WLAN user quality of experience control in a multi-access point environment

An apparatus comprising a memory and a processor configured to:

• receive link quality reports generated by a first access point, wherein a station is associated with the first access point;
• receive environment quality reports generated by one or more access points;
• after receiving an alarm from the first access point, send a first message to the first access point, the first message including information (i) indicating a media access control (MAC) address of the station to add in a list, wherein the list is used to reject a connection request from a listed station, (ii) instructing the first access point to maintain the MAC address of the station in the list for a first time period and to remove the MAC address of the station from the list after expiration of the first time period, and (iii) instructing the first access point to actively disconnect the station;
• and
• send a second message to a target access point, selected from the one or more access points based on the received environment quality reports, the second message indicating the MAC address of the station wherein the indication is used to instruct the target access point to accept a connection request from the station.

A method implemented in an access point, the method comprising:

• receiving link quality reports generated by a first access point, a station being associated with the first access point;
• receiving environment quality reports generated by one or more access points;
• generating own environment quality reports;
• after receiving an alarm from the first access point, sending a message to the first access point, the message including information (i) indicating a media access control (MAC) address of the station to add in a list, wherein the list is used to reject a connection request from a listed station, (ii) instructing the first access point to maintain the MAC address of the station in the list for a first time period and to remove the MAC address of the station from the list after expiration of the first time period, and (iii) instructing the first access point to actively disconnect the station;
• and
• accepting a connection request from the station to the access point, on a condition that the access point is selected from the access point and the one or more access points based on the received environment quality reports and the generated own environment quality report.

An access point comprising a memory and a processor configured to:

• receive link quality reports generated by a first access point, a station being associated with the first access point;
• receive environment quality reports generated by one or more access points;
• generate own environment quality reports;
• after receiving an alarm from the first access point, send a message to the first access point, the message including information (i) indicating a media access control (MAC) address of the station to add in a list, wherein the list is used to reject a connection request from a listed station, (ii) instructing the first access point to maintain the MAC address of the station in the list for a first time period and to remove the MAC address of the station from the list after expiration of the first time period, and (iii) instructing the first access point to actively disconnect the station;
• and
• accept a connection request from the station (14) to the access point, on a condition that the access point is selected from the access point and the one or more access points based on the received environment quality reports and the generated own environment quality report.