Granted Patent B1

US 9,479,990 · App. 13/902,748 · Granted Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A wireless roaming management system, the system comprising:

memory configured to store relative signal strength data for a plurality of access points operating on a local area network, the relative signal strength data comprising a signal strength datum from each one of the plurality of access points to each other one of the plurality of access points; and

one or more processors configured to:

receive a request for a roaming calculation for a client device from a source access point of the plurality of access points with which a signal strength from the client device has dropped below a predetermined threshold and triggered a roaming calculation request, wherein the client device comprises conventional networking software and the client device is distinct from the wireless roaming management system;

perform the roaming calculation;

determine a target access point from the plurality of access points to service the client device based at least partly on the stored relative signal strength data and the roaming calculation, wherein determining the target access point comprises:

determining a first intersect zone of a first set of access points in which the client device is located;

determining a trajectory of the client device from the first intersect zone into a second intersect zone of a second set of access points based at least partly on changes to the relative signal strengths of the first set of access points; and

selecting the target access point from the second set of access points based at least partly on the trajectory;

cause the client device to be disconnected from the source access point and connected to the target access point, thereby superseding preferences of the conventional networking software on the client device; and

transmit a pre-authentication for the client device to the target access point, the pre-authentication identifying the client device to the target access point and causing the target access point to skip one or more authentication procedures.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein causing the client device to be disconnected comprises transmitting a client disconnect command to the source access point.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the client device is configured to auto-initiate a connection to an access point having the strongest signal strength.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the target access point further comprises:

comparing relative signal strengths of the second set of access points; and

selecting the target access point, from the second set of access points, deemed to have the strongest signal strength at the client device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to collect local signal strength data from each of the plurality of access points located on the local area network, the local signal strength data comprising signal strength data for one or more other access points as observed at a respective access point.

6. A method for managing wireless roaming on a local network wireless system, the method comprising:

storing relative signal strength data for a plurality of access points operating on a local area network, the relative signal strength data comprising a signal strength datum from each one of the plurality of access points to each other one of the plurality of access points;

receiving a request for a roaming calculation for a client device from a first access point of the plurality of access points with which a signal strength from the client device has dropped below a predetermined threshold and triggered a roaming calculation request, wherein the client device comprises conventional networking software and the client device is distinct from the local network wireless system;

performing the roaming calculation;

determining a second access point from the plurality of access points to service the client device based at least partly on the stored relative signal strength data and the roaming calculation, wherein determining the second access point comprises:

determining a first intersect zone of a first set of access points in which the client device is located;

determining a trajectory of the client device from the first intersect zone into a second intersect zone of a second set of access points based at least partly on changes to the relative signal strengths of the first set of access points; and

selecting the second access point from the second set of access points based at least partly on the trajectory;

causing the client device to be disconnected from the first access point and connected to the second access point, thereby superseding preferences of the conventional networking software on the client device; and

transmitting a pre-authentication for the client device to the second access point, the pre-authentication identifying the client device to the second access point and causing the second access point to skip one or more authentication procedures.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein causing the client device to be disconnected comprises transmitting a client disconnect command to the first access point.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the client device is configured to auto-initiate a connection to an access point having the strongest signal strength.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the second access point comprises:

comparing relative signal strengths of the second set of access points; and

selecting the target access point, from the second set of access points, deemed to have the strongest signal strength at the client device.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising collecting local signal strength data from each of the plurality of access points located on the local area network, the local signal strength data comprising signal strength data for one or more other access points as observed at a respective access point.

Assignments (8)