Predefined roaming and idle channels
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, only a few selected channels are available to be used for scanning for a network controller in a wireless network. In various other embodiments, only a few selected channels are available to be used as an idle channel in a wireless network. In both cases, the channels available for such purposes are fewer in number than the channels available for operational communications. In some embodiments, these channels are in a different industry band than the channels used for operational communications.
1. A method of communicating in a wireless network, comprising:
scanning only roaming channels in a pre-defined subset of available channels in a first industry band of channels to find an available network controller;
identifying a particular network controller on a particular channel in the subset;
forming an association with the particular network controller; and
performing operational communications with the particular network controller on at least one operational channel different than any scanned roaming channel in the pre-defined subset of available channels.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one operational channel is in a second industry band different than the first industry band.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first industry band is a 2.4 GHz band and the second industry band is either a 5 GHz band or a 60 GHz band.
4. The method of claim 1 , the pre-defined subset of available channels comprising channels 1, 6, and 11 of a 2.4 GHz band.
5. An apparatus for communicating in a wireless network, the apparatus having a processor, a memory, and a radio, the apparatus to:
scan only roaming channels in a pre-defined subset of available channels in a first industry band of channels to find an available network controller;
identify a particular network controller on a particular channel in the subset;
form an association with the particular network controller; and
perform operational communications with the particular network controller on at least one operational channel different than any scanned roaming channel in the pre-defined subset of available channels.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said at least one operational channel is in a second industry band different than the first industry band.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first industry band is a 2.4 GHz band and the second industry band is either a 5 GHz band or a 60 GHz band.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , the pre-defined subset of available channels comprising channels 1, 6, and 11 of a 2.4 GHz band.
9. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations for communicating in a wireless network comprising:
scanning only roaming channels in a pre-defined subset of available channels in a first industry band of channels to find an available network controller;
identifying a particular network controller on a particular channel in the subset;
forming an association with the particular network controller; and
performing operational communications with the particular network controller on at least one operational channel different than any scanned roaming channel in the pre-defined subset of available channels.
10. The medium of claim 9 , wherein said at least one operational channel is in a second industry band different than the first industry band.
11. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the first industry band is a 2.4 GHz band and the second industry band is either a 5 GHz band or a 60 GHz band.
12. The medium of claim 9 , the pre-defined subset of available channels comprising channels 1, 6, and 11 of a 2.4 GHz band.
13. A method of communicating in a wireless network, comprising:
forming an association with a device in a wireless communications network; and
communicating, with the device, an indication of which channel to use as an idle channel to maintain the association with the device during a period of non-operational communications with the device;
wherein the indicated idle channel is selected from a pre-defined subset of available channels in a pre-defined industry communications band and is in a different industry band than channels used for operational communications with the ether device.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the subset of channels consists of channels 1, 6, and 11 in a 2.4 GHz band.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises communicating the indication in a beacon and/or a probe response.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises transmitting the indication to a mobile device.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises receiving the indication from a network controller.
18. An apparatus for communicating in a wireless network, the apparatus having a processor, a memory, and a radio, the apparatus to:
form an association with a device in a wireless communications network; and
communicate, with the device, an indication of which channel to use as an idle channel to maintain the association with the device during a period of non-operational communications with the device;
wherein the indicated idle channel is selected from a pre-defined subset of available channels in a pre-defined industry communications band and is in a different industry band than channels used for operational communications with the ether device.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the subset of channels consists of channels 1, 6, and 11 in a 2.4 GHz band.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises communicating the indication in a beacon and/or a probe response.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the apparatus comprises a network controller to transmit the indication to a mobile device.
22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile device to receive the indication from a network controller.
23. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations for communicating in a wireless network comprising:
forming an association with a device in a wireless communications network; and
communicating, with the device, an indication of which channel to use as an idle channel to maintain the association with the device during a period of non-operational communications with the device;
wherein the indicated idle channel is selected from a pre-defined subset of available channels in a pre-defined industry communications band and is in a different industry band than channels used for operational communications with the ether device.
24. The medium of claim 23 , wherein the subset of channels consists of channels 1, 6, and 11 in a 2.4 GHz band.
25. The medium of claim 23 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises communicating the indication in a beacon and/or a probe response.
26. The medium of claim 23 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises transmitting the indication to a mobile device.
27. The medium of claim 25 , wherein said communicating the indication comprises receiving the indication from a network controller.