Access Point Neighbor Report via Station Delegation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IEEE 802.11 standards do not provide an efficient method for an access point to gather neighborhood information, especially under high traffic conditions or when the number of associated stations is small, and do not allow stations to request neighbor reports from unassociated access points.
Innovation Solution
An access point can request a station associated with it to wirelessly communicate a neighbor report from another access point, allowing the access point to quickly gather information about its neighbors by delegating this task, even if the station is unassociated with the second access point, using a neighbor query request included in a beacon report request.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an access point requests beacon reports from associated stations to gather neighborhood information, then the access point can obtain neighbor reports, but the process becomes slow under high traffic conditions or when the number of associated stations is small
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the access point directly request beacon reports from neighboring access points (which would disrupt its own operation), the patent inverts the approach by having the access point request an associated station to obtain the neighbor report on its behalf. The station then communicates the obtained neighbor report back to the access point, resolving the contradiction between information gathering completeness and gathering speed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a station requests a neighbor report from its associated access point, then the station can obtain neighbor information, but the station is unable to request a neighbor report from neighboring access points that it is not associated with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the access point as an intermediary to enable the station to obtain neighbor reports from unassociated access points. The station requests the access point to solicit the neighbor report, and the access point mediates by communicating with the neighboring access point and relaying the report back to the station, thus removing the association requirement complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Loss of information
If an access point directly scans for neighboring access points to build a neighbor report, then it can obtain complete neighborhood information, but this disrupts the access point's operation on its operating channel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by having the associated station perform the neighbor report gathering task on behalf of the access point. The station independently communicates with neighboring access points to obtain the neighbor report and then relays it back to the access point, allowing the access point to maintain operational continuity while still obtaining complete neighborhood information.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described that implement techniques and protocols to enable a station to receive a neighbor query request from a first associated access point that is associated with the station. The station may wirelessly communicate a neighbor report of a second access point to the first access point while the station is unassociated with the second access point.