Method and apparatus for mitigating roaming impact on communication sessions

Abstract

A method in a client device of mitigating roaming impact on communications includes: establishing a communication session at the client device via a first access point; responsive to determining that a roaming criterion is satisfied, transmitting a standby indicator to the first access point and detecting a second access point; prior to initiating a roaming process to transfer the communication session from the first access point to the second access point, determining whether a time period elapsed since receipt of a most recent beacon at the client device from the first access point exceeds a beacon threshold; and responsive to determining that the time period exceeds the beacon threshold: transmitting an active indicator to the first access point; receiving a further beacon from the access point; and responsive to receiving the further beacon, initiating the roaming process to transfer the communication session to the second access point.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]Wireless networks may be implemented with a plurality of access points, between which client devices of the networks may roam to maintain connectivity. Roaming from one access point to another at a client device may cause interruptions in ongoing communications at the client device. In the case of real-time applications such as voice calls, such interruptions may degrade call quality.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS[0002]The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.[0003]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system.[0004]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of certain internal components of a client d...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Roaming from one access point to another at a client device may cause interruptions in ongoing communications at the client device.

In the case of real-time applications such as voice calls, such interruptions may degrade call quality.

For substantially real-time applications such as a VOIP call, the loss of the buffered data 504 may degrade call quality.

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