Systems and methods for automatic wireless coupling
Wireless access points may automatically discover each other and establish connections based on accumulated credit values incremented via mutual exchanges of identifiers. A first access point may select a candidate access point for a potential connection, and may maintain a credit value for the selected candidate access point. The first access point may broadcast beacon messages, including an identification of the candidate access point and the credit value. Responsive to detecting a broadcast from the candidate access point including an identifier of the first access point, the first access point may increment the credit value. As each access point continues broadcasting beacon messages, it may increment its credit value for the other access point accordingly. Upon both the first access point's and candidate access point's credit values reaching a predetermined credit threshold, the access points may initiate handshaking protocols, without requiring additional request/response exchanges or verifications of candidate selection.
1. A method for establishing a connection between access points, comprising:
receiving, by a first device from a second device, a broadcast packet comprising an identifier of the first device and a first credit value for the first device maintained by the second device;
determining, by the first device, that the first credit value for the first device maintained by the second device exceeds a predetermined threshold;
determining, by the first device, that a second credit value for the second device maintained by the first device exceeds the predetermined threshold; and
establishing, by the first device with the second device, a connection, responsive to the determination that the first credit value exceeds the predetermined threshold and the second credit value exceeds the predetermined threshold.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the identifier of the first device in the received broadcast packet, by the first device; and
incrementing the second credit value for the second device, by the first device, responsive to the detection.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the first device, a second broadcast packet comprising an identifier of the second device and the second credit value for the second device maintained by the first device.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein transmitting the second broadcast packet further comprises:
determining, by the first device, that a received signal strength of the first broadcast packet is higher than a received signal strength of each of one or more additional broadcast packets received by the first device from a corresponding one or more additional devices; and
generating the second broadcast packet comprising the identifier of the second device, by the first device, responsive to the determination that the received signal strength of the first broadcast packet is higher than the received signal strength of each of the one or more additional broadcast packets received from the corresponding one or more additional devices.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the broadcast packet:
transmitting, by the first device, a third broadcast packet comprising an identifier of a third device and a third credit value for the third device maintained by the first device;
receiving, by the first device from the third device, a fourth broadcast packet comprising an identifier of a device different from the first device; and
resetting, by the first device, the third credit value, responsive to receiving the fourth broadcast packet.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
scanning, by the first device, a plurality of broadcast channels; and
selecting, by the first device, a first channel of the plurality of broadcast channels to utilize for establishing the connection.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising detecting, by the first device, a packet comprising a predetermined identifier broadcast on the first channel; and
detecting, by the first device, a packet comprising the predetermined identifier broadcast on a second channel; and
wherein selecting the first channel further comprises selecting the first channel, by the first device, responsive to a received signal strength of the packet broadcast on the first channel exceeding a received signal strength of the packet broadcast on the second channel.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising detecting, by the first device, an absence of packets comprising a predetermined identifier broadcast on any of the plurality of channels; and
wherein selecting the first channel further comprises selecting the first channel, by the first device, responsive to a determination that the first channel is a least used channel of the plurality of channels.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving, by the first device, one or more packets broadcast on one or more of the plurality of channels, the one or more packets not including the predetermined identifier.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the connection further comprises:
determining, by the first device, that an address of the first device is larger than an address of the second device; and
transmitting a request for handshake initiation, by the first device to the second device, responsive to the determination that the address of the first device is larger than the address of the second device.
11. A system for establishing a connection between access points, comprising:
a first device comprising a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, a candidate selector, and a candidate credit counter;
wherein the wireless receiver is configured to receive, from a second device, a broadcast packet comprising an identifier of the first device and a first credit value for the first device maintained by the second device;
wherein the candidate selector is configured to
determine that the first credit value for the first device maintained by the second device exceeds a predetermined threshold, and
determine that a second credit value for the second device maintained by the first device via the candidate credit counter exceeds the predetermined threshold; and
wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to establish a connection with the second device, responsive to the determination that the first credit value exceeds the predetermined threshold and the second credit value exceeds the predetermined threshold.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the candidate selector is further configured to detect the identifier of the first device in the received broadcast packet, by the first device; and wherein the candidate credit counter is configured to increment the second credit value for the second device, responsive to the detection.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the wireless transmitter is further configured to transmit a second broadcast packet comprising an identifier of the second device and the second credit value for the second device maintained by the first device via the candidate credit counter.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the candidate selector is further configured to determine that a received signal strength of the first broadcast packet is higher than a received signal strength of each of one or more additional broadcast packets received via the wireless receiver from a corresponding one or more additional devices; and
wherein the wireless transmitter is further configured to transmit the second broadcast packet comprising the identifier of the second device, responsive to the determination that the received signal strength of the first broadcast packet is higher than the received signal strength of each of the one or more additional broadcast packets received from the corresponding one or more additional devices.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the wireless transmitter is further configured to transmit a third broadcast packet comprising an identifier of a third device and a third credit value for the third device maintained by the first device via the candidate credit counter;
wherein the wireless receiver is further configured to receive, from the third device, a fourth broadcast packet comprising an identifier of a device different from the first device; and
wherein the candidate selector is further configured to reset the third credit value maintained via the candidate credit counter, responsive to receiving the fourth broadcast packet.
16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a channel analyzer configured to:
scan a plurality of broadcast channels; and
select a first channel of the plurality of broadcast channels to utilize for establishing the connection.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the channel analyzer is further configured to:
detect a packet comprising a predetermined identifier broadcast on the first channel;
detect a packet comprising the predetermined identifier broadcast on a second channel; and
select the first channel, responsive to a received signal strength of the packet broadcast on the first channel exceeding a received signal strength of the packet broadcast on the second channel.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the channel analyzer is further configured to
detect an absence of packets comprising a predetermined identifier broadcast on any of the plurality of channels; and
select the first channel, responsive to a determination that the first channel is a least used channel of the plurality of channels.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the wireless receiver is further configured to receive one or more packets broadcast on one or more of the plurality of channels, the one or more packets not including the predetermined identifier.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the wireless transmitter is further configured to transmit a request for handshake initiation, by the first device to the second device, responsive to a determination that an address of the first device is larger than an address of the second device.