Augmented Wireless Environment Reporting for Network Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
The IEEE 802.11k standard provides limited information for wireless network management, focusing primarily on roaming decisions without offering extended details beneficial to the network infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
Augmented wireless environment reporting mechanisms that include conditions, P2P technology specifications, and element restrictions to generate detailed reports from client devices, enhancing network management tasks and analytics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If IEEE 802.11k neighbor reports are used for roaming decisions, then client devices can identify neighboring access points and roam faster, but the reports provide limited information that does not assist network infrastructure management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reporting mechanism into two distinct types: traditional 802.11k neighbor reports for client roaming decisions, and augmented wireless environment reports for network infrastructure management. This segmentation allows each report type to serve its specific purpose with appropriate information content, resolving the contradiction between fast roaming and comprehensive network management information.
Solution Approach 2:
The augmented wireless environment report mechanism serves multiple functions: it provides roaming information to clients, detects rogue access points, monitors channel conditions, and supports network analytics. This multi-functionality resolves the limitation of traditional 802.11k reports by making the reporting system useful for both client roaming and network infrastructure management.
2Loss of information
If traditional 802.11k beacon reports are requested from client devices, then the access point receives client perspective of wireless environment, but the reports lack extended information useful to network infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic report configuration where the access point can request specific types of information based on current network conditions and management needs. The reporting mechanism adapts to different scenarios by adjusting the scope and depth of environment information collected, making it versatile for various network management tasks while maintaining comprehensive information gathering.
Solution Approach 2:
The augmented reporting mechanism changes the parameters of information collection by including additional elements beyond traditional 802.11k reports, such as rogue access point detection data, channel utilization metrics, and detailed signal strength measurements. These parameter changes enable the reports to serve diverse network management functions while maintaining client perspective information.
3Loss of information
If augmented wireless environment reporting is implemented with multiple conditions and specifications, then network management visibility is improved, but the reporting mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the access point pre-configure report templates with commonly needed information types and conditions. This allows the augmented reporting mechanism to provide comprehensive network visibility information while reducing the complexity of ad-hoc report configuration, as the framework is established in advance with standard reporting parameters and conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for augmenting wireless environment reporting are provided. The information provided by 802.11k reports may have limited functionality, as they do not offer extended details that could be beneficial to the network infrastructure. Augmented wireless environment reporting allows network devices and client devices to request for Wireless Environment Reports (WERs) based on several augmented parameters. A device, such as a network device or a client device, generates a WER request including at least one of a condition, a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technology specification, a non-IEEE 802.11 technology specification, or an element restriction and transmits the WER request to another device such as a client station. The other devices generates the WER with augmented information as requested and transmits to the device. The information included in the WER report may be processed and utilized to perform network analytics, network management tasks, and other functions useful to the network infrastructure.