Wireless Client Redistribution for AP Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks inefficiently allocate resources due to suboptimal distribution of clients, leading to issues such as sticky clients, load balancing problems, and cellular offload inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where access points (APs) and a central entity redistribute clients based on connection metrics, using probability calculations and threshold comparisons to send triggers or disconnect messages, facilitating band and load balancing while maintaining client association on optimal radio frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clients autonomously select APs based on initial scans, then client association simplicity is maintained, but network resource allocation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central entity that acts as an intermediary between clients and APs. This entity collects connection metrics from multiple APs and makes redistribution decisions, mediating between the simple autonomous client selection and the need for optimized network resource allocation. The central entity processes information from APs and sends redistribution requests to clients without requiring complex client-side decision-making.
2Stability of the object's composition
If clients remain associated with initial AP selections, then association stability is maintained, but load balancing performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic client redistribution by continuously monitoring connection metrics and adjusting client associations based on current network conditions. The system transitions from static initial associations to dynamic reassociations, allowing clients to be moved between APs based on real-time metrics such as RSSI, throughput, and load conditions while maintaining overall association stability through controlled redistribution.
3Productivity
If proactive client redistribution is implemented, then network performance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central entity serves as an intermediary that centralizes the complexity of proactive redistribution management. Instead of distributing complex decision-making logic across multiple APs and clients, the central entity consolidates the functionality for collecting metrics, making redistribution decisions, and managing the redistribution process, thereby improving network performance while containing system complexity in a single managed component.
4Measurement precision
If connection metrics are continuously monitored and compared, then redistribution accuracy is improved, but computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively monitoring and comparing connection metrics only when redistribution decisions are needed, rather than continuously processing all possible metrics at all times. The system compares current metrics against historical data and thresholds to determine when redistribution is appropriate, performing computational operations only to the extent necessary for accurate decision-making without excessive overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for instituting redistribution of wireless clients to improve service, comprising via access point (AP), multiple APs acting in concert, and/or a central entity, in connection with a network, allowing a client to associate; deciding that an associated client should be redistributed based on a connection metric, wherein the decision is based on at least one of, a probability calculation, network metric and a threshold comparison; and via the AP, sending the associated client a trigger, wherein the trigger is at least one of, a redistribution request and a disconnect message.