Abstract:
A technique for network planning that includes an interface for guiding a network user through the network allocation process, such as defining groups of clients based on their capabilities. Portions of the wireless local area network infrastructure, e.g., access points, are allocated among the groups. When a client attempts to associate with an access point, the access point determines the client capabilities. If the client is supported by the access point, the access point allows the client to associate and sends the client a message that contains a prioritized list of other nearby access points allocated to service that client, otherwise the access point sends a prioritized roaming list of nearby access points to the client that are allocated to serve that type of client. Feedback is provided by the network infrastructure enabling a network user or the network to automatically reallocate resources based on the feedback.
Abstract:
An examplary embodiment providing for one or more improvements includes a method for use in a mobile station operating in a multi-protocol wireless network environment (Fig. 1) that supports a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol wherein the network environment allows the mobile station to seamlessly roam utilizing the first and second wireless communication protocols (100, 110, 120) The method includes establishing a first link layer connection using the first wireless communication protocol, and a second link layer connection using the second wireless communication protocol wherein a single mobile identifier, corresponding to the mobile station, is used in the first and second connections.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for controlling access by an access point, the steps comprising allocating a fixed transmission window to a target station, the transmission window of sufficient size to enable the target station to send a queued frame in response to a poll; establishing a polling schedule; allocating a maximum amount of uplink data based on an application data rate; and; polling the station according to the polling schedule when the uplink data sent by the target station does not exceed an admitted data rate.
Abstract:
A method and system for handling roaming mobile nodes in a wireless network. The system uses a Subnet Context Manager to store current Network session keys, security policy and duration of the session (e.g. session timeout) for mobile nodes, which is established when the mobile node is initially authenticated. Pairwise transit keys are derived from the network session key. The Subnet Context Manager handles subsequent reassociation requests. When a mobile node roams to a new access point, the access point obtains the network session key from the Subnet Context Manager and validates the mobile node by computing a new pairwise transient key from the network session key.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for controlling access by an access point, the steps comprising allocating a fixed transmission window to a target station, the transmission window of sufficient size to enable the target station to send a queued frame in response to a poll; establishing a polling schedule; allocating a maximum amount of uplink data based on an application data rate; and; polling the station according to the polling schedule when the uplink data sent by the target station does not exceed an admitted data rate.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for controlling access by an access point, the steps comprising allocating a fixed transmission window to a target station, the transmission window of sufficient size to enable the target station to send a queued frame in response to a poll; establishing a polling schedule; allocating a maximum amount of uplink data based on an application data rate; and; polling the station according to the polling schedule when the uplink data sent by the target station does not exceed an admitted data rate.
Abstract:
A Hybrid Coordination Function (HCF) implementation wherein an access point' s existing (E)DCF Enhanced Distributed Coordination Function transmit queues a re augmented by at least one strict priority HCF transmit queue. The HCF queues are only used to schedule downlink data and CF-Poll transmissions are used f or admitted downlink flows and for uplink flows. The 802.1D user priority value is used to select the HCF queue for an admitted flow. The strict priority HC F transmit queues are always serviced first, in priority order before any othe r (E)DCF transmit queue. The channel is considered busy to (E)DCF transmit queues while the strict priority queues are being serviced. An admissions control mechanism is used to control data flows and prevents the strict priority traffic from starving (E)DCF traffic. A single, simple AP scheduler is used for scheduling both polling times and station wakeup times. Differen t embodiments of the invention includes assigning a fixed size to all transmission opportunities, the establishment of a wakeup schedule for a pow er- save station, the implementation of a polling schedule for the station, the establishment of a schedule based on a timer wheel, and the allocation of a token bucket for a data stream with a predetermined number of tokens.
Abstract:
A method and system for handling roaming mobile nodes in a wireless network. The system uses a Subnet Context Manager to store current Network session keys, security policy and duration of the session (e.g. session timeout) for mobile nodes, which is established when the mobile node is initially authenticated. Pairwise transit keys are derived from the network session key. The Subnet Context Manager handles subsequent reassociation requests. When a mobile node roams to a new access point, the access point obtains the network session key from the Subnet Context Manager and validates the mobile node by computing a new pairwise transient key from the network session key.
Abstract:
A method for providing a superior quality of service for multicast data streams delivered over a wireless local area network. As Internet Protocol multicast data streams are received by an access point, the access point observes Internet Group Multicast Protocol registration messages to determine which of its associated stations subscribe to each multicast data stream. The access point then determines which of the multicast data streams it receives have only active subscribing stations as opposed to those data streams having at least one associated station operating in power-save mode. The access point will automatically transmit each multicast data stream having only active subscribers immediately to the associated active stations, while buffering the multicast data stream for which there is at least one associated station operating in power-save mode.
Abstract:
A method for associating a WSTA to a service set, wherein the service set is configurable at the AP. Each service set is an arbitrary grouping of one or more network service parameters, and is typically configured for either VLAN or proxy mobile IP host. When a wireless station desires to associate with an access point, the wireless station sends a message to the access point, the message containing a SSID. The access point then matches the SSID to a service set and associates the WSTA to either a home subnet or a VLAN based on the SSID. By locally configuring the service set, the default VLAN and home subnet for a WSTA may be different at each AP the WSTA encounters. A security server is configured with a list of allowed SSIDs for each wireless station to prevent unauthorized access to a VLAN or home subnet.