SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED LOAD BALANCE ON 6 GHz RADIO DEVICES USING OUT-OF-BAND DISCOVERY IN A MIXED AP OPERATION

Abstract

Method for identifying nearby non-6 GHz radio devices in a radio frequency (RF) zone (300) of a wireless local area network (WLAN), by which one or more 6 GHz radio devices in the WLAN can be announced for out-of-band detection, the method comprising: Identifying a first set of non-6 GHz radios that are colocated with a first set of 6 GHz radios that consider a particular non-6 GHz radio to be close neighbors; Identifying a second set of non-6 GHz radios that are colocated with a second set of 6 GHz radios that consider the identified non-6 GHz radio to be a close neighbor; Identifying a third set of non-6 GHz radios that are colocated with a third set of 6 GHz radios, which the client devices of the identified non-6 GHz radio consider to be close neighbors; and Identifying a fourth set of non-6 GHz radios that are colocated with a fourth set of 6 GHz radios, which client devices of the identified non-6 GHz radio consider to be close neighbors; based on identifying the first, second, third, and fourth sets of non-6 GHz radios, creating, by an access point (AP) controller in the WLAN, an ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios, in which the 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300) are ranked for the specific non-6 GHz radio; and Distributing the ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios by the AP controller to the specified non-6 GHz radio.

Description

background

[0001] Wireless digital networks are ubiquitous in enterprises and provide secure and cost-effective access to resources. These networks typically have one or more controllers, with each controller supporting a multitude of access points (APs) distributed throughout the enterprise. Wi-Fi networks operating according to the IEEE 802.11 standards are examples of such networks. Wireless network communication devices (also called stations or client devices), such as personal computers and mobile phones, transmit data over wireless digital networks to Wi-Fi APs and, for example, cellular network APs.

[0002] WLAN infrastructure elements or components in a Wi-Fi network provide services to WLAN devices. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the use of approximately 1200 MHz of an unlicensed portion of the radio spectrum in the 6 GHz band for WLAN operation.

[0003] US 2015 / 0 289 125 A1 relates to a method for performing a detection method in a proximity detection device connected to a cellular communication system, the method comprising: retrieving a detection configuration from a network element, the detection configuration instructing the proximity detection device to detect terminals registered with a proximity service and located within a coverage area of ​​the proximity detection device and to report these to the network element, after acquiring the detection configuration, initiating the transmission of a detection signal comprising an identifier of the proximity detection device dedicated exclusively to the proximity detection method, receiving at least one message from at least one terminal of the cellular communication system in response to the detection signal, the message comprising an identifier of the terminal,Creating an investigation report based on the at least one message received by the at least one terminal and causing the investigation report to be transmitted to the network element.

[0004] US 2021 / 0 058 856 A1 describes systems, methods, and devices related to Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) operations in the 6 GHz frequency band. A NAN device may generate a first NAN frame including a first indication of NAN operability and a second indication of a transmit power of the NAN device. The NAN device may transmit the first NAN frame and identify a second NAN frame received from a second NAN device, the second NAN frame including a third indication of NAN operability and a fourth indication of a transmit power of the second NAN device. The NAN device may determine an operating parameter for the 6 GHz frequency band based on the transmit power of the NAN device and the transmit power of the second NAN device. The NAN device may establish a NAN connection over the 6 GHz frequency band based on the operating parameters. Short description

[0005] A method according to claims 1 to 19 and an access point according to claim 20 are disclosed. Brief description of the drawings

[0006] The present disclosure will be described in detail in accordance with one or more various embodiments with reference to the following figures. The figures are for illustrative purposes only and represent merely typical or exemplary embodiments. Fig. shows an example of a network configuration that can be implemented for an organization such as a business, educational institution, government agency, healthcare facility, or other organization. Fig. shows an example of an access point in which various embodiments can be implemented. Fig. shows a multi-radio configuration of the example access point from Fig. . Fig. shows an example of a mixed AP deployment RF zone. Fig. shows an example of a collocated 6 GHz radio data superset. Fig. shows an example of an RF zone scan scenario. Fig. shows an example of an intersection determination to create an initial ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios. Fig. is an example of a computational component that can be used to identify the non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios and that can consider the given non-6 GHz radio as a near neighbor. Fig. shows an example updated data superset of the example collocated 6 GHz radio data superset of Fig. . Fig. shows an example of a complementary, ie intermediate, radio with scanning, a list. Fig. shows an example of a scanning scenario from the perspective of nearby radios scanning a specific radio. Fig. shows a second ordered list of 6 GHz radios in the immediate vicinity. Fig. is an example of a computational component that can be used to identify non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that may consider a given non-6 GHz radio to be a near neighbor. Fig. shows an example of client devices (connected to a radio of interest) scanning radios in an RF zone relative to a radio of interest. Fig. shows an example of creating a third ordered list of 6 GHz radios in close proximity. Fig. is an example of a computer component that can be used to identify non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that client devices of a given non-6 GHz radio can consider as near neighbors. Fig. shows an example scenario where APs search for client devices of a specific radio. Fig. shows the creation of a fourth ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios based on virtual beacon messages. Fig. is an example of a computer component that can be used to identify non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that the client devices of a given non-6 GHz radio can consider as near neighbors. Fig. shows an example of the creation of a final ordered list of 6 GHz radios in close proximity based on the previously determined first to fourth ordered lists of 6 GHz radios in close proximity after standardization. Fig. is an example of a calculation component that can be used to determine a 6 GHz radio that can be advertised in an RNR IE of a specific non-6 GHz radio. Fig. is an example of a computer component that may be used to implement various features of embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] The figures are not exhaustive and do not limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Detailed description

[0008] The FCC has authorized the use of approximately 1200 MHz of unlicensed spectrum in the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi operation. This allows access to 59 new channels, each with a bandwidth of 20 MHz. The new 59 channels can also be used as 29 channels with a bandwidth of 40 MHz each, 14 channels with a bandwidth of 80 MHz each, or 7 channels with a bandwidth of 160 MHz each. To assist client devices in scanning these channels, the IEEE 802.11ax standard allows for an out-of-band discovery mechanism using an access point that has both 6 GHz and non-6 GHz radios (e.g., 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz radios), called collocated radios. This means that an access point can use a non-6 GHz radio to indicate the availability of a collocated 6 GHz radio to such client devices.

[0009] Specifically, this announcement for a collocated 6 GHz radio by a non-6 GHz radio can be accomplished by an AP announcing a Reduced Neighborhood Report Information Element (RNR IE) in its beacon, as well as probe responses (to the RNR IE-filled beacon) on the non-6 GHz radio. Client devices capable of operating in the 6 GHz band can parse this RNR IE and directly switch to the 6 GHz channel advertised in the RNR IE and connect directly to the corresponding Service Set ID(s) (SSID(s)) of the radio operating on that channel, rather than spending time scanning the 6 GHz channels. This is to avoid client devices experiencing an expectedly high scan time due to the number of channels in the band, e.g., due to the number of channels in the band. For example, when client devices scan each 6 GHz channel individually.

[0010] In a multi-AP deployment, the out-of-band discovery mechanism described above could theoretically work well if all APs in a given deployment had both 6 GHz and non-6 GHz radios. However, such a deployment is unrealistic. Typical AP deployments involve pre-existing or older / less capable APs that may only have 2.4 GHz and / or 5 GHz radios. Because such older APs do not have a collocated 6 GHz radio, they are unable to advertise a 6 GHz radio and therefore cannot provide assistance to client devices in identifying available radios operating on 6 GHz channels.

[0011] Fortunately, the 802.11ax standard does not necessarily limit the scope of radios that can be considered collocated. Accordingly, the "looseness" or flexibility with which the 802.11ax standard considers radios to be collocated can be used to maximize the advertising of 6 GHz channel (radios) availability over non-6 GHz channel (radios), where the non-6 GHz radios may be on the same AP (collocated, e.g., on the same circuit board) or simply nearby (e.g., a near neighbor radio not on the same AP).

[0012] In accordance with various embodiments, systems and methods are provided that allow all APs in a particular deployment to assist in the out-of-band discovery of 6 GHz radios by client devices. That is, a series of iterative operations may be performed to: (I) determine the status of 6 GHz radios in a zone / area of ​​deployment; (II) identify which radios may be considered near neighbors of non-6 GHz radios for the purposes of advertising one or more of the 6 GHz radios; (III) rank neighboring 6 GHz radios for a particular non-6 GHz radio based on certain radio metrics; and (IV) finally determine those 6 GHz radios that may be advertised by the particular non-6 GHz radio.

[0013] Additionally, systems and methods are provided for dynamically changing the set of advertised 6 GHz radios (in RNR IE on non-6 GHz channels) to ensure that a balanced load can be achieved for each of the advertised 6 GHz radios. Load balancing can be achieved by advertising a desired 6 GHz radio to client devices while they are still polling the non-6 GHz channel. This reduces the operational costs of load balancing client devices between 6 GHz radios at a later time using previous techniques, as such methods may require disconnecting clients, which would cause them to scan the band. Furthermore, the Basic Service Group (BSS) may experience connection delays due to the longer sampling time.

[0014] As mentioned earlier, certain APs can be configured to operate in different modes, such as single-radio or multiple-radio mode. In single-radio mode, a single radio operates on a specific band, while in multiple-radio mode, such as dual-radio mode, a radio's radio chains can be grouped while operating on a specific band. That is, an AP can be configured to operate with logical or physical radios, allowing an AP to operate in single-radio mode, where a single radio can utilize a specific channel bandwidth allocation, such as 80 MHz, or in dual-radio mode, where the single radio can be split into two radios, each using the same, lesser, or greater channel bandwidth allocation.As mentioned above, newly developed APs may include multi-band radios that can operate with radio chains in the 5 GHz band or 2.4 GHz band, as well as the 6 GHz band.

[0015] As used herein, the term "radio chain" can refer to hardware that can send and / or receive information via radio signals. Wireless client devices and / or other wireless devices can communicate with a network device over a communications channel using multiple radio chains. As used herein, the term "communications channel" (or channel) can refer to a frequency or frequency range used by a network device to communicate (e.g., send and / or receive) information. A radio chain can include, among other things, two antennas, such as a horizontal and a vertical antenna. The term "antenna" as used herein refers to a device that converts electrical energy into radio waves and / or vice versa.

[0016] It should be noted that the terms "optimize," "optimal," and the like, as used herein, may be used to mean making or achieving performance as effective or perfect as possible. However, as one skilled in the art reading this document will recognize, perfection cannot always be achieved. Accordingly, these terms may also mean making or achieving performance as good or effective as possible or practical under the circumstances, or making or achieving performance better than that achievable with other settings or parameters.

[0017] Before describing embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods in detail, it is useful to describe an example network installation with which these systems and methods could be implemented in various applications. Fig. shows an example of a network configuration 100 that may be implemented for an organization, such as a business, educational institution, government agency, healthcare facility, or other organization. This diagram illustrates an example of a configuration implemented in an organization with multiple users (or at least multiple client devices 110) and possibly multiple physical or geographic locations 102, 132, 142. The network configuration 100 may include a main location 102 that communicates with a network 120. The network configuration 100 may also include one or more remote locations 132, 142 that communicate with the network 120.

[0018] The primary site 102 may include a primary network, which may be, for example, an office network, a home network, or other network installation. The primary network 102 may be a private network, such as a network that may include security and access controls to restrict access to authorized users of the private network. Authorized users may include, for example, employees of a company at the primary site 102, residents of a home, customers of a company, etc.

[0019] In the example shown, the primary site 102 includes a controller 104 that communicates with the network 120. The controller 104 may provide communication with the network 120 for the primary site 102, although it need not be the sole point of communication with the network 120 for the primary site 102. A single controller 104 is illustrated, although the primary site may include multiple controllers and / or multiple points of communication with the network 120. In some embodiments, the controller 104 communicates with the network 120 via a router (not shown). In other embodiments, the controller 104 provides router functions to devices at the primary site 102.

[0020] A controller 104 can configure and manage network devices, e.g., at the main site 102, and can also manage network devices at the remote sites 132, 142. The controller 104 can configure and / or manage switches, routers, access points, and / or client devices connected to a network. The controller 104 can itself be an access point or provide the functionality of one.

[0021] The control device 104 may communicate with one or more switches 108 and / or wireless access points (APs) 106ac. The switches 108 and the wireless APs 106a-c provide network connections to various client devices 110a-j. Through a connection to a switch 108 or AP 106a-c, a client device 110a-j may access network resources, including other devices in the network (primary site 102) and in the network 120.

[0022] Examples of client devices may include: desktop computers, laptops, servers, web servers, authentication servers, authentication-authorization-accounting (AAA) servers, Domain Name System (DNS) servers, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers, Internet Protocol (IP) servers, Virtual Private Network (VPN) servers, network policy servers, mainframe computers, tablet computers, e-readers, netbook computers, televisions and similar displays (e.g., smart TVs), content receivers, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, smart phones, intelligent terminals, silent terminals, virtual terminals, video game consoles, virtual assistants, Internet of Things (IOT) devices, and the like.

[0023] Within the primary site 102, a switch 108 is included as an example of an access point to the network established at the primary site 102 for wired client devices 110i-j. The client devices 110i-j can connect to the switch 108 and access other devices within the network configuration 100 via the switch 108. The client devices 110i-j can also access the network 120 via the switch 108. The client devices 110i-j can communicate with the switch 108 via a wired connection 112. In the illustrated example, the switch 108 communicates with the control device 104 via a wired connection 112, although this connection may also be wireless.

[0024] Wireless APs 106a-c are another example of an access point to the network established at main site 102 for client devices 110a-h. Each of APs 106a-c may be a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to provide wireless network connectivity to wireless client devices 110a-h. In the illustrated example, APs 106a-c may be managed and configured by controller 104. APs 106a-c communicate with controller 104 and the network via connections 112, which may be either wired or wireless interfaces.

[0025] The network 120 may be a public or private network, such as the Internet or another communications network, that enables the connection between the various locations 102, 132 through 142, as well as access to the servers 160ab. The network 120 may include third-party telecommunications lines, such as telephone lines, broadcast coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, satellite communications, cellular communications, and the like. The network 120 may include any number of intermediate network devices, such as switches, routers, gateways, servers, and / or controllers, that are not directly part of the network configuration 100 but facilitate communication between the various parts of the network configuration 100 and between the network configuration 100 and other entities connected to the network.

[0026] Fig. shows an example of an AP 200, which is an embodiment of one of the APs of Fig. (e.g., APs 106a-c). An AP may refer to a network device that enables a wireless client device to connect to a wired or wireless network and may not necessarily be limited to IEEE 802.11-based APs. An AP may include a processing resource, e.g., a processor 210, memory, e.g., memory 212, and / or input / output interfaces (not shown), including wired network interfaces such as IEEE 802.3 Ethernet interfaces, as well as wireless network interfaces such as IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi interfaces, although examples of the disclosure are not limited to such interfaces.

[0027] AP 200 may include a radio 202, which may be a 5 GHz radio with eight radio chains (204-1, 204-2, 204-3, 204-4..., 204-8). Each radio chain may include two antennas (204-1a, 204-1b, 204-2a, 204-2b, 204-3a, 204-3b, 204-4a, 204-4b..., 204-8a, 204-8b). Thus, each radio chain may include, among other things, a horizontal and a vertical antenna. Each radio chain may be used for both transmitting and receiving data. It is understood that the examples of the present disclosure are not so limited. Although for clarity and in order not to obscure examples of the present disclosure, Fig. Not shown, each of the radio chains can be connected to the majority of the antennas via an RF switch. As shown in Fig. As shown, AP 200 can be configured for operation with two (dual-radio mode) or more radios. For example, radio 202-1 can be associated with a first communication channel 201 in the 5 GHz band, while radio 202-2 can be associated with a second communication channel 203 in the 6 GHz band. In other examples, radio 202-1 can be associated with communication in the 5 GHz band, while radio 202-2 can be associated with communication in the 2.4 GHz band. It should be understood that while in some embodiments the non-6 GHz radio can be either a 2.4 GHz radio or a 5 GHz radio, an AP can also include another 6 GHz radio operating on a primary scan channel (PSC) that can assist clients in discovering other 6 GHz radios in a corresponding zone / neighborhood.This means that information about collocated 6 GHz radios can be included in the RNR IE of a collocated non-6 GHz radio or a collocated 6 GHz radio. It should also be noted that client devices can limit their scanning of 6 GHz channels to PSC channels, which can provide insights into what is available on the non-PSC channel. Another example is that an AP has only one 6 GHz radio. In such a scenario, the physically closest non-6 GHz radio (e.g., a 2.4 GHz radio, a 5 GHz radio, or a 6 GHz radio operating on a PSC channel) can be assigned as its collocated radio, and the mechanisms described here can be used for out-of-band detection and load balancing of that 6 GHz radio.

[0028] Traditionally, in each radio frequency (RF) zone of a deployment (i.e., a zone in which multiple APs capable of discovering each other have been installed or deployed), the APs are connected at the backend to a controller that can aggregate the states of the various APs and provide inputs to those various APs. In accordance with some embodiments, a deployment may refer to, or be defined as, a plurality of Basic Service Set IDs (BSSIDs) (corresponding to the cell size) in a particular geographic area, e.g., an office building, a warehouse, etc. An RF zone, or simply zone, may refer to a subset of a facility that includes a plurality of APs that can hear, jam, and / or eavesdrop on each other.For example, a deployment may include a plurality of BSSIDs distributed across a three-story building, while a zone of deployment may include one floor of the three floors.

[0029] Fig. shows an example of such a zone 300, which includes a mixed deployment of APs, where each AP(i,j) has 6 GHz and / or non-6 GHz radios. For simplicity, 6 GHz radios in AP(i,j) are denoted as R(i,j), and non-6 GHz radios in an AP can be denoted as r(i,j).

[0030] As in Fig. For example, as shown, Zone 300 may include 16 APs, each having at least one non-6 GHz radio (e.g., a 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz radio). Some of the 16 APs that comprise the Zone 300 deployment may be multi-radio APs that also include a 6 GHz radio. In the example of Fig. AP(0,0), AP(0,3), AP(1,1), AP(1,2), AP(2,0), AP(2,3), AP(3,1) each contain one non-6 GHz radio and one 6 GHz radio. In contrast, AP(0,1), AP(0,2), AP(1,0), AP(1,3), AP(2,1), AP(2,2), AP(3,0), AP(3,2), AP(3,3) can have at least one non-6 GHz radio and no 6 GHz radios.

[0031] As indicated above, various embodiments are directed to advertising the availability of 6 GHz channels via non-6 GHz radios that are either physically located on an AP or physically separated but located in a neighboring AP. As in the example of the mixed deployment zone 300, multiple operations may be performed via each 6 GHz and non-6 GHz radio in the APs of zone 300 and a control device to which the APs controlling those radios are connected. In some embodiments, such a control device may be an AP controller, such as controller 104 ( Fig. ). Again, the status of all APs with 6 GHz radios in Zone 300 can be shared with APs with non-6 GHz radios deployed in Zone 300 (which may or may not also have a 6 GHz radio).

[0032] It should be understood that the various operations, methods, processes, procedures, etc. described herein are generally performed by one or more processing or computing components of an AP in which one or more radios are implemented, as well as by a controller, such as an AP controller. Operations described herein as being performed by a radio should be understood to be performed by the AP in which that particular radio is implemented or an AP controller associated with the AP. I. Recording the status of 6 GHz radios in a zone

[0033] As mentioned above, various embodiments include mechanisms that enable both APs with collocated radios (APs that have both 6 GHz and non-6 GHz radios, as well as APs that have, for example, multiple 6 GHz radios) and APs that have either only non-6 GHz radios or a single 6 GHz radio (non-collocated radios) to advertise the availability of 6 GHz channels by treating physically non-collocated radios as logically collocated radios whenever possible. In some embodiments, an initial process that ultimately results in the advertisement of 6 GHz radios by non-6 GHz radios may include defining a metric that describes the state of a particular 6 GHz radio in a zone. This metric provides a way to compare radios with each other, i.e.The metric can be used to qualify the 6 GHz radio and compare it to another 6 GHz radio. This metric can be calculated by the 6 GHz radio for all of its BSSs. In some embodiments, the metric (also referred to as a radio metric) can be a set of values ​​that can be used together to determine which of the 6 GHz radios should be advertised in an RNR IE of one or more non-6 GHz radios in the zone, such as Zone 300.

[0034] In some embodiments, the aforementioned radio metric may be a value reflecting the number of active clients associated with a 6 GHz radio. Note that in some embodiments, this metric may be used as a basis for assigning an advertising preference or priority for load balancing purposes. That is, in some embodiments, a 6 GHz radio that has, for example, a lower number of clients (compared to other 6 GHz radios in the zone) may be assigned a higher advertising priority, meaning that a less congested 6 GHz channel is advertised via an RNR IE with beacons originating from a non-6 GHz radio(s).For balancing active traffic across 6 GHz radios, in some embodiments, the total number of bytes transmitted and / or received over a given period of time may also be used as a condition or characteristic on which load balancing may be based. Accordingly, the radio metric associated with a 6 GHz radio may be either one of these characteristics or a combination of these characteristics. In some embodiments, still other features, conditions, characteristics, etc., may form the basis or part of the basis on which load balancing may be performed among the radios in a facility such as Zone 300. Indeed, almost any characteristic, feature, condition, etc., that can be optimized in a particular RF zone may at least partially form the radio metric mentioned above.

[0035] At regular intervals, each 6 GHz radio in a zone can share this radio metric information with a controller associated with the AP(s) to which each of the 6 GHz radios belongs. It should be understood that this sharing of radio metric information (as well as other operations described here, e.g., updating information, channel scanning, etc.) does not need to be limited to regular, periodic intervals. Rather, the sharing, updating of information, scanning, etc., can also occur at random time intervals, or even as a one-time operation or otherwise aperiodic. The controller can then summarize or aggregate the respective radio metric information from all relevant APs in the zone. As described in more detail below, the gathering of such information can be achieved through AP messages to, for example,an AP controller or by an AP controller querying such information from the connected APs. As previously mentioned, this reception / comparison of information may occur periodically or aperiodically. In some embodiments, the radio metric information regarding these 6 GHz radios may be used to create a list, table, or other aggregated data set indicating at least: (a) the 6 GHz radios in the zone, e.g., Zone 300, identified by their respective Media Access Control (MAC) address; (b) corresponding 6 GHz radio metric information; and (c) all (physically) collocated non-6 GHz radios corresponding to the identified 6 GHz radios (again identified by MAC address).

[0036] It should be noted that this aggregate list of 6 GHz radios, 6 GHz radio metric information, and corresponding collocated non-6 GHz radios does not necessarily need to be ordered in any way. In some embodiments, this aggregate list comprises a superset of all 6 GHz radios present in a zone, which can be broadcast to all non-6 GHz radios (both collocated and uncollocated) in the zone. These non-6 GHz radios can use this superset to further determine which of the identified 6 GHz radios in the RNR IE should be advertised to a non-6 GHz radio beacon for out-of-band detection. In some embodiments, this information can be updated regularly by all 6 GHz radios so that the summary or superset broadcast by the controller is also updated.

[0037] Fig. shows a sample superset table 310 that summarizes the 6 GHz radios in Zone 300, the corresponding radio metrics of those 6 GHz radios, and the corresponding collocated non-6 GHz radios. As described above, Zone 300 ( Fig. For example, a mixed AP deployment where the following APs include at least one 6 GHz radio: AP (0,0); AP (0,3); AP (1,1); AP (1,2); AP (2,0); AP (2,3); AP (3,1). As illustrated in the superset table 310, the following 6 GHz radios are identified: R (0,0); R (0,3); R (1,1); R (1,2); R (2,0); R (2,3); R (3,1). As indicated above and reflected in the superset table 310, radios may be identified by their respective MAC addresses. It should be understood that the nomenclature (row / column) used in the present disclosure is used for convenience.

[0038] As described above, each of the identified 6 GHz radios may have associated radio metric information relevant to that 6 GHz radio, such as the number of active client devices connected to the AP and communicating / using the 6 GHz channel provided by the 6 GHz radio, throughput (e.g., the number of bytes transmitted and / or received over a certain period of time), or other characteristics / conditions, or a combination thereof. These 6 GHz radio metrics are represented in the superset table 310 as follows: m1, m2, m3,... m7. It should be understood that the "mX" naming convention is provided only as an example / for ease of reference. The superset table 310 may include a 6 GHz radio metric field comprising actual values, numerical information, or other data indicating or reflecting the aforementioned radio metrics.

[0039] As previously mentioned, the superset table 310 may display or reflect the non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with the respective 6 GHz radios. Fig. In the example illustrated, the superset table 310 indicates that: R(0,0) is physically collocated with r(0,0); R(0,3) is physically collocated with r(0,3); R(1,1) is physically collocated with r(1,1); R(1,2) is physically collocated with r(1,2); R(2,0) is physically collocated with r(2,0); R(2,3) is physically collocated with r(2,3); and R(3,1) is physically collocated with r(3,1). It should be understood that the zone 300 and the superset table 310 are examples and are not to be construed as a limitation. As mentioned above, a mixed AP deployment may have APs with two 6 GHz radios, a single 6 GHz radio, etc., and the superset table 310 would reflect such scenarios.It should be understood that in situations where an AP has two 6 GHz radios or a single 6 GHz radio, a collocated non-6 GHz radio to which a 6 GHz radio is connected may be designated as the physically closest non-6 GHz radio (logical collocation). For example, the physically closest 5 GHz radio may be assigned, and the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied in such situations with respect to out-of-band detection or load balancing. It should be noted that if a 6 GHz radio, for example, reports its own radio metrics to a controller, e.g., the corresponding AP controller, an identifier (e.g., the MAC address) of its collocated non-6 GHz radio may also be reported simultaneously. II. Identification of the adjacent 6 GHz radios for each of the non-6 GHz radios in the zone

[0040] As mentioned above, a summary of all 6 GHz radios (implemented as part of one or more APs) in a zone of a mixed AP deployment, along with their corresponding radio metric information and their associated collocated non-6 GHz radio, can be provided to a controller, which can then propagate the summary (superset table 310) to each non-6 GHz radio in the zone. Once each non-6 GHz radio in the zone receives or is provided with a copy of the superset table 310, a subset of 6 GHz radios can be determined to be "near neighbors" of a particular non-6 GHz radio (closest).

[0041] Back to Fig. For example, consider zone 300 and the non-6 GHz radio for AP(3,2), i.e., r(3,2). Although zone 300 contains an AP(0,0) that has a non-6 GHz radio r(0,0) and a 6 GHz radio R(0,0), it should be understood that the indication of R(0,0) in the RNR IE transmitted with a beacon of r(3,2) may not be useful to client devices. This is because the distance between AP(3,2) / r(3,2) to which a client device may be connected or listening may be so large that the client device (near AP(3,2)) is unable to connect to AP(0,0). However, AP(3,2) / r(3,2) may be able to make a decision regarding the promotion of the 6 GHz radios of AP(3,1) or AP(2,3), ie R(3,1) or R(2,3).

[0042] Thus, in accordance with some embodiments, each AP with a non-6 GHz radio in a zone, e.g., zone 300, may identify which of the 6 GHz radios present in zone 300 may be considered near neighbors, such that the non-6 GHz radios may include near-neighbor 6 GHz radios in the subset of 6 GHz radios that may be considered for advertising in the non-6 GHz radio's RNR IE.

[0043] Again, in accordance with various embodiments, it is determined which 6 GHz radio in a zone (whether or not collocated with a particular non-6 GHz radio) should be advertised by the non-6 GHz radio channel(s) of an AP in a zone. It should be understood that, although various embodiments disclose systems and methods for optimizing advertising and load balancing between radios / APs, various embodiments may still result in a 6 GHz radio being advertised by more than one non-6 GHz radio in its zone. Recall that, according to the 802.11ax standard, the only non-6 GHz radios that advertise 6 GHz radio channels are those non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with the 6 GHz radio whose channel they can advertise. In contrast, various embodiments allowthat non-6 GHz radios can advertise 6 GHz radio channels, regardless of whether a given non-6 GHz radio is physically collocated with the advertised 6 GHz radio, as long as it can be considered a near neighbor of the 6 GHz radio. This optimization can be performed according to a variety of approaches, using non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios as a "reference point." That is, the same subset of 6 GHz radios can be optimized from four perspectives: (i) identifying non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the given non-6 GHz radio can consider a near neighbor (in other words, identifying all APs / radios in an RF zone that a given AP / radio can hear); (ii) Identification of non-6 GHz radio equipment collocated with 6 GHz radio equipment,that can consider the given non-6 GHz radio as a near neighbor (in other words, identifying which APs / radios can hear the given AP / radio); (iii) identifying non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the client devices of the given non-6 GHz radio can consider as a near neighbor (in other words, identifying which APs / radios can hear the client devices of the given AP / radio); and (iv) identifying the non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the client devices of the given non-6 GHz radio can consider as a near neighbor (in other words, identifying which APs / radios can hear the client devices of the given AP / radio). It should be noted that the terms “hear” or “listen” in this context can mean that they are able to hear frames such as probe responses,Receive probe requests and other frames used for scanning or detection with sufficient signal strength (as described in accordance with various embodiments).

[0044] It should be clear that this four-pronged approach is used because the wireless connections between any two devices (between a client device and an AP / radio, between APs / radios) are asymmetric. This allows each wireless connection to be considered from every direction / perspective, enabling better optimization when selecting or determining which 6 GHz radio channels to advertise from a non-6 GHz radio. Furthermore, the wireless connections between different devices can have different characteristics, so again, by considering all these different characteristics, the selection of which 6 GHz radio channels to advertise from a non-6 GHz radio (any non-6 GHz radio) can be fully optimized. i. Identification of non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the given non-6 GHz radio can consider as a near neighbor

[0045] According to a first of the above perspectives, all non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with a 6 GHz radio and whose transmissions can be decoded by a specific non-6 GHz radio in the zone are identified. This approach allows a specific non-6 GHz radio to identify closely neighboring non-6 GHz radios with collocated 6 GHz radios in the zone that can be assumed or approximated to be "close enough" for the distance to the specific non-6 GHz radio, i.e., their signal strength is considered sufficiently strong to allow a client device to connect.

[0046] In some embodiments, the periodic scans each AP performs on its own radios can be leveraged to discover neighboring APs and client devices. That is, any given non-6 GHz radio in a zone can listen for beacons, probe responses, and proprietary frames intended for scanning and discovery (e.g., over-the-air (OTA) frames) (transmitted by other radios) to identify neighboring APs. This information can be used to create a list of neighboring radios ordered by signal strength (i.e., the Received Signal Strength Information (RSSI)). Intersecting these scan results with the superset table 310 can identify the non-6 GHz radios—and, in turn, their collocated 6 GHz radios—that are near neighbors for the given non-6 GHz radio.

[0047] To accommodate the special case where the scanning non-6 GHz radio is collocated with a 6 GHz radio, the scanning non-6 GHz radio can also be included as one of the scanned radios in a list of scanned radios, so that it can also be included in the above-mentioned intersection between upper-level table 310 and this list of scanned radios. This ensures that the scanned non-6 GHz radio considers its physically collocated 6 GHz radio to be part of its near neighbors.

[0048] With reference to the Fig. and Fig. illustrated Fig. an example scanning scenario in zone 300, while Fig. Illustrates an example list (or table) 400 of scanned radios, which may be an ordered list / table that, after determining the intersection with the superset table 310, results in a first ordered list or table 410 of nearby 6 GHz radios. This first ordered table of nearby 6 GHz radios 410 provides a list of ordered nearby 6 GHz radios according to the perceived proximity by / to the particular scanning non-6 GHz radio.

[0049] In particular, radio r (2,2) can perform a periodic scan of the BVS in its vicinity, after which radio r (2,2) can group the BVS on a radio basis. As described in Fig. As shown, the scan range includes the following APs: AP(1,1); AP(2,1); AP(3,1); AP(1,2); AP(2,2); AP(3,2); AP(1,3); AP(2,3); and AP(3,3). It should be understood that the scan range may reflect what an AP / radios of an AP may hear. As a result of scanning by AP(2,2) from the perspective of radio r(2,2), the scanned radios table 400 may be created and, in this example, results in the inclusion of the following non-6 GHz radios: r(1,1); r(2,1); r(3,1); r(1,2); r(2,2); r(3,2); r(1,3); r(2,3); and r(3,3). This list of non-6 GHz radios resulting from a periodic scan of radio r(2,2) can be ordered based on RSSI, e.g., from strongest to weakest, recalling that radio r(2,2) itself is included in this list. The AP(2,2) can be viewed from the perspective of a specific non-6 GHz radio, i.e.of radio r(2,2), determine the intersection of the scanned radios table 400 with the superset table 310 to identify those 6 GHz radios that can be considered near neighbors of radio r(2,2). Of these scanned APs, four of the nine APs in the scanned area are APs that have non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios, i.e., radios R(1,2), R(2,3), R(1,1), R(3,1). This ordering of the 6 GHz radios reflects the corresponding signal strength, i.e., from strongest to weakest RSSI. In addition, the corresponding 6 GHz radio metrics can also be determined and reflected in the first ordered nearby 6 GHz radios table (410).

[0050] Fig. is a block diagram of an example computer component or device 500, such as an AP processor or a processing / computing component of a controller, according to one embodiment. The computer component 500 may, for example, be a computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 500 includes a hardware processor 502 and a machine-readable storage medium 504. In some embodiments, the computer component 500 may include an embodiment of the AP processor 210 ( Fig. , a processor or a computer component of a controller, such as the controller 104 ( Fig. ), which can be a network controller, AP controller, etc.

[0051] The hardware processor 502 may be one or more central processing units (CPUs), semiconductor-based microprocessors, and / or other hardware devices capable of retrieving and executing instructions stored in the machine-readable storage medium 504. The hardware processor 502 may retrieve, decode, and execute instructions, such as instructions 506-512. Alternatively, or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, the hardware processor 502 may include one or more electronic circuits comprising electronic components for performing the functionality of one or more instructions, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other electronic circuitry.

[0052] A machine-readable storage medium, such as machine-readable storage medium 504, may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. For example, machine-readable storage medium 504 may be random access memory (RAM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disk, or the like. In some embodiments, machine-readable storage medium 504 may be a non-transitory storage medium, where the term "non-transitory" does not include transitory transmission signals. As described in detail below, machine-readable storage medium 504 may be encoded with executable instructions, such as instructions 506-512.

[0053] Hardware processor 502 may execute instruction 506 to scan all channels in its band. As mentioned above, any non-6 GHz radio (implemented in any AP) operating in an RF zone may perform a channel scan. An AP may perform the scan to allow the AP to tune the non-6 GHz radio (or one of its radios) to a different channel, detect sources of interference, rogue / ad-hoc Wi-Fi networks, other neighboring Wi-Fi networks, etc.

[0054] Hardware processor 502 may execute instruction 508 to create a scanned radio list as a result of the scan, in which the discovered non-6 GHz radios are ordered by signal strength, e.g., from strongest to weakest RSSI. As mentioned above, the non-6 GHz radio that performs this scan may be included in the scan list (one embodiment is the scanned radio table 400 ( Fig. ). This can be done in the case where the scanning non-6 GHz radio is collocated with a 6 GHz radio in an AP, so that when an intersection is determined between a parent 6 GHz radio list and the list of scanned radios (see below), each physically collocated 6 GHz radio is considered a near neighbor of the scanning non-6 GHz radio.

[0055] The hardware processor 502 may execute instruction 510 to determine the intersection between the list of scanned radios and a list of 6 GHz radio zone supersets. In some embodiments, the superset list (e.g., as superset table 310 ( Fig. ) A summary of all 6 GHz radios present in a zone that can be broadcast to all non-6 GHz radios (both collocated and non-collocated with a 6 GHz radio) in the zone. Determining the intersection of radios (radios identified in both the superset list and the scanned radio list) allows the scanning non-6 GHz radios to ultimately determine which of the identified 6 GHz radios in the RNR IE can be advertised to a non-6 GHz beacon for out-of-band discovery.

[0056] Hardware processor 502 may execute instruction 512 to store an output of the intersection determination as an ordered list of 6 GHz radios that are near neighbors of the scanned non-6 GHz radio (e.g., as the first ordered table of near neighbors of 6 GHz radios 410). Like the list of scanned radios discussed above, this ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios may be ordered from strongest RSSI to weakest RSSI. At this point, a first subset of 6 GHz radios that a given non-6 GHz radio can advertise to its beacon (in the RNR IE) is obtained, this first set being optimized from the point of view of identifying those non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that the scanning non-6 GHz radio can consider as near neighbors. ii. Identification of non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that can consider the given non-6 GHz radio as a near neighbor

[0057] Identifying non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that can consider a given non-6 GHz radio, e.g., the scanning non-6 GHz radio discussed in (i) above, as a near neighbor provides another optimization perspective that can complement the identification of non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the scanning non-6 GHz radio can consider as a near neighbor. That is, instead of scanning a given non-6 GHz radio for non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios, radios that can scan a given radio are identified, which can be considered the reverse of the first near neighbor determination described above.In this way, a scanned non-6 GHz radio can be identified as a near neighbor of the scanning AP's 6 GHz radio and treated as close enough for distance to the scanning AP's 6 GHz radio, that is, such that its signal strength is considered sufficiently strong to allow a client device to connect.

[0058] As described above, APs already perform periodic scans of their radios for neighborhood discovery. In accordance with some embodiments, this information may be derived from the non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios in an AP and added to the radio metric information forwarded to the controller, e.g., the AP controller. The information may be appended to the superset list or table of 6 GHz radios in the zone, e.g., superset table 310 ( Fig. by incorporating the scanned results for each of the non-6 GHz radios with the radio metric information provided to the controller by the 6 GHz radios in the zone. As before, these results are obtained by scanning the BSS and grouping on a radio-by-radio basis. The result can be presented in an updated (Superset Table 310) Superset Table 600, which is shown in Fig. is shown.

[0059] Now, for a particular non-6 GHz radio, the 6 GHz radios in the zone (which form the superset list, e.g., those radios listed in the superset table 310) whose collocated non-6 GHz radios were able to scan the particular non-6 GHz radio can be identified from the updated superset table 600 and, in turn, serve as supplemental data to the superset list of 6 GHz radios. In some embodiments, as in Fig. As shown, this addition of supplemental data can be accomplished by reorganizing the superset table 310 so that the superset table 310 is indexed by each non-6 GHz radio in a scan result field or column. The updated superset table 600 can be ordered by RSSI strength, and similar to the first ordered table of nearby 6 GHz radios 410, the updated superset table 600 also includes the given non-6 GHz radio, i.e., radio r(2,2).

[0060] That is, and continuing with the example above using the uncollocated non-6 GHz radio r(2,2) of the AP(2,2) in zone 300, the updated superset table 600 may include the 6 GHz radio superset, the corresponding radio metric information of each 6 GHz radio, an indication of the collocated non-6 GHz radio of each 6 GHz radio, and the (attached) scan results obtained by scanning for the particular non-6 GHz radio, in this case radio r(2,2).

[0061] As in Fig. As shown, from the perspective of a non-6 GHz radio, e.g., r(2,2), being scanned by a non-6 GHz radio collocated with a 6 GHz radio, it is determined that five non-6 GHz radios collocated with a 6 GHz radio can scan the radio r(2,2). Therefore, their collocated 6 GHz radios can be considered near neighbors of the scanning radio r(2,2). As a result, and as indicated by the second table 700 of the near neighbors of the 6 GHz radios shown in Fig. As shown, the near neighbors of the 6 GHz radios relative to r(2,2), ordered based on the RSSI at which their collocated non-6 GHz radios scan r(2,2), are as follows: R(1,2); R(2,3); R(2,0); R(1,1); and R(3,1). In other words, the second ordered table 700 of near 6 GHz radios reflects the near 6 GHz radios ordered by the perceived proximity of those APs that have scanned the given non-6 GHz radio r(2,2).

[0062] Fig. is a block diagram of an example computer component or device 800, such as a controller or an AP processor, according to one embodiment. The computer component 800 may, for example, be a computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 800 includes a hardware processor 802 and a machine-readable storage medium 804, similar to the computer component 500, the hardware processor 502, and the machine-readable storage medium 504. The machine-readable storage medium 804 may be encoded with executable instructions, for example, with instructions 806-812. In some embodiments, the computer component 800 may include an embodiment of the processor 210 ( Fig. or a computer component of the controller 104 ( Fig. ) be.

[0063] Hardware processor 802 may execute instruction 806 to scan all channels in its band. Also during this optimization phase, any non-6 GHz radio collocated with a 6 GHz radio in the RF zone may perform this scan to determine which collocated non-6 GHz radios are capable of detecting a particular non-6 GHz radio in the RF zone during their respective scans.

[0064] The hardware processor 802 may execute instruction 808 to create a list of scanned radios in which the discovered non-6 GHz radios are ordered by signal strength, ie, RSSI.

[0065] The hardware processor 802 may execute instruction 810 to share the list of scanned radios with the controller to generate a complementary list indexed by the scanned radios, where each radio "record" forming the complementary list comprises an ordered list of 6 GHz radios collocated with non-6 GHz radios that have scanned an index radio. It should be understood that the index radio refers to the radio that each collocated non-6 GHz radio discovers during its respective scanning process. In other words, an index radio can be considered a reference point or radio relative to which scanning is performed. With reference to the example described above, the index radio is radio r(2,2). It should be clear that the scanning radio, i.e. any collocated non-6 GHz radio, is itself included in the list of scanned radios.It should also be understood that in the control unit, any list of scanned radios shared by a collocated non-6 GHz radio may be collated, such that the resulting complementary list is an aggregated complementary list, again indexed and ordered by the “scanned radios.”

[0066] Back to Fig. For example, the collocated non-6 GHz radio r(0,0) detects the following radios when performing its scan: r(0,0); r(0,1); r(1,0); r(1,1). This means that from the perspective of radio r(0,0), each of these scanned radios is close enough to be considered neighboring radios / APs. Each collocated non-6 GHz radio results in scanned radios relative to that collocated non-6 GHz radio when performing a periodic scan. However, from the perspective of a specific non-6 GHz radio, the index radio, e.g., radio r(2,2), the collocated non-6 GHz radios that radio r(2,2) detects are only the following radios: r(1,1); r(1,2); r (2.0); 4 (2.3); and r (3.1).

[0067] The hardware processor 802 may execute instruction 812 to determine an intersection of the complementary list and the original superset list transmitted by the controller, the output of which is stored as a second ordered list of 6 GHz radios that represents those 6 GHz radios that are near neighbors of the index radio for each index radio. That is, and with reference to Fig. , which shows an example complementary list (as indicated above), represents a converted indexing. From the updated superset table 600, which maps the scanned radio to the list of scanned radios, a complementary list 610 can be derived that maps a scanned radio to the radios that performed the scanning to detect the scanned radio. Considering the given non-6 GHz radio r(2,2) sampled by r(1,2), r(2,3), r(2,0), r(1,1), and r(3,1), the intersection between this tuple and the superset table 310 yields the second ordered table of nearby 6 GHz radios ( Fig. . iii. Identification of non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the client devices of the respective non-6 GHz radio can consider as near neighbors

[0068] The aforementioned optimizations can be performed to capture the perspectives of the collocated non-6 GHz radios that a given non-6 GHz radio can consider as near neighbors, as well as the collocated non-6 GHz radios that the given radio can consider as near neighbors. According to this optimization mechanism, the radios that can be scanned by the client devices of a given non-6 GHz radio can now be identified. This information can then be used to create a third ordered list of 6 GHz radios to which the client devices (or any new client device) have a better chance of transitioning.It should be clear that this optimization mechanism can be considered similar to the optimization performed to detect the collocated non-6 GHz radios that a given radio may consider as near neighbors ((i)), except that the information about the scanned radios can be derived from the client devices associated with the given non-6 GHz radio, as opposed to the radio itself.

[0069] It should be understood that this scanning information provides a customer device's view of the RF zone from the perspective of the customer device and can be useful in scenarios where the customer devices for a given radio are not necessarily evenly distributed. This scanning information can also be useful in scenarios where the client devices additionally or alternatively prefer certain neighboring radios more than others. It should be understood that a client device may prefer a particular radio based on preferences implemented on the client device side, but can also be a function of RSSI and / or path loss measurements / information. In this way, a given non-6 GHz radio can identify the neighboring 6 GHz radios that may be preferred in terms of signal strength and path loss from the perspective of the client devices operating with the given non-6 GHz radio.

[0070] Like APs, client devices can perform periodic or non-periodic or one-time channel scans and maintain a list of radios ordered by signal strength, e.g., RSSI, similar to Table 400 for ordered scanned radios ( Fig. Client device scans can be performed to determine a suitable AP to which the client device can roam (now or in the future). These client device scans can be performed on a client device by periodically listening for beacons and probe responses (or other frames that can be used for scanning and discovery) over nearby channels. As previously described, a client device scan can be performed on all BSSs around the client device, but the results can also be grouped per radio.

[0071] In particular, a given non-6 GHz radio can request beacon reports from the client devices currently associated with that particular non-6 GHz radio, using standard or proprietary mechanisms (e.g., as defined in the 802.11k standard). It should be understood that a beacon report can provide information about all radios a client device has scanned in its vicinity and the respective signal strengths of those radios as seen / measured by the client device. From these beacon reports, which the non-6 GHz radio receives from all its associated client devices, the non-6 GHz radio can create an initial aggregated list of neighboring non-6 GHz radios. This initial aggregated list can be ordered by a metric that depends on the number of clients reporting the non-6 GHz radio and the corresponding RSSI measurement of the non-6 GHz radio from those client devices.Similar to the optimization processes mentioned above, an AP can determine the intersection between this aggregated list, known as aggregated table 900 (. Fig. and the superset table 310 ( Fig. The determined intersection can be used to derive or create a third ordered 6 GHz proximity list or table 910. This third ordered 6 GHz neighbor table 910 can be a list of those 6 GHz neighbor radios that are ordered or ranked according to the customer device's perceived proximity to the non-6 GHz radio under consideration.

[0072] Fig. shows an example of client-based scanning in zone 300, where radio r (2,2) is the given radio (or the candidate radio). As shown in Fig. As shown, radio r(2,2) may be the uncollocated non-6 GHz index radio. As described above, radio r(2,2) may receive beacon reports from one or more client devices associated with radio r(2,2), i.e., associated with an AP on that particular radio. The beacon reports from the client devices convey RSSI information from the perspective of each client device associated with radio r(2,2). In this example, the beacon reports from the client devices associated with radio r(2,2) show that, by periodically scanning, the client devices detect the following non-6 GHz radios in zone 300: r(2,3); r(2,1); r(1,2); r(3,2); r(1,1); r(2,0); r(3,3); r(3,1); r(0,3).

[0073]

[0071] Fig. shows a first aggregated table 900 representing the non-6 GHz radios detected by client devices in zone 300, ordered from the most frequent and strongest associated RSSI to the least frequent and weakest RSSI (in other words, by the RSSI reported by the client device and the number of client devices reporting the particular non-6 GHz radio in their respective beacon reports). Again, the given radio in this case is radio r(2,2), and AP(2,2) / radio r(2,2) can determine the intersection between the first aggregated table 900 and the superset table 310. The intersection of these data sets results in a third ordered table 910 of nearby 6 GHz radios, which reflects those 6 GHz radios in zone 300 that are considered to be near neighbors of radio r(2,2).The ranking mechanism used for the first aggregated table 900 can be used to rank the third ordered table 910 of nearby 6 GHz radios.

[0074] Fig. is a block diagram of an example computer component or device 1000, such as a controller or an AP processor, according to one embodiment. The computer component 1000 may, for example, be a computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 1000 includes a hardware processor 1002 and a machine-readable storage medium 1004, similar to the computer component 500, the hardware processor 502, and the machine-readable storage medium 504. The machine-readable storage medium 1004 may be encoded with executable instructions, for example, with instructions 1006-1014. In some embodiments, the computer component 1000 may include an embodiment of the controller 104 (or a computer component thereof) ( Fig. ), of the processor 210 ( Fig. etc.

[0075] Hardware processor 1002 may execute instruction 1006 to obtain beacon reports from each associated client device after each associated client device has scanned all channels in its band. As mentioned above, each non-6 GHz radio in a zone may receive beacon reports from the client devices associated with that non-6 GHz radio to determine the strength and frequency of detected RSSI associated with other non-6 GHz radios in the zone.

[0076] Hardware processor 1002 may execute instruction 1008 to create an ordered aggregated list of neighboring non-6 GHz radios based on the received beacon reports (e.g., the first main table 900). The order of the neighboring non-6 GHz radios included in the aggregated list may be based on the aforementioned relative frequency and strength of the RSSI measured by the client device.

[0077] The hardware processor 1002 may execute instruction 1010 to determine the intersection between the aggregated list and an original superset list (e.g., superset table 310 ( Fig. ) of 6 GHz radios in the zone received by a control unit. Intersection determination can be performed to identify those 6 GHz radios in the zone that are considered close neighbors of the specific radio from the perspective of the client devices connected to the specific radio. Again, the client devices in the zone may be unevenly distributed relative to the APs / radios within it, and the client devices may have different AP / radio preferences. This client-device-based optimization can account for this unevenness and AP / radio preferences.

[0078] Hardware processor 1002 may execute instruction 1012 to store the output of the determined intersection as an ordered list of 6 GHz radios that are near neighbors of the particular radio to which the client devices are connected (as indicated above). This ordered list may be a third ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios, which may be ordered from the most frequent and strongest RSSI to the least frequent and weakest RSSI. It should be noted that using the scan results from different client devices may result in some radios being scanned by many client devices with high RSSI, some by only a few client devices with high RSSI, some by many client devices with different RSSI values, etc. Accordingly, in various embodiments, the frequency and strength of RSSI allows for ranking the aggregated list based on what is heard and how often. iv. Identification of non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the customers of the non-6 GHz radio in question may consider as near neighbors

[0079] As described below, this approach to identifying non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that the client devices associated with a given non-6 GHz radio can consider as near neighbors complements the client-device-based optimization approach described above. That is, instead of client devices of the given non-6 GHz radio scanning for non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios, an attempt is made to identify APs that can scan these client devices associated with the given radio. This optimization approach aims to identify all collocated non-6 GHz radios in a zone that are capable of scanning the associated client devices of a given non-6 GHz radio in the zone.This allows the given non-6 GHz radio to be identified as the near neighbor of the scanning AP's 6 GHz radio based on the channel view derived from the other APs based on the client device transmissions. This optimization approach can be considered similar to optimization approach (ii) described above, which aims to identify the non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that can consider the given non-6 GHz radio as a near neighbor. The difference between the two approaches is that, in accordance with the previous radio-based optimization, the scanned information is derived from the specific radio in a zone, whereas in this client-device-based optimization approach, information can be derived from the client devices associated with a specific non-6 GHz radio.

[0080] Certain WLANs may leverage an existing mechanism where access control point radios are capable of scanning the search queries of all client devices in their vicinity. The information from the AP radios can be aggregated and sent to a controller. This mechanism can be used for any non-6 GHz radio to collect the RSSI information for all possible client devices in a network, regardless of whether the client devices are connected to a reference AP or not. The RSSI / signal strength information can be forwarded to the controller at specified intervals, such as in the form of periodic reports. The controller can aggregate these reports from these AP radios and create a second aggregated list or table, which can be indexed by a hash of the MAC address of each relevant client device.Each row in the second aggregated table contains the signal strength / RSSI and other parameters for each of the radios that identified the specific client device (via AP scanning). A subset of this table, called the virtual beacon report, is propagated to each AP and contains the information of its associated clients—that is, the radios in the zone that discovered all or a subset of the clients. This means that a controller can convert the second aggregated table into a transformed table, indexed by "scanned radios," which may contain a row of MAC addresses of client devices (some of which are associated with radio r(2,2)). These "rows" can be extracted by the control unit and sent to radio r(2,2), that is, to the aforementioned virtual beacon report.

[0081] Illustrated as an example Fig. a scenario in which AP (2,2) has a non-collocated non-6 GHz radio r (2,2). Although not shown for clarity, it should be understood that one or more client devices may be connected to AP (2,2) and, for example, operate on a channel provided by a non-6 GHz radio r (2,2). As also in Fig. As shown, the APs that can identify the one or more client devices by scanning include, in this particular example, AP(1,2), AP(2,3), and AP(3,1), where the APs are those that have non-6 GHz radios collocated with 6 GHz radios that can consider the identified / scanned client devices associated with AP(2,2) as close neighbors thereto.

[0082] Fig. shows an aggregated virtual beacon report table 1100 that represents all non-6 GHz radios in Zone 300 that, when scanned, detect or identify one or more client devices associated with an AP running an uncollocated non-6 GHz radio. As shown in Fig. As shown, the non-6 GHz radios in zone 300 that are capable of scanning / discovering client devices associated with AP (2,2) using information detected by radio r (2,2) include the following non-6 GHz radios: r (2,3); r (2,1); r (1,2); r (3,2); r (3,1). Again, radio r (2,2) can derive this information from virtual beacon reports received from other APs in the vicinity of AP (2,2) in which radio r (2,2) is implemented. The aggregated virtual beacon report table 1100 can be ordered, similar to the first aggregate table 900, by frequency and strength of RSSI measured by client devices.

[0083] As with the first aggregated table 900, the radio may determine the intersection between the aggregated virtual beacon report table 1100 and the superset table 310 ( Fig. This intersection determination can be performed to determine those of the identified non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with a 6 GHz radio. In this case, these collocated non-6 GHz radios are radio r (2,3), radio r (1,2), and radio r (3,1). As in Fig. As shown, a resulting fourth ordered list or table 1110 of the 6 GHz nearby radios contains the corresponding 6 GHz radios collocated with radio r(2,3), radio r(1,2), and radio r(3,1), i.e., the 6 GHz radios R(2,3), R(1,2), and R(3,1). As can also be seen, the fourth ordered table 1110 of the 6 GHz nearby radios can be ordered based on the same ranking as established for the aggregated virtual beacon report table 1100 of FIG. In addition, the fourth ordered table 1110 of the nearby 6 GHz radios may include the associated radio metric information associated with each of the identified 6 GHz radios that are considered to be near neighbors of the particular radio r(2,2).

[0084] Fig. is a block diagram of an example computer component or device 1200, such as an AP processor, according to one embodiment. The computer component 1200 may, for example, be a computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 1200 includes a hardware processor 1202 and a machine-readable storage medium 1204, similar to, for example, the computer component 500, 800, or 1000, the hardware processor 502, 802, 1002, and the machine-readable storage medium 504, 804, 1004. The machine-readable storage medium 1204 may be encoded with executable instructions, for example, with instructions 1206-1214. In some embodiments, the computer component 1200 may include an embodiment of a controller, such as controller 104 ( Fig. ), an AP processor, such as processor 210 ( Fig. , etc.

[0085] Hardware processor 1202 may execute instruction 1206 to receive from a controller an ordered list representing collocated non-6 GHz radios in a zone that are capable of scanning a client device associated with a particular radio in a zone. It should be understood that any non-6 GHz radio collocated with a 6 GHz radio in the zone may scan all channels in its operating band to identify all client devices, regardless of whether they are associated with the non-6 GHz radio. Each of these non-6 GHz radios may forward the scan results to a controller. As described above, the controller may summarize or aggregate the scan results received from each of the collocated non-6 GHz radios and create an ordered list or table indexed by the scanned client devices.Each row can contain an ordered list (ordered by RSSI) of the non-6 GHz radios that have scanned the client device in that row (index-client). The control unit can further pass to each non-6 GHz radio a subset of the ordered list corresponding to the one or more client devices associated with each particular non-6 GHz radio—that is, a "virtual" beacon report along with a count of the client devices for which it is reported. This can be converted into an ordered list of non-6 GHz radios, so the ordering can be based on the associated RSSI frequency and RSSI strength.

[0086] Hardware processor 1202 may execute instruction 1208 to determine an intersection between the ordered list (relevant with respect to the one or more client devices associated with a particular non-6 GHz radio) and an original superset list of 6 GHz radios in the zone. As described above, the intersection may identify those 6 GHz radios that are collocated with the non-6 GHz radios identified in the relevant ordered list, since these 6 GHz radios may be considered near neighbors to the particular radio.

[0087] Accordingly, the hardware processor 1202 may execute instructions to store an output reflecting the determined intersection as an ordered list of 6 GHz radios in the zone that are in close proximity to the particular radio. Again, the ordering may be defined based on the RSSI frequency and RSSI strength measured from the perspective of one or more clients connected to the particular radio.

[0088] It should be understood that in some scenarios, it is possible that two non-6 GHz radios that have equivalent RSSIs (as determined in accordance with one or more of the optimization approaches above) may have different RSSIs for a corresponding collocated 6 GHz radio because the 6 GHz radios may have different transmit power. In such a scenario, various embodiments may weight the measured RSSIs differently (e.g., based on a ratio of the power of a 6 GHz radio to the power of a non-6 GHz radio). These weighted RSSIs normalize the power difference between the non-6 GHz radios and the 6 GHz radios and can be used as a metric by which the radios are ranked. III. Combining ordered lists of neighboring 6-GHz radios for a given non-6-GHz radio

[0089] As mentioned above, the asymmetric nature of wireless links, the preferences of client devices, etc., can lead to different information about a radio's characteristics / states depending on how / from which perspective information about or in association with a radio is obtained. Furthermore, scanning can be considered a best-effort procedure that may be limited by the duration of a scan, channel conditions, the probability of detecting frames, etc. Accordingly, the four optimization approaches mentioned above make it possible to construct ordered or pre-ordered lists of neighboring 6-GHz radios that can be considered exactly (or as accurately as possible) to be closest to a given non-6-GHz radio.It should be clear that each of the optimization approaches described above for determining neighboring 6 GHz radios can be repeated for each non-6 GHz radio in a given zone. The final result includes four different rankings of the closest 6 GHz radios to a given AP / radio relative to each non-6 GHz radio in the zone.

[0090] In some embodiments, the ranking of each 6 GHz radio identified or represented in a table or list of nearby 6 GHz radios may be normalized or weighted. For example, each identified 6 GHz radio may be assigned in a particular ordered list or table of nearby 6 GHz radios relative to its originally determined ranking (per RSSI strength and reporting frequency) and depending on how many 6 GHz radios were identified in a particular list. Figure 13 shows a set of four ordered tables of near neighbors of 6 GHz radios (where the given radio is r(2,2), according to the examples above). A first ordered table of nearby 6 GHz radios 1300 may contain four identified 6 GHz radios, i.e., R(1,2), R(2,3), R(1,1), R(3,1).Although a person skilled in the art could apply various normalization or weighting techniques, in this particular example, as described above, each 6 GHz radio can be assigned a value between 0 and 100, depending on the number of 6 GHz radios present in the list. In the first ordered table of 6 GHz radios near 1300, four 6 GHz radios appear, and so the normalized rank corresponds to R(1,2) with a rank of 100, R(2,3) with a rank of 75, R(1,1) with a rank of 50, and R(3,1) with a rank of 25, the numerical rank value. Normalized ranks in the second ordered list of 6 GHz radios near 1302 can be distributed among the five identified 6 GHz radios, resulting in rated ranks corresponding to 100, 80, 60, 40, and 20 (multiples of five).The same weighting or normalization may be applied to each of the 6 GHz radios appearing in the third and fourth ordered 6 GHz radio tables 1304 and 1306, respectively.

[0091] As also in Fig. As shown, each set of ordered lists or tables of nearby 6 GHz radios may be combined into a final ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios, e.g., list 1308. In accordance with the particular normalization scheme described above, in some embodiments, each 6 GHz radio identified in each of the ordered lists of neighboring 6 GHz radios may be assigned a final normalized rank. For example, the average rank for each 6 GHz radio may be determined (for those radios that appear multiple times in the set of ordered lists of nearby neighbor 6 GHz radios), e.g., radio R(2,3) may have normalized ranks of 75, 80, 100, and 100. The average or mean rank assigned to radio R (2,3) in the final table 1308 of ranked 6 GHz radios can then be 89 (75 + 80 + 100 + 100 / 4 = 88.75).If a particular radio does not appear (has not been identified in a particular ordered list of nearby 6 GHz radios), that radio may be assigned a normalized weight / rank of 0. Again, it should be understood that the final table of ordered nearby 6 GHz radios, e.g. B. Table 1308, is only one of several tables / lists (relating to a specific radio, in this case R(2,2)) that can be generated or derived. Thus, each non-6 GHz radio in a zone has an associated definitive list of nearby 6 GHz radios, reflecting those 6 GHz radios that can be advertised in the RNR IE of a specific non-6 GHz radio, where the non-6 GHz radio may not necessarily be physically co-located with a 6 GHz radio (unlike the 802.11ax standard). It should be noted that averaging is only one approach.In other embodiments, weighted schemes may be used that favor the results / use of one or more of the aforementioned optimization approaches (i-iv). IV. Determination of the 6 GHz radio equipment that can be advertised in the RNR-IE of the designated non-6 GHz radio equipment

[0092] As mentioned above, the final ordered nearby 6 GHz radios table 1308 provides a specific non-6 GHz radio in the RF zone and a list of preferred 6 GHz radios that the non-6 GHz radio can advertise. This final ordered table, or nearby 6 GHz radios list, was derived based on the visibility between these radios and their corresponding client devices. However, the 6 GHz radio metrics corresponding to these radios are not necessarily in order of rank. For example, radio R (2,3) may have the highest normalized rank, but its radio metric (denoted as m6) is only the second-highest of the other radio metrics.

[0093] In some embodiments, the radios to be advertised may initially be selected based on their ability to meet the near neighbor criteria from the final table of 6 GHz radios in the ordered neighborhood. For example, if the rank criteria are greater than 50, only radios R(2,3) (with a radio metric of m6) and R(1,2) (with a radio metric of m4) are eligible and considered the most preferred radios. However, these two radios may have different workloads, so in different embodiments, the threshold for a final normalized ranking determination regarding which 6 GHz radios can be considered near neighbors may depend on a particular implementation. The term "workload" as used herein may refer to the radios' metric information / values.That is, even if the non-6 GHz radio ranks R(2,3) higher than R(1,2), it may still be desirable to advertise R(2,3) to R(2,2) in the same way as R(1,2).

[0094] According to some embodiments, a goal may be to maximize the radio metric for the 6 GHz radios considered to be the nearest near neighbors of the particular non-6 GHz radio. To achieve this, the advertising RNR IE may include information about the 6 GHz radio with the lower radio metric within this subset. This provides the benefit of load balancing among the 6 GHz radios, as client devices connect directly to them. This also minimizes the need for subsequent routing of the client devices. Thus, according to various embodiments, if the radio metric m4 is smaller than the radio metric m6, the radio metric information of the 6 GHz radio R(1,2) may be included in the RNR IEs of the non-6 GHz radio r(2,2) on AP(2,2) until the radio metric information is updated and the metrics or neighborhood rankings change.

[0095] In cases where there is more than one neighboring 6 GHz radio with similar radio data, the selection of radios for populating the RNR IE (to be advertised) can alternate between these neighboring 6 GHz radios with similar radio data. This can allow a network to maintain a balanced load among the 6 GHz radios. Thus, if the radio metrics m4 and m6 are equivalent, the radio metric information from R(1,2) and R(2,3) is alternately included in the RNR IE of the non-6 GHz radio r(2,2) on AP(2,2) until the information is updated and the metrics or neighborhood ranking changes.

[0096] Fig. is a block diagram of an exemplary computer component or device 1400, such as an AP processor, e.g., processor 210 ( Fig. or controller 104 according to one embodiment. The computer component 1400 may, for example, be a computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 1400 includes a hardware processor 1402 and a machine-readable storage medium 1404, similar to, for example, the computer component 500, 800, or 1000, the hardware processor 502, 802, 1002, and the machine-readable storage medium 504, 804, 1004. The machine-readable storage medium 1404 may be encoded with executable instructions, for example, with instructions 1406-1412.

[0097] Hardware processor 1402 may execute instruction 1406 to receive, at a non-6 GHz radio in a zone, the aggregated 6 GHz radio metrics transmitted by a control unit, wherein the radio metrics are collected from each 6 GHz radio in the zone. As described above, in accordance with some embodiments, an initial operation that ultimately results in the indication of 6 GHz radios by non-6 GHz radios may include defining a metric that describes the state of a particular 6 GHz radio in a zone. This metric provides a way to compare radios to each other, i.e., the metric may be used to qualify the 6 GHz radio and compare it to another 6 GHz radio. This metric may be calculated by the 6 GHz radio for all of its BSSs.

[0098] Hardware processor 1402 may execute instruction 1408 to identify neighboring 6 GHz radios for each of the non-6 GHz radios in the zone in accordance with any of a variety of near-neighbor optimization mechanisms. As mentioned above, a summary of all 6 GHz radios (implemented as part of one or more APs) in a zone of mixed AP deployment, along with their corresponding radio metric information and their associated collocated non-6 GHz radio, may be communicated to a controller, which may then distribute the summary (e.g., a superset list) to each non-6 GHz radio in the zone. Once each non-6 GHz radio in the zone receives or is provided with a copy of the 6 GHz radio superset list, a subset of 6 GHz radios that are "near neighbors" of a particular non-6 GHz radio may ultimately be determined.

[0099] Hardware processor 1402 may execute instruction 1410 to combine ordered lists of neighboring 6 GHz radios for the non-6 GHz radio, where the non-6 GHz radio includes a particular candidate radio. As described above, a first optimization approach may be to identify the non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that a particular non-6 GHz radio may consider a near neighbor. A second optimization approach may be complementary to the first optimization approach, wherein the non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios in the zone that may consider the given non-6 GHz radio to be a near neighbor may be identified.A third optimization approach may identify those non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that client devices of the particular non-6 GHz radio may consider a near neighbor. A fourth optimization approach, complementary to the third optimization, may involve identifying those non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with 6 GHz radios that client devices of the particular non-6 GHz radio may consider a near neighbor.

[0100] Hardware processor 1402 may execute instruction 1412 to determine a 6 GHz radio that may be advertised by the non-6 GHz radio. Again, each set of ordered lists or tables of nearby 6 GHz radios, created according to each of the four optimization approaches for each non-6 GHz radio in a zone, may be normalized and combined to determine those 6 GHz radios that should preferably be advertised by each non-6 GHz radio.

[0101] It should be clear that advertising 6 GHz radios in the manner described can be a valuable improvement for traditional WLAN systems, as client devices would be willing to migrate to 6 GHz channels whenever possible to take advantage of the cleaner, less congested, and wider channels in this band. Given the higher costs of developing tri-radio APs, various embodiments also allow non-6 GHz APs (dual-band APs) to participate in 6 GHz out-of-band detection and provide added value in 6 GHz load optimization.

[0102] Fig.shows a block diagram of an example computer system 1500 in which various embodiments described herein may be implemented. Computer system 1500 includes a bus 1502 or other communication mechanism for conveying information, and one or more hardware processors 1504 connected to bus 1502 for processing information. For example, hardware processor(s) 1504 may be one or more general-purpose microprocessors.

[0103] Computer system 1500 also includes main memory 1506, such as random access memory (RAM), a cache, and / or other dynamic storage devices, connected to bus 1502 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 1504. Main memory 1506 may also be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by processor 1504. When such instructions are stored in storage media accessible to processor 1504, computer system 1500 becomes a special-purpose machine adapted to perform the operations specified in the instructions.

[0104] Computer system 1500 also includes a read-only memory (ROM) 1508 or other static storage device connected to bus 1502 for storing static information and instructions for processor 1504. A storage device 1510, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a USB flash drive, etc., is provided and connected to bus 1502 for storing information and instructions.

[0105] In general, the word "component," "system," "database," and the like, as used herein, may refer to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions that may have entry and exit points and may be written in a programming language such as Java, C, or C++. A software component may be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in a dynamic link library, or written in an interpreted programming language such as BASIC, Perl, or Python. It is understood that software components may be callable by other components or by themselves, and / or may be called in response to detected events or interrupts. Software components configured to run on computing devices may be embodied on a computer-readable medium, such as a hard disk.a compact disc, digital video disc, flash drive, magnetic disk, or other tangible medium, or as a digital download (and may be originally stored in a compressed or installable format that requires installation, decompression, or decryption before execution). Such software code may be stored partially or entirely in a memory of the executing computing device so that it can be executed by the computing device. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. In addition, the hardware components may consist of interconnected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and / or programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors.

[0106] Computer system 1500 may implement the techniques described herein using custom hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware, and / or program logic that, in combination with the computer system, makes or programs computer system 1500 into a special-purpose machine. According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein are performed by computer system 1500 in response to processor(s) 1504 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions in main memory 1506. Such instructions may be read into main memory 1506 from another storage medium, such as storage device 1510. Execution of the instruction sequences contained in main memory 1506 causes processor(s) 1504 to perform the process steps described herein.In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuits may be used instead of or in combination with software instructions.

[0107] The term "non-volatile media" and similar terms as used herein refer to any media that stores data and / or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a particular manner. Such non-volatile media may include non-volatile media and / or volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 1510. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 1506. Common forms of non-volatile media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, solid-state drives, magnetic tape or other magnetic data storage media, CD-ROMs, other optical data storage media, physical media with hole patterns, RAM, PROM and EPROM, FLASH EPROM, NVRAM, other memory chips or cartridges, and networked versions thereof.

[0108] Non-transitory media are distinct from transmission media but can be used in conjunction with them. Transmission media are involved in the transfer of information between non-transitory media. Examples of transmission media include coaxial cable, copper wire, and fiber optic cable, including the wires that make up bus 1502. Transmission media can also take the form of sound or light waves, such as those generated in data communications via radio and infrared.

[0109] As used herein, the term "or" can be interpreted both inclusively and exclusively. Furthermore, descriptions of resources, acts, or structures in the singular should not be construed as excluding the plural. Conditional expressions such as "may," "could," "might," or "may," unless expressly stated otherwise or understood by context, are generally understood to imply that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not.

[0110] The terms and expressions used in this document, as well as variations thereof, are to be understood as open-ended, not limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise. As examples of the foregoing, the term "including" is to be understood as "including, without limitation" or similar. The term "example" is used to provide exemplary examples of the subject matter under discussion, not to create an exhaustive or limiting list. The terms "a" or "an" are to be understood as "at least one," "one or more," or similar. The presence of broader words and expressions such as "one or more," "at least," "but not limited to," or similar expressions in some cases should not be understood to imply that the narrower case is intended or required where such broader expressions are not present.

Claims

[1] A method for identifying near neighbor non-6 GHz radios in a radio frequency (RF) zone (300) of a wireless local area network (WLAN) over which one or more 6 GHz radios in the WLAN can be advertised for out-of-band detection, the method comprising: identifying a first set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with a first set of 6 GHz radios that a particular non-6 GHz radio considers to be near neighbors; identifying a second set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with a second set of 6 GHz radios that consider the particular non-6 GHz radio to be a near neighbor; identifying a third set of non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with a third set of 6 GHz radios that consider client devices of the particular non-6 GHz radio to be near neighbors; and identifying a fourth set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with a fourth set of 6 GHz radios that consider client devices of the particular non-6 GHz radio to be near neighbors; based on identifying the first, second, third, and fourth sets of non-6 GHz radios, creating, by an access point (AP) controller in the WLAN, an ordered list of near-neighbor 6 GHz radios in which the 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300) for the particular non-6 GHz radio are ranked; and Distributing the ordered list of near neighbor 6 GHz radios by the AP controller to the designated non-6 GHz radio. [2] The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sets of non-6 GHz radios comprise respective subsets of all non-6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300). [3] The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sets of 6 GHz radios comprise respective subsets of all 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300). [4] The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first set of non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with the first set of 6 GHz radios and that the particular non-6 GHz radio considers a near neighbor comprises scanning, by an AP that includes the particular non-6 GHz radio, all channels in its operating band. [5] The method of claim 4 further comprising creating a list of scanned radios in which discovered non-6 GHz radios are ordered by signal strength. [6] The method of claim 5 further comprising determining an intersection between the list of scanned radios and a 6 GHz radio superset list. [7] The method of claim 6, further comprising storing an output of the intersection determination as a first ordered list of near neighbor 6 GHz radios, wherein the first ordered list of near neighbor 6 GHz radios comprises the first set of 6 GHz radios. [8] The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with the second set of 6 GHz radios that consider the particular non-6 GHz radio to be a near neighbor comprises deriving an ordered complementary list indexed by the scanned radios. [9] The method of claim 8, wherein the ordered complementary list indicates scanning radios that have scanned one of the indexed scanned radios. [10] The method of claim 9 further comprising determining an intersection between a particular one of the indexed scanned radios and an original superset of 6 GHz radios. [11] The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sets of non-6 GHz radios are either physically or logically collocated with the respective first, second, third, and fourth sets of 6 GHz radios. [12] The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the third set of non-6 GHz radios physically collocated with the third set of 6 GHz radios that client devices of the particular non-6 GHz radio consider to be near neighbors comprises obtaining beacon reports from each client device associated with an AP that includes the particular non-6 GHz radio, each client device scanning all channels in a respective operating band. [13] The method of claim 12 further comprising creating an ordered aggregated list of neighboring non-6 GHz radios based on the beacon report. [14] The method of claim 13 further comprising determining an intersection between the ordered aggregated list and an original superset of 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300). [15] The method of claim 14, further comprising storing an output of the determined intersection as an ordered list of 6 GHz radios determined to be near neighbors of the determined non-6 GHz radio, wherein the ordered list of 6 GHz radios comprises the third set of 6 GHz radios. [16] The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the fourth set of non-6 GHz radios physically collocated with the fourth set of 6 GHz radios that client devices of the particular non-6 GHz radio consider to be near neighbors comprises receiving, at an AP, an ordered list reflecting collocated non-6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300) that are capable of scanning a client device associated with the particular non-6 GHz radio. [17] The method of claim 16 further comprising determining an intersection between a relevant subset of the ordered list and an original superset of 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300). [18] The method of claim 17 further comprising storing an output reflecting the determined intersection as an ordered list of 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300) that are near neighbors of the determined non-6 GHz radio, wherein the ordered list of 6 GHz radios comprises the fourth set of 6 GHz radios. [19] The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating the identification of the first, second, third and fourth sets of non-6 GHz radios from respective perspectives of all other non-6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300). [20] An access point (AP) (200) operating in a wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising: a first non-6 GHz radio, wherein the AP does not include a 6 GHz radio; a processor (210); and a memory unit containing computer code that, when executed, causes the processor to perform a method for identifying nearby neighbor non-6 GHz radios in a radio frequency (RF) zone (300) of the WLAN over which one or more 6 GHz radios in the WLAN may be advertised for out-of-band discovery, the method comprising: identifying a first set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with a first set of 6 GHz radios that a first non-6 GHz radio considers to be near neighbors; identifying a second set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with a second set of 6 GHz radios that consider the first non-6 GHz radio to be a near neighbor; Identifying a third set of non-6 GHz radios that are collocated with a third set of 6 GHz radios that consider client devices of the first non-6 GHz radio to be near neighbors; and identifying a fourth set of non-6 GHz radios collocated with a fourth set of 6 GHz radios that consider client devices of the first non-6 GHz radio to be near neighbors; based on identifying the first, second, third, and fourth sets of non-6 GHz radios, creating an ordered list of near neighbor 6 GHz radios in which the 6 GHz radios in the RF zone (300) for the first non-6 GHz radio are ranked; and Announcing a 6 GHz radio in the RF zone (300) according to the ordered list of near neighbor 6 GHz radios in at least one of a beacon and a probe response from the first non-6 GHz radio.

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