Wireless connectivity management and handoff control
AssigneeCharter Communications Operating, LLC
InventorElliott D. Hoole
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication management system (such as hardware and/or executed software) receives performance information indicating wireless connectivity performance between a communication device and a set of candidate wireless access points. The communication device is initially in communication with a first wireless access point over a wireless link. Based on the performance information, the communication management system selects a candidate wireless access point from the set in which to performance a handoff. The communication management hardware the notifies the communication device to handoff the wireless link from the first wireless access point to the selected candidate wireless access point.
Claims25
A method comprising:
- communicating performance information over a first wireless communication link and through a first wireless access point to a controller, the performance information indicating wireless connectivity performance between a first communication device and a second wireless access point;
- receiving control information from the controller, the control information indicating to handoff the first communication device from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point;
- in response to receiving the control information, and as indicated by the control information, initiating the handoff of the first communication device from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point;
- and
- wherein the control information includes results of the controller pre-authenticating the first communication device to communicate with the second wireless access point after the handoff.
A system comprising:
- a communication device operative to:
- communicate performance information over a first wireless communication link and through a first wireless access point to a controller, the performance information indicating wireless connectivity performance between a communication device and a second wireless access point;
- receive control information from the controller, the control information indicating to handoff the communication device from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point;
- and
- in response to receiving the control information, initiate the handoff of the communication device from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point;
- and
- wherein the control information includes results of the controller pre-authenticating the communication device to communicate with the second wireless access point.
Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to:
- communicate performance information over a first wireless communication link through a first wireless access point to a controller, the performance information indicating wireless connectivity performance between a communication device and a second wireless access point;
- receive control information from the controller, the control information indicating to handoff the communication device from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point;
- in response to receiving the control information, initiate the handoff of the communication device from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point;
- and
- wherein the control information includes results of the controller pre-authenticating the communication device with the second wireless access point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.