# US 11,310,106 B2 · Cloud-based control of a Wi-Fi network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,106 B2 - Document ID: US11310106B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/905,065 - Filed: 2020-06-18 - Published: 2020-10-08 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-18 - Assignees: Plume Design, Inc. - Applicants: Plume Design, Inc. - Inventors: Aman Singla; Paul White; Adam Hotchkiss; Balaji Rengarajan; William McFarland; Sameer Vaidya; Evan Jeng; Murugesan Guruswamy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310106B2 ## CPC - H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play - H04L 41/0803: Configuration setting - H04L 41/16: using machine learning or artificial intelligence - H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/062: Pre-authentication - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - H04L 41/34: Signalling channels for network management communication - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems and methods include obtaining measurements from a Wi-Fi network that includes one or more access points; determining a configuration of the Wi-Fi network based on the measurements, wherein the configuration includes one or more of i) steering a client device to associate with a specific access point of the one or more access points and ii) steering the client device to connect to a specific frequency band of the one or more access points; and providing the configuration to the Wi-Fi network for implementation thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a device to perform steps of: obtaining measurements from a Wi-Fi network that includes one or more access points, wherein the device is located in a network remote from the Wi-Fi network and implements a cloud-based service; determining a configuration of the Wi-Fi network to implement based on the measurements, wherein the configuration includes one or more of i) steering a client device to associate with a specific access point of the one or more access points and ii) steering the client device to connect to a specific frequency band of the one or more access points, and wherein the configuration further includes a steering technique of a plurality of configured steering techniques of the cloud-based service for how the one or more access points implement the steering for the client device dynamically selected based on observing behaviors of devices on the Wi-Fi network, wherein the configured steering technique includes any of a plurality of software defined networking (SDN), channel switch announcement (CSA), fast roaming, assisted roaming, directed multicast, forced disassociation, and access control list (ACL) blocking; and providing the configuration to the Wi-Fi network for implementation thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a plurality of access points, and the configuration includes which access point a client device associates with. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a single access point, and the configuration includes whether a client device connects to a 2.4 GHz band or a 5 GHz band. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the determining is based on an optimization performed for the Wi-Fi network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the determining is based on load balancing for the Wi-Fi network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the determining is based on one or more of maintenance in the Wi-Fi network and performance of scanning on an access point or in a frequency band. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the providing is via messages that include details of which client devices need to be steered and a type of steering technique for each. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the steering is performed based on points of congestion in the Wi-Fi network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a plurality of access points, and wherein one or more client devices are steered to associated with specific access points that are farther than other access points. ### Claim 10 A cloud-based controller configured to control a Wi-Fi network with one or more access points, the cloud-based controller comprising: a network interface communicatively coupled to the Wi-Fi network, wherein the cloud-based controller is located in a network remote from the Wi-Fi network and implements a cloud-based service; one or more processors communicatively coupled to the network interface; and, memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: obtain measurements from a Wi-Fi network that includes one or more access points; determine a configuration of the Wi-Fi network to implement based on the measurements, wherein the configuration includes one or more of i) steering a client device to associate with a specific access point of the one or more access points and ii) steering the client device to connect to a specific frequency band of the one or more access points, and wherein the configuration further includes a steering technique of a plurality of configured steering techniques of the cloud-based service for how the one or more access points implement the steering for the client device dynamically selected based on observing behaviors of devices on the Wi-Fi network, wherein the configured steering technique includes any of a plurality of software defined networking (SDN), channel switch announcement (CSA), fast roaming, assisted roaming, directed multicast, forced disassociation, and access control list (ACL) blocking; and provide the configuration to the Wi-Fi network for implementation thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The cloud-based controller of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a plurality of access points, and the configuration includes which access point a client device associates with. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The cloud-based controller of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a single access point, and the configuration includes whether a client device connects to a 2.4 GHz band or a 5 GHz band. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The cloud-based controller of claim 10, wherein the determining is based on any of an optimization performed for the Wi-Fi network, load balancing for the Wi-Fi network, maintenance in the Wi-Fi network, and performance of scanning on an access point or in a frequency band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The cloud-based controller of claim 10, wherein the steering is performed based on points of congestion in the Wi-Fi network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The cloud-based controller of claim 10, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a plurality of access points, and wherein one or more client devices are steered to associated with specific access points that are farther than other access points. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: obtaining measurements from a Wi-Fi network that includes one or more access points, wherein the method is implemented by a controller located in a network remote from the Wi-Fi network and the controller implements a cloud-based service; determining a configuration of the Wi-Fi network to implement based on the measurements, wherein the configuration includes one or more of i) steering a client device to associate with a specific access point of the one or more access points and ii) steering the client device to connect to a specific frequency band of the one or more access points, and wherein the configuration further includes a steering technique of a plurality of configured steering techniques of the cloud-based service for how the one or more access points implement the steering for the client device dynamically selected based on observing behaviors of devices on the Wi-Fi network, wherein the configured steering technique includes any of a plurality of software defined networking (SDN), channel switch announcement (CSA), fast roaming, assisted roaming, directed multicast, forced disassociation, and access control list (ACL) blocking; and providing the configuration to the Wi-Fi network for implementation thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a plurality of access points, and the configuration includes which access point a client device associates with. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the Wi-Fi network includes a single access point, and the configuration includes whether a client device connects to a 2.4 GHz band or a 5 GHz band. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the determining is based on any of an optimization performed for the Wi-Fi network, load balancing for the Wi-Fi network, maintenance in the Wi-Fi network, and performance of scanning on an access point or in a frequency band. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the steering is performed based on points of congestion in the Wi-Fi network.