Smart Roam System And Method

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining when to switch wireless access points from a current wireless access point to a new wireless access point are disclosed. In various embodiments the systems and methods monitor a signal strength received from the current wireless access point, monitor a signal strength received from the new wireless access point and compare the signal strength received from the wireless access points. Switching from the current wireless access point to the new wireless access point can occur, for example, when the signal strength received from the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength received from the current wireless access point by a first pre-determined value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining when to switch wireless access points from a current wireless access point to a new wireless access point comprising:
 monitoring a signal strength received from the current wireless access point;   monitoring a signal strength received from the new wireless access point;   comparing the signal strength received from the wireless access points; and
 switching from the current wireless access point to the new wireless access point when the signal strength received from the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength received from the current wireless access point by a first pre-determined value. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining if the signal strength received from the current wireless access point is less than a pre-determined threshold;   determining if the signal strength received from the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength of the current wireless access point; and   switching from the current wireless access point to the new wireless access point when the signal strength received from the current wireless access point is less than a pre-determined threshold and the signal strength received from the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength received from the current wireless access point.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the switch based on the current access point having a low received signal strength, less than a pre-determined threshold, only occurs when the signal strength received from the new access point is greater than a second pre-determined value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second pre-determined value is less than the first pre-determined value. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining the signal strength received from the current access point;   using the signal strength received from the current access point as the pre-determined threshold; and   using a lower value in place of the pre-determined threshold when the signal strength received from the current access point and the new access point are below the pre-determined threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising comparing the signal strength received from the current access point to multiple new access points to determine if a switch should occur. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , which the multiple new access points are grouped into at least two and each new access point in a group is monitored before switching to another group. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signal strengths used comprise passive scans of beacon signal strengths received for each access point. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-authenticating a wireless device with a new access point prior to determining that the new access point meets one of the criteria for a switch and the signal strength received from the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength received from the current wireless access point. 
     
     
         10 . A client side wireless device comprising:
 an antenna;   a receiver, coupled to the antenna;   a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to control an functionality of the wireless device;   a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions to cause the processor to:   monitor a signal strength received from the current wireless access point;   monitor a signal strength received from the new wireless access point;   compare the received signal strength of the wireless access points; and   switch from the current wireless access point to the new wireless access point when the received signal strength of the new wireless access point is greater than the received signal strength of the current wireless access point by a first pre-determined value.   
     
     
         11 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein a memory coupled to the processor storing instructions further causes the processor to:
 determine if the received signal strength of the current wireless access point is less than a pre-determined threshold;   determine if the received signal strength of the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength of the current wireless access point; and   switch from the current wireless access point to the new wireless access point when the received signal strength of the current wireless access point is less than a pre-determined threshold and the received signal strength of the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength of the current wireless access point.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 11 , wherein the switch based on the current access point having a low signal strength, less than a pre-determined threshold, only occurs when the received signal strength of the new access point is greater than a second pre-determined value. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless device of  claim 12 , wherein the second pre-determined value is less than the first pre-determined value. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein a memory coupled to the processor storing instructions further causes the processor to:
 determine the received signal strength of the current access point;   use the received signal strength of the current access point as the pre-determined threshold; and   use a lower value in place of the first pre-determined threshold when the received signal strength of the current access point and the new access point are below the pre-determined threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein a memory coupled to the processor storing instructions further causes the processor to compare the received signal strength of the current access point to multiple new access points to determine if a switch should occur. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless device of  claim 15 , wherein multiple new access points are grouped into at least two and each new access point in a group is monitored before switching to another group. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein the received signal strengths used comprises passive scans of beacon signal strengths for each access point. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein a memory coupled to the processor storing instructions further causes the processor to pre-authenticate a wireless device with a new access point prior to determining that the new access point meets one of the criteria for a switch and the received signal strength of the new wireless access point is greater than the received signal strength of the current wireless access point. 
     
     
         19 . A wireless communication system comprising:
 a first wireless access point;   a second wireless access point;   a client side wireless communication device comprising:
 an antenna; 
   a receiver, coupled to the antenna;   a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to control an functionality of the wireless device;   a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions to cause the processor to monitor a received signal strength of the first wireless access point;   monitor a received signal strength of the second wireless access point; and   compare the received signal strength of the first and second wireless access points; and
 switch from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point when the received signal strength of the second wireless access point is greater than the received signal strength of the first wireless access point by a first pre-determined value. 
   
     
     
         20 . The wireless communication system of  claim 19 , wherein the wireless communication device:
 determines if the received signal strength of the current wireless access point is less than a pre-determined threshold;   determines if the received signal strength of the new wireless access point is greater than the signal strength of the current wireless access point; and   switches from the current wireless access point to the new wireless access point when the received signal strength of the current wireless access point is less than the pre-determined threshold.