Roaming processing method and apparatus, and storage medium

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communications, and in particular to a roaming processing method and apparatus, and a storage medium. The method is applied to a first master gateway and comprises: sending a first message to a second master gateway, wherein the first message is used for requesting state information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, and the target second slave gateway is a roaming candidate slave gateway of a terminal; receiving a second message from the second master gateway, wherein the second message comprises the state information of the target second slave gateway; and on the basis of the second message, determining whether the terminal is allowed to access the target second slave gateway.

Description

Roaming processing method, device and storage medium

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on January 30, 2024, with application number 202410126082.8 and invention name “Roaming Processing Method, Device and Storage Medium”. The entire contents of the application are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular to a roaming processing method, device, and storage medium. Background Art

[0004] Currently, fiber-to-the-room (FTTR) whole-home fiber networking is widely used. This whole-home fiber networking can be a wireless network composed of multiple gateways (or wireless access points) using a master-multiple-slave approach. Within the coverage area of ​​this wireless network, terminals can roam using network-side roaming guidance.

[0005] However, in larger scenarios like industrial parks and dormitories, a large number of gateways are often deployed to meet network coverage requirements. Furthermore, given that the hardware resources of a single primary gateway often cannot meet business needs, multiple gateways can be combined into multiple whole-house fiber networks. In this case, if a terminal moves across networks, network roaming becomes difficult to support, which can easily cause network interruptions on the terminal side. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present application provide a roaming processing method, device, and storage medium.

[0007] On the one hand, a roaming processing method is provided, which is applied to a first master gateway, including: sending a first message to a second master gateway, the first message being used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, the target second slave gateway being a roaming candidate slave gateway for a terminal; receiving a second message from the second master gateway, the second message including status information of the target second slave gateway; and determining whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway based on the second message.

[0008] On the other hand, a roaming processing method is provided, which is applied to a second master gateway, including: receiving a first message from a first master gateway; wherein the first master gateway is used to manage a target first slave gateway to which a terminal is currently connected; the first message is used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, where the target second slave gateway is a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal; and sending a second message to the first master gateway, where the second message includes status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0009] On the other hand, a roaming processing device is provided, which is applied to a first master gateway and includes: a sending module, a receiving module and a determining module; the sending module is used to send a first message to a second master gateway, the first message being used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, the target second slave gateway being a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal; the receiving module is used to receive a second message from the second master gateway, the second message including status information of the target second slave gateway; and the determining module is used to determine whether the terminal is allowed to access the target second slave gateway based on the second message.

[0010] On the other hand, a roaming processing device is provided, which is applied to a second master gateway and includes: a receiving module and a sending module; the receiving module is used to receive a first message from the first master gateway; wherein the first master gateway is used to manage the target first slave gateway to which the terminal is currently connected; the first message is used to request status information of the target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, where the target second slave gateway is a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal; the sending module is used to send a second message to the first master gateway, where the second message includes status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0011] On the other hand, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory and a processor; the memory and the processor are coupled; the memory is used to store instructions executable by the processor; and the processor implements the roaming processing method described in any of the above embodiments when executing the instructions.

[0012] On the other hand, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which computer instructions are stored. When the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer implements the roaming processing method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0013] On the other hand, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the roaming processing method described in any one of the above embodiments is implemented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in some embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only drawings of some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0015] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a networking system provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0016] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a master gateway provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0017] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a message interaction process provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0018] FIG4 is a flowchart of a roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0019] FIG5 is a flowchart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0020] FIG6 is a flowchart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0021] FIG7 is a flowchart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] FIG8 is a flowchart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] FIG9 is a flowchart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] FIG10 is a flowchart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] FIG11 is a flow chart of another roaming processing method provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a roaming processing device provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of another roaming processing device provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0028] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of another roaming processing device provided in some embodiments of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] It should be noted that, in this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described in this application as "exemplary" or "for example" should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0031] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0032] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means "or." For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this document is simply a description of an association between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Furthermore, "at least one" means one or more, and "a plurality" means two or more.

[0033] With the rapid development of network access technology, smart home networks have evolved into FTTR-based whole-home fiber optic networks. This network can establish a wireless network consisting of multiple wireless access points (APs) to enhance wireless coverage and network capacity. An AP can also be considered a Wi-Fi-enabled gateway. For example, a whole-home fiber optic network can be a wireless network composed of multiple gateways in a master-multiple slave configuration. Within the coverage area of ​​this wireless network, network roaming is supported by terminals, allowing users to connect to the nearest AP at any time while freely moving around.

[0034] Currently, terminal roaming is generally supported through two methods: terminal-side autonomous decision-making and network-side roaming guidance. Terminal-side autonomous decision-making means that the terminal independently monitors the current network status and, when it detects poor network conditions, autonomously searches for a new AP and then switches to the new AP at an appropriate time. Network-side roaming guidance means that the network monitors the terminal's network status in real time and, when a more suitable AP is detected, sends roaming guidance instructions to the terminal, guiding it to switch from its current AP to a more suitable one without interrupting its network connection.

[0035] In comparison, the network side has a more comprehensive understanding of the entire network. Through network planning and network optimization, it can more accurately determine the terminal's roaming timing and select the most suitable AP for the terminal. Specifically, the master or slave gateway can determine the most suitable target slave gateway for the terminal based on real-time measurements such as the terminal's signal strength and slave gateway load information. At the appropriate time, it can send roaming guidance instructions to the terminal, guiding the terminal to roam to the target slave gateway, thus achieving roaming guidance.

[0036] However, in larger scenarios like industrial parks and dormitories, a large number of gateways are often deployed to meet network coverage requirements. Furthermore, given that the hardware resources of a single primary gateway often cannot meet business needs, multiple gateways can be combined into multiple whole-house fiber networks. In this case, if a terminal moves across networks, network roaming becomes difficult to support, which can easily cause network interruptions on the terminal side.

[0037] In order to improve the problem that network interruption is prone to occur when the terminal moves across networks, an embodiment of the present application proposes a roaming processing method. When the target second slave gateway in the second network is the roaming candidate slave gateway of the terminal, the first master gateway of the first network can send a first message to the second master gateway of the second network to request status information of the target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway.

[0038] Based on this, the present application can support the master gateway of the current network to request the status information of its slave gateway from the master gateway of the other network when the terminal moves from the current network (such as the first network) to other networks (such as the second network), so as to obtain the status information of the slave gateway of the other network in a timely manner.

[0039] Furthermore, the first master gateway may receive a second message from the second master gateway. Since the second message carries the state information of the target second slave gateway, the first master gateway may determine whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway based on the second message, thereby effectively processing roaming guidance for the terminal.

[0040] Based on this, this application can support the master gateway of the current network to obtain the slave gateway information of other networks, and timely guide the terminal to roam across networks, thereby achieving seamless roaming guidance across networks in the FTTR whole-house fiber optic networking scenario, avoiding service interruptions on the terminal side, and improving the user's roaming experience. Therefore, this application can be used to improve the problem of difficulty in supporting terminal network roaming in cross-network mobile scenarios, effectively avoiding network interruptions on the terminal side.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present application, the roaming processing method can be applied to the first master gateway in the networking system. The networking system provided by the embodiments of the present application is described below.

[0042] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a networking system 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG1 , the networking system 100 may include a terminal 10, a first master gateway 20, a plurality of first slave gateways 30, a second master gateway 40, and a plurality of second slave gateways 50.

[0043] The first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40 can be connected via a wired network or a wireless network. The first master gateway 20 and multiple first slave gateways 30 can form a first whole-house fiber optic network (hereinafter referred to as the "first sub-network"). The first master gateway 20 can be connected to multiple first slave gateways 30 respectively through an optical splitter. The terminal 10 can be connected to any one of the multiple first slave gateways 30. Any one of the first slave gateways 30 can also be referred to as a target first slave gateway.

[0044] The second master gateway 40 and multiple second slave gateways 50 can also form a second whole-house fiber optic network (hereinafter referred to as the "second sub-network"). The second master gateway 40 can be connected to the multiple second slave gateways 50 via an optical splitter. Any of the multiple second slave gateways 50 can be a candidate roaming gateway for the terminal 10. Any of the second slave gateways 50 can also be referred to as a target second slave gateway.

[0045] 1 , the terminal 10 may move from the coverage of the currently connected first slave gateway 30 to the coverage of a second slave gateway 50. In other words, the terminal 10 may move from the coverage of the target first slave gateway to the coverage of the target second slave gateway.

[0046] In practical applications, the networking system 100 in FIG1 may include multiple terminals, as well as master gateways and slave gateways in other networks. For example, the networking system 100 in FIG1 may also include a third master gateway and multiple third slave gateways in a third whole-house fiber optic network. For ease of understanding, the present embodiment of the application uses an example of a networking system including one terminal and master gateways and slave gateways in two networks.

[0047] The terminal 10 in Figure 1 may have a wireless network access function for supporting a user to access the Internet. Figure 1 shows an example of a device form of the terminal 10 and is not intended to limit the device form of the terminal 10.

[0048] Alternatively, the terminal 10 may be a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a terminal unit, a user station, a terminal station, a mobile station, a mobile station, a remote station, a remote terminal, a user terminal (TE), a mobile device, a wireless communication device, a terminal agent, a tablet computer, a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, an in-vehicle transceiver unit, a wearable device, or a terminal device in a fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) network or a public land mobile network (PLMN) evolved after 5G. The access terminal may be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless terminal in a smart home, etc.

[0049] The first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40 in FIG1 may have roaming processing functions for guiding the terminal to roam within or across networks. Furthermore, the first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40 in FIG1 may also be used to connect to upper-layer network elements to support data exchange between the terminal and external networks.

[0050] The multiple first slave gateways 30 and multiple second slave gateways 50 in Figure 1 can have Wi-Fi capabilities and can be used to establish wireless connections with the terminal 10, supporting the terminal 10's access to external networks. For example, the multiple first slave gateways 30 can forward messages from the terminal 10 to the first master gateway 20, which then forwards the messages to the upper-layer network element, thereby enabling the terminal 10 to access the external network. For another example, the multiple second slave gateways 50 can forward messages from the terminal 10 to the second master gateway 40, which then forwards the messages to the upper-layer network element, thereby enabling the terminal 10 to access the external network.

[0051] Optionally, the first main gateway 20 and the second main gateway 40 may have Wi-Fi functionality while having roaming processing functionality, or may not have Wi-Fi functionality. In other words, the first main gateway 20 and the second main gateway 40 may be deployed as APs while performing roaming guidance to establish a wireless connection with the terminal 10. Alternatively, the first main gateway 20 and the second main gateway 40 may not be deployed as APs and may be dedicated to roaming guidance. This embodiment of the present application is not limited to this.

[0052] For ease of understanding, some embodiments of the present application are described by taking the first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40 as an example in which they do not have Wi-Fi functions.

[0053] In one possible manner, message interaction can be performed between the first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40, so that the first master gateway 20 obtains configuration information or status information of the second slave gateway 50 in the second subnet, or the second master gateway 40 obtains configuration information or status information of the first slave gateway 30 in the first subnet.

[0054] For example, as shown in FIG2 , the master gateway 200 (e.g., the first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40) in the embodiment of the present application may be configured with a cross-network coordination and management function to support coordinated management of configuration information or status information of slave gateways between master gateways. The cross-network coordination and management function may be implemented by a wide area network (WAN) side message receiving module, a WAN side message management module, and a WAN side message sending module.

[0055] The WAN side message receiving module can be used to receive cross-subnetwork coordination management messages from the WAN network. The cross-subnetwork coordination management message can be sent by other master gateways to coordinate and manage the configuration information or status information of the slave gateway. For example, the cross-subnetwork coordination management message can be the first message, the second message, the third message, the eighth message, the ninth message or the tenth message. The WAN side message management module can be used to respond to the received cross-subnetwork coordination management message. Alternatively, the WAN side message management module can also be used to actively edit cross-subnetwork coordination management messages directed to other master gateways. The WAN side message sending module can be used to send cross-subnetwork coordination management messages to other master gateways in the WAN network.

[0056] For example, the cross-subnetwork coordination management message can be a first message used to obtain the status information of the target second slave gateway in the second subnetwork. Then the first master gateway 20 can actively edit the cross-subnetwork coordination management message through the WAN side message management module, and send the cross-subnetwork coordination management message to the second master gateway 40 through the WAN side message sending module. Correspondingly, the second master gateway 40 can receive the cross-subnetwork coordination management message from the first master gateway 20 through the WAN side message receiving module, and respond to the received cross-subnetwork coordination management message through the WAN side message management module, read the status information of the target second slave gateway, and send the status information of the target second slave gateway to the first master gateway 20 through the WAN side message sending module. Based on this interactive process, the first master gateway 20 can obtain the status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0057] Optionally, a connection can be established between the first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40 based on a data link layer protocol to achieve data link layer connectivity. Alternatively, a connection can be established between the first master gateway 20 and the second master gateway 40 based on a network layer protocol to achieve network layer connectivity. This embodiment of the present application is not limited to this.

[0058] In one possible approach, the master gateway of each subnet within the networking system can be preconfigured with a preset message structure. This preset message structure can be used to indicate the message structure of multiple messages during interaction between master gateways, supporting information exchange between the master gateways. For example, the message structure of a first message, a second message, a third message, an eighth message, a ninth message, and a tenth message. The first master gateway 20 can generate a first message according to this preset message structure. The second master gateway can parse the first message according to this preset message structure.

[0059] In one possible approach, as shown in FIG2 , the preset message structure can be pre-configured in the WAN-side message management module of the primary gateway. For example, the first primary gateway 20 can process the received message according to the preset message structure through the configured WAN-side message management module to determine the message type and purpose, etc.

[0060] Optionally, the preset message structure may be defined based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1905 protocol, may be defined based on an Ethernet frame format, may be defined based on an Internet Protocol (IP), or may be defined based on other methods. This embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0061] For example, the preset message structure may be defined based on the IEEE 1905 protocol. Six messages, namely, a first message, a second message, a third message, an eighth message, a ninth message, and a tenth message, may be added to the IEEE 1905 protocol message for information exchange between master gateways.

[0062] According to the functional type, the first message can be called a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information request message, which is used to request the real-time status information of the roaming candidate slave gateway. The second message can be called a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report message, which is used to report the real-time status information of the roaming candidate slave gateway. The third message can be called a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message, which is used to indicate confirmation of receipt of the relevant message. The eighth message can be called a subnet access point information request message, which is used to request information about all slave gateways in other subnets. The ninth message can be called a subnet access point information report message, which is used to request configuration information of all slave gateways in the current subnet. The tenth message can be called a subnet access point information change notification message, which is used to indicate the updated configuration information of the slave gateway in the current subnet.

[0063] These six messages may be newly defined 1905.1 messages. Table 1 below shows the message type, value, transmission type, and relay indicator field for these six messages. The transmission type may be unicast or unicast or multicast.

[0064] Table 1

[0065] Table 2 below shows the specific structure of the six messages, which may include the destination media access control (MAC) address, source MAC address, Ethernet type 0x893A, message version, reserved field, message type, message identifier (ID), fragment ID, last fragment indicator, relay indicator, multiple 1905.1 protocol type-length-value (TLV), and message end TLV. The "Message Type" field can be used to carry the value of the message indication.

[0066] For example, when the field "Message Type" is 0x1000, it may indicate that the message is an inter-subnet coordination management confirmation message.

[0067] When the field "Message Type" is 0x1001, it can indicate that the message is a subnet access point information change notification message.

[0068] When the field "Message Type" is 0x1002, it may indicate that the message is a subnet access point information request message.

[0069] When the field "Message Type" is 0x1003, it may indicate that the message is a subnet access point information report message.

[0070] When the "Message Type" field is 0x1004, it may indicate that the message is a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information request message.

[0071] When the "Message Type" field is 0x1005, it may indicate that the message is a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report message.

[0072] Table 2

[0073] As shown in Table 3 below, in order to support information exchange between master gateways, three new TLV structures can be defined in the newly defined 1905.1 message.

[0074] In the subnet access point information report message, the basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) of all slave gateways in the current subnet may be carried through the subnet access point information report TLV.

[0075] In the roaming candidate secondary gateway real-time information request message, the roaming candidate secondary gateway real-time information request TLV may be used to carry the BSSID of the roaming candidate secondary gateway to be queried.

[0076] In the roaming candidate secondary gateway real-time information report message, the current status information of the roaming candidate secondary gateway can be carried through the roaming candidate secondary gateway real-time information report TLV.

[0077] The current status information of the candidate roaming slave gateway may include the working channel, operation category, bandwidth, number of associated users, signal-to-noise ratio, indication information for indicating whether to allow new terminal access, and other information related to roaming decision.

[0078] Table 3

[0079] Table 4 below shows an example of the structure of a subnet access point information report TLV.

[0080] Table 4

[0081] Table 5 below shows an example of the structure of a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information request TLV.

[0082] Table 5

[0083] Table 6 below shows an example of the structure of a Roaming Candidate Slave Gateway Real-time Information Report TLV. The value of the Roaming Candidate Slave Gateway Real-time Information Report TLV can be a variable length and is used to carry information such as the BSSID, channel number, operation class, bandwidth, and number of wireless stations (STAs).

[0084] Table 6

[0085] Based on the above six messages, master gateways can exchange information about slave gateways.

[0086] As shown in Figure 3, a schematic diagram of a message interaction process between master gateways provided in an embodiment of the present application is provided. The message interaction process may include S301-S307.

[0087] S301: After starting, the first master gateway 20 can multicast (ie, multicast) a subnet access point information request message to other master gateways in the networking system. Correspondingly, the second master gateway 40 can receive the subnet access point information request message from the first master gateway 20.

[0088] S302: In response to the subnet access point information request message, the second master gateway 40 may unicast a subnet access point information report message to the first master gateway 20. Accordingly, the first master gateway 20 may receive the subnet access point information report message from the second master gateway 40.

[0089] S303 : In response to the subnet access point information report message, the first master gateway 20 may unicast a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message to the second master gateway 40 . Accordingly, the second master gateway 40 may receive the cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message from the first master gateway 20 .

[0090] S304: When a slave gateway in the first subnet changes (e.g., a slave gateway starts up, a new slave gateway joins, or configuration information changes), the first master gateway 20 can multicast a subnet access point information change notification message to other master gateways in the networking system. Accordingly, the second master gateway 40 can receive the subnet access point information change notification message from the first master gateway 20.

[0091] S305: When guiding inter-network roaming, the first master gateway 20 may unicast a request message for real-time information about candidate slave gateways to the master gateway of the subnet where the target slave gateway resides. For example, when the target slave gateway is the second slave gateway, the first master gateway 20 may unicast a request message for real-time information about candidate slave gateways to the second master gateway 40. Accordingly, the second master gateway 40 may receive the request message for real-time information about candidate slave gateways from the first master gateway 20.

[0092] S306: In response to the roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information request message, the second master gateway 40 may unicast a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report message to the first master gateway 20. Accordingly, the first master gateway 20 may receive the roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report message from the second master gateway 40.

[0093] S307: In response to the roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report message, the first master gateway 20 may unicast a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message to the second master gateway 40. Accordingly, the second master gateway 40 may receive the cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message from the first master gateway 20.

[0094] The following describes the roaming processing method provided by an embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the networking system shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic flow chart of a roaming processing method provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method shown in Figure 4 can be applied to the networking system shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the roaming processing method may include: S401-S403.

[0095] S401: A first master gateway sends a first message to a second master gateway.

[0096] Corresponding to the process of S401 , the second master gateway may receive the first message from the first master gateway.

[0097] The first message may be used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway. The target second slave gateway may be a roaming candidate slave gateway of the terminal.

[0098] In one possible approach, in conjunction with the application scenario shown in Figure 1, a terminal can be within the coverage area of ​​a target first slave gateway in the first subnet and establish a wireless connection with the target first slave gateway. The first subnet is a whole-house fiber optic network consisting of a first master gateway and multiple first slave gateways. The first master gateway is used to manage the target first slave gateway to which the terminal is currently connected. The target first slave gateway is the first slave gateway connected to the terminal among the multiple first slave gateways managed by the first master gateway.

[0099] The user carrying the terminal can move from the coverage area of ​​the target first slave gateway to the coverage area of ​​the target second slave gateway in the second subnet, gradually moving away from the coverage area of ​​the target first slave gateway, that is, gradually moving away from the first subnet. The second subnet is the whole-house fiber optic network composed of the second master gateway and multiple second slave gateways. The target second slave gateway is the second slave gateway among the multiple second slave gateways that is in the terminal's movement route.

[0100] The first master gateway can detect that the terminal is moving to a distant place by means of location tracking or measuring the trend of channel strength changes, and determine to guide the terminal to roam. In this case, the first master gateway can interact with the terminal through the target first slave gateway to obtain a list of optional access points within the terminal's reception range. The list of optional access points may include information such as the channel strength of the slave gateway measured by the terminal at the current location. For example, when the terminal is at the position shown in Figure 1, it can measure the target second slave gateway. That is, the list of optional access points may include information such as the channel strength of the target second slave gateway.

[0101] Furthermore, the first master gateway may parse the list of selectable access points and determine that the target second slave gateway is a candidate roaming slave gateway for the terminal. The first master gateway may then send a first message to the second master gateway to request status information of the target second slave gateway, thereby facilitating a determination as to whether the terminal can be directed to roam to the target second slave gateway.

[0102] In one possible manner, the target second slave gateway may be a slave gateway that meets preset conditions among the candidate roaming slave gateways around the terminal. The preset conditions may include at least one of the following: a slave gateway with the greatest channel strength to the terminal, or a slave gateway closest to the terminal.

[0103] For example, the first master gateway can parse the optional access point list to obtain information such as the channel strength of multiple roaming candidate slave gateways including the target second slave gateway, and compare the channel strengths of the multiple roaming candidate slave gateways to determine that the target second slave gateway is the slave gateway with the largest channel strength with the terminal, that is, determine that the target second slave gateway is the slave gateway that meets the preset conditions.

[0104] For another example, the first master gateway may pre-store configuration information of the slave gateways of each sub-network within the networking system. The configuration information may include the deployment location information of the slave gateway. While the terminal sends the list of optional access points to the first master gateway through the target first slave gateway, it may also send the current location information to the first master gateway. After the first master gateway parses the list of optional access points to determine multiple roaming candidate slave gateways, it may read the pre-stored deployment location information of the multiple roaming candidate slave gateways, and determine the distance between the multiple roaming candidate slave gateways and the terminal in combination with the current location information of the terminal. Furthermore, the first master gateway may compare the distances between the multiple roaming candidate slave gateways and the terminal, and determine the target second slave gateway as the slave gateway closest to the terminal, that is, determine the target second slave gateway as a slave gateway that meets the preset conditions.

[0105] In one possible approach, the first message may include identification information of the target second slave gateway. This identification information may be used to uniquely identify the target second slave gateway. For example, the first message may be a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information request message, and the roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information request TLV may carry the BSSID of the target second slave gateway. The BSSID may be used to uniquely identify an AP (i.e., a gateway) in a wireless local area network and may be generated based on the AP's MAC address.

[0106] In one possible manner, after receiving the first message from the first master gateway, the second master gateway can parse the first message based on a preset message structure, obtain the BSSID of the target second slave gateway, and determine that the first message is used to request status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0107] S402: The second master gateway sends a second message to the first master gateway.

[0108] Corresponding to the process of S402 , the first master gateway may receive a second message from the second master gateway.

[0109] The second message may include status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0110] The status information of the target second slave gateway may include at least one of the following: an operating channel, an operation category, a bandwidth, a number of associated users, a signal-to-noise ratio, and an indication of whether new terminal access is permitted. The operating channel may indicate the wireless channel currently operating on the target second slave gateway. The operation category may indicate the type of operation performed by the target second slave gateway on channel information. The bandwidth may indicate the amount of data that the target second slave gateway can transmit per unit time. The number of associated users may indicate the number of terminals connected to the target second slave gateway. The signal-to-noise ratio may indicate the current channel quality of the target second slave gateway.

[0111] In one possible approach, the second master gateway may instruct the target second slave gateway to measure and report current status information to obtain the current status information of the target second slave gateway. Furthermore, the second master gateway may send a second message carrying the status information of the target second slave gateway to the first master gateway. For example, the second message may be a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report message, which may carry the current status information of the target second slave gateway via a roaming candidate slave gateway real-time information report TLV.

[0112] In one possible manner, the first message may further include a first message identifier (MID). The first MID may be used to uniquely identify the first message. The second primary gateway may parse the first message to obtain the first MID and add the first MID to the second message, so that the first primary gateway can determine that the second message is used to respond to the first message.

[0113] In one possible approach, after receiving the second message from the second master gateway, the first master gateway can parse the MID field in the second message to obtain the first MID and determine that the second message is used to respond to the first message. Furthermore, the first master gateway can parse the TLV field in the second message to obtain the status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0114] S403: The first master gateway determines whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway according to the second message.

[0115] In one possible manner, after the first master gateway parses the second message to obtain the status information of the target second slave gateway, it may make a judgment based on the status information of the target second slave gateway to determine whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway.

[0116] For example, when the indication information in the state information of the target second slave gateway is used to indicate that a new terminal is not allowed to access, the first master gateway may determine that the terminal is not allowed to access the target second slave gateway.

[0117] For another example, when the indication information in the status information of the target second slave gateway is used to indicate that a new terminal is allowed to access, and the signal-to-noise ratio in the status information of the target second slave gateway is less than or equal to a preset signal-to-noise ratio threshold, the first master gateway may determine that the terminal is not allowed to access the target second slave gateway.

[0118] For another example, when the indication information in the state information of the target second slave gateway is used to indicate that a new terminal is allowed to access, the first master gateway may determine to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway.

[0119] For another example, when the indication information in the status information of the target second slave gateway is used to indicate that a new terminal is allowed to access, and the signal-to-noise ratio in the status information of the target second slave gateway is greater than a preset signal-to-noise ratio threshold, the first master gateway may determine to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway.

[0120] Based on this, this application can support the master gateway of the current network to obtain the slave gateway information of other networks, and timely guide the terminal to roam across networks, thereby realizing seamless roaming guidance across networks in the FTTR whole-house fiber optic networking scenario, avoiding service interruptions on the terminal side, and improving the user's roaming experience. Therefore, this application can be used to improve the problem of difficulty in supporting terminal network roaming in cross-network mobile scenarios, effectively avoiding network interruptions on the terminal side.

[0121] In one embodiment, in combination with FIG4 , after the above S402 , that is, after the second primary gateway sends the second message to the first primary gateway, as shown in FIG5 , the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: S501 .

[0122] S501: The first master gateway sends a third message to the second master gateway.

[0123] Corresponding to the process of S501 , the second master gateway may receive the third message sent by the first master gateway.

[0124] The third message may be used to confirm receipt of the second message.

[0125] In one possible approach, after receiving the second message, the first primary gateway may send a third message to the second primary gateway. Furthermore, the first primary gateway may add the first MID to the third message so that the second primary gateway can determine that the third message is a response to the second message, indicating that the first primary gateway has received the second message, thereby preventing the second primary gateway from retransmitting the second message.

[0126] Correspondingly, the second master gateway may receive the third message sent by the first master gateway, and parse the third message to obtain relevant information to determine that the first master gateway has received the second message.

[0127] For example, the second message may be the cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message in Table 1. In combination with Table 2, after receiving the third message, the second master gateway may parse the third message to obtain a value of 0x1000 for the field "message type" and a value of the first MID for the field "message ID," thereby determining that the third message is a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message and is used to confirm receipt of the second message.

[0128] Optionally, the above step numbers do not limit the execution order of S403 and S501. For example, S403 can be executed before S501, after S501, or simultaneously with S501. This embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0129] In one embodiment, in combination with Figure 4, after the above S403, that is, after the first master gateway determines whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway based on the second message, as shown in Figure 6, the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application may also include: S601.

[0130] S601: When allowing a terminal to access a target second slave gateway, the first master gateway sends a fourth message to the target first slave gateway.

[0131] The fourth message may be used to instruct the terminal to access the target second slave gateway.

[0132] In one possible manner, when the first master gateway determines that the terminal is allowed to access the target second slave gateway, the first master gateway may send a fourth message to the target first slave gateway to facilitate roaming processing of the terminal from the target first slave gateway to the target second slave gateway. The fourth message may include the working channel of the target second slave gateway, indication information for instructing the terminal to access the target second slave gateway, etc.

[0133] The target first slave gateway may receive the fourth message from the first master gateway and forward the information in the fourth message to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal may receive the information in the fourth message from the target first slave gateway, disconnect from the target first slave gateway, and establish a connection with the target second slave gateway.

[0134] Alternatively, the target first slave gateway may proactively disconnect from the terminal after forwarding the information in the fourth message to the terminal. After receiving the information in the fourth message from the target first slave gateway, the terminal may establish a connection with the target second slave gateway.

[0135] In one embodiment, in order to support the first master gateway in determining whether roaming guidance is required for the terminal, and to support the first master gateway in determining a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal, before the first master gateway sends a first message to the second master gateway, as shown in FIG7 , the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: S701-S704.

[0136] S701: A first master gateway receives a sixth message sent by a terminal through a target first slave gateway.

[0137] The sixth message may be used to indicate the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway. The channel strength may be used to characterize the transmission quality of the wireless communication channel between the terminal and the target first slave gateway.

[0138] In one possible implementation, the terminal may measure the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway in real time or periodically, and may add the measured channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway to a sixth message, and send the sixth message to the first master gateway via the target first slave gateway. Correspondingly, the first master gateway may receive the sixth message sent by the terminal via the target first slave gateway, and parse the sixth message to obtain the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway.

[0139] S702: When the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway is less than or equal to a first threshold, the first master gateway sends a seventh message to the terminal through the target first slave gateway.

[0140] The seventh message may be used to instruct the terminal to measure the channel strength of the slave gateways around the terminal, that is, to instruct the terminal to measure the channel strength of the slave gateways within the access range.

[0141] The first threshold may be pre-set in the first master gateway and is used to determine whether the channel strength between the terminal and the slave gateway is capable of supporting the communication service of the terminal.

[0142] In one possible manner, the first master gateway may compare the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway with a first threshold.

[0143] If the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway is greater than the first threshold, it can be indicated that the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway can support the terminal's communication service, and there is no need to switch the terminal to another slave gateway. In this case, the first master gateway can determine that there is no need to roam for the terminal.

[0144] When the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway is less than or equal to the first threshold, it may indicate that the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway is insufficient to support the terminal's communication service, and the terminal needs to be switched to another slave gateway. In this case, the first master gateway may determine that roaming guidance is required for the terminal, and send a seventh message to the terminal through the target first slave gateway to obtain a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal.

[0145] S703: The first master gateway receives a fifth message sent by the terminal through the target first slave gateway.

[0146] The fifth message may be used to indicate the channel strength of the slave gateway around the terminal.

[0147] In one possible approach, the terminal may receive the seventh message sent by the first master gateway through the target first slave gateway, and may measure the channel strength of the surrounding slave gateways in response to the seventh message. Furthermore, the terminal may add the measured channel strength of the surrounding slave gateways to a fifth message and send the fifth message to the first master gateway through the target first slave gateway. Accordingly, the first master gateway may receive the fifth message sent by the terminal through the target first slave gateway and parse the fifth message to obtain the channel strength of the slave gateways surrounding the terminal.

[0148] S704: The first master gateway determines a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal from slave gateways surrounding the terminal according to the fifth message.

[0149] In one possible approach, the first master gateway may compare the channel strength of the slave gateways around the terminal in the fifth message with a second threshold, and determine the slave gateways around the terminal whose channel strength is greater than the second threshold as candidate roaming slave gateways for the terminal. The second threshold may be pre-set within the first master gateway and is used to determine the slave gateways whose channel strength meets the terminal's communication service requirements.

[0150] In one possible approach, when the number of roaming candidate slave gateways of the terminal is two or more, the first master gateway may further screen according to preset conditions to obtain the optimal roaming candidate slave gateway.

[0151] In one embodiment, master gateways within a networking system can implement coordinated management of slave gateways through message exchange. The following uses the message exchange process between a first master gateway and a second master gateway shown in FIG8 as an example to illustrate the coordinated management process of slave gateways. As shown in FIG8 , the roaming processing method provided in this embodiment of the present application further includes: S801-S802.

[0152] S801: The first master gateway sends an eighth message to the second master gateway.

[0153] Corresponding to the process of S801 , the second master gateway receives the eighth message sent by the first master gateway.

[0154] The eighth message may be used to request configuration information of the second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway.

[0155] In one possible way, after the first master gateway is powered on and started, it can multicast the eighth message to the master gateways of other subnets in the networking system to obtain the configuration information of the slave gateways in other subnets, thereby establishing a complete slave gateway information list and obtaining the access point information in the networking system.

[0156] For example, with reference to FIG2 , the first master gateway can determine that it is powered on through the configured WAN-side message management module, and multicast the eighth message (i.e., the subnet access point information request message) to the WAN side through the configured WAN-side message sending module, and wait for the ninth message (i.e., the subnet access point information report message) sent by the master gateway of the other subnet through the WAN side through the configured WAN-side message receiving module. In this case, the second master gateway can receive the eighth message from the first master gateway through the configured WAN-side message receiving module.

[0157] S802: The second master gateway sends a ninth message to the first master gateway.

[0158] Corresponding to the process of S802 , the first master gateway receives the ninth message sent by the second master gateway.

[0159] The ninth message may include configuration information of the second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway. The configuration information of the second slave gateway may include the BSSID of the second slave gateway.

[0160] In one possible approach, after receiving the eighth message from the first master gateway, the second master gateway may respond to the eighth message by reading the configuration information of each second slave gateway it manages and unicasting the ninth message to the first master gateway. Correspondingly, the first master gateway may receive the ninth message sent by the second master gateway and parse the ninth message to obtain the configuration information of each second slave gateway.

[0161] For example, in conjunction with FIG2 , after the second master gateway receives the eighth message from the first master gateway through the configured WAN-side message receiving module, the eighth message may be verified through the configured WAN-side message management module.

[0162] If the eighth message is verified to conform to the message structure of the subnet access point information request message defined in the preset message structure, and the MID in the eighth message is the same as that in the previously received subnet access point information request message, then the eighth message may be a duplicate message, and the second master gateway may determine that the verification has failed and discard the eighth message. If the eighth message is verified to conform to the message structure of any message defined in the preset message structure, then the eighth message may be an abnormal message, and the second master gateway may also determine that the verification has failed and discard the eighth message.

[0163] If the eighth message is verified to conform to the message structure of the subnet access point information request message defined in the preset message structure, and the MID in the eighth message is different from the previously received subnet access point information request message, the second master gateway can determine that the verification has passed, construct a ninth message via the configured WAN-side message management module, and unicast the ninth message to the first master gateway via the configured WAN-side message sending module. Accordingly, the first master gateway can receive the ninth message from the second master gateway via the configured WAN-side message receiving module and verify the ninth message via the configured WAN-side message management module. If the verification passes, the first master gateway can parse the ninth message via the configured WAN-side message management module to obtain configuration information for each second slave gateway.

[0164] In one possible manner, the second master gateway may add the MID carried in the eighth message to the ninth message, so that the first master gateway can determine that the ninth message responds to the eighth message.

[0165] Based on the process of S801-S802, the first master gateway can obtain the static configuration information of the slave gateway in the second subnet (i.e., the second slave gateway) and establish a slave gateway information list for the second subnet to support the coordinated management of the slave gateways in the second subnet. Subsequently, if it is necessary to guide the terminal to roam to the slave gateway in the second subnet, the first master gateway can obtain the real-time status information of the slave gateway in the second subnet based on the process of S401-S402 above to effectively make roaming decisions.

[0166] In an optional embodiment, after the above S802, that is, after the second master gateway sends the ninth message to the first master gateway, as shown in FIG9 , the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application may further include: S901.

[0167] S901. The first master gateway sends a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message to the second master gateway.

[0168] In one possible manner, in conjunction with Figure 2, when the first master gateway determines through the configured WAN-side message management module that the ninth message has passed verification, it can send a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message to the second master gateway through the configured WAN-side message sending module. The cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message can carry the same MID as the eighth message and the ninth message, so that the second master gateway can confirm that the first master gateway has received the ninth message.

[0169] In one embodiment, when a slave gateway configured within a networking system changes, the master gateway of the corresponding subnet can multicast a subnet access point information change notification message to the master gateways of other subnets. The subnet access point information change notification message can carry updated configuration information to facilitate other master gateways in establishing a complete list of slave gateway information. The following describes the slave gateway information change notification process using the message interaction process between the first master gateway and the second master gateway shown in FIG10 as an example. As shown in FIG10 , the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: S1001.

[0170] S1001. The second master gateway sends a tenth message to the first master gateway.

[0171] Corresponding to the process of S1001 , the first master gateway receives the tenth message sent by the second master gateway.

[0172] The tenth message may include updated configuration information of the second slave gateway.

[0173] In one possible approach, when the second master gateway is powered on and started by the originally configured second slave gateway, or when the configuration information of the originally configured second slave gateway is updated, or when a new second slave gateway is added to the second subnet, etc., it can be determined that the second slave gateway in the second subnet has changed, and a tenth message can be multicasted to other master gateways in the networking system. Correspondingly, the first master gateway can receive the tenth message sent by the second master gateway.

[0174] For example, in conjunction with Figure 2, the second master gateway can determine whether there is a change in the second slave gateway in the second subnet through the configured WAN side message management module. In addition, when the second master gateway determines that there is a change in the second slave gateway in the second subnet, it can construct a subnet access point information change notification message (i.e., the tenth message) through the configured WAN side message management module, and send the subnet access point information change notification message to the WAN side multicast through the configured WAN side message sending module. Correspondingly, the first master gateway can receive the subnet access point information change notification message sent by the second master gateway through the configured WAN side message receiving module. Among them, the subnet access point information change notification message can carry the BSSID information of the second master gateway and each second slave gateway through the subnet access point information report TLV.

[0175] In one embodiment, when a slave gateway configured in a networking system changes, the master gateway of the corresponding subnet may multicast a subnet access point information change notification message to the master gateways of other subnets. The subnet access point information change notification message may not carry updated configuration information. After receiving the subnet access point information change notification message, the master gateway of other subnets may request the updated configuration information from the master gateway that sent the subnet access point information change notification message to establish a complete slave gateway information list. The following takes the message interaction process between the first master gateway and the second master gateway shown in Figure 11 as an example to illustrate the slave gateway information change notification process. As shown in Figure 11, the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes: S1101-S1104.

[0176] S1101. The second master gateway sends a subnet access point information change notification message to the first master gateway.

[0177] Corresponding to the process of S1101, the first master gateway receives the subnet access point information change notification message sent by the second master gateway.

[0178] The subnet access point information change notification message may be used to notify the second slave gateway in the second subnet of configuration information update, but does not carry the updated configuration information of the second slave gateway.

[0179] In one possible approach, upon determining that a change has occurred to the second slave gateway in the second subnet, the second master gateway may multicast a subnet access point information change notification message to other master gateways in the networking system. Accordingly, the first master gateway may receive the subnet access point information change notification message sent by the second master gateway.

[0180] S1102: The first master gateway sends a subnet access point information request message to the second master gateway.

[0181] Corresponding to the process of S1102, the second master gateway receives the subnet access point information request message sent by the first master gateway.

[0182] In one possible approach, after receiving the subnet access point information change notification message from the second master gateway, the first master gateway may unicast a subnet access point information request message to the second master gateway to request updated configuration information for the second slave gateway. Accordingly, the second master gateway may receive the subnet access point information request message sent by the first master gateway.

[0183] S1103: The second master gateway sends a subnet access point information report message to the first master gateway.

[0184] Corresponding to the process of S1103 , the first master gateway receives the subnet access point information report message sent by the second master gateway.

[0185] In one possible approach, referring to FIG2 , after receiving the subnet access point information request message from the first master gateway via the configured WAN-side message receiving module, the second master gateway can verify the subnet access point information request message via the configured WAN-side message management module. If the verification passes, the second master gateway can construct a subnet access point information report message via the configured WAN-side message management module and unicast the subnet access point information report message to the first master gateway.

[0186] The Subnet Access Point Information Report message can carry updated configuration information for the second slave gateway and can carry BSSID information for the second master gateway and multiple second slave gateways via the Subnet Access Point Information Report TLV. Furthermore, the Subnet Access Point Information Report message can carry the same MID as the Subnet Access Point Information Request message.

[0187] S1104. The first master gateway sends a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message to the second master gateway.

[0188] Corresponding to the process of S1104, the second master gateway receives the cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message sent by the first master gateway.

[0189] In one possible approach, with reference to Figure 2 , the first master gateway can receive the subnet access point information report message sent by the second master gateway via a configured WAN-side message receiving module, and can verify and process the subnet access point information report message via a configured WAN-side message management module. If the verification passes, the first master gateway can reply to the second master gateway with a cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message. The cross-subnet coordination management confirmation message can carry the same MID as the subnet access point information report message.

[0190] It is understandable that the main gateway (such as the first main gateway and the second main gateway) in the networking system includes a hardware structure and / or software module for performing each function in order to implement the above functions. Those skilled in the art should easily appreciate that, in conjunction with the algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments of the present application, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in a hardware or computer software driven hardware manner depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0191] The embodiment of the present application can divide the functional modules of the main gateway in the networking system according to the above method embodiment. For example, each functional module can be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one functional module. The above-mentioned integrated module can be implemented in the form of hardware or software. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. The following is an example of dividing each functional module corresponding to each function.

[0192] Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a roaming processing device 300, where software is used to divide functional modules into corresponding modules. As shown in Figure 12, the roaming processing device 300 may include a sending module 1201, a receiving module 1202, and a determining module 1203. The roaming processing device 300 can be applied to a first primary gateway within a networking system to execute the roaming processing method performed by the first primary gateway in the above-mentioned method embodiment.

[0193] The sending module 1201 is configured to send a first message to the second master gateway, where the first message is used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, where the target second slave gateway is a roaming candidate slave gateway of the terminal.

[0194] The receiving module 1202 is configured to receive a second message from the second master gateway; the second message includes status information of the target second slave gateway.

[0195] The determining module 1203 is configured to determine whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway according to the second message.

[0196] In a possible embodiment, the first message includes: identification information of the target second slave gateway.

[0197] In a possible embodiment, the status information of the target second slave gateway includes at least one of the following: working channel, operation category, bandwidth, number of associated users, signal-to-noise ratio, and indication information for indicating whether a new terminal is allowed to access.

[0198] In a possible embodiment, the sending module 1201 is further configured to send a third message to the second primary gateway, where the third message is used to confirm receipt of the second message.

[0199] In a possible embodiment, the sending module 1201 is also used to send a fourth message to the target first slave gateway when the terminal is allowed to access the target second slave gateway, and the fourth message is used to instruct the terminal to access the target second slave gateway; wherein the target first slave gateway is a slave gateway connected to the terminal in the first slave gateway managed by the first master gateway.

[0200] In a possible embodiment, the target second slave gateway is a slave gateway that meets preset conditions among the roaming candidate slave gateways around the terminal; wherein the preset conditions include at least one of the following: the slave gateway closest to the terminal; the slave gateway with the greatest channel strength between the terminal and the slave gateway.

[0201] In a possible embodiment, the receiving module 1202 is also used to receive a fifth message sent by the terminal through the target first slave gateway, and the fifth message is used to indicate the channel strength of the slave gateways around the terminal; wherein the target first slave gateway is a slave gateway connected to the terminal among the first slave gateways managed by the first master gateway.

[0202] The determining module 1203 is further configured to determine, according to the fifth message, a candidate roaming slave gateway of the terminal from the slave gateways surrounding the terminal.

[0203] In a possible embodiment, the receiving module 1202 is further configured to receive a sixth message sent by the terminal through the target first slave gateway, where the sixth message is used to indicate the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway.

[0204] The sending module 1201 is also used to send a seventh message to the terminal through the target first slave gateway when the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway is less than or equal to the first threshold. The seventh message is used to instruct the terminal to measure the channel strength of the slave gateways around the terminal.

[0205] In a possible embodiment, the sending module 1201 is further configured to send an eighth message to the second master gateway, where the eighth message is used to request configuration information of the second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway.

[0206] The receiving module 1202 is further configured to receive a ninth message sent by the second master gateway, where the ninth message includes configuration information of the second slave gateway.

[0207] In a possible embodiment, the configuration information in the ninth message includes a BSSID corresponding to the second slave gateway.

[0208] In a possible embodiment, the receiving module 1202 is further configured to receive a tenth message sent by the second master gateway, where the tenth message includes updated configuration information of the second slave gateway.

[0209] FIG13 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of another roaming processing device 400, where software is used to divide functional modules into corresponding functional modules. As shown in FIG13 , the roaming processing device 400 may include a receiving module 1301 and a sending module 1302. The roaming processing device 400 may be applied to a second primary gateway within a networking system, and may be used to execute the roaming processing method performed by the second primary gateway in the above-described method embodiment.

[0210] Receiving module 1301 is used to receive a first message from a first master gateway; wherein the first master gateway is used to manage the target first slave gateway to which the terminal is currently connected; the first message is used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, and the target second slave gateway is a roaming candidate slave gateway of the terminal.

[0211] The sending module 1302 is configured to send a second message to the first master gateway, where the second message includes status information of a target second slave gateway.

[0212] In a possible embodiment, the first message includes: identification information of the target second slave gateway.

[0213] In a possible embodiment, the status information of the target second slave gateway includes at least one of the following: working channel, operation category, bandwidth, number of associated users, signal-to-noise ratio, and indication information for indicating whether a new terminal is allowed to access.

[0214] In a possible embodiment, the receiving module 1301 is further configured to receive a third message sent by the first master gateway, where the third message is used to confirm receipt of the second message.

[0215] In a possible embodiment, the receiving module 1301 is further used to receive the eighth message sent by the first master gateway, where the eighth message is used to request the configuration information of the second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway; the sending module 1302 is further used to send a ninth message to the first master gateway, where the ninth message includes the configuration information of the second slave gateway.

[0216] In a possible embodiment, the configuration information in the ninth message includes a BSSID corresponding to the second slave gateway.

[0217] In a possible embodiment, the sending module 1302 is further configured to send a tenth message to the first master gateway, where the tenth message includes updated configuration information of the second slave gateway.

[0218] In the case of implementing the functions of the above-mentioned integrated modules in hardware, this embodiment of the present application provides another possible structure of the roaming processing device involved in the above-mentioned embodiment. As shown in Figure 14, as a communication device, the roaming processing device 500 may include: a processor 1402 and a bus 1404. Optionally, the roaming processing device 500 may also include a memory 1401; optionally, the roaming processing device 500 may also include a communication interface 1403.

[0219] For example, some or all of the functions of the sending module 1201, the receiving module 1202, and the determining module 1203 included in the roaming processing device 300 in FIG12 may also be implemented by the processor 1402. For another example, some or all of the functions of the receiving module 1301 and the sending module 1302 included in the roaming processing device 400 in FIG13 may also be implemented by the processor 1402.

[0220] Processor 1402 may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments of this application. Processor 1402 may be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array, or other programmable logic device, a transistor logic device, a hardware component, or any combination thereof. It may implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments of this application. Processor 1402 may also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, and the like.

[0221] The communication interface 1403 is used to connect to other devices via a communication network, such as Ethernet, wireless access network, or wireless local area network (WLAN).

[0222] The memory 1401 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto.

[0223] As a possible implementation, memory 1401 may exist independently of processor 1402. Memory 1401 may be connected to processor 1402 via bus 1404 to store instructions or program codes. When processor 1402 calls and executes the instructions or program codes stored in memory 1401, the roaming processing method provided in the embodiment of the present application can be implemented.

[0224] In another possible implementation, the memory 1401 may also be integrated with the processor 1402 .

[0225] Bus 1404 can be an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Bus 1404 can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, FIG14 shows only one thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or only one type of bus.

[0226] Some embodiments of the present application provide a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium), which stores computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed on a computer, the computer executes the roaming processing method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0227] Exemplarily, the computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, or magnetic tapes), optical disks (e.g., compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), cards, sticks, or key drives, etc.).

[0228] The various computer-readable storage media described herein can represent one or more devices and / or other machine-readable storage media for storing information.

[0229] The term "machine-readable storage medium" may include, but is not limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and / or carrying instruction(s) and / or data.

[0230] An embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product comprising instructions. When the computer program product is run on a computer, the computer is enabled to execute the roaming processing method described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0231] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A roaming processing method, applied to a first primary gateway, comprising: Sending a first message to the second master gateway, where the first message is used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, where the target second slave gateway is a roaming candidate slave gateway of the terminal; receiving a second message from the second master gateway; the second message including status information of the target second slave gateway; Determine whether to allow the terminal to access the target second slave gateway according to the second message.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first message includes: identification information of the target second slave gateway.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The state information of the target second slave gateway includes at least one of the following: working channel, operation category, bandwidth, number of associated users, signal-to-noise ratio, and indication information for indicating whether a new terminal is allowed to access.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: A third message is sent to the second main gateway, where the third message is used to confirm receipt of the second message.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: When the terminal is allowed to access the target second slave gateway, a fourth message is sent to the target first slave gateway, where the fourth message is used to instruct the terminal to access the target second slave gateway; wherein the target first slave gateway is a slave gateway connected to the terminal among the first slave gateways managed by the first master gateway.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein The target second slave gateway is a slave gateway that meets a preset condition among the candidate roaming slave gateways around the terminal; wherein the preset condition includes at least one of the following: the slave gateway closest to the terminal; The slave gateway with the greatest channel strength to the terminal.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein Before sending the first message to the second primary gateway, the method further includes: receiving, through a target first slave gateway, a fifth message sent by the terminal, the fifth message being used to indicate channel strengths of slave gateways around the terminal; wherein the target first slave gateway is a slave gateway connected to the terminal among the first slave gateways managed by the first master gateway; According to the fifth message, a roaming candidate slave gateway of the terminal is determined from the slave gateways around the terminal.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: Before receiving the fifth message sent by the terminal through the target first slave gateway, the method further includes: receiving, through the target first slave gateway, a sixth message sent by the terminal, where the sixth message is used to indicate a channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway; When the channel strength between the terminal and the target first slave gateway is less than or equal to a first threshold, a seventh message is sent to the terminal through the target first slave gateway, where the seventh message is used to instruct the terminal to measure the channel strength of the slave gateways around the terminal.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: Sending an eighth message to the second master gateway, where the eighth message is used to request configuration information of the second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway; A ninth message sent by the second master gateway is received, where the ninth message includes configuration information of the second slave gateway.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The configuration information in the ninth message includes a BSSID corresponding to the second slave gateway.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further comprises: A tenth message sent by the second master gateway is received, where the tenth message includes updated configuration information of the second slave gateway.

12. A roaming processing method, applied to a second primary gateway, the method comprising: Receiving a first message from a first master gateway; wherein the first master gateway is used to manage a target first slave gateway currently connected to the terminal; the first message is used to request status information of a target second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway, the target second slave gateway being a roaming candidate slave gateway for the terminal; A second message is sent to the first master gateway, where the second message includes status information of the target second slave gateway.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The first message includes: identification information of the target second slave gateway.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The state information of the target second slave gateway includes at least one of the following: working channel, operation category, bandwidth, number of associated users, signal-to-noise ratio, and indication information for indicating whether a new terminal is allowed to access.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The method further comprises: A third message sent by the first main gateway is received, where the third message is used to confirm receipt of the second message.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein The method further comprises: receiving an eighth message sent by the first master gateway, where the eighth message is used to request configuration information of a second slave gateway managed by the second master gateway; A ninth message is sent to the first master gateway, where the ninth message includes configuration information of the second slave gateway.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The configuration information in the ninth message includes a BSSID corresponding to the second slave gateway.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein The method further comprises: A tenth message is sent to the first master gateway, where the tenth message includes updated configuration information of the second slave gateway.

19. A communication device comprising: memory and processor; Memory and processor coupling; The memory is used to store instructions executable by the processor; When the processor executes the instructions, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or the method according to any one of claims 12 to 18 is performed.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon, wherein when the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, or the method according to any one of claims 12 to 18.

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