Reducing latency in wireless networks
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorUday S Hegde
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for reducing latency between terminal stations in a wireless local area network. In an aspect, two stations in close proximity may be configured to associate with a common access point, by causing one or more of the stations to disassociate from a current access point and reassociating with the common access point. The identity of the common access point may be independently derived at each terminal station using simple broadcast messaging procedures, without the need for extensive communications or handshaking between the stations. In an alternative aspect, a terminal station may repeat the disassociation and reassociation procedures without knowledge of the other station's BSSID, until a measured latency drops below a threshold.
Claims20
A method for use by a first terminal station in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:
- while being associated with a first access point (AP) of the WLAN having a first basic service set identity (BSSID), receiving an indication of a second BSSID of a second access point associated with a second terminal station in the WLAN;
- in response to determining the second BSSID being distinct from the first BSSID, verifying that the second AP is within range of the first terminal station;
- disassociating from the first AP;
- reassociating with the second AP;
- and
- communicating with the second terminal station via infrastructure mode of the WLAN.
An apparatus comprising:
- a wireless radio comprising a receiver and a transmitter for wirelessly communicating with a wireless local area network (WLAN) as a first terminal station;
- a processor coupled to the wireless radio to generate data for the transmitter and to receive data from the receiver;
- a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions operable to cause the processor to execute steps comprising:
- while being associated with a first access point (AP) of the WLAN having a first basic service set identity (BSSID), receiving an indication of a second BSSID of a second access point associated with a second terminal station in the WLAN;
- in response to determining the second BSSID being distinct from the first BSSID, verifying that the second AP is within range of the first terminal station;
- disassociating from the first AP;
- and
- reassociating with the second AP;
- using the wireless radio, communicating with the second terminal station via infrastructure mode of the WLAN.
A system comprising:
- at least one memory storing executable instructions;
- and
- at least one processor, coupled to the at least one memory, that is configured to execute the executable instructions stored in the memory to:
- while being associated with a first access point (AP) of the wireless local area network (WLAN) having a first basic service set identity (BSSID), receive an indication of a second BSSID of a second access point associated with a second terminal station in the WLAN;
- in response to determining the second BSSID being distinct from the first BSSID, verify that the second AP is within range of a first terminal station;
- disassociate from the first AP;
- reassociate with the second AP;
- and
- communicate with the second terminal station via infrastructure mode of the WLAN.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.