Patent · US Active

Proxy active scan for wireless networks

US8054798B2 · kind B2 · utility

21Cited by
4References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 20, 2004
Grant dateNov 8, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 10, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W92/20
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Active scanning method in a wireless network for fast determining available access points (106, 806) using inter-AP (Access Point) communication is described. In the scanning method, a mobile station (102, 802) sends Probe Request for Proxy frame to the current AP (104, 804) serving the mobile station (102, 802). In response to the Probe Request for Proxy frame, the current AP (104, 804) send Proxy Probe Request packet to the appropriate APs (106, 806). In response to the Proxy Probe Request packet, the neighbor APs (106, 806) send Probe Response frame to the mobile station (102, 802) on its operating channel. Since the mobile station (102, 802) moves to the channel being examined after sending the Probe Request for Proxy frame, it receives the Probe Response frame if it is in the coverage area of the neighbor AP (106, 806). The content of Probe Response frame provides the mobile station (102, 802) with the information to be used in handoff decision and network join procedures. Thus, the mobile station (102, 802) neither has to move to the channel to be examined nor send Probe Request frame on that channel. This enables active scan to be initiated even when the neighbor AP (106, 80…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.