REGULATION CONFORMITY FOR BROADBAND WIFI RECEPTION MEASUREMENTS

Abstract

Examples: Checking for a higher bandwidth than the WLAN channel an AP is currently operating on, before temporarily increasing the WLAN channel to the higher bandwidth to serve Wi-Fi range requests with improved precision.An example access point can: (1) while performing non-ranging Wi-Fi operations, check for regulatory-compliant traffic over a first-bandwidth WLAN channel to determine if a second-bandwidth is free of priority traffic, where the second-bandwidth is wider than the first-bandwidth; (2) in response to receiving a Wi-Fi distance request and determining that the second-bandwidth is free of priority traffic, modify the WLAN channel from the first-bandwidth to the second-bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi distance request; and (3) after completing the service of the Wi-Fi distance request, reset the WLAN channel to the first-bandwidth to perform non-distance-measuring Wi-Fi operations.

Description

background

[0001] A computer network (sometimes referred to simply as a "network") can comprise a variety of network devices (e.g., access points, controllers, gateways, switches, etc.) that perform various network operations. For example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) can include a variety of access points (APs) that perform network operations such as providing network access, performing authentication, and forwarding network traffic to establish connectivity. Client devices (e.g., laptops, PCs, smartphones, etc.) connect to network devices to exchange data with the network. Network devices and client devices can be examples of wireless communication devices that exchange wireless communication signals over a network.

[0002] The IEEE 802.11 standards define several different radio frequency (RF) ranges (sometimes referred to here as frequency bands) for use in wireless communication. Examples of existing frequency bands are the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. A 6 GHz band is currently under development. A frequency band can be divided into multiple wireless channels. These channels can have different bandwidths (e.g., 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, or 160 MHz).

[0003] Typically, enterprise WLAN deployments use lower-bandwidth WLAN channels (usually 20 MHz or 40 MHz), especially in densely populated environments. These lower-bandwidth channels can minimize interference, enable spatial reuse, improve spectrum efficiency, and reduce negative impacts on the performance of neighboring access points. Using lower-bandwidth WLAN channels can also provide a greater number of available channels and better coverage, particularly in dense enterprise WLAN deployments.

[0004] The term "home channel" used here for an access point (AP) can refer to a WLAN channel over which the AP is configured to perform common enterprise functions (e.g., forwarding traffic, delivering high-priority traffic, providing enterprise services, maintaining connected client devices, scanning the network, etc.). As previously mentioned, in typical enterprise WLAN deployments, home channels for APs are preconfigured for narrow bandwidths (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz). Brief description of the drawings

[0005] The present disclosure is described in detail in accordance with one or more different examples with reference to the following illustrations. The illustrations are for illustrative purposes only and show only examples. Fig. This shows an example of a network deployment in which various examples of the technology presented here can be implemented. Fig. We show an example of a method for performing compliant Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved precision according to various examples of the currently disclosed technology. Fig. shows an example of a procedure for carrying out a compliant traffic control in accordance with various examples of the currently disclosed technology. Fig. shows an example of a computer system that can be used to perform compliant Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved precision, in accordance with various examples of the currently disclosed technology. Fig. shows an example of a computer system that can be used to perform Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved precision, in accordance with various examples of currently disclosed technology. Fig. shows a block diagram of an exemplary computer system in which various examples described here can be implemented.

[0006] The illustrations are not exhaustive and do not limit the present disclosure to the exact form that is disclosed. Detailed description

[0007] Wi-Fi distance measurements (e.g., Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) operations) allow wireless communication devices (e.g., client devices and access points) to estimate their distance from each other. For example, Wi-Fi distance measurements allow a Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator (i.e., a wireless communication device, such as a client device or an access point that wants to locate itself) to determine its distance from Wi-Fi distance measurement responders (i.e., other wireless communication devices, such as access points, that perform Wi-Fi distance measurements with the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator) by measuring the travel time of wireless communication signals transmitted between the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator and the responder(s).Since Wi-Fi distance measurement responders typically have known / static locations, the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator can estimate its location / position within a network based on distance estimates derived from the Wi-Fi distance measurements. One example of Wi-Fi distance measurement is fine timing measurement (FTM). In accordance with FTM, an FTM initiator (i.e., a wireless communication device, such as a client device or an access point (AP) that wants to locate itself using FTM positioning techniques) can send one or more distance requests to initiate one or more FTM sessions with one or more FTM responders (i.e., other wireless communication devices, such as APs, that perform FTM positioning techniques with the FTM initiator). During FTM sessions, FTM messages can be exchanged between the FTM initiator and the FTM responder(s).The FTM initiator (and / or the FTM responder(s)) can use FTM message exchange to determine the time of arrival (TOA), round-trip time (RTT), or time-to-arrival time difference (TDOA) for wireless communication signals carrying the FTM messages. The FTM initiator (and / or the FTM responder(s)) can use the RTT, TOA, and TDOA information to determine the distance(s) between the FTM initiator and the FTM responder(s). These distances, in combination with known / static locations of the FTM responder(s), can be used to estimate the position / location of the FTM initiator.

[0008] An access point allocates compute resources and time slots to handle Wi-Fi distance measurement requests (i.e., to perform Wi-Fi distance measurement operations). If the access point receives additional Wi-Fi distance measurement requests, it may consume additional compute resources and time slots to process these requests. This can increase the access point's processing load and negatively impact its traffic handling performance. Therefore, it can be beneficial to improve the balance between using AP resources for Wi-Fi measurement and non-measurement Wi-Fi operations (e.g., providing enterprise services, serving connected client devices, delivering high-priority traffic, scanning the network, etc.).On the other hand, it can also be advantageous to optimally serve Wi-Fi data collection requirements in order to increase the accuracy of position / location measurements.

[0009] In general, Wi-Fi distance measurements are more accurate when performed over higher-bandwidth WLAN channels (e.g., 80 MHz, 160 MHz, etc.). For example, many wireless communication devices can achieve a precision error of less than one meter when performing Wi-Fi distance measurements over 80 MHz WLAN channels. This error can increase dramatically when Wi-Fi distance measurements are performed over lower-bandwidth WLAN channels (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz). This can be a problem in enterprise WLAN deployments, which typically use lower-bandwidth WLAN channels (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz) to optimize Wi-Fi capacity / coverage, minimize interference between neighboring access points, and so on.

[0010] To better balance the competing interests described above, which are associated with handling Wi-Fi distance requests in enterprise WLAN deployments, examples of currently disclosed technology offer access points (and related methods) that temporarily / selectively increase the bandwidth of an access point's home channel to more accurately handle Wi-Fi distance requests. When no Wi-Fi distance measurements are being taken (i.e., when an access point is not performing Wi-Fi distance measurements), the access point's home channel can be reset to the lower bandwidths preferred in dense enterprise networks, thereby optimizing Wi-Fi capacity / coverage and minimizing interference between neighboring access points.In this context, the techniques presented here can also enable the access point (AP) to utilize the RF spectrum efficiently by using different channel bandwidths for performing Wi-Fi ranging and non-ranging Wi-Fi operations (e.g., providing enterprise services, serving connected client devices, delivering high-priority traffic, scanning the network, etc.). This allows for a balanced distribution of the AP's RF spectrum and computing resources. Because the examples increase the bandwidth of the AP's home channel to handle Wi-Fi ranging requests—as opposed to switching to a different, higher-bandwidth Wi-Fi channel to fulfill Wi-Fi ranging requests—the examples can prevent or reduce the loss of transmit time or connection loss associated with an (unnecessary) Wi-Fi channel change.

[0011] However, communication over specific WLAN channels requires an access point (AP) to perform a regulatory traffic check before conducting any operations on those WLAN channels. A regulatory traffic check can confirm, for a specified time interval, that a WLAN channel is free of traffic that has priority over other wireless communications on that WLAN channel (i.e., "priority traffic"). Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), for example, is a channel allocation scheme for Wi-Fi designed to prevent interference with radar communications (i.e., a prime example of traffic prioritized for DFS channels) over DFS channels (i.e., WLAN channels in the 5 GHz frequency band designated for DFS). Thus, various countries have DFS-related regulations requiring an AP to automatically switch channels / frequencies when radar (e.g., Doppler weather radar) is detected.In this context, DFS regulations generally require an access point (AP) to perform a DFS Channel Availability Check (CAC), which confirms that no radar is present on a DFS channel for a period of time specified in the regulations (e.g., 60 seconds) before operating on that DFS channel. If the APs' home channels are DFS channels, existing APs generally perform such DFS CACs for the preconfigured bandwidths of their home channels. For example, an AP operating in an enterprise WLAN with 20 MHz bandwidth DFS channels would perform a DFS CAC for the preconfigured 20 MHz bandwidth of its home (DFS) channel. It's important to understand that DFS CACs are just one example of the traffic checks required by the regulations to determine that no priority traffic is present on a WLAN channel (e.g., radar).for a prescribed time interval) before Wi-Fi operations are performed over the WLAN channel. For example, the 6 GHz standard may use an analogous regulatory-compliant traffic check that confirms that no established priority traffic (i.e., a specific example of priority traffic for unlicensed 6 GHz channels) exists on an unlicensed 6 GHz channel (e.g., for a regulation-specific time interval) before Wi-Fi operations are performed over the unlicensed 6 GHz channel.

[0012] The conventional, compliant traffic check described above would be insufficient if an access point (AP) temporarily increases its home channel bandwidth (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to meet a Wi-Fi distance requirement, as is the case in the examples of the currently disclosed technology. For instance, a DFS-CAC performed on an AP's preconfigured 20 MHz home channel (DFS) bandwidth cannot detect radar in a wider 80 MHz bandwidth. Furthermore, changing the home channel to the wider bandwidth (e.g., increasing the home channel from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) and subsequently performing a DFS CAC on the wider bandwidth can cause the AP to operate on the wider bandwidth longer than necessary while performing the DFS CAC—in some cases, not even confirming that the wider bandwidth is free of radar.If the access point (AP) operates at the higher bandwidth for longer than necessary, this can negatively impact its performance in a dense enterprise WLAN where operating at a lower bandwidth is preferable. In this context, the time required for the AP to complete the bandwidth upgrade, perform DFS-CAC at the higher bandwidth (which can take more than 60 seconds), and then handle the Wi-Fi ranging request can exceed the AP's beacon interval. In this case, the potentially missed transmission of a beacon frame can negatively affect the performance of the AP's enterprise functions.

[0013] Against this background, in accordance with the currently disclosed technology, an access point (AP) performs regulatory traffic checks for a wider bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz) than its current / preconfigured home channel bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz) before temporarily increasing the home channel to the wider bandwidth (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to serve a Wi-Fi range request with improved precision. For example, the AP may: (1) while performing non-ranging Wi-Fi operations, conduct a regulatory check (e.g., a DFS CAC) over a WLAN channel with a first bandwidth to determine if a second bandwidth is free of priority traffic (e.g.,(1) in response to receiving a Wi-Fi ranging request (e.g., radar), where the second bandwidth is wider than the first bandwidth (in various examples, a dedicated AP antenna may repeatedly perform regulatory compliance checks); (2) in response to receiving a Wi-Fi distance request (e.g., a distance request to initiate an FTM session) and determining that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic (e.g., free of radar), modify the Wi-Fi channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi distance request (e.g., to conduct an FTM session); and (3) after completing the service of the Wi-Fi distance request, reset the Wi-Fi channel back to the first bandwidth to perform non-distance-measuring Wi-Fi operations. Accordingly, the AP may perform Wi-Fi distance measurements over Wi-Fi channels (e.g., radar).DFS channels), where data traffic must be checked for compliance with regulations before transmission over WLAN channels, can be performed with improved precision.

[0014] As previously mentioned, conducting proper traffic tests for a wider bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz) than an access point's current / preconfigured home channel bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz) before temporarily increasing the home channel (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to the wider bandwidth can reduce the time the access point operates over the wider bandwidth, thereby improving performance for the access point's out-of-range (i.e., enterprise) Wi-Fi functions. Reducing the time the access point operates over the wider bandwidth to perform Wi-Fi ranging-related operations can also decrease the likelihood of the access point missing a beacon frame, which can also improve the performance of the access point's out-of-range (i.e., enterprise) Wi-Fi operations.In this context, an access point (AP) of the technology presented here, capable of splitting chains / antennas, can dedicate a single chain / antenna to repeatedly perform the required traffic check for the wider bandwidth, allowing the AP's remaining chains / antennas to devote their resources to business functions. Alternatively, an AP of the technology presented here with dedicated radio capabilities can use a single radio to repeatedly perform the required traffic check for the wider bandwidth, allowing the AP's remaining / primary radios to dedicate their resources to business functions.

[0015] Changing the bandwidth of an access device's home channel to perform Wi-Fi distance measurement and then restoring the home channel to its original / preconfigured bandwidth after the Wi-Fi distance measurement is complete differs in many ways from existing methods. For example, using conventional Wi-Fi distance measurement techniques, an access point (AP) receiving a Wi-Fi distance measurement request would simply serve the request using its home channel's preconfigured bandwidth. In other words, the AP would neither change its home channel bandwidth nor switch Wi-Fi channels before serving the Wi-Fi distance request. A conventional AP in an enterprise WLAN that uses low-bandwidth channels (e.g.,For example, if an access point (AP) using a 20 MHz or 40 MHz channel would process a Wi-Fi distance measurement request using the pre-configured, low bandwidth of its home channel, this can lead to high precision errors in positioning Wi-Fi distance meters within the enterprise's WLAN infrastructure. In contrast, an AP using the technology presented here can perform higher-precision Wi-Fi distance measurements by temporarily / selectively increasing the bandwidth of its home channel (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to enable Wi-Fi distance measurements. This can also be done in a regulatory-compliant manner that minimizes uptime over the larger bandwidth by conducting regulatory traffic checks for the larger bandwidth before temporarily increasing the home channel to the higher bandwidth.

[0016] Before describing in detail the embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods, it is useful to describe an exemplary network installation with which these systems and methods could be implemented in various applications. Fig. This diagram shows an example of a network configuration 100 that can 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 potentially multiple physical or geographic locations 102, 132, 142. The network configuration 100 can include a primary location 102 that communicates with a network 120. The network configuration 100 can also include one or more remote locations 132, 142 that connect to the network 120.

[0017] The primary location 102 can include a primary network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network), which could be an office network, a home network, or another type of network installation. The primary network at location 102 can also be a private network, such as one that includes security and access controls to restrict access to authorized users. These authorized users might include, for example, employees of a company at the main location 102, residents of a house, customers of a company, and so on.

[0018] In the example shown, the primary site 102 contains a control unit 104 that communicates with the network 120. The control unit 104 can provide communication with the network 120 for the primary site 102, although it need not be the only point of communication with the network 120 for the primary site 102. A single control unit 104 is shown, although the primary site may include multiple control units and / or multiple communication points with the network 120. In some embodiments, the control unit 104 communicates with the network 120 via a router (not shown). In other embodiments, the control unit 104 provides router functions to the devices at the primary site 102.

[0019] The Controller 104 can configure and manage network devices, for example at the main site 102, and can also manage network devices at remote sites 132 and 142. The Controller 104 can configure and / or manage switches, routers, access points, and / or network-connected client devices. The Controller 104 can itself be an access point or provide the functionality of one.

[0020] The control unit 104 can communicate with one or more switches 108 and / or wireless access points (APs) 106 ac. The switches 108 and the wireless APs 106 ac provide network connectivity for various client devices 110 aj. Through a connection to a switch 108 or AP 106 ac, a client device 110 aj can access network resources, including other devices in the (primary site 102) network and in the network 120.

[0021] Examples of client devices include: desktop computers, laptops, servers, web servers, authentication servers, Authentication, Authorization, and 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, mainframes, 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, smartphones, smart terminals, silent terminals, virtual terminals, video game consoles, virtual assistants, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and the like. Client devices can also be referred to as stations (STAs).

[0022] Within the primary site 102, a switch 108 is included as an example access point to the network established at the primary site 102 for wired client devices 110 ij. The client devices 110 ij can connect to the switch 108 and access other devices within the network configuration 100 via the switch 108. The client devices 110 ij can also access the network 120 via the switch 108. The client devices 110 ij can communicate with the switch 108 via a wired connection 112. In the example shown, the switch 108 communicates with the control unit 104 via a wired connection 112, although this connection could also be wireless.

[0023] The wireless APs 106 ac are included as another example of an access point to the network established at the primary site 102 for client devices 110 ah. The APs 106 ac can control network access for the client devices 110 ah and authenticate the client devices 110 ah for connection to the APs and, through the APs, to other devices within the network configuration 100. Each AP 106 ac can be a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to provide wireless network connectivity for wireless client devices 110 ah. In the example shown, the APs 106 ac can be managed and configured by the controller 104. The APs 106 ac communicate with the controller 104 and the network via connections 112, which can be either wired or wireless interfaces.

[0024] Network configuration 100 can include one or more remote sites 132. A remote site 132 can be located at a different physical or geographic location than the primary site 102. In some cases, the remote site 132 may be located at the same geographic location or possibly in the same building as the primary site 102, but it does not have a direct connection to the primary site 102's network. Instead, the remote site 132 may use a connection through another network, such as network 120. A remote site 132, as defined in Fig. The remote location shown could be, for example, a satellite office, another floor, or a suite within a building. The remote location 132 can contain a gateway device 134 for communication with the network 120. A gateway device 134 can be a router, a digital-to-analog modem, a cable modem, a DSL modem, or any other network device configured to communicate with the network 120. The remote location 132 can also contain a switch 138 and / or an access point 136, which communicates with the gateway device 134 either via wired or wireless connections. The switch 138 and the access point 136 provide the network connection for various client devices 140.

[0025] In various embodiments, the remote site 132 can communicate directly with the primary site 102, allowing client devices 140 at the remote site 132 to access network resources at the primary site 102 as if they were located at the primary site 102. In such embodiments, the remote site 132 is managed by the control unit 104 at the primary site 102, and the control unit 104 provides the necessary connectivity, security, and accessibility to enable communication between the remote site 132 and the primary site 102. Once the remote site 132 is connected to the primary site 102, it can function as part of a private network provided by the primary site 102.

[0026] In various embodiments, the network configuration 100 can include one or more smaller remote sites 142, each comprising only a gateway device 144 for communication with the network 120 and a wireless access point 146 through which various client devices 150ab access the network 120. Such a remote site 142 could, for example, be the home of a single employee or a temporary remote office. The remote site 142 can also communicate with the main site 102, allowing the client devices 150ab at the remote site 142 to access the network resources at the main site 102 as if these client devices 150ab were located at the main site 102. The remote site 142 can be managed by the controller 104 at the main site 102 to enable this transparency.After connecting to the main site 102, the remote site 142 can function as part of a private network provided by the main site 102.

[0027] Network 120 can be a public or private network, such as the internet or another communications network, to enable connections between the various locations 102, 130 to 142, and access to the servers 160 and above. Network 120 can include third-party telecommunications lines such as telephone lines, broadcast coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, satellite communications, cellular communications, and the like. Network 120 can contain any number of intermediate network devices, such as switches, routers, gateways, servers, and / or controllers, which are not directly part of Network Configuration 100 but facilitate communication between the various parts of Network Configuration 100 and between Network Configuration 100 and other units connected to the network. Network 120 can include various content servers 160 and above.The content servers 160 ab can include various providers of downloadable multimedia and / or streaming content, including audio, video, graphics, and / or text content, or any combination thereof. Examples of content servers 160 ab include web servers, streaming radio and video providers, and cable and satellite television providers. The client devices 110 aj, 140 ad, and 150 ab can request and access the multimedia content provided by the content servers 160 ab.

[0028] The Fig. We present an example of a method for performing compliant Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved precision according to various examples of the currently disclosed technology. The method can be performed by an AP 201 within an enterprise WLAN deployment 200. However, it should be understood that in other examples, AP 201 can include various types of wireless communication devices, including a network device (e.g., an AP, a switch, a router, a gateway, etc.) or a client device (e.g., a personal computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.). For example, the method can be performed by Fig. The procedure can be performed by a client device. Generally, the procedure can be implemented by one or more processing resources or computing devices using any suitable hardware, a non-transitory machine-readable medium, or a combination thereof. For example, the procedure can be executed by machine-readable instructions that are stored on a medium and executable by a processing resource, such as a hardware processor of a computing device / component. It can be assumed that the processes involved in the procedure can be executed based on instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable medium. The non-transitory machine-readable medium can include, for example, digital storage, magnetic storage media such as magnetic disks and tapes, hard disks, or optically readable digital data storage media.

[0029] As previously mentioned, the AP 201 can be part of an enterprise WLAN 200 deployment. Enterprise WLAN deployments typically use lower-bandwidth channels (typically 20 MHz or 40 MHz) for operation, especially in densely populated environments. These lower-bandwidth channels can minimize interference, enable spatial reuse, improve spectrum efficiency, and reduce negative impacts on the performance of neighboring APs. Using lower-bandwidth channels can also provide a greater number of channels and better coverage, particularly in dense enterprise WLAN deployments.

[0030] However, Wi-Fi distance measurement is more accurate when performed over higher-bandwidth WLAN channels (e.g., 80 MHz, 160 MHz, etc.). For example, many wireless communication devices can achieve a precision error of less than one meter when performing Wi-Fi distance measurements over 80 MHz WLAN channels. This error can increase dramatically when Wi-Fi distance measurement is performed over lower-bandwidth WLAN channels (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz). This can be a problem in enterprise WLAN deployments, which typically use lower-bandwidth WLAN channels (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz) to optimize Wi-Fi capacity / coverage, minimize interference between neighboring access points, and so on.

[0031] To better balance the competing interests described above, which are associated with handling Wi-Fi distance requests in enterprise WLAN deployments, examples of currently disclosed technology offer access points (APs) (e.g., AP 201) that temporarily / selectively increase the bandwidth of an AP's home channel to more accurately serve Wi-Fi distance requests. When no Wi-Fi distance measurements are being taken (i.e., when an AP is not performing Wi-Fi distance measurements), the AP's home channel can revert to the narrower bandwidths preferred in dense enterprise networks, thereby optimizing Wi-Fi capacity / coverage and minimizing interference between neighboring APs, etc.In this context, the techniques presented here can also enable the access point (AP) to utilize the RF spectrum efficiently by using different channel bandwidths for performing Wi-Fi ranging and non-ranging Wi-Fi operational functions (e.g., providing enterprise services, serving connected client devices, delivering high-priority traffic, scanning the network, etc.). This allows for a balanced distribution of the AP's RF spectrum and computing resources. Because the examples increase the bandwidth of the AP's home channel to serve Wi-Fi ranging requirements—as opposed to switching to a different, higher-bandwidth Wi-Fi channel to serve Wi-Fi ranging requirements—the examples can prevent or reduce the loss of transmit time or connection drops associated with (unnecessary) Wi-Fi channel switching.

[0032] However, communication over specific WLAN channels requires an access point (AP) to perform a rules-compliant traffic check before conducting any operations on those channels. Rule-compliant traffic checking confirms that a channel is free of priority traffic (i.e., traffic that takes precedence over other wireless communications on that channel) for a given time interval. Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS), for example, is a channel allocation scheme that facilitates the use of WLAN channels typically reserved for radar. By using DFS channels, underserved frequencies can be utilized, thereby increasing the number of available channels. DFS also allows an AP to detect radar signals and change its operating frequency to avoid interference.Because DFS channels are typically used for radar equipment, various radio communications regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), establish different conditions and guidelines for the use of DFS channels. For example, DFS regulations generally require an access point (AP) to perform a DFS Channel Availability Check (CAC), which confirms that no radar is present on a DFS channel for a prescribed time interval (e.g., 60 seconds) before conducting operations over that DFS channel (an example of a DFS CAC is provided in conjunction with...). Fig. (described in more detail). If the APs' home channels are DFS channels, the APs typically perform DFS-CACs for the preconfigured bandwidths of their home channels. For example, an AP operating in an enterprise WLAN with 20 MHz bandwidth DFS channels would perform a DFS-CAC for the preconfigured 20 MHz bandwidth of its home (DFS) channel. Analogous regulatory-compliant traffic checks can also be performed for non-DFS channels. For example, an analogous regulatory traffic check can be performed to confirm that no established priority traffic ("established priority traffic" is a term sometimes used to describe traffic that has priority on unlicensed 6 GHz channels) exists on an unlicensed 6 GHz channel (i.e., an unlicensed channel in the 6 GHz frequency band) prior to transmission over the unlicensed 6 GHz channel.

[0033] However, the conventional, compliant traffic check described above would be insufficient if an access point (AP) temporarily increases its home channel bandwidth (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to meet a Wi-Fi distance requirement, as illustrated in the examples of the currently disclosed technology. For instance, a DFS-CAC performed on an AP's preconfigured 20 MHz home channel (DFS) bandwidth cannot detect radar in a wider 80 MHz bandwidth. Furthermore, changing the home channel to the wider bandwidth (e.g., increasing the home channel from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) and subsequently performing a DFS CAC on the wider bandwidth can cause the AP to operate in the wider bandwidth longer than necessary while performing the DFS CAC—in some cases, not even confirming that the wider bandwidth is free of radar.If the access point (AP) operates at the higher bandwidth for longer than necessary, this can negatively impact its performance in a dense enterprise WLAN where operating at a lower bandwidth is preferable. In this context, the time required for the AP to complete the bandwidth upgrade, perform DFS-CAC at the higher bandwidth (which can take more than 60 seconds), and then handle the Wi-Fi ranging request can exceed the AP's beacon interval. In this case, the potentially missed transmission of a beacon frame can negatively affect the performance of the AP's enterprise functions.

[0034] Against this background, an access point (AP), in accordance with the currently disclosed technology (e.g., AP 201), performs regulatory-compliant traffic checks for a wider bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz) than its current / preconfigured home channel bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz) before temporarily increasing the home channel to the wider bandwidth (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to serve a Wi-Fi range request with improved precision. For example, the AP can: (1) perform a regulatory traffic check (e.g., a DFS-CAC or an analogous regulatory traffic check for 6 GHz networks) while performing non-location Wi-Fi operations over a primary bandwidth WLAN channel to determine if a secondary bandwidth is clear of priority traffic (e.g.,, radar for DFS channels or established priority traffic for unlicensed 6 GHz channels) is free, with the second bandwidth being wider than the first bandwidth (in various examples, a dedicated antenna of the AP can repeatedly perform the regulatory-compliant traffic check); (2) in response to receiving a Wi-Fi ranging request (e.g., a distance request to initiate an FTM session) and determining that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic (e.g., free of radar or "established priority traffic"), change the WLAN channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi ranging request (e.g., conduct an FTM session); and (3) after completing the service of the Wi-Fi ranging request, reset the WLAN channel back to the first bandwidth to perform non-distance-measuring Wi-Fi operations.Accordingly, the AP can perform Wi-Fi distance measurements over WLAN channels (e.g., DFS channels or unlicensed 6 GHz channels) with improved accuracy, where traffic must be checked for compliance before transmission over the WLAN channels.

[0035] As previously indicated, by performing proper traffic tests for a wider bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz) than the current / preconfigured home channel bandwidth of an AP (e.g., 20 MHz) before temporarily increasing the home channel (e.g., from 20 MHz to 80 MHz) to the wider bandwidth, the time the AP operates over the wider bandwidth can be reduced, thereby improving performance for non-range Wi-Fi functions of the AP (i.e., enterprise functions).

[0036] Fig. describe an example of a methodology that is consistent with the above revelation.

[0037] As in Fig. As shown, AP 201 can receive a Wi-Fi ranging request during operation 214.

[0038] A Wi-Fi distance measurement request, sent from a Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator to a Wi-Fi distance measurement responder, can include a request to perform Wi-Fi distance measurement operations. As mentioned earlier, Wi-Fi distance measurements allow wireless communication devices (e.g., client devices and network devices) to estimate their distance from each other. Wi-Fi distance measurement enables a Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator (i.e., a wireless communication device, such as a client device or access point, that wants to locate itself by sending the Wi-Fi distance measurement request) to determine its distance to the Wi-Fi distance measurement responders (i.e.,to determine the distance of other wireless communication devices that perform Wi-Fi distance measurements with the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator by measuring the propagation time of the wireless communication signals sent between the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator and the responder(s). Since the Wi-Fi distance meters (e.g., access points of a WLAN) typically have known / static locations, the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator can estimate its location / position within a network based on the distance estimates derived from the Wi-Fi distance measurements.

[0039] Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) positioning techniques are an example of Wi-Fi distance measurement methods. In accordance with FTM, an FTM initiator (i.e., a wireless communication device, such as a client device or an access point attempting to locate itself using FTM) can send distance requests to initiate FTM sessions with one or more FTM responders (i.e., other wireless communication devices, such as access points, performing FTM positioning with the FTM initiator). During FTM sessions, FTM messages can be exchanged between the FTM initiator and the FTM responders. The FTM initiator (and / or the FTM responder(s)) can use this FTM message exchange to determine the time-of-arrival (TOA), round-trip time (RTT), or time-of-arrival difference (TDOA) for wireless communication signals carrying the FTM messages.The FTM initiator (and / or the FTM responder(s)) can use the RTT, TOA, and TDOA information to determine the FTM initiator's position / location based on the known position of the FTM responder(s). For example, an FTM initiator (such as a client device or another AP) may attempt to establish an FTM session with an FTM responder (such as an AP) by sending a range request to the FTM responder to initiate an FTM session. The FTM initiator may already be connected to the FTM responder before sending the range request. Based on the range request, the FTM responder can determine a burst duration, which specifies a timeframe for conducting the FTM session. An FTM session generally occurs via burst transmissions. A burst transmission can refer to the transmission of a relatively high bandwidth over a short period of time.Burst transmission can involve the intermittent, asynchronous transfer of a specific amount of data. Burst transmissions can occur at regular or irregular intervals. The duration of an FTM session can be referred to as the burst duration or simply as an FTM burst. During an FTM burst, one or more FTM-based messages can be exchanged between an FTM initiator and an FTM responder.

[0040] Referring again to Fig. In response to receiving a Wi-Fi receive request, AP 201 can consider various factors to decide whether to reject the request (see, for example, Procedure 216). It is understood that the order of these determinations, presented in blocks 215a-215d, may differ in various examples. Furthermore, in certain examples, it may not be necessary to make one or more of the presented decisions.

[0041] Referring again to Fig. In block 215a, AP 201 can determine whether it is performing a channel scan or is scheduled to perform one. Channel scans can be performed based on WLAN channel types, priorities, and WLAN channel groups. During a channel scan, AP 201 can visit each channel of the enterprise WLAN facility 200 sequentially, and the primary WLAN channel can be changed after each visit. In some examples, while performing a channel scan and receiving the Wi-Fi distance request on a WLAN channel it is currently scanning, AP 201 may reject the Wi-Fi distance request, as shown in operation 216. In certain examples, AP 201 may also reject the Wi-Fi distance measurement if it is currently performing a channel scan and the Wi-Fi distance measurement is received on AP 201's home channel.By rejecting Wi-Fi range requests during channel scanning, the Wi-Fi operational functions of the AP 201 that are not used for range monitoring can be prioritized, thereby reducing negative impacts on the network performance of the AP 201.

[0042] In block 215b, AP 201 can determine whether it is serving high-priority traffic. In some examples, high-priority traffic might include voice / video, VoIP traffic, online gaming, media streaming services, and so on. In certain examples, high-priority traffic might be classified based on a Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) code included in an Internet Protocol (IP) packet header. In other examples, high-priority traffic might be sensitive traffic that the operator expects to be delivered on time. Traffic management systems can be configured to guarantee the quality of service for these selected applications or at least prioritize them over other traffic classes. In some examples, the high-priority traffic served by AP 201 can be identified.High-priority traffic can be identified by identifiers in the packets transmitted via AP 201. AP 201 can classify traffic as high-priority based on a number of factors, such as port number, protocol, byte frequencies, packet sizes, and so on. Based on these factors, AP 201 can implement traffic management systems or policies to classify traffic and serve it accordingly. In some cases, network traffic can be classified as sensitive traffic and best-effort traffic. Examples of sensitive traffic include VoIP, online gaming, video conferencing, and web browsing. Traffic management programs can be configured to guarantee the Quality of Service (QoS) of these selected applications or at least prioritize them over other traffic classes.Best-effort traffic can include other types of non-harmful traffic. This might be traffic that, in the service provider's opinion, is not affected by QoS parameters (such as jitter, packet loss, and latency). Examples of best-effort traffic include peer-to-peer and email applications. Traffic management systems can be configured to allocate AP 201's resources to best-effort traffic after sensitive traffic has been served. Thus, in this example, high-priority traffic can also include sensitive traffic. In some examples, network traffic served by AP 201 can be classified as high-priority or best-effort using service differentiation techniques. For example, a DSCP, which is a packet header value in an IP packet, can be used to request (for example) high priority or best-effort delivery for network traffic.

[0043] In certain examples, AP 201, upon determining that it is handling high-priority traffic, may reject the Wi-Fi distance measurement request in Operation 216. By rejecting the Wi-Fi distance measurement request while simultaneously handling high-priority traffic, the handling of high-priority traffic receives a higher priority than the handling of Wi-Fi distance measurement requests, thus balancing the distribution of AP 201's resources between Wi-Fi distance measurement and non-Wi-Fi distance measurement functions.

[0044] In Block 215c, AP 201 can determine if its traffic load exceeds a traffic load threshold. In some examples, the traffic load threshold might be around 10 megabytes per second (MBPS). In certain examples, upon determining that its traffic load exceeds the traffic load threshold, AP 201 can reject the Wi-Fi range request at Operation 216, thereby preventing (or reducing the likelihood of) AP 201 becoming overloaded.

[0045] In block 215d, AP 201 can determine whether it has buffered data for associated client devices in a power-saving (PS) state (i.e., whether AP 201 is serving "power-saving" client devices). A client device's PS state can indicate a power-saving mode in which some components / peripherals, such as display units and hard drives, are powered off, while others, such as random access memory (RAM) and processing units, continue to operate at reduced power. In some examples, AP 201 can use the traffic indication map (TIM) bitmap to indicate to a client device in the PS state that AP 201 has buffered data available for it. AP 201 can periodically send the TIM bitmap in its beacons as an information element. The TIM bitmap can contain a variety of bits, with each bit representing an association ID (AID) of a client device.This allows a portion of the TIM bitmap, representing a client device for which the AP 201 has buffered data, to be transmitted via beacons. Based on the TIM bitmap sent in a beacon, the AP 201 can determine that it has buffered data waiting to be transmitted to associated client devices in PS (Power-On Self) state.

[0046] In certain scenarios, AP 201 may reject the Wi-Fi range request at operation 216 in response to the detection that it has buffered data for associated client devices in a Power Savings (PS) state. This occurs because low-power client devices can be highly sensitive to latency. Therefore, it can be beneficial to deliver traffic to low-power client devices before the Wi-Fi ranging request is served. In this context, clearing the queues of low-power client devices before performing Wi-Fi ranging operations can improve the performance of those operations.

[0047] In block 217a, AP 201 can determine whether the Wi-Fi ranging initiator (i.e., the wireless communication device that sent the Wi-Fi ranging request) supports a channel with a larger bandwidth than AP 201's current home channel bandwidth (i.e., the home channel bandwidth over which the Wi-Fi ranging request was received). In some examples, AP 201 can use the information in the "Format and Bandwidth" field of the Wi-Fi ranging request sent by the Wi-Fi ranging initiator to determine whether the Wi-Fi ranging initiator supports the wider bandwidth.

[0048] As previously indicated, in an enterprise WLAN (200), the AP 201 typically has a lower pre-configured home channel bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz). However, in accordance with the examples of the currently disclosed technology, the AP 201 can temporarily increase its home channel bandwidth (e.g., to 80 MHz or 160 MHz) to perform Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved accuracy. If the Wi-Fi distance measurement initiator does not support the higher-bandwidth channel, the AP 201 can instead perform the Wi-Fi distance measurement using its pre-configured / current (i.e., narrow) home channel bandwidth at Operation 218.

[0049] In block 217b, AP 201 determines whether the higher bandwidth channel is free of priority traffic. AP 201 can use various types of regulatory traffic checks to make such a determination (e.g., DFS-CACs for DFS channels, an analogous regulatory traffic check for unlicensed 6 GHz channels, etc.). Fig. describes an example of a regulatory traffic audit in detail.

[0050] If AP 201 determines that the wider bandwidth is not free of priority traffic, AP 201 may instead serve the Wi-Fi range request over AP 201's preconfigured / actual (i.e., narrow) home channel bandwidth at operation 218.

[0051] However, if the AP 201 determines that the wider bandwidth is free of priority traffic, the AP 201 can fulfill the Wi-Fi range request over the wider bandwidth in conjunction with Fig. Operate in the manner described.

[0052] As in Fig. As shown, in operation 220, AP 201 can change its home channel to the wider bandwidth in response to the finding that the wider bandwidth is free of priority traffic, in order to serve the Wi-Fi range measurement request. In various examples, AP 201 can change the bandwidth by using the "Format and Bandwidth" field in a Wi-Fi ranging response sent by AP 201.

[0053] In operation 222, after processing the Wi-Fi range request, the AP 201 can reset its home channel back to the pre-configured / original (i.e., narrower) bandwidth for performing non-range-matching Wi-Fi operations, thereby improving the performance of the AP 201 for non-range-matching Wi-Fi operations (i.e., for enterprises).

[0054] Fig. This document presents an example procedure for conducting a regulatory traffic review based on various examples of the currently disclosed technology. The example procedure is described in the following sections. Fig. can the example procedure in Fig. executed by AP 201 within a corporate WLAN 200 setup.

[0055] Before a more detailed description of Fig. It should be noted that Fig. This merely represents an example of a regulatory traffic review that can be used with the help of examples of the currently disclosed technology. In other words, while the specific example in Fig. With regard to DFS-CACs (i.e., a type of regulatory traffic audit conducted for DFS channels), the methodology currently disclosed can be extended to analogous regulatory traffic audits, e.g., for unlicensed 6 GHz channels.

[0056] As in Fig. As shown, AP 201 can perform operation 302 to identify a Wi-Fi ranging trigger event. A Wi-Fi ranging trigger event can be any network event indicating that AP 201 has received, or is likely to receive, a Wi-Fi ranging request. Examples of Wi-Fi ranging trigger events include AP 201 receiving a Wi-Fi ranging request from another wireless communication device (i.e., a Wi-Fi ranging initiator, such as a client device or another AP), or a neighboring AP receiving a Wi-Fi ranging request. Therefore, identifying the Wi-Fi ranging trigger event can involve AP 201 receiving a Wi-Fi ranging request or determining that a neighboring AP has received a Wi-Fi ranging request.

[0057] After identifying a Wi-Fi Range Trigger event, AP 201 can perform operation 304 to mark a larger bandwidth than the preconfigured / current bandwidth of AP 201's home channel as unclear. For example, if AP 201's preconfigured / current home channel bandwidth is 20 MHz, AP 201 can mark an 80 MHz bandwidth (which includes the preconfigured / current 20 MHz home channel bandwidth) as unclear. Initially marking the larger bandwidth as unclear can be a standard procedure that complies with DFS regulations. For example, DFS regulations may prevent AP 201 from marking the larger bandwidth channel as free until AP 201 has completed a DFS-CAC check compliant with the regulations for the larger bandwidth (see, for example, Procedure 308) – and has confirmed that no radar (i.e., radar) is present in the larger bandwidth for a time interval specified by the DFS regulation.an example of priority traffic). In many jurisdictions, for instance, an AP is required to perform a DFS-CAC check to confirm that no radar is present on a DFS channel for a prescribed time interval (e.g., 60 seconds) before transmitting on that DFS channel. As previously indicated, existing technologies generally only perform regulatory traffic checks (e.g., DFS-CACs) on the preconfigured / actual bandwidths of their home channels, which in the case of AP 201 is a lower-bandwidth channel (e.g., 20 MHz). However, because examples of currently disclosed technology temporarily increase / change an AP's home channel bandwidth to a larger bandwidth to serve Wi-Fi distance requests, in some cases (e.g.,(If the AP's home channel is a DFS channel) a regulatory-compliant DFS-CAC check may be required for the larger bandwidth before Wi-Fi distance requests are served over the larger bandwidths.

[0058] As indicated above (and illustrated in Block 305), AP 201 can split chains / antennas in various scenarios. In such a case, AP 201 can allocate one chain / antenna to repeatedly (and in some cases continuously) perform DFS-CACs for the wider bandwidth, allowing the remaining AP 201 chains / antennas to use their resources for enterprise functions. In other words, the dedicated chain / antenna can perform DFS CACs for the broader bandwidth regardless of whether a Wi-Fi range trigger event is detected. In some scenarios, the dedicated chain / antenna can be reassigned to enterprise functions in certain situations (e.g., when AP 201 is serving high-priority traffic, when AP 201 is serving a high traffic load, when no Wi-Fi range trigger event has been detected over a threshold time interval, etc.).Repurposing the dedicated chain / antenna for business functions in certain situations can improve performance for business functions, save energy / resources, etc.

[0059] As shown in Block 305, in certain examples, if AP 201 is unable to split chains / antennas, it cannot perform DFS-CACs for the wider bandwidth (see, for example, Operation 306). However, in other examples, AP 201 can perform DFS-CACs for the wider bandwidth without splitting chains / antennas. For example, AP 201 may be an AP with dedicated radio capabilities. Accordingly, AP 201 may use a dedicated radio for the repeated (and in some cases, continuous) performance of DFS-CACs for the wider bandwidth. In other examples (e.g., when AP 201 is unable to split chains and / or assign a radio to perform DFS-CACs), AP 201 can only perform DFS-CACs for the wider bandwidth in response to the identification of a Wi-Fi ranging event or at repetitive but discrete intervals.Accordingly, AP 201 can better balance resource allocation for both Wi-Fi capture operations and Wi-Fi non-capture operations (i.e., enterprise operations).

[0060] As shown, AP 201 can perform DFS-CACs for the wider bandwidth during Operation 308. As indicated above, this can include confirming that no radar (i.e., an example of priority traffic for DFS channels) is present in the wider bandwidth for a regulation-specified time interval. If radar is detected in the wider bandwidth during the regulation-specified time interval, AP 201 can mark the wider bandwidth as clear (see, for example, Block 309 and Operation 310). Conversely, if radar is detected in the wider bandwidth during the time interval specified by the DFS regulation, AP 201 can mark the wider bandwidth as unclear (see, for example, Block 309 and Operation 312). As shown, AP 201 can perform DFS-CACs in a repetitive manner (i.e., the process cannot be stopped after marking the wider bandwidth as clear / unclear).However, as shown in Procedure 314, AP 201 may be required to wait until a prescribed period of non-occupancy (e.g. 30 minutes) has elapsed before performing another DFS-CAC after marking the wider bandwidth as radar-unclear.

[0061] As previously mentioned, regulatory traffic checks for DFS channels can be referred to as DFS-CACs. DFS-related regulations generally require an AP to perform a DFS-CAC, confirming that no radar is present on a DFS channel for a prescribed time interval (e.g., 60 seconds), before conducting operations on that channel. One type of DFS CAC is a Zero Wait DFS operation. Normally, wireless communication devices switch to a new DFS channel and then perform a DFS-CAC for that new channel before conducting operations on it. In contrast, Zero Wait DFS allows a wireless communication device to perform a DFS CAC for a new channel while still operating on another channel.Accordingly, once the Zero Wait DFS operation for the new channel is complete, the wireless communication device can switch to the new DFS channel and perform operations over it without downtime. It should be understood that examples of the currently disclosed technology utilize Zero Wait DFS operations differently—namely, to perform a DFS CAC for a wider bandwidth than the current bandwidth of a DFS channel—while still operating over the narrower / current bandwidth of the DFS channel. Therefore, examples can switch the DFS channel to the wider bandwidth once the Zero Wait DFS operation for that wider bandwidth is complete and perform operations over the wider bandwidth without downtime.

[0062] Fig. This document presents an example of a Computer System 400 that can be used to perform compliant Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved precision, in accordance with various examples of the currently disclosed technology. In several examples, the Computer System 400 can function as a network device, as described in the examples presented here. Examples of the network device include access points, Layer 3 switches, and routers. In some examples, the Computer System 400 can function as a client device, such as a computer, smartphone, etc., that connects to the network device.

[0063] As in Fig. As shown, computer component 410 can be, for example, a server computer, a controller, or another similar computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 410 comprises a hardware processor 412 and a machine-readable storage medium 414.

[0064] The hardware processor 412 can 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 memory medium 414. The hardware processor 412 can retrieve, decode, and execute instructions, such as instructions 416-420, to control processes or operations for burst preloading to estimate available bandwidth. Alternatively or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, the hardware processor 412 can 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 circuits.

[0065] A machine-readable storage medium, such as machine-readable storage medium 414, can be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. Machine-readable storage medium 414 can be, for example, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable solid-state memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disk, or the like. In some examples, machine-readable storage medium 414 can be a non-transitory storage medium, the term "non-transitory" excluding transitive propagation indicators. As detailed below, machine-readable storage medium 414 can be encoded with executable instructions, such as instructions 416-420. Even if the in Fig. Although the instructions shown are presented in a specific order, this order is not the only order in which the instructions can be executed. Each command can be executed in any order and at any time, it can be executed repeatedly, and / or it can be executed by one or more suitable devices.

[0066] As shown, the hardware processor 412 executes instruction 416 to perform a regulatory traffic check while conducting range-less Wi-Fi operations over a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) channel with a first bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz) to determine if a second bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz or 160 MHz) is free of priority traffic (i.e., traffic that takes precedence over other wireless communications in the channel), where the second bandwidth is wider than the first. As indicated above, the WLAN channel can be the home channel of the access point (AP) if the computer system 400 is acting as the AP.

[0067] In various examples, the WLAN channel may be a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) WLAN channel. Similarly, the determination that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic may include the determination that the second bandwidth is free of radar traffic for a time interval specified by the DFS regulation (e.g., 60 seconds). In some of these examples, performing the verification of compliant traffic for the second bandwidth may involve performing a zero-wait DFS operation for the second bandwidth. In this context, the determination that the second bandwidth is free of radar traffic for the time interval specified by the DFS regulation may include the termination of the zero-wait DFS operation after the time interval specified by the DFS regulation.

[0068] It is understood that in other examples the WLAN channel may be a non-DFS channel. For instance, the WLAN channel may be an unlicensed channel in the 6 GHz frequency band. In these examples, the priority traffic in the unlicensed 6 GHz channel can be referred to as "incumbent priority traffic"—in accordance with the 6 GHz standard.

[0069] In some examples (e.g., when the computer system 400 includes an access point), the hardware processor 412 can repeatedly perform the verification of compliant traffic for the second bandwidth using a dedicated antenna / chain of the computer system 400. In this context, the hardware processor 412 can, in certain examples (e.g., when the computer system 400 includes an access point), execute further instructions to: (1) determine that the computer system 400 can share antennas / chains; and (2) perform the verification of channel availability for the second bandwidth using a dedicated antenna of the computer system 400. However, in other examples (e.g., when the computer system 400 includes an access point with dedicated radio capabilities), the hardware processor 412 can use a dedicated radio to perform the verification of compliant traffic.

[0070] As indicated above, in certain examples the hardware processor 412 can perform regulatory-compliant traffic checking for the second bandwidth in response to a Wi-Fi ranging trigger event, e.g., when it detects that a neighboring AP has received a Wi-Fi ranging request.

[0071] The hardware processor 412 executes the command 418 to change the WLAN channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth in response to receiving a Wi-Fi distance request and determining that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic, in order to serve the Wi-Fi distance request.

[0072] In some examples, the request for the Wi-Fi range can be received from a client device. In other examples, the request for the Wi-Fi range can be received from a network device, such as a neighboring access point.

[0073] As indicated above, in certain examples, the Wi-Fi distance measurement request may include a distance measurement request to initiate a fine-time measurement (FTM) session. In these examples, the 412 hardware processor may change the WLAN channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to perform the FTM session. However, in other examples, the Wi-Fi distance measurement request may be a different type of Wi-Fi distance measurement request (e.g., a Wi-Fi distance measurement request used in 6 GHz networks).

[0074] In some examples (e.g., when the computing system 400 includes an access point), changing the WLAN channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi range requirement may also respond to the finding that at least one of the following conditions is met: (1) the computing system 400 is not performing channel scanning and is not scheduled to perform channel scanning; (2) the computing system 400 is not serving traffic that is pre-categorized as high-priority traffic; (3) the computing system 400 is serving a traffic load that is below a threshold; and (4) the computing system 400 is not serving low-power client devices.In other words, the instructions can cause the hardware processor 412 to reject the Wi-Fi range request and not change the WLAN channel to the second bandwidth if at least one of the following conditions is found to be true: (1) computer system 400 is performing or scheduled to perform a channel scan; (2) computer system 400 is serving traffic that has been pre-categorized as high-priority traffic; (3) computer system 400 is serving a traffic load that is above a threshold; and (4) computer system 400 is serving low-power client devices.

[0075] In some examples, the instructions can cause the hardware process or 412 to serve the Wi-Fi range request while the WLAN channel is on the first bandwidth, in response to the finding that the second bandwidth is not free of priority traffic, but the first bandwidth is free of priority traffic.

[0076] As shown, the hardware processor 412 executes instruction 420 to reset the WLAN channel to the first available bandwidth for non-ranging Wi-Fi operations after the Wi-Fi ranging service has ended. As previously mentioned, examples of non-ranging Wi-Fi operations can include traffic forwarding, high-priority traffic delivery, enterprise service provisioning, servicing connected client devices, performing channel scans, and so on.

[0077] Fig. Figure 500 shows an example of a Computer System 500 that can be used to perform Wi-Fi distance measurements with improved precision, in accordance with various examples of the currently disclosed technology. In this particular example, the Computer System 500 may not need to perform traffic verification in accordance with legal requirements before transmitting a Wi-Fi distance measurement request over a wider bandwidth. This may be the case, for example, if the Computer System 500's home channel is a non-DFS 5 GHz channel.

[0078] As indicated above, the Computer System 500 can function as a network device, as described in the embodiments outlined herein. Examples of network devices include access points, Layer 3 switches, and routers. In some examples, the Computer System 500 can function as a client device, such as a computer, smartphone, etc., connected to the network device.

[0079] As in Fig. As shown, computer component 510 can be, for example, a server computer, a controller, or another similar computer component capable of processing data. In the example implementation of Fig. The computer component 510 comprises a hardware processor 512 and a machine-readable storage medium 514.

[0080] The hardware processor 512 can 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 memory medium 514. The hardware processor 512 can retrieve, decode, and execute instructions, such as instructions 516-524, to control processes or burst preloading operations for estimating available bandwidth. Alternatively or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, the hardware processor 512 can 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 circuits.

[0081] A machine-readable storage medium, such as the 514 machine-readable storage medium, can be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. The 514 machine-readable storage medium could be, for example, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable solid-state memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disk, or the like. In some examples, the 514 machine-readable storage medium might be a non-transitory storage medium, the term "non-transitory" not including transitive propagation indicators. As detailed below, the 514 machine-readable storage medium might be encoded with executable instructions, for example, instructions 516-524. Although the instructions in Fig. Although the instructions are presented in a specific order, this order is not the only order in which they can be executed. Each instruction can be executed in any order and at any time, it can be executed repeatedly, and / or it can be executed by any suitable device or devices.

[0082] As shown, the hardware processor 512 executes instruction 516 to receive a Wi-Fi ranging request. In some examples, the Wi-Fi ranging request may include a range request to initiate an FTM session, but this is not always the case. For example, the Wi-Fi ranging request may be a Wi-Fi range request for 6 GHz networks.

[0083] If the Wi-Fi rangefinding request is a request to initiate an FTM session, the FTM session can involve an exchange of multiple message frames between a Wi-Fi rangefinding initiator and Computer System 500. In some examples, the Wi-Fi rangefinding initiator might be an access point (AP) or a client device, such as a laptop, desktop computer, smartphone, etc. Again, Computer System 500 (e.g., an AP) might act as a Wi-Fi ranging responder. In some examples, the Wi-Fi rangefinding initiator might attempt to establish an FTM session with Computer System 500 to determine the distance between the Wi-Fi rangefinding initiator and Computer System 500. In certain examples, the initiator of the Wi-Fi distance measurement may already be connected to the computer system 500 (e.g., to an AP) before sending the Wi-Fi distance measurement request.Based on the Wi-Fi distance measurement request, the 512 hardware processor can determine a burst duration, which specifies the time frame for executing the FTM session. An FTM session generally takes the form of burst transmissions. A burst transmission can involve a relatively high-bandwidth transfer over a short period. A burst transmission can also involve an intermittent, asynchronous transfer of a specific amount of data. Burst transmissions can occur at regular or irregular intervals. The duration of an FTM session can be referred to as the burst duration or simply the FTM burst. During the FTM burst, one or more FTM-based messages can be exchanged between the Wi-Fi initiator and the 500 computer system.

[0084] Hardware processor 512 executes instruction 518 to determine whether the traffic load of computer system 500 (e.g., an access point) exceeds a threshold. Hardware processor 512 can execute instruction 518 according to the conditions in conjunction with the above. Fig. Execute the described methods. In certain examples, the hardware processor 512 can execute instruction 518 in response to receiving the Wi-Fi receive request.

[0085] Hardware processor 512 executes instruction 520 to reject the Wi-Fi range request in response to the detection that the traffic load exceeds the threshold. Hardware processor 512 can execute instruction 520 according to the above. Fig. Execute the described methods.

[0086] Hardware processor 512 executes instruction 522 to change the bandwidth of a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel on which computer system 500 (e.g., an access point) is operating, from a first bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz or 40 MHz) to a second bandwidth (e.g., 80 MHz or 160 MHz) to meet the Wi-Fi range requirement, with the second bandwidth being larger than the first. As indicated above, in various examples (e.g., when computer system 500 is an access point), the WLAN channel may be a home channel of computer system 500. In some examples, hardware processor 512 can change the WLAN channel bandwidth by using the "Format and Bandwidth" field in an FTM response sent by computer system 500.

[0087] In some examples, before changing the WLAN channel bandwidth to the second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi distance requirement, the hardware processor 512 can queue non-distance-measured Wi-Fi traffic, such as video, voice, audio, online media streaming, online games, etc. In some of these examples, the out-of-queue Wi-Fi traffic can be cached in a queue on the computer system 500 and be ready for transmission once the WLAN channel reverts to its previous bandwidth (i.e., the first bandwidth).

[0088] Hardware processor 512 executes instruction 522 to reset the WLAN channel to the first available bandwidth for non-range-adjusted Wi-Fi operations after the Wi-Fi range request service is complete. As mentioned earlier, examples of non-reachable Wi-Fi operations include traffic forwarding, high-priority traffic delivery, enterprise service provisioning, operating connected client devices, performing channel scans, and so on.

[0089] Fig.Figure 6 shows a block diagram of an exemplary computer system 600, in which various embodiments described here can be implemented. The computer system 600 comprises a bus 602 or other communication mechanism for transmitting information, and one or more hardware processors 604 connected to the bus 602 for processing information. The hardware processor(s) 604 can, for example, be one or more general-purpose microprocessors.

[0090] The Computer System 600 also includes a main memory 606, such as random access memory (RAM), a cache, and / or other dynamic memory devices connected to the bus 602 to store information and instructions to be executed by the processor 604. The main memory 606 can also be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be carried out by the processor 604. Such instructions, stored in memory media accessible to the processor 604, make the Computer System 600 a specialized machine, adapted to perform the operations specified in the instructions.

[0091] The Computer System 600 also includes a read-only memory (ROM) 608 or other static storage device connected to bus 602 to store static information and instructions for the processor 604. A storage device 610, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a USB flash drive, etc., is provided and connected to bus 602 to store information and instructions.

[0092] The computer system 600 can be connected via bus 602 to a display 612, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) (or a touchscreen), to show information to a computer user. An input device 614, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus 602 to transmit information and command selections to the processor 604. Another type of user input device is the cursor control 616, such as a mouse, trackball, or cursor direction keys, for transmitting directional information and command selections to the processor 604 and for controlling cursor movement on the display 612. In some embodiments, the same directional information and command selections as with cursor control can be implemented by receiving touch inputs on a touchscreen without a cursor.

[0093] The Computer System 600 can include a user interface module for implementing a graphical user interface, which can be stored on a mass storage device as executable software code that is executed by the computer device(s). This and other modules can include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables.

[0094] In general, the words "component," "engine," "system," "database," "data store," and the like, as used here, can refer to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions that may have entry and exit points and are 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 clear that software components can be called by other components or by themselves, and / or invoked in response to detected events or interruptions. Software components configured to run on computer devices may be stored on a computer-readable medium, such as...Software code can be provided on a compact disc, digital video disc, flash drive, magnetic disk, or other tangible medium, or as a digital download (and may initially be 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 the memory of the executing computer device so that it can be executed by the computer device. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. Furthermore, 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.

[0095] The computer system 600 can implement the techniques described herein using customer-specific hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware, and / or program logic, which, in combination with the computer system, causes or programs the computer system 600 to be a special-purpose machine. According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein are executed by the computer system 600 in response to the processor(s) 604 executing one or more sequences of instructions contained in the main memory 606. Such instructions may be read into the main memory 606 from another storage medium, such as the storage device 610. The execution of the instruction sequences contained in the main memory 606 causes the processor(s) 604 to perform the process steps described herein.In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuits can be used instead of, or in combination with, software instructions.

[0096] The term "non-volatile media" and similar terms as used here refer to all media that store data and / or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a particular way. Such non-volatile media can include both non-volatile and volatile media. Examples of non-volatile media include optical or magnetic disks, such as Storage Device 610. Examples of volatile media include dynamic memory, such as Main Memory 606. Common forms of non-volatile media include floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, solid-state drives, magnetic tapes 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 their networked versions.

[0097] Non-transitory media differ 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 and fiber optic cables, including the wires that make up the 602 bus. Transmission media can also take the form of sound or light waves, such as those generated in radio and infrared data communication.

[0098] The Computer System 600 also includes a communication interface 618, which is connected to the bus 602. The network interface 618 provides a two-way data communication connection to one or more network connections that are connected to one or more local area networks (LANs). For example, the communication interface 618 could be an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) card, a cable modem, a satellite modem, or a modem to establish a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. Another example: the network interface 618 could be a LAN (Local Area Network) card to establish a data communication connection to a compatible LAN (or a WAN component for communication with a WAN). Wireless connections can also be implemented.In each of these implementations, the network interface sends and receives 618 electrical, electromagnetic, or optical indicators that transmit digital data streams representing various types of information.

[0099] A network connection typically enables data communication over one or more networks to other data devices. For example, a network connection might establish a connection over a local area network to a host computer or to data devices operated by an Internet service provider (ISP). The ISP, in turn, provides data communication services over the worldwide packet data communication network, commonly known today as the "Internet." Both the local area network and the Internet use electrical, electromagnetic, or optical indicators to transmit digital data streams. The indicators across the various networks, the indicators on the network connection, and the communication interface 618, which transmit digital data to and from the computer system 600, are examples of transmission media.

[0100] The computer system 600 can send messages and receive data, including program code, via the network(s), the network connection, and the communication interface 618. In the internet example, a server could transmit requested code for an application program via the internet, the ISP, the local network, and the communication interface 618.

[0101] The received code can be executed by the processor 604 as soon as it is received, and / or stored in the memory device 610 or other non-volatile memory for later execution.

[0102] Each of the processes, methods, and algorithms described in the preceding sections can be embodied in code components and fully or partially automated by them, which are executed by one or more computer systems or computer processors with computer hardware. The one or more computer systems or computer processors can also be operated in such a way as to support the execution of the corresponding operations in a cloud computing environment or as Software as a Service (SaaS). The processes and algorithms can be partially or fully implemented in application-specific circuits. The various features and procedures described above can be used independently or combined in various ways.Various combinations and subcombinations are said to fall within the scope of this disclosure, and certain procedural or process blocks may be omitted in some implementations. The methods and processes described herein are also not restricted to a particular order, and the associated blocks or states may be executed in other suitable orders, in parallel, or otherwise. Blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed examples. The execution of certain operations or processes may be distributed across computer systems or computer processors, not just within a single machine, but distributed across a number of machines.

[0103] A circuit can be implemented in any form of hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more processors, controllers, ASICs, PLAs, PALs, CPLDs, FPGAs, logic components, software routines, or other mechanisms can be implemented to form a circuit. In implementation, the various circuits described herein can be implemented as discrete circuits, or the described functions and features can be partially or completely distributed across one or more circuits. Even if various features or functional elements are individually described or claimed as separate circuits, these features and functions can be shared by one or more common circuits, and such a description is not intended to require or imply that separate circuits are necessary to implement these features or functions.If a circuit is implemented wholly or partly in software, this software can be implemented in such a way that it works with a computer or processing system capable of performing the functionality described in relation to it, such as the Computer System 600.

[0104] As used herein, the term "or" can be understood in both an inclusive and an exclusive sense. Furthermore, the singular description of resources, processes, or structures is not to be understood as excluding the plural. Conditional expressions such as "may," "could," "might," or "can," unless expressly stated otherwise or understood differently in context, are generally intended to express that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not.

[0105] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the terms and expressions used in this document, as well as their variations, are to be understood as open rather than restrictive. Adjectives such as "conventional," "traditional," "normal," "standard," "known," and terms with similar meanings are not to be understood as limiting the described subject matter to a specific period or to an item available at a particular time, but should be understood as encompassing conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future.The presence of expansive words and phrases such as "one or more", "at least", "but not limited to" or similar phrases in some cases is not to be understood as meaning that the narrower case is intended or required when such expansive phrases are not present.

Claims

[1] An access point (AP) that includes: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, which stores instructions executable by the processor to: while performing non-range Wi-Fi operations over a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel with a first bandwidth, perform a regulatory traffic check to determine whether a second bandwidth is free of priority traffic, the second bandwidth being greater than the first bandwidth, in response to receiving a Wi-Fi removal request and determining that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic, change the Wi-Fi channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi removal request, and After the Wi-Fi ranging service is terminated, reset the Wi-Fi channel to the first bandwidth for performing Wi-Fi operations without ranging. [2] The AP of claim 1, wherein: the WLAN channel is a WLAN channel with dynamic frequency selection (DFS); the Wi-Fi ranging request includes a ranging request to initiate a Fine Timing (FTM) session; and Determining that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic includes determining that the second bandwidth is free of radar traffic for a time interval specified by the DFS rule. [3] The AP according to claim 2, wherein: performing the regulatory compliant traffic check for the second bandwidth includes performing a zero-wait DFS operation for the second bandwidth; and Determining that the second bandwidth is clear of radar traffic for the time interval specified by the DFS rule includes completing the zero wait time DFS operation after the time interval specified by the DFS rule. [4] The AP of claim 1, wherein the checking of the compliant traffic for the second bandwidth is repeatedly performed by a dedicated antenna of the AP. [5] The AP of claim 1, wherein checking the regulatory compliant traffic for the second bandwidth is performed in response to determining that a neighboring AP has received a Wi-Fi ranging request. [6] The AP of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi range request is received from a client device. [7] The AP of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to: determine that the AP can split antennas; perform the verification of compliant traffic for the second bandwidth using a dedicated antenna of the AP; and in response to determining that the second bandwidth is free of priority traffic, mark the second bandwidth as free of priority traffic. [8] The AP of claim 1, wherein changing the Wi-Fi channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi removal request is also responsive to determining that at least one of the following conditions is met: the AP does not perform a channel scan and is not designed to perform a channel scan; the AP does not serve traffic classified as high priority traffic; the AP serves a traffic load below a threshold; and the AP does not serve power-saving client devices. [9] The AP of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to reject the Wi-Fi range request and not change the Wi-Fi channel to the second bandwidth in response to determining that at least one of the following conditions is met: the AP is performing a channel scan or is scheduled to perform a channel scan; the AP serves traffic that has been classified as high priority traffic; the AP serves a traffic load above a threshold; and the AP serves power-saving client devices. [10] The AP of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to: Serving the Wi-Fi range request while the Wi-Fi channel is on the first bandwidth in response to determining that the second bandwidth is not clear of priority traffic but the first bandwidth is clear of priority traffic. [11] The AP of claim 1, wherein the WLAN channel is a home channel of the AP. [12] A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to: while conducting non-fine-time measurement (FTM) operations over a wireless local area network (WLAN) dynamic frequency selection (DFS) channel having a first bandwidth, perform a DFS channel availability check (CAC) to determine whether a second bandwidth is clear of radar traffic, the second bandwidth being wider than the first bandwidth; in response to receiving a ranging request to initiate an FTM session and determining that the second bandwidth is free of radar traffic, modify the DFS WLAN channel from the first bandwidth to the second bandwidth to conduct the FTM session; and After the FTM session is completed, reset the DFS WLAN channel to the first bandwidth for performing non-FTM operations. [13] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein: Determining that the second bandwidth is free of radar traffic includes determining that the second bandwidth is free of radar traffic for a time interval specified by the DFS rule. [14] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein: performing the DFS CAC for the second bandwidth comprises performing a zero-wait DFS operation for the second bandwidth; and Determining that the second bandwidth is clear of radar traffic for the time interval specified by the DFS rule includes completing the zero wait time DFS operation after the time interval specified by the DFS rule. [15] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein: the non-transferable computer-readable medium is implemented on an access point (AP); and The DFS-CAC for the second bandwidth is repeatedly performed by a dedicated antenna of the AP. [16] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the DFS-CAC for the second bandwidth is performed in response to detecting that a neighboring AP has received a Wi-Fi ranging request. [17] The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein: the non-transferable computer-readable medium is implemented on an AP; and the instructions are further executable by the processor to: determine that the AP can split antennas, and perform DFS-CAC for the second bandwidth using a dedicated antenna of the AP. [18] A method that can be performed by an access point (AP), the method comprising: Reception of a Wi-Fi range; in response to receiving the Wi-Fi removal request, determining whether the traffic load at the AP is greater than a threshold; in response to determining that the traffic load is higher than the threshold, rejecting the Wi-Fi range request; Changing the bandwidth of a wireless local area network (WLAN) channel on which the AP is operating from a first bandwidth to a second bandwidth to serve the Wi-Fi range request, the second bandwidth being greater than the first bandwidth; and After the Wi-Fi distance request service is terminated, reset the Wi-Fi channel to the first bandwidth for performing Wi-Fi operations without distance measurement. [19] The method according to claim 18 further comprises: before changing the bandwidth of the Wi-Fi channel, queuing non-spanning Wi-Fi traffic. [20] The method according to claim 19 further comprises: In response to the restoration of the Wi-Fi channel to the first bandwidth, re-initiate the transmission of queued Wi-Fi traffic that is not on the Wi-Fi channel.

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