Wi-Fi access point coordinated transmission of data
Apparatus and methods for access point coordination of data transmissions within a wireless local area network (WLAN). In one embodiment, a method of managing a WLAN using an access point (AP) coordination system. The AP coordination system accepts client device requests through their associated APs and coordinates one or more APs within the WLAN to fulfill the client requests, without forcing the client devices to associate with different APs. The APs fulfilling a client device request are masked under the BSSID of the client-associated AP.
1. A computerized access point (AP) controller apparatus configured for use with at least one local area network, comprising:
processor apparatus; and
a storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus and having a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized AP controller apparatus to:
cause registration of a plurality of computerized access points (APs) located in the at least one local area network;
process data representative of a request issued from a computerized client device and forwarded by a first of the plurality of computerized APs to the computerized AP controller apparatus to identify one or more of the registered plurality of computerized APs to which to allocate the request, wherein the identification of the one or more of the registered plurality of computerized APs to which to allocate the request comprises selection of the one or more of the registered plurality of computerized APs based on the one or more of the registered plurality of computerized APs being configured to automatically associate with the computerized client device without assent from the computerized client device or an entity of the at least one local area network; and
transmit data to the identified one or more of the plurality of computerized APs, the transmission enabling servicing of the request by at least the identified one or more of the plurality of computerized APs and the first of the plurality of computerized APs.
2. The computerized AP controller apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the computerized client device is wirelessly associated with the first of the plurality of computerized APs; and
the transmitted data comprises data representative of one or more instructions for the one or more of the plurality of computerized APs to transact data using identification data of the first plurality of computerized APs.
3. The computerized AP controller apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the computerized AP controller apparatus is physically integrated with, but logically separated from, one of the plurality of computerized APs.
4. A computerized method of managing a wireless local area network (WLAN) having a plurality of wireless-enabled access devices, the computerized method comprising:
causing registration of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices;
establishing an association between a computerized client device and a first wireless-enabled access device of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices;
receiving data indicative of a request to transact data from the computerized client device through the first wireless-enabled access device, the request relating to transaction of at least user data between the first wireless-enabled access device and the computerized client device, the receiving data indicative of the request comprising receiving data indicative of a required time for completing transacting the user data associated with the request;
evaluating at least a portion of the data indicative of the request to determine at least a sufficiency of the first wireless-enabled access device to service the request, the evaluating comprising evaluating at least whether a second wireless-enabled access device can service the request within the required time; and
based at least in part on the evaluating, causing:
(i) generation of at least one message for transmission to the second wireless-enabled access device of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices, the at least one message comprising data relating to an association between the first wireless-enabled access device and the computerized client device, and configured to cause the second wireless-enabled access device to utilize the data relating to the association to enable transaction of at least a first part of the user data between the second wireless-enabled access device and the computerized client device substantially in parallel with transaction of at least a second part the user data between the first wireless-enabled access devices and the computerized client device; and
(ii) transmission of the data representative of the at least one message to the second wireless-enabled access device, the transmission enabling servicing of the request by at least the first and second wireless-enabled access devices.
5. The computerized method of claim 4 , further comprising causing selection of first and second wireless-enabled access devices to service the request, the selection based at least on one of the first and second wireless-enabled access devices being configured to automatically associate with the computerized client device without assent from at least one of the computerized client device or an entity of the WLAN.
6. The computerized method of claim 4 , further comprising:
creating a directory of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices;
obtaining schedule data associated with the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices in the directory; and
creating the transmission schedule for the request, based on the schedule data;
wherein the creating of the directory of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices comprises:
assessing each of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices to determine a signal strength associated therewith relative to the computerized client device; and
ranking the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices according to at least the signal strength, and excluding from the directory individual ones of the plurality of wireless-enabled access devices whose signal strength falls below a determined threshold.
7. A computerized access point (AP) apparatus configured for use within at least one local area network, the computerized AP apparatus comprising:
a wireless transceiver configured to utilize a wireless local area network (WLAN) air interface protocol;
processor apparatus in data communication with the wireless transceiver; and
a storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus and having a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized AP apparatus to:
receive data representative of a request issued from a wireless-enabled client device, the request relating to transaction of at least user data between the computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client apparatus;
evaluate at least a portion of the data representative of the request to determine at least a sufficiency of the computerized AP apparatus to service the request;
creating a directory of a plurality of computerized AP apparatuses;
obtaining schedule data associated with the plurality of computerized AP apparatuses in the directory;
based on the schedule data, creating a transmission schedule for the request;
wherein the creating of the directory of the plurality of computerized AP apparatuses comprises: (i) assessing each of the plurality of computerized AP apparatuses to determine a signal strength associated therewith relative to the wireless-enabled client apparatus, (ii) ranking the plurality of computerized AP apparatuses according to at least the signal strength, and (iii) excluding from the directory a portion of the plurality of computerized AP apparatuses whose signal strength falls below or does not meet a determined threshold; and
based at least in part on the evaluation, cause:
(i) selection a second computerized AP apparatus from the directory to supplement servicing the request with the computerized AP apparatus;
(ii) generation of data representative of at least one message for transmission to the second computerized AP apparatus, the data representative of the at least one message comprising the transmission schedule and data relating to an association between the computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device, the data relating to the association enabling transaction of at least a portion of the at least user data between the second computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device substantially in parallel with the transaction of at least a portion of the at least user data between the computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device; and
(iii) transmission of the data representative of the at least one message to the second computerized AP apparatus.
8. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized AP apparatus to:
maintain a data structure representative of a registry of at least a portion of a plurality of computerized AP apparatus associated with the WLAN.
9. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized AP apparatus to select the second computerized AP apparatus from the data structure representative of the registry.
10. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized AP apparatus to:
perform the selection of the second computerized AP apparatus from the data structure representative of the registry based at least on algorithmic evaluation of one or more parameters associated with each of the at least portion of the plurality of computerized AP apparatus, the one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of: (i) historical data relating to association with the wireless-enabled client device; and (ii) current availability status.
11. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized AP apparatus to:
based at least in part on the evaluation, select the second computerized AP apparatus to service the request, the selection based on the second computerized AP apparatus being configured to automatically transact the at least user data between the second computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device without assent the wireless-enabled client apparatus or an entity of the WLAN.
12. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the evaluation of at least the portion of the data representative of the request to determine at least the sufficiency of the computerized AP apparatus to service the request comprises an evaluation of at least the portion of the data representative of the request to determine the computerized AP apparatus can service the request within a prescribed period of time.
13. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the prescribed time period comprises a time period measured from the receipt of the data representative of the request, and the servicing of the request within the prescribed time period is in accordance with one or more quality of service (QOS) requirements.
14. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the transaction of the at least portion of the at least user data between the computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device comprises one or more download transactions only.
15. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the transaction of the at least portion of the at least user data between the computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device comprises one or more upload transactions only.
16. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the computerized AP apparatus comprises a commodity WLAN AP apparatus, and the at least one computer program of the computerized AP apparatus comprises firmware disposed onto the computerized AP apparatus after its manufacture and installation within the WLAN.
17. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the transmission of data representative of the at least one message to the second computerized AP apparatus comprises transmission via a wireline data network interface between the computerized AP apparatus and the second computerized AP apparatus.
18. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 17 , wherein:
the wireline data network interface comprises a protocol specifying network addresses for each of the computerized AP apparatus and the second computerized AP apparatus within the WLAN; and
the transmission of data representative of the at least one message to the second computerized AP apparatus comprises transmission to a network address of the second computerized AP apparatus.
19. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the data relating to the association between the computerized AP apparatus and the wireless-enabled client device comprises at least (i) a BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier), and (ii) passkey data.
20. The computerized AP apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the selection of the second computerized AP apparatus from the directory to supplement the servicing the request with the computerized AP apparatus comprises selection of the second computerized AP apparatus from the directory based on the second computerized AP apparatus being then-currently powered on.