Access Point Service Self-Testing via Internal Packet Simulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication networks lack an efficient method for access points to self-test services without wasting network resources or air-time, making it difficult to ensure high availability of critical services like Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol and Domain Name System.
Innovation Solution
The access point employs a simulator with a packet emulator and record keeper, along with a control/data generator and lightweight Media Access Control module, to internally test services by mocking packets and processing them through the normal channel, marking them to differentiate from regular frames, and comparing responses to validate service availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional service testing methods are used in access points, then service availability can be checked, but network resources and air-time are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simulated wireless environment within the access point that replicates client devices and network conditions. This virtual copy allows service testing to be performed on internal packets without requiring actual wireless transmission, thereby checking service availability while avoiding waste of network resources and air-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a service testing mechanism as an intermediary layer between the access point's normal operation and service validation. This intermediary captures internal packets, processes them through simulated clients, and validates services without requiring external network resources, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable testing and resource conservation.
2Measurement precision
If service testing is performed externally, then comprehensive service validation is achieved, but air-time and network bandwidth are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service testing function from external network operations and relocates it to internal access point processing. By taking out the testing mechanism from the external wireless environment and implementing it internally with simulated clients, the system achieves comprehensive service validation without consuming actual air-time or network bandwidth.
3Loss of energy
If no service testing is implemented, then network resources are preserved, but service availability cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The access point performs service testing on its own using internally generated packets and simulated clients. This self-service approach allows the system to validate its own service availability without requiring external testing resources, thereby ensuring reliability while preserving network resources that would be consumed by external testing methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for self-testing of services in an access point of a communication network includes providing a table that has a mapping between a service test, packets to be sent for testing, and packets that should be received in response to the testing, emulating and marking the test packets to be sent, placing the marked test packets in an Rx queue, processing the test packets normally by the access point to provide response packets and marking these response packets, delivering the marked response packets to a Rx queue, retrieving the marked response packets from the Rx queue, and comparing the service test response packets to the list of packets that should have been received in the response to the testing in order to validate that service on the access point.