Mobile Intelligent Roaming Using Multi-Modal Access Point Devices

摘要

A system and method are provided in which access point (AP) devices in a wireless local area network (WLAN) are typed or configured into one of three measurement and reporting roles: Monitor-Mode AP (MMAP), Portal AP (PAP), a Border AP (BAP) or an Interior AP (IAP). APs are assigned specific link measurement requirements according to their assigned type or role. In general, MMAPs and PAPs have the greatest measurement and reporting responsibilities, BAPs have less measurement and reporting responsibilities than PAPs and IAPs have the least measurement and reporting responsibilities. The APs generate measurements that are supplied to appropriate equipment to facilitate handover decisions with respect to a dual-mode wireless client device that roams between the WLAN and another network or vice versa. As a result, link measurements are only performed by APs in locations where such measurements are necessary for handover service, thus reducing the overall processing load on the WLAN infrastructure.