318 results about "Radio access point" patented technology

An improved connectivity to radio access point is enabled by a server that includes a database storing data about various radio access points, and an evaluation module evaluating the quality of connection to each of the access points. Clients receive updates about relevant access points from the server and use the information to connect to the preferred access point. The clients also check connectivity to other access points in the vicinity, and report the findings to the server. The server uses the reports to update its database, and send corresponding updates to the clients. The database can include information about the location of the access points. The information about the location of the access points can be manually input or determined using GPS information. The location of an access points can be determined as a function of available information about other access points detected at the same location. An access point can be presumed to be located in approximately the same location as another access point detected in the same location by the same user terminal. Where more than one access point having a known location is detected in the same location as an unmapped access point (having an unknown location), the location of the unmapped access point can be determined as function of a weighted average of the known locations of the other access points and signal strength of the signal received from each access point.

A process of controlling a flow of data in a wireless network providing wireless access to the wireless network by wireless devices is disclosed. Data is received from a wireless device by a network device, through one access point of a plurality of access points in communication with the network device, indicating a client identifier for the wireless device. The client identifier is forwarded to an authentication server and the network device mediated authentication of the wireless device with the authentication server. Thereafter, data packets received from portions of the wireless network and from the plurality of access points are evaluated and the received data packets are passed to portions of the wireless network and to the plurality of access points, based on the evaluation of the received data packets. In addition, the network device periodically polls for a status of the wireless device from the access point.

Apparatus and methods of performing interference mitigation in a communication network. The interference mitigation can include a controller sending a message to a first access point instructing the first access point to measure at least one signal transmitted by a first wireless terminal communicating a signal having known characteristics; the controller receiving from the first access point signal measurement information; and the controller communicating at least some of the signal measurement information received from the first access point to a second access point.

The invention provides an external in-line device (“Subnet Box”) placed between a network and an access point to achieve secure Wi-Fi communications without needing to modify the access point. The Subnet Box comprises an embedded token and will authenticate users based on pre-stored access rights. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the Subnet Box comprises: a first communications port for intercepting data packets communicated to and from a wired communications network; a second communications port for intercepting data packets communicated to and from a wireless access point, wherein the wireless access point is an edge device of the wired communications network; a database comprising a number of serial numbers each associated with a client token and a secret cryptographic key; and a processor for determining whether a computing device having a client token can access the wired communications network via the wireless access point. The processor establishes a secure tunnel between the computing device and the first communications port.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for seamlessly routing data to mobile devices that undergo handovers from one access point to another. A controller, such as a RNC or BSC, includes logic to map the locations of mobile devices that are connected to various access points on one or more networks. The access points include base stations, Node Bs, wireless LAN, etc., and incorporate or are coupled to network agents. The network agent reports the location of the mobile device to the controller via a plurality of means such as over an IP network, a powerline network, or a satellite network. Using the database, or IP mapping table, having the most current locations of all the mobile devices under its domain or area, the controller can route data packets to the mobile devices using the most effective routing paths.

In a case where reception power in a radio access point is high by external noise, the normalcy of the radio access point is tested. In order to judge the normalcy of the radio characteristic of the radio access point, a test is performed through the calling connection between a testing access terminal in the radio access point and a predetermined device. An RSSI is measured before and after the transmission of a test signal. When the RSSI exceeds a threshold value, the path loss of a reverse link connected from the radio access point to the testing access terminal is increased by an attenuator. Then, reception power in the testing access terminal decreases. Thus, initial transmission power in accordance with the reception power from the testing access terminal is raised and the calling connection of the testing access terminal can be performed even under the external noise.

Methods and systems are provided to collect and update data on client devices connected to WiFi access points is provided. An inventory of WiFi cable modems and WiFi access points coupled to the WiFi cabled modems within a specific network is periodically collected. Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of WiFi cable modems and WiFi access points coupled to the WiFi cabled modems are periodically updated. Traps are periodically received from the WiFi access points. The traps are parsed to collect an inventory of client devices wirelessly connected to the WiFi access points and a time at which a client device connected to the WiFi access point. The WiFi access points are periodically polled to collect data on client devices, the data including a period of time that a client device has been connected to a WiFi access point and a physical location of the client device.

A wireless network having control plane segregation is described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary network architecture includes, but is not limited to, multiple access points coupled to a wired network, where each of the access points is capable of communicating with one or more mobile nodes over a wireless network. The exemplary network architecture further includes a controller coupled to the access points over the wired network, where the controller maintains network traffic information of the wireless network and communicates the network traffic information with the access points to enable the access points to cooperate with each other to provide network services to the one or more mobile nodes over the wireless network. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

The normality verification and radio characteristics test of a radio communication system are executed. RF-SWs (radio-frequency coaxial switches) change-over the paths of signals which are transmitted to and received from an access terminal function portion included in an access point. RF-SWs connect the access terminal function portion 122 with a desired one of radio analog portions. A test function controller controls the changeover operations of the RF-SWs in accordance with information designated by a maintenance apparatus (OMC). An access point controller controls in accordance with received test soil information, one or more of (1) an antenna failure test in which a voltage surface wave ratio is evaluated on the basis of the transmission power of the access terminal function portion, (2) a receiver failure test in which, after a packet error rate has been adjusted, a reception sensitivity is evaluated based on the transmission power of the access terminal function portion, and (3) a transmitter failure test in which transmission power from any of the radio analog portions is evaluated based on the reception power value of the access terminal function portion.

An IPv4 host is able to maintain connectivity within an access network while moving among access points of the access network, based on receiving a unique assigned IPv4 address from a clusterhead of the access network. Any DHCP request by the IPv4 host is sent via the connecting access point to the clusterhead. The clusterhead, providing connectivity for hosts in the access network to a wide area network based on respective entries, assigns the IPv4 address to the IPv4 host, based on storing an entry including the IPv4 address and an IP-based identifier of the connecting access point, and sends a DHCP response to the IPv4 host via the connecting access point. A second DHCP request from the IPv4 host to a second access point causes the clusterhead to update the entry with the second access point identifier, enabling the IPv4 host to continue use of the assigned IPv4 address.

A modified end user network access point includes a switching module and a controller to track usage of the end user network access point by wirelessly connected end user devices. The tracked usage information is transmitted from the end user network access point to a remotely coupled data center. The data center collects usage information from a plurality of different end user network access points. The collected usage information is in turn transmitted from the data center to a network carrier. The network carrier uses the received usage information to bill users for accessing the end user network access points and using any services provided by the end user network access points. An owner of each end user network access point is compensated by the network carrier each instance that an end user device utilizes the end user network access point to access the network carrier's communications network.