US-12621720-B2 - Systems and methods to extend wireless access range

Abstract

In a wireless network, the radio frequency (RF) environment of devices that are part of the network may change, for example, as portable devices are moved by users, or as other objects (which may obstruct or reflect RF signals) move within the environment. As such, systems and methods to extend wireless access range are provided.

Inventors

• Dean Ballew
• John R.B. WOODWORTH

Assignees

• CENTURYLINK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231013

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A method, comprising: communicating with a first wireless client device, by a first wireless access point, the first wireless access point using, as its local media access control address, a first media access control address; and communicating with the first wireless client device, by a second wireless access point, the second wireless access point using, as its local media access control address, the first media access control address, wherein: the communicating, by the first wireless access point, with the first wireless client device comprises communicating using a first Internet Protocol address for the first wireless client device; and the communicating, by the second wireless access point, with the first wireless client device comprises communicating using the first Internet Protocol address for the first wireless client device.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a transition, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, from a first state to a second state, wherein: in the first state, the first wireless access point is responsible for communications with the first wireless client device, and in the second state, the second wireless access point is responsible for communications with the first wireless client device.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising: sending, by the first wireless access point, a first packet to the first wireless client device, the first packet being encrypted using a first encryption key; and sending, by the second wireless access point, a second packet to the first wireless client device, the second packet being encrypted using an encryption key based on the first encryption key.
4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: determining that the transition is imminent; and in response to determining that the transition is imminent, sending, by the first wireless access point, to the second wireless access point, information for the generation of the encryption key for the second packet and transferring the first media access control address to the second wireless access point.
5. 5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the transition is imminent comprises determining that a first signal strength of a first signal received from the first wireless client device at the second wireless access point exceeds a second signal strength of a second signal received from the first wireless client device at the first wireless access point by at least a pre-trigger threshold.
6. 6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising negotiating the transition based on: a characteristic of a first signal channel, between the first wireless access point and the first wireless client device, and a characteristic of a second signal channel, between the second wireless access point and the first wireless client device.
7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the negotiating comprises sending, by the second wireless access point, to the first wireless access point, an indication of a signal strength of a signal received, by the second wireless access point, from the first wireless client device.
8. 8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the negotiating of the transition comprises determining, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, that a gain of the second signal channel exceeds a gain of the first signal channel by a threshold amount.
9. 9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein: the communicating, by the first wireless access point with the first wireless client device, comprises communicating over a first wireless channel; the communicating, by the second wireless access point with the first wireless client device, comprises communicating over the first wireless channel; and the negotiating of the transition comprises communicating, between the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, over a second channel, different from the first wireless channel.
10. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second channel comprises a wired connection.
11. 11 . A system, comprising: a first wireless access point comprising: a first processing circuit, and a first memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit; and a second wireless access point comprising: a second processing circuit, and a second memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit, the first memory and the second memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first processing circuit and the second processing circuit respectively, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising: communicating, with a first wireless client device, by the first wireless access point, using, as its local media access control address, a first media access control address; and communicating, with the first wireless client device, by the second wireless access point, using, as its local media access control address, the first media access control address, wherein: the communicating, by the first wireless access point, with the first wireless client device comprises communicating using a first Internet Protocol address for the first wireless client device; and the communicating, by the second wireless access point, with the first wireless client device comprises communicating using the first Internet Protocol address for the first wireless client device.
12. 12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises performing a transition, from a first state to a second state, wherein: in the first state, the first wireless access point is responsible for communications with the first wireless client device, and in the second state, the second wireless access point is responsible for communications with the first wireless client device.
13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the first wireless access point, a first packet to the first wireless client device, the first packet being encrypted using first encryption information; and sending, by the second wireless access point, a second packet to the first wireless client device, the second packet being encrypted using encryption information based on the first encryption information.
14. 14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises negotiating the transition, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point.
15. 15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the negotiating of the transition comprises negotiating the transition based on: a characteristic of a first signal channel, between the first wireless access point and the first wireless client device, and a characteristic of a second signal channel, between the second wireless access point and the first wireless client device.
16. 16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the negotiating comprises sending, by the second wireless access point, to the first wireless access point, an indication of a signal strength of a signal received, by the second wireless access point, from the first wireless client device.
17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the negotiating of the transition comprises determining, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, that a gain of the second signal channel exceeds a gain of the first signal channel by a threshold amount.
18. 18 . A system, comprising: a first wireless access point comprising: a first processing circuit, and a first memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit; and a second wireless access point comprising: a second processing circuit, and a second memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit, the first memory and the second memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first processing circuit and the second processing circuit respectively, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising: negotiating a transition, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, from a first state to a second state; and performing the transition, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, wherein: in the first state, the first wireless access point is responsible for communications with a first wireless client device; in the second state, the second wireless access point is responsible for communications with the first wireless client device; the negotiating of the transition comprises negotiating the transition based on: a characteristic of a first signal channel, between the first wireless access point and the first wireless client device, and a characteristic of a second signal channel, between the second wireless access point and the first wireless client device; and the performing of the transition comprises sending, by the first wireless access point, to the second wireless access point, a first encryption key, for use, by the second wireless access point, in the generation of a second encryption key, to be used, by the second wireless access point, to encrypt a packet to be sent to the first wireless client device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/383,618 filed Nov. 14, 2022, entitled “Systems and Methods to Extend Wireless Access Range,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD One or more aspects of examples according to the present disclosure relate to wireless networks, and more particularly to systems and methods to extend wireless access range. BACKGROUND In a wireless network, the radio frequency (RF) environment of devices that are part of the network may change, for example, as portable devices are moved by users, or as other objects (which may obstruct or reflect RF signals) move within the environment. It is with respect to this general technical environment that aspects of the present disclosure are related. While relatively specific examples have been discussed, it should be understood that aspects of the present disclosure should not be limited to solving the specific examples identified in the background. SUMMARY In aspects, systems and methods to extend wireless access range are provided. In an aspect, a method includes communicating with a first wireless client device, by a first wireless access point, the first wireless access point using, as a local media access control address, a first media access control address; and communicating with the first wireless client device, by a second wireless access point, the second wireless access point using, as a local media access control address, the first media access control address. In another aspect, a system, comprises a first wireless access point comprising: a first processing circuit, and a first memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit; and a second wireless access point comprising: a second processing circuit, and a second memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit. In examples, the first memory and the second memory store instructions that, when executed by the first processing circuit and the second processing circuit respectively, cause the system to perform a method. In examples, the method comprises: communicating, with a first wireless client device, by the first wireless access point, using, as its local media access control address, a first media access control address; and communicating, with the first wireless client device, by the second wireless access point, using, as its local media access control address, the first media access control address. In another aspect, a system comprises: a first wireless access point comprising: a first processing circuit, and a first memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit; and a second wireless access point comprising: a second processing circuit, and a second memory, operatively connected to the first processing circuit. In examples, the first memory and the second memory store instructions that, when executed by the first processing circuit and the second processing circuit respectively, cause the system to perform a method. In examples, the method comprises: negotiating a transition, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, from a first state to a second state; and performing the transition, by the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, wherein: in the first state, the first wireless access point is responsible for communications with a first wireless client device; in the second state, the second wireless access point is responsible for communications with the first wireless client device; the negotiating of the transition comprises negotiating the transition based on: a characteristic of a first signal channel, between the first wireless access point and the first wireless client device, and a characteristic of a second signal channel, between the second wireless access point and the first wireless client device; and the performing of the transition comprises sending, by the first wireless access point, to the second wireless access point, a first encryption key, for use, by the second wireless access point, in the generation of a second encryption key, to be used, by the second wireless access point, to encrypt a packet to be sent to the first wireless client device. This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood with reference to the specification, claims, and appended drawings. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples are described with reference to the following figures: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network, according to an example of the present disclosure; F