# US 8,570,997 B1 · BSS selection using path loss > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,570,997 B1 - Document ID: US8570997B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/614,214 - Filed: 2012-09-13 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-21 - Assignees: Marvell International Ltd. - Applicants: Kapil Chhabra - Inventors: Kapil Chhabra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570997B1 ## CPC - H04W 52/18: TPC being performed according to specific parameters - H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A wireless client station including a transmitter to transmit data, a receiver having a sensitivity, a signal strength module, and a control module. The sensitivity of the receiver corresponds to a minimum signal strength that the receiver is able to detect. The signal strength module is configured to estimate signal strengths of signals received from a plurality of access points. Each signal received from the plurality of access points respectively indicates a power being dissipated by access point that transmitted the signal. The control module is configured to, for each access point, determine a path loss based on i) the strength of the signal received from the access point, and ii) the power indicated as being dissipated by the access point, and to adjust a minimum transmit power level of the transmitter based on i) a lowest one of the path losses and ii) the sensitivity of the receiver. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wireless client station, comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit data; a receiver having a sensitivity, wherein the sensitivity of the receiver corresponds to a minimum signal strength that the receiver is able to detect; a signal strength module configured to estimate signal strengths of signals received from a plurality of access points, wherein each signal received from the plurality of access points respectively indicates a power being dissipated by the access point that transmitted the signal; and a control module configured to for each respective access point of the plurality of access points, determine a path loss for the access point based on i) the strength of the signal received from the access point, and ii) the power indicated as being dissipated by the access point, and adjust a minimum transmit power level of the transmitter based on i) a lowest one of the path losses and ii) the sensitivity of the receiver. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wireless client station of claim 1, wherein in response to each of the signal strengths being greater than a predetermined signal strength threshold, the control module is configured to associate the wireless client station with one of the plurality of access points having the lowest one of the path losses. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A wireless network comprising: the wireless client station of claim 1; and the plurality of access points, wherein the wireless client station is configured to communicate with the plurality of access points using a transmit power control protocol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wireless client station of claim 1, further comprising a medium access control module configured to include the control module. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wireless client station of claim 1, further comprising: a physical layer module configured to interface with a wireless medium; and a medium access control module configured to communicate with the physical layer module, wherein the signal strength module is implemented in at least one of the physical layer module and the medium access control module. ### Claim 6 A method, comprising: estimating signal strengths of signals received from a plurality of access points at a wireless client station, each signal received from the plurality of access points respectively indicates a power being dissipated by the access point that transmitted the signal; determining, for each respective access point of the plurality of access points, a path loss for the access point based on i) the strength of the signal received from the access point, and ii) the power indicated as being dissipated by the access point; adjusting a minimum transmit power level of a transmitter of the wireless client station based on i) a lowest one of the path losses and ii) a sensitivity of a receiver of the wireless client station, wherein the sensitivity of the receiver corresponds to a minimum signal strength that the receiver is able to detect; and transmitting data from the transmitter of the wireless client station in accordance with the minimum transmit power level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising, in response to each of the signal strengths being greater than a predetermined signal strength threshold, associating the wireless client station with one of the plurality of access points having the lowest one of the path losses. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising communicating with the plurality of access points via a transmit power control protocol. ### Claim 9 A wireless client station, comprising: a transmitter having a minimum transmit power level; a receiver having a sensitivity, wherein the sensitivity of the receiver corresponds to a minimum signal strength that the receiver is able to detect, wherein the receiver is configured to receive signals from a plurality of access points, and wherein each signal received from the plurality of access points respectively indicates a power being dissipated by the access point that transmitted the signal; and a control module configured to estimate signal strengths of the signals received from the plurality of access points, for each respective access point of the plurality of access points, determine a path loss for the access point based on i) the strength of the signal received from the access point, and ii) the power indicated as being dissipated by the access point, and adjust the minimum transmit power level of the transmitter based on i) a lowest one of the path losses and ii) the sensitivity of the receiver. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wireless client station of claim 9, wherein in response to each of the signal strengths being greater than a predetermined signal strength threshold, the control module is configured to associate the wireless client station with one of the plurality of access points having the lowest one of the path losses. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A wireless network comprising: the wireless client station of claim 10; and the plurality of access points, wherein the wireless client station is configured to communicate with the plurality of access points using a transmit power control protocol.