processor; and

a memory device in operable communication with the processor, the memory configured to store computer executable instructions therein, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

iteratively disassociate one or more of the authenticated devices according to an order specified in a ranking until a throughput of the wireless interface meets or exceeds a threshold;

determine the specified order as a function of at least one traffic type associated with wireless signaling being exchanged between the wireless interface and the authenticated devices and/or a service related indicator and/or a roaming partner in common with a secondary access point,

determine a first plurality of roaming partners permitted access to the wireless spectrum, wherein the first plurality of roaming partners includes the first roaming partner;

determine a plurality of secondary access points in proximity to the wireless access point, including determination of a second plurality of roaming partners permitted access to wireless spectrum available from the plurality of secondary access points;

compare the first plurality of roaming partners to the second plurality of roaming partners to determine common roaming partners, the common roaming partners being each of the first plurality of roaming partners matching with one of the second plurality of roaming partners; and

select the first roaming partner to correspond with one or more of the common roaming partners.

17 . The wireless access point of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a service related indicator associated with each of the first plurality of roaming partners;

order the first plurality of roaming partners in a ranking according to the service related indicator; and

select the first roaming partner as a function of the service related indicator ranking.

18 . The wireless access point of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a signal strength and/or a number of clients for each of the secondary access points as a function of advertisements broadcast therefrom;

order the secondary access points in a ranking according to the signal strength and/or the number of clients associated with each of the secondary access points; and

select the first roaming partner as a function of the ranking.

19 . The wireless access point of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to implement the cessation when a throughput of the wireless interface falls below a threshold, the throughput being one of the one or more triggering events.

20 . The wireless access point of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

check the throughput after the cessation of advertisements for the first roaming partner;

continue advertisements for each of the first plurality of roaming partners other than the first roaming partner when the throughput is checked to at least meet the threshold; and

cease advertisements for at least a second roaming partner of the common roaming when the throughput is checked to fall below the threshold,

wherein the second roaming partner includes one or more of the first plurality of roaming partners other than the first roaming partner.