Composite Metric Access Point Selection for Wi-Fi Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional access point selection in home networks relies primarily on signal strength, ignoring other metrics that impact network performance, leading to degraded performance due to noise, congestion, and achievable speeds, and lacks mechanisms to detect better access points once connected.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a composite metric, such as a speed score, that considers signal strength, noise, congestion, connection reliability, and achievable speeds to rank access points and initiate selection based on network conditions, allowing for more intelligent and accurate predictions of network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If access point selection is based solely on signal strength, then the selection process is simple and fast, but network performance deteriorates due to noise, congestion, and achievable speeds being ignored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the selection parameter from a single metric (signal strength) to a composite metric that includes multiple parameters such as noise level, congestion level, and achievable speed. This allows the system to evaluate access points based on their actual network performance characteristics rather than just signal strength, resolving the contradiction between simple selection and reliable performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite metric that combines multiple individual metrics (signal strength, noise, congestion, speed) into a single comprehensive evaluation score. This composite approach allows the system to maintain ease of operation by presenting a unified selection criterion while improving reliability by incorporating multiple performance factors.
2Reliability
If a composite metric considering multiple factors is used for access point selection, then network performance improves, but the selection process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual metrics (signal strength, noise level, congestion level, achievable speed) into a single composite metric. This consolidation reduces the complexity of the selection process by presenting devices with a unified ranking of access points rather than requiring them to evaluate and balance multiple separate factors, thus improving network performance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite metric acts as an intermediary that translates complex network conditions into a single interpretable score. Instead of devices directly processing multiple complex parameters, the composite metric serves as a mediator that simplifies the decision-making process while still reflecting the underlying complexity of network performance factors.
3Speed
If access points are selected based on signal strength, then connection establishment is fast, but devices face degraded performance due to noise and congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary evaluation of access points by measuring and recording noise levels, congestion levels, and achievable speeds before the actual connection is established. This preliminary action allows the composite metric to be calculated in advance, enabling faster connection decisions that account for harmful factors like noise and congestion without delaying the connection establishment process.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is generally directed to improving path selection within a network having a single service set identifier (SSID), and more particularly, toward a media device selecting an access point from a group of access points on the same SSID based on composite metrics generated for each access point. The composite metrics may be based on network capabilities of the media device and the respective access points in the group of access points.