Techniques for wireless deployment

Abstract

A variety of techniques are described in which wireless access points or base stations are deployed in wireless networks to achieve geographic isolation, i.e., distinct zones of operation having well-defined geographic boundaries, and increased overall capacity in an area having a high population of access and client devices.

1 . A wireless network, comprising a plurality of access devices for enabling wireless access to the network by a plurality of client devices, a first one of the access devices being configured to inhibit association of the client devices with the first access device at data rates below a predetermined data rate, thereby creating a zone of operation outside of which the client devices are unlikely to associate with the first access device. 
     
     
         2 . The wireless network of  claim 1  wherein each of the access devices is configured to transmit probes to the client devices and to receive responses from the client devices corresponding to the probes, the first access device further being configured to inhibit association of the client devices with the first access device where receipt of the responses occurs more than a predetermined time period after transmission of the corresponding probes. 
     
     
         3 . A wireless network, comprising a plurality of access devices for enabling wireless access to the network by a plurality of client devices, each of the access devices being configured to transmit probes to the client devices and to receive responses from the client devices corresponding to the probes, a first one of the access devices being configured to inhibit association of the client devices with the first access device where receipt of the responses occurs more than a predetermined time period after transmission of the corresponding probes, thereby creating a zone of operation outside of which the client devices are unlikely to associate with the first access device. 
     
     
         4 . A wireless network, comprising a plurality of access devices for enabling wireless access to the network by a plurality of client devices, each of the access devices being configured to transmit probes to the client devices and to receive responses from the client devices corresponding to the probes, a first one of the access devices being configured to determine distances from the first access device to the client devices with reference to time periods associated with the probes and the corresponding responses. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless network of  claim 4  wherein the first access device is further configured to inhibit association of selected ones of the client devices with the first access device where the distances associated with the selected client devices are greater than a predetermined distance, thereby creating a zone of operation outside of which the client devices are unlikely to associate with the first access device. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless network of  claim 4  wherein a first one of the distances is from the first access device to a first one of the client devices, and wherein second and third ones of the access devices are configured to determine second and third distances from the second and third access devices, respectively, to the first client device, the wireless network further comprising a first process operating in the network which is operable to determine a position of the first client device with reference to the first, second, and third distances. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless network of  claim 6  wherein the first process is further operable to facilitate association of the first client device with one of the access devices with reference to the position of the first client device. 
     
     
         8 . A wireless network, comprising a plurality of access points for enabling wireless access to the network by a plurality of client devices, a first one of the access points being configured to facilitate association of the client devices with the first access point by broadcasting a first set of service set identifiers, the first access point further being configured to facilitate association of selected ones of the client devices in response to transmissions from the selected client devices identifying additional service set identifiers not included in the first set of service set identifiers. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless network of  claim 8  wherein the first access device is further configured to inhibit association of the client devices with the first access device at data rates below a predetermined data rate, thereby creating a zone of operation outside of which the client devices are unlikely to associate with the first access device. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless network of  claim 9  wherein each of the access devices is configured to transmit probes to the client devices and to receive responses from the client devices corresponding to the probes, the first access device further being configured to inhibit association of the client devices with the first access device where receipt of the responses occurs more than a predetermined time period after transmission of the corresponding probes. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless network of  claim 8  wherein each of the access devices is configured to transmit probes to the client devices and to receive responses from the client devices corresponding to the probes, the first access device further being configured to inhibit association of the client devices with the first access device where receipt of the responses occurs more than a predetermined time period after transmission of the corresponding probes, thereby creating a zone of operation outside of which the client devices are unlikely to associate with the first access device. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless network of  claim 8  wherein each of the access devices is configured to transmit probes to the client devices and to receive responses from the client devices corresponding to the probes, the first access device further being configured to determine distances from the first access device to the client devices with reference to time periods associated with the probes and the corresponding responses, a first one of the distances being from the first access device to a first one of the client devices, and wherein second and third ones of the access devices are configured to determine second and third distances from the second and third access devices, respectively, to the first client device, the wireless network further comprising a first process operating in the network which is operable to determine a position of the first client device with reference to the first, second, and third distances. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless network of  claim 12  wherein the first process is further operable to facilitate association of the first client device with one of the access devices with reference to the position of the first client device. 
     
     
         14 . A wireless network, comprising a plurality of access devices for enabling wireless access to the network by a plurality of client devices, first ones of the access devices being configured to transmit signals having a first polarization, and second ones of the access devices being configured to transmit signals having a second polarization different from the first, wherein the first and second access devices are deployed to mitigate friendly interference among the access devices. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless network of  claim 14  wherein the first polarization comprises a clockwise polarization and the second polarization comprises a counter-clockwise polarization. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless network of  claim 14  wherein the first and second access devices are deployed to provide a high-noise environment for the client devices such that each of the client devices tends to migrate to a nearest one of the first and second access devices.