Changing topology in a wireless network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10573144-B2
Application number	US-201715461240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2017
Priority date	Oct 10, 2016
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and embodiments related to a technique for changing topology of a wireless network in a multi-band wireless networking system. In a wireless network with multiple wireless networking devices and one or more client devices, communications between the wireless networking devices occurs via a backhaul channel, and communication between the client(s) and the wireless networking devices occurs via a fronthaul channel. At boot up, a wireless networking device configures the wireless network with a certain topology. After the topology is initially configured, the wireless networking device determines a network-related parameter and changes the topology of the wireless network based on the network-related parameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for changing a topology of a Wi-Fi network wherein an access point (AP) Wi-Fi device communicates with a satellite Wi-Fi device and a client Wi-Fi device, the method comprising:
during an initial boot up phase of the AP Wi-Fi device:
identifying, by the AP Wi-Fi device, a first communication channel of a plurality of communication channels for backhaul communications between the AP Wi-Fi device and the satellite Wi-Fi device,
wherein the AP Wi-Fi device is a router device that is capable of forwarding data packets between communication networks, that is capable of being connecting to a wired network, and that is capable of communicating via the plurality of communication channels,
wherein the satellite Wi-Fi device is capable of relaying data between the client Wi-Fi device and the AP Wi-Fi device via the plurality of communication channels; and
identifying, by the AP Wi-Fi device, a second communication channel of the plurality of communication channels for fronthaul communications between the client Wi-Fi device and any of the AP Wi-Fi device or the satellite Wi-Fi device;
wherein the first communication channel has higher bandwidth communication capabilities than the second communication channel; and

during a topology optimization phase after the initial boot up phase is completed;
monitoring, by the AP Wi-Fi device, network traffic from the client Wi-Fi device to determine a network requirement of the client Wi-Fi device;
determining, based on the network requirement of the client Wi-Fi device, to change the topology of the Wi-Fi network; and
causing, by the AP Wi-Fi device, the topology of the Wi-Fi network to change by sending a message to the satellite Wi-Fi device that causes:
backhaul communications between the AP Wi-Fi device and the satellite Wi-Fi device to change from the first communication channel to the second communication channel; and
fronthaul communications between the client Wi-Fi device and any of the AP Wi-Fi device or the satellite Wi-Fi device to change from the second communication channel to the first communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the network traffic of the client Wi-Fi device includes performing deep packet inspection (DPI) to detect an identifier that identifies the client Wi-Fi device as a gaming system.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the gaming system is one of a Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo Wii U, a Sony PlayStation 3, a Sony PlayStation 4, a Microsoft Xbox 360, or a Microsoft Xbox One.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the AP Wi-Fi device and the satellite Wi-Fi device are a same model device that are substantially identical.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the network traffic from the client Wi-Fi device includes performing DPI of packets received from the client Wi-Fi device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein results of the DPI include an identifier of the client Wi-Fi device, and wherein the AP Wi-Fi device determines the network requirement of the client Wi-Fi device by performing a database lookup based on the identifier, and by accessing a value indicative of the network requirement associated with the identifier via the database.

7. A method for changing a topology of a Wi-Fi network wherein an access point (AP) Wi-Fi device communicates with a satellite Wi-Fi device and a client Wi-Fi device, the method comprising:
during an initial boot up phase of the AP Wi-Fi device:
identifying, by the AP Wi-Fi device, a first communication channel of a plurality of communication channels for backhaul communications between the AP Wi-Fi device and the satellite Wi-Fi device,
wherein the AP Wi-Fi device is a router device that is capable of forwarding data packets between communication networks, that is capable of being connected to a wired network, and that is capable of communicating via plurality of communication channels,
wherein the satellite Wi-Fi device is a device that is capable of relaying messages between the client Wi-Fi device and the AP Wi-Fi device via the plurality of communication channels; and
identifying, by the AP Wi-Fi device, a second communication channel of the plurality of communication channels for fronthaul communications between the client Wi-Fi device and any of the AP Wi-Fi device or the satellite Wi-Fi device;
wherein the first communication channel has higher bandwidth communication capabilities than the second communication channel; and

during a topology optimization phase after the initial boot up phase is completed:
determining, by the AP Wi-Fi device, a network-related parameter of a particular Wi-Fi device, wherein the particular Wi-Fi device is the client Wi-Fi device or satellite Wi-Fi device;
determining, based on the network-related parameter, to change the topology of the Wi-Fi network; and
causing, by the AP Wi-Fi device, the topology of the Wi-Fi network to change by transmitting a message to the particular Wi-Fi device that causes;
backhaul communications between the AP Wi-Fi device and the satellite Wi-Fi device to change from the first communication channel to the second communication channel; and
fronthaul communications between the client Wi-Fi device and any of the AP Wi-Fi device or the satellite Wi-Fi device to change from the second communication channel to the first communication channel.

8. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the particular Wi-Fi device is the satellite Wi-Fi device,
wherein the network-related parameter of the particular Wi-Fi device is a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) that indicates a strength of a signal received by the satellite Wi-Fi device from the client Wi-Fi device, and
wherein the message to the particular Wi-Fi device further causes the client Wi-Fi device to roam from the satellite Wi-Fi device to another Wi-Fi device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the another Wi-Fi device is any of the AP Wi-Fi device or another satellite Wi-Fi device.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the message to the particular Wi-Fi device further causes the satellite Wi-Fi device to temporarily cease communication with the client Wi-Fi device, and causes the client Wi-Fi device to, in response to the ceasing of communication by the satellite Wi-Fi device, roam to the another Wi-Fi device.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the network-related parameter of the particular Wi-Fi device is a data-traffic-related parameter of the particular Wi-Fi device.

12. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the particular Wi-Fi device is the client Wi-Fi device,
wherein the network-related parameter of the particular Wi-Fi device is a network requirement of the client Wi-Fi device, and
wherein determining the network requirement of the client Wi-Fi device includes monitoring network traffic from the client Wi-Fi device for fronthaul communications is identified by the AP Wi-Fi device based on scan results received from the satellite Wi-Fi device, the scan results based on a scan by the satellite Wi-Fi device for interference on a plurality of candidate communication channels of the plurality of communication channels.

13. The method of claim 12 ,
wherein monitoring the network traffic from the client Wi-Fi device includes performing deep packet inspection (DPI) on packets received from the client Wi-Fi device.

14. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the network-related parameter of the particular Wi-Fi device is a parameter that indicates a level of interference of a particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels over which the particular Wi-Fi device is communicating.

15. The metho

Assignees

• Netgear Inc

Inventors

• Emmanuel Joseph Amalan Arul
• Amini Peiman

Classifications

• H04W72/0453

  Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA · CPC title

• H04B17/0085

  using test signal generators · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W40/02

  Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing · CPC title

• H04L12/4633

  Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling · CPC title