Granted Patent B2

US 12,425,297 · App. 17/806,720 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Inventors: Subramanian Anantharaman (Chennai, IN); Sreekanth Natarajan (Chennai, IN)

Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated

H04L41/0816H04L12/2807H04L12/283H04L12/2832H04L12/2838H04L41/0886H04L41/30H04W84/18

Abstract

Claims (107)

1. A method for wireless communication by a first internet of things (IoT) device, comprising:

establishing a first communication link between the first IoT device and a first access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN), the first IoT device having an operating role of an endpoint role or a relay role;

selecting the relay role as the operating role for the first IoT device in the WLAN to serve a client device; and

after selecting the relay role:

operating the first IoT device as a second access point of the WLAN, wherein the second access point has a service set identifier or a passphrase of the first access point;

increasing signal power of the second access point for a wireless coverage area associated with the first IoT device;

establishing a second communication link via a wireless association between the first IoT device and the client device; and

bridging traffic associated with the client device via the first communication link and the second communication link.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the relay role as the operating role comprises:

changing the operating role of the first IoT device from the endpoint role to the relay role.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the WLAN is a self-organizing network (SON), and wherein selecting the relay role as the operating role includes communicating with a second IoT device utilizing a SON protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the relay role as the operating role for the first IoT device includes:

coordinating between the first IoT device and one or more other IoT devices in the WLAN to select the relay role for the first IoT device in accordance with a position of the client device relative to the first IoT device and the one or more other IoT devices.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining to steer the client device from the first IoT device to a second network node in the WLAN; and

steering the client device to the second network node.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining to steer the client device includes:

determining a first link metric for the first communication link between the first IoT device and a central access point of the WLAN;

determining a second link metric for a third communication link between the second network node and the central access point; and

determining that the second network node would provide a higher quality of service for the client device based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first link metric and the second link metric.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

reducing signal power for a wireless coverage area associated with the first IoT device.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, after steering the client device to the second network node:

changing the operating role of the first IoT device from the relay role to the endpoint role.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling a wireless interface of the first IoT device in response to a request received via the first communication link between the first IoT device and the WLAN; and

utilizing the wireless interface to obtain diagnostic measurements associated with at least one other device in the WLAN.

10. An internet of things (IoT) device for wireless communication, comprising:

one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and

one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

establish a first communication link between the IoT device and a first access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN), the IoT device having an operating role of an endpoint role or a relay role;

select the operating role for the IoT device in the WLAN as the relay role to serve a client device; and

after selecting the relay role:

operate the IoT device as a second access point of the WLAN, wherein the second access point has a service set identifier or a passphrase of the first access point,

increase signal power of the second access point for a wireless coverage area associated with the IoT device,

establish a second communication link via a wireless association between the IoT device and the client device; and

bridge traffic associated with the client device via the first communication link and the second communication link.

11. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein, to select the relay role as the operating role, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

change the operating role of the IoT device from the endpoint role to the relay role.

12. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the WLAN is a self-organizing network (SON), and wherein, to select the operating role as the relay role, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to communicate with a second IoT device utilizing a SON protocol.

13. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein, to select the relay role as the operating role, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

coordinate between the IoT device and one or more other IoT devices in the WLAN to select the relay role for the IoT device based, at least in part, on a position of the client device relative to the IoT device and the one or more other IoT devices.

14. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

steer the client device from the IoT device to a second network node in the WLAN.

15. The IoT device of claim 14 , wherein, to steer the client device, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

reduce power for a wireless coverage area associated with the IoT device.

16. The IoT device of claim 14 , wherein, to steer the client device, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

increase power for a wireless coverage area associated with the IoT device.

17. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

transmit a message indicating a power level for a wireless coverage area associated with the IoT device.

18. The IoT device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

receive a message indicating a network configuration associated with the second network node.

19. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

transmit, to one or more other IoT devices, a message indicating a network configuration associated with the IoT device.

20. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

obtain a first link metric for the first communication link between the IoT device and a central access point of the WLAN;

obtain a second link metric for a third communication link between a second network node and the central access point;

select the relay role when the IoT device would provide a higher quality of service for the client device in association with a comparison of the first link metric and the second link metric; and

steer the client device to the second network node when the second network node would provide the higher quality of service for the client device in association with the comparison of the first link metric and the second link metric.

21. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

obtain a request to obtain diagnostic measurements associated with at least one other device in the WLAN;

utilize a wireless interface of the IoT device to obtain the diagnostic measurements associated with the request; and

provide the diagnostic measurements in response to the request.

22. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

detect the client device in proximity to the IoT device;

obtain, by the IoT device, link metrics associated with a plurality of communication links of the WLAN; and

select the relay role associated with the link metrics being indicative that the IoT device would enhance quality of service for the client device.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein a wireless interface of the first IoT device comprising a service set identifier or passphrase of an access point of the WLAN.

24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

coordinating with a second IoT device to adapt a configuration of a wireless coverage area associated with the first IoT device.

25. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating, with a second IoT device, a first wireless coverage area associated with the first IoT device and a second wireless coverage area associated with the second IoT device.

26. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a message indicating the first IoT device is providing access for the client device.

27. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein a wireless interface of the IoT device comprising a service set identifier or passphrase of an access point of the WLAN.

28. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

coordinate with a second IoT device to adapt a configuration of a wireless coverage area associated with the first IoT device.

29. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

communicate, with a second IoT device, a first wireless coverage area associated with the first IoT device and a second wireless coverage area associated with the second IoT device.

30. The IoT device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

transmit a message indicating the first IoT device is providing access for the client device.

31. A method for wireless communication by an internet of things (IoT) device, comprising:

establishing a first communication link between the IoT device and a first network node of a local network, the IoT device having an operating role of an endpoint role or a relay role;

selecting the relay role as the operating role for the IoT device in the local network to serve a client device; and

after selecting the relay role:

operating the IoT device as an access point of the local network;

establishing a second communication link via a wireless association between the IoT device and the client device;

bridging traffic associated with the client device via the first communication link and the second communication link; and

determining to steer the client device from the IoT device to a second network node in the local network, wherein determining to steer the client device includes:

determining a first link metric for the first communication link between the IoT device and a central access point of the local network;

determining a second link metric for a third communication link between the second network node and the central access point;

determining that the second network node would provide a higher quality of service for the client device based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first link metric and the second link metric; and

steering the client device to the second network node, wherein steering the client device includes dropping the first communication link.

32. An internet of things (IoT) device for wireless communication, comprising:

one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and

one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the IoT device to:

establish a first communication link between the IoT device and a first network node of a local network, the IoT device having an operating role of an endpoint role or a relay role;

select the relay role as the operating role for the IoT device in the local network to serve a client device; and

after selecting the relay role:

operate the IoT device as an access point of the local network;

establish a second communication link via a wireless association between the IoT device and the client device;

bridge traffic associated with the client device via the first communication link and the second communication link; and

determine to steer the client device from the IoT device to a second network node in the local network, wherein determining to steer the client device includes:

determine a first link metric for the first communication link between the IoT device and a central access point of the local network;

determine a second link metric for a third communication link between the second network node and the central access point;

determine that the second network node would provide a higher quality of service for the client device based, at least in part, on a comparison of the first link metric and the second link metric; and

steer the client device to the second network node, wherein steering the client device includes dropping the first communication link.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (52)