Signal strength aware band steering
View Patent ↗A system or method that receives a current request from a client, and responds to the current request based on signal strength associated with a previous request. If the current request is received on a non-preferred communication band, and a previous request was received on a preferred communication band within a pre-determined time, the system determines whether the signal strength associated with the previous request is weaker than a pre-determined threshold signal strength level for the preferred communication band. If so, the system responds to the current request. Otherwise, the system ignores the current request. If no recent request on the preferred communication band is received, and the signal strength associated with the current request is weaker than a pre-determined threshold signal strength level for the non-preferred communication band, the system responds to the current request on the non-preferred communication band. Otherwise, the system ignores the current request.
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors of a network device, cause the network device to:
receive a first message on a first communication band from a wireless client device;
store a signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the first message received on the first communication band;
receive a second message on a second communication band from the wireless client device;
in response to receiving the second message on the second communication band, determine whether the network device has previously received any message from the wireless client device on the first communication band within a predetermined time period;
in response to determining that the network device received the first message on the first communication band within the predetermined time period, determine whether the network device should continue using the first communication band or start using the second communication band to communicate with the wireless client device based on the stored signal strength indicator value of the first message received on the first communication band; and
responsive to determining that the network device should start using the second communication band to communicate with the wireless client device, transmit a response to the second message on the second communication band.
2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the network device to:
responsive to determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band, refrain from transmitting the response to the second message on the second communication band.
3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band is based on determining that the signal strength, indicated by the stored signal strength indicator value, is above a threshold signal strength value for the first communication band.
4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the network device to:
responsive to determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band, transmit to the wireless client device a third message on the first communication band.
5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining that the network device should start using the second communication band is based on determining that the signal strength, indicated by the stored signal strength indicator value, is below a threshold signal strength value for the first communication band.
6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein each of the first message and second message comprise a respective PROBE request message.
7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the signal strength associated with the first message is indicated by a signal-to-noise ratio associated with the signal.
8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the network device should start using the second communication band is further based on another signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the second message.
9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the network device should continue using the first communication band is based on a comparison of the stored signal strength indicator value indicating the signal strength associated with the first message with another signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the second message.
10. A network device comprising:
a hardware processor; and
a memory storing instructions that when executed by the hardware processor cause the hardware processor to:
receive a first message on a first communication band from a wireless client device;
store a signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the first message received on the first communication band;
receive a second message on a second communication band from the wireless client device;
in response to receiving the second message on the second communication band, determine whether the network device has previously received any message from the wireless client device on the first communication band within a predetermined time period;
in response to determining that the network device received the first message on the first communication band within the predetermined time period, determine whether the network device should continue using the first communication band or start using the second communication band to communicate with the wireless client device based on the stored signal strength indicator value of the first message received on the first communication band;
responsive at least to determining that the network device should start using the second communication band, transmit a response to the second message on the second communication band.
11. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the network device to:
responsive to determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band, refrain from transmitting the response to the second message on the second communication band.
12. The network device of claim 11 , wherein determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band is based on determining that the signal strength, indicated by the stored signal strength indicator value, is above a threshold signal strength value for the first communication band.
13. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the network device to:
responsive to determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band, transmit to the wireless client device a third message on the first communication band.
14. The network device of claim 10 , wherein determining that the network device should start using the second communication band is based on determining that the signal strength, indicated by the stored signal strength indicator value, is below a threshold signal strength value for the first communication band.
15. The network device of claim 10 , wherein each of the first message and second message comprise a respective PROBE request message.
16. The network device of claim 10 , wherein the signal strength associated with the first message is indicated by a signal-to-noise ratio associated with the signal.
17. The network device of claim 10 , wherein determining whether the network device should start using the second communication band is further based on another signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the second message.
18. The network device of claim 10 , wherein determining whether the network device should continue using the first communication band is based on a comparison of the stored signal strength indicator value indicating the signal strength associated with the first message with another signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the second message.
19. A method comprising:
receiving, at a network device, a first message on a first communication band from a wireless client device;
storing a signal strength indicator value indicating a signal strength associated with the first message received on the first communication band;
receiving, at the network device, a second message on a second communication band from the wireless client device;
in response to receiving the second message on the second communication band, determining whether the network device has previously received any message from the wireless client device on the first communication band within a predetermined time period;
in response to determining that the network device received the first message on the first communication band within the predetermined time period, determining whether the network device should continue using the first communication band or start using the second communication band to communicate with the wireless client device based on the stored signal strength indicator value of the first message received on the first communication band; and
responsive to determining that the network device should start using the second communication band to communicate with the wireless client device, transmitting, by the network device, a response to the second message on the second communication band.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining that the network device should continue using the first communication band is based on determining that the stored signal strength indicator value of the first message is above a threshold signal strength value for the first communication band.