Wireless Access Point Neighbor List Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless network handoff techniques generate neighbor lists that include all available access points, regardless of their suitability, leading to inefficient resource utilization and potential connectivity issues due to the inclusion of non-trusted or malicious access points.
Innovation Solution
A filtered neighbor list is generated and transmitted to mobile devices, containing only trusted access points identified by their SSID, BSSID, and vendor information, which are validated to ensure secure and efficient handoffs, with a controller resource analyzing the information to prioritize access points based on signal strength and direction for optimal connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a neighbor list includes all available access points, then the client device has more options for handoff, but the list may include non-trusted or malicious access points leading to security risks and connectivity issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes non-trusted or malicious access points from the neighbor list by implementing validation mechanisms that verify access point credentials against a trusted database. This extraction process eliminates security risks while preserving legitimate handoff options, directly resolving the contradiction between providing versatile handoff choices and ensuring connection security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary validation mechanism that acts as a mediator between the client device and potential access points. This intermediary verifies access point credentials and filters the neighbor list before presenting options to the client, ensuring that only trusted access points are included while maintaining comprehensive handoff capabilities.
2Strength
If the access point with the strongest signal is selected, then the individual connection quality is maximized, but the overall network throughput decreases due to excessive demand on one access point
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system monitors access point load conditions and uses this information to adjust neighbor list priorities and handoff recommendations. This feedback loop enables load balancing by steering clients away from overloaded access points even when those points have strong signals, thereby optimizing overall network throughput while maintaining acceptable individual connection quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic prioritization of access points in the neighbor list based on real-time load conditions. Instead of static signal-strength-based ordering, the system dynamically adjusts the priority and visibility of access points in the neighbor list, enabling flexible load distribution across multiple access points to maximize network throughput while maintaining strong individual connections.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all candidate access points are included in the neighbor list, then the client device can choose from more options, but the processing and transmission overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes invalid, non-trusted, or unsuitable access points from the candidate list before transmitting to the client device. This extraction process reduces the size of the neighbor list and associated processing overhead while preserving all valid handoff options, directly addressing the contradiction between providing comprehensive access point choices and minimizing processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary validation and filtering of access points on the network side before the neighbor list is transmitted to the client device. This preliminary action eliminates unsuitable candidates in advance, reducing the processing burden on both the network and client devices while maintaining the availability of all appropriate handoff options.
Data Source
AI summary
A first wireless access point receives communications from multiple candidate wireless access points in a monitored region in which the first wireless access point resides. The communications indicate presence of the multiple candidate wireless access points in the monitored region. A processing resource associated with the first wireless access point processes the communications to identify which of the multiple candidate wireless access points are trusted wireless access points belonging to a network in which the first wireless access point resides. To facilitate a wireless link handoff from the given wireless access point to one of the trusted wireless access points, the given wireless access point provides notification of identities of the trusted wireless access points to a communication device in communication with the given wireless access point. The communication device selects one of the trusted wireless access points in which to handoff the respective wireless communication link.