Identifying Closest Wireless Node via Address Resolution Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
In systems for extending wireless communication coverage, identifying the node closest to a target device within the backhaul subnetwork is challenging, affecting the activation of specific functionalities and diagnostics, particularly for devices like internet-access gateways, televisions, or multimedia sources.
Innovation Solution
A method involving monitoring and analyzing address resolution tables to determine the node closest to a target device by parsing associations between network addresses and MAC addresses, and activating functionalities in that node, such as parental control or firewall settings, to enhance communication efficiency and diagnostics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If address resolution tables are monitored and analyzed to identify the closest node to a target device, then the precision of node identification is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to the need for monitoring and parsing messages across the backhaul subnetwork
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-populates address resolution tables in each backhaul node with associations between network addresses and MAC addresses of connected devices. This preliminary action enables efficient node identification without requiring complex real-time analysis, as each node already has the necessary mapping information readily available when a target device needs to be located.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces address resolution tables as intermediary data structures that mediate between the target device and the backhaul subnetwork nodes. These tables serve as a bridge, containing pre-established associations that simplify the identification process by providing ready-made mappings between device addresses and node interfaces, avoiding the need for complex direct monitoring and parsing operations.
2Reliability
If the system monitors and parses address resolution tables to identify the closest node, then the diagnostic capability is improved, but the time required for node identification increases due to the monitoring and analysis process
Solution Approach 1:
Address resolution tables are pre-populated with device-to-node mappings before diagnostic operations are needed. This preliminary population of tables with association data eliminates the need for time-consuming monitoring and parsing during actual node identification, as the information is already structured and ready for immediate query and use in diagnostic scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for extending wireless communication coverage includes a subnetwork comprising a set of interconnected nodes implementing a functionality of access point of one and the same wireless communication network. The system monitors messages exchanged during an address-resolution phase, and obtains therefrom an association between network address and MAC address of each device connected to the LAN and node of the subnetwork, and interface information representing an interface via which the message that made it possible to obtain said association was received. In order to identify a node closest to the target device, the system parses the address resolution tables while seeking the above-identified association corresponding to the target device and obtaining therefrom the associated interface information; and identifies the node closest to the target device as the node the address resolution table of which does not reference any node in the subnetwork in association with said interface information.