Manageability Policy Negotiation in Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless network management standards lead to inconsistent interpretation of Wireless Network Management (WNM) messages by wireless access points (APs) and mobile stations (STAs), causing confusion and inefficiency in network operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a manageability policy negotiation process between APs and STAs, where APs advertise their capabilities and policies, and STAs indicate their acceptance or rejection, resulting in a mutually agreed-upon policy that clarifies the interpretation of WNM messages as commands, advisories, or unsupported services, using an Extended Capability Information Element format.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If each STA or AP decides independently whether to interpret a WNM message as a command, advisory, or irrelevant message, then devices have flexibility in message interpretation, but network consistency and operational efficiency deteriorate due to confusion and inconsistent behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing manageability policy negotiations during the association process between AP and STA. The AP advertises its manageability policy capabilities before the STA connects, and they agree on message interpretation rules in advance. This preliminary agreement ensures that once connected, both devices interpret WNM messages consistently without needing to make independent decisions during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of message interpretation from independent device-level decisions to a negotiated policy parameter established during association. The manageability policy includes specific parameters that define how WNM messages should be interpreted (as commands, advisories, or irrelevant), and these parameters are agreed upon beforehand, transforming the system from decentralized interpretation to centralized policy-driven interpretation.
2Reliability
If a standardized interpretation protocol is implemented for all WNM messages, then network consistency improves, but device complexity and negotiation overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing standardized interpretation only for manageability services that both the AP and STA agree to support. Rather than requiring full standardization across all possible WNM messages, the system negotiates and applies consistency only to the specific services included in the agreed manageability policy, reducing the scope of complexity while maintaining consistency where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the WNM message interpretation problem by dividing it into separate manageability service categories. Each service can have its own interpretation rules defined in the manageability policy, allowing the system to apply standardized interpretation only where necessary while leaving other services flexible. This segmentation reduces overall complexity by avoiding blanket standardization.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments of a wireless network an access point may describe its manageability policy in a beacon or probe response, a receiving mobile device may describe its manageability policy in a communication back the to access point, and the access point may communicate a joint manageability policy back to the mobile device describing the manageability followed in subsequent communications between the two devices. In some embodiments some of the communications may be part of a communications sequence for association or re-association of the mobile device and access point.