Off-channel Beacons for Roaming Speed and Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless network technologies face challenges in rapidly detecting other networks for roaming due to regulatory restrictions on active scanning, which can impact battery life and data throughput, especially in battery-operated devices that need to frequently listen for beacon frames across multiple channels.
Innovation Solution
A dedicated off-channel beacon frame mechanism is introduced, where special beacons are transmitted in a separate channel to direct clients to the channels where full beacons are being sent, allowing for more frequent transmission of off-channel beacon frames that advertise BSSs and provide channel redirection information, enabling clients to quickly switch to suitable channels for association.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If beacon frames are sent more frequently to reduce roaming time, then roaming speed is improved, but data throughput deteriorates due to bandwidth consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments beacon information into two types: full beacons sent at regular intervals on serving channels, and condensed beacons sent more frequently on non-serving channels. This segmentation allows the system to provide rapid roaming information through condensed beacons while maintaining data throughput by keeping full beacons at lower frequencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces condensed beacons as an intermediary mechanism that carries essential roaming information between full beacons. These condensed beacons act as a mediator that provides rapid updates to clients about available networks without requiring full beacon transmissions, thus improving roaming speed while preserving data throughput.
2Reliability
If active scanning is used to detect wireless networks, then network detection capability is improved, but energy consumption increases due to transmitting probe requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional scanning approach by having access points proactively send condensed beacons to clients on non-serving channels, rather than clients actively scanning by transmitting probe requests. This inversion allows clients to passively receive network information, significantly reducing their energy consumption while maintaining network detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The access point performs the work of network detection by autonomously transmitting condensed beacons containing information about available networks. This self-service approach eliminates the need for clients to actively scan, allowing battery-operated devices to conserve energy while still obtaining comprehensive network information.
3Reliability
If full beacons are transmitted at the lowest data rate to ensure compatibility, then reliability is improved, but data throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels to different beacon types: full beacons are transmitted at the lowest data rate to ensure maximum compatibility and reliability, while condensed beacons are transmitted at higher data rates since they carry less critical information and are sent less frequently. This local quality differentiation allows the system to maintain compatibility where needed while optimizing throughput where possible.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method, apparatus, and software containing computer readable code to implement the method implemented in a first wireless device (111,...)- The method includes, for a particular network identifier active in a wireless network (100), transmitting frames configured to advertise the infrastructure network of the particular network identifier. The transmitting of off-channel beacon frames is in a provided channel different than the channel in which the access point (111,...) of the infrastructure wireless of the particular network identifier transmits beacon frames. The transmitting of off-channel beacon frames further is at a rate higher than the beacon rate frame at which the access point (111,...) of the infrastructure wireless of the particular network identifier transmits beacon frames.