# US 2019/0357115 A1 · Service set steering based upon device identifier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0357115 A1 - Document ID: US20190357115A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/552,091 - Filed: 2016-12-19 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-19 - Assignees: ARRIS Enterprises LLC - Applicants: ARRIS Enterprises LLC - Inventors: Haokeng Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190357115A1 ## CPC - H04W 48/02: Access restriction performed under specific conditions - H04W 48/04: based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - H04W 8/24: Transfer of terminal data - H04W 48/14: using user query {or user detection} - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods, systems, and computer readable media can be operable to facilitate the configuration of a device with service set information based upon an identified association between the device and a private service set. An access device may retrieve and store identifiers of private client devices associated with the access device and identifiers of private client devices associated with neighboring access devices. The access device may retrieve the private client device identifiers from neighboring access devices or from an upstream network element or server. When a client device attempts to associate with a service set offered by the access device, the access device may preclude the client device from associating with a public service set if an identifier of the client device matches a private client device identifier stored at the access device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, at a first access device, a communication from a client device; retrieving from the communication, an identifier associated with the client device; comparing the identifier associated with the client device to one or more private client device identifiers, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers comprise identifiers associated with one or more client devices that are associated with one or more other access devices as private client devices; and if the identifier associated with the client device matches a private client device identifier of the one or more private client device identifiers, precluding the client device from associating with a public service set offered by the first access device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers are retrieved by the first access device and stored at the first access device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first access device retrieves the one or more private client device identifiers by: outputting a probe request; receiving one or more probe responses from the one or more other access devices, wherein the one or more probe responses comprise the one or more private client device identifiers; and extracting the one or more private client device identifiers from the one or more probe responses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first access device retrieves the one or more private client device identifiers by: receiving one or more messages from an upstream network element, wherein the one or more messages comprise the one or more private client device identifiers; and extracting the one or more private client device identifiers from the one or more messages. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the upstream network element comprises a headend device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers carried by the one or more messages comprise only those private client device identifiers associated with one or more access devices that are within a predetermined proximity of the first access device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the proximity of the first access device and each of the other one or more access devices is based upon location information of a subscriber premise associated with the first access device and location information of a subscriber premise associated with each of the other one or more access devices. ### Claim 8 An access device comprising: one or more interfaces configured to be used to receive a communication from a client device; and one or more modules configured to: retrieve from the communication, an identifier associated with the client device; compare the identifier associated with the client device to one or more private client device identifiers, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers comprise identifiers associated with one or more client devices that are associated with one or more other access devices as private client devices; and if the identifier associated with the client device matches a private client device identifier of the one or more private client device identifiers, preclude the client device from associating with a public service set offered by the access device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The access device of claim 8, wherein the one or more modules are further configured to retrieve and store the one or more private client device identifiers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The access device of claim 9, wherein retrieving the one or more private client device identifiers comprises: outputting a probe request; receiving one or more probe responses from the one or more other access devices, wherein the one or more probe responses comprise the one or more private client device identifiers; and extracting the one or more private client device identifiers from the one or more probe responses. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The access device of claim 9, wherein retrieving the one or more private client device identifiers comprises: receiving one or more messages from an upstream network element, wherein the one or more messages comprise the one or more private client device identifiers; and extracting the one or more private client device identifiers from the one or more messages. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The access device of claim 11, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers carried by the one or more messages comprise only those private client device identifiers associated with one or more other access devices that are within a predetermined proximity of the access device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The access device of claim 12, wherein the proximity of the access device and each of the other one or more access devices is based upon location information of a subscriber premise associated with the access device and location information of a subscriber premise associated with each of the other one or more access devices. ### Claim 14 One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising: receiving, at a first access device, a communication from a client device; retrieving from the communication, an identifier associated with the client device; comparing the identifier associated with the client device to one or more private client device identifiers, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers comprise identifiers associated with one or more client devices that are associated with one or more other access devices as private client devices; and if the identifier associated with the client device matches a private client device identifier of the one or more private client device identifiers, precluding the client device from associating with a public service set offered by the first access device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers are retrieved by the first access device and stored at the first access device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the first access device retrieves the one or more private client device identifiers by: outputting a probe request; receiving one or more probe responses from the one or more other access devices, wherein the one or more probe responses comprise the one or more private client device identifiers; and extracting the one or more private client device identifiers from the one or more probe responses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the first access device retrieves the one or more private client device identifiers by: receiving one or more messages from an upstream network element, wherein the one or more messages comprise the one or more private client device identifiers; and extracting the one or more private client device identifiers from the one or more messages. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the upstream network element comprises a headend device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the one or more private client device identifiers carried by the one or more messages comprise only those private client device identifiers associated with one or more access devices that are within a predetermined proximity of the first access device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the proximity of the first access device and each of the other one or more access devices is based upon location information of a subscriber premise associated with the first access device and location information of a subscriber premise associated with each of the other one or more access devices.