Systems and methods for reduced latency during initial link setup

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9392494-B2
Application number	US-201414331118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2014
Priority date	Jul 15, 2013
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A method of operation of a mobile device to reduce link setup time includes initiating a link setup procedure with a first access point. The link setup procedure includes receiving dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) information via the first access point. The method further includes communicating with the first access point using the DHCP information and initiating communication with a second access point after communicating with the first access point. The method further includes receiving an indication from the second access point identifying whether the mobile device is able to communicate with the second access point using the DHCP information. A value of the indication identifies whether the mobile device is able to reduce link setup time with the second access point by avoiding DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operation of a mobile device to reduce link setup time, the method comprising:
initiating a link setup procedure with a first access point, wherein the link setup procedure includes receiving dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) information via the first access point;
communicating with the first access point using the DHCP information;
after communicating with the first access point, initiating communication with a second access point; and
prior to initiating DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point, receiving an indication from the second access point identifying whether the mobile device is able to communicate with the second access point using the DHCP information,
wherein a value of the indication identifies whether the mobile device is able to reduce link setup time with the second access point by avoiding the DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DHCP information includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and wherein the indication includes a same network flag.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein communicating with the first access point using the DHCP information includes receiving data via the first access point, the data addressed to the mobile device via the IP address.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating communication with the second access point includes performing an initial link setup to establish connectivity with the second access point.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication identifies whether the first access point and the second access point are included in a common network.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the common network includes a common DHCP server, and wherein the first access point and the second access point each communicate with the common DHCP server.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating with the second access point using the DHCP information, wherein the first access point and the second access point are in communication with a common DHCP server.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first access point is in communication with a first DHCP server, and further comprising:
requesting DHCP information from a second DHCP server in communication with the second access point; and
communicating with the second access point using the DHCP information from the second DHCP server.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication is distinct from the DHCP information.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating with the second access point without initiating communication between the second access point and a DHCP server.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication includes an authentication message that includes a same network flag.

12. An apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) information; and
a radio frequency (RF) interface configured to initiate a link setup procedure with a first access point, wherein the link setup procedure includes receiving the DHCP information via the first access point, wherein the RF interface is further configured to communicate with the first access point using the DHCP information, to initiate communication with a second access point, and, prior to initiating DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point, to receive an indication from the second access point identifying whether to communicate with the second access point using the DHCP information,
wherein a value of the indication identifies whether link setup time with the second access point may be reduced by avoiding the DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the DHCP information includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the indication identifies whether the first access point and the second access point are included in a common network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the common network includes a common DHCP server, and wherein the first access point and the second access point each communicate with the common DHCP server.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the DHCP information is received from a first DHCP server, and further comprising a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to access the DHCP information to determine whether to communicate with the second access point using the DHCP information or to request DHCP information from a second DHCP server.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the memory is further configured to store the DHCP information from the second DHCP server after receiving the DHCP information from the second DHCP server.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , integrated within a mobile device.

19. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a mobile device to cause the mobile device to perform operations that reduce link setup time, the operations comprising:
initiating a link setup procedure with a first access point, wherein the link setup procedure includes receiving dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) information via the first access point;
communicating with the first access point using the DHCP information;
after communicating with the first access point, initiating communication with a second access point; and
prior to initiating DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point, receiving an indication from the second access point identifying whether the mobile device is able to communicate with the second access point using the DHCP information,
wherein a value of the indication identifies whether the mobile device is able to reduce link setup time with the second access point by avoiding the DHCP reconfiguration with the second access point.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the indication identifies whether the first access point and the second access point are included in a common network.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the common network includes a common DHCP server, and wherein the first access point and the second access point each communicate with the common DHCP server.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the operations further include communicating with the second access point using the DHCP information, wherein the first access point and the second access point are in communication with a common DHCP server.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the first access point is in communication with a first DHCP server, and wherein the operations further include:
requesting DHCP information from a second DHCP server in communication with the second access point; and
communicating with the second access point using the DHCP information from the second DHCP server.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the DHCP information includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein communicating with the first access point using the DHCP information includes receiving data via the first access point, the data addressed to the mobile device via the IP address.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein initiating communication with the second access point includes performing an initial link setup to establish connectivity with the second access point.

27. An apparatus comprisi

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Hawkes Philip Michael
• Cherian George

Classifications

• H04W36/0016 Primary

  Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions · CPC title

• H04W36/0077

  of access information of target access point · CPC title

• H04W36/0055

  Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link · CPC title

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title

• H04W36/0072

  of resource information of target access point · CPC title