Wireless access point enhancements for session transfer, mirroring, and mobility

Abstract

Systems and methods enhance handling, within an access point (AP) of a local area network, of content from a content provider. A content session core of the AP opens a session with the content provider and allows interaction between a user of a first end device and the content provider via the session. Content from the content provider is received at the content session core and forwarded for play on the first end device. The content session core may mirror the content to a second real end device without requiring an additional session with the content provider, and may switch play of the content from the first to the second end devices without disconnecting the session with the content provider. A wireless LAN controller enhances a connectivity experience of a mobile device by determining its location and predicting when to handoff connectivity between wireless APs of the LAN.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for enhanced handling of content from a content provider within an access point, comprising:
 receiving, at a content session core of the access point, a first instruction to open a session with the content provider;   interacting with the content provider to open the session between the content provider and the content session core;   allowing, via the content session core and the session, interaction between a user of a first real end device and the content provider;   receiving, at the content session core via the session, the content from the content provider; and   forwarding the content from the content session core to the first real end device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 receiving, at the content session core, a second instruction to switch playing of the content from the first real end device to a second real end device;   stopping, in response to the second instruction, the forwarding of the content from the content session core to the first real end device; and   forwarding, in response to the second instruction, the content from the content session core to the second real end device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein playing of the content is switched from the first real end device to the second real end device without the session between the content provider and the access point being disconnected. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising interacting with an application running on the first real end device to receive the second instruction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising interacting with an application running on the second real end device to receive the second instruction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising emulating, within the access point, an end device from a perspective of the content provider. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the access point, a second instruction to mirror the content from the content provider on a second end device; and   simultaneously forwarding the content received from the content provider to both the first real end device and the second end device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising interacting with an application running on the first real end device to receive the first instruction. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the access point, a second instruction to mirror the content from the content provider on a second end device;   buffering at least part of the content received from the content provider within the AP; and   forwarding the content asynchronously to each of the first real end device and the second end device.   
     
     
         10 . A software product comprising instructions, stored on computer-readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by an access point, perform steps for enhanced handling of content from a content provider within an access point, comprising:
 instructions for receiving, at a content session core of the access point, a first instruction to open a session with the content provider;   instructions for interacting with the content provider to open the session between the content provider and the content session core;   instructions for allowing, via the content session core and the session, interaction between a user of a first real end device and the content provider;   instructions for receiving, at the content session core via the session, the content from the content provider; and   instructions for forwarding the content from the content session core to the first real end device.   
     
     
         11 . The software product of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 instructions for receiving, at the content session core, a second instruction to switch playing of the content from the first real end device to a second real end device;   instructions for stopping, in response to the second instruction, the forwarding of the content from the content session core to the first real end device; and   instructions for forwarding, in response to the second instruction, the content from the content session core to the second real end device.   
     
     
         12 . The software product of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions for interacting with an application running on the first real end device to receive the second instruction. 
     
     
         13 . The software product of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions for interacting with an application running on the second real end device to receive the second instruction. 
     
     
         14 . The software product of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions for emulating, within the access point, an end device from a perspective of the content provider. 
     
     
         15 . The software product of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 instructions for receiving, at the content session core, a second instruction to mirror the content from the content provider on a second end device;   instructions for buffering at least part of the content received from the content provider within the AP; and   instructions for forwarding the content asynchronously to each of the first real end device and the second end device.   
     
     
         16 . A method for enhanced session handoff of a mobile device between wireless access points (WAPs) of a local area network (LAN) distributed over a geographic area, comprising:
 determining, at intervals, locations of the mobile device connected to a first WAP of the LAN;   determining movement of the mobile device based upon the locations;   predicting a future location of the mobile device based, at least in part, upon the movement;   determining a second WAP of the LAN with an operational range including the future location; and   generating a predicted handoff of the mobile device from the first WAP to the second WAP at a predicted time.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising controlling, at the predicted time, the first WAP to handoff connectivity of the mobile device to the second WAP. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the step of predicting the future location comprising using linear extrapolation of the movement to determine the future location. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , the step of predicting further comprising:
 receiving, for the geographic area, external data including one or more of preplanned transportation routes, transportation schedules, traffic conditions, and weather information;   determining relevant information from the external data based, at least in part, upon a most recent location of the mobile device; and   predicting the future location of the mobile device based, at least in part, upon the relevant information.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , the relevant information comprising a predicted path and predicted schedule of the mobile device within the geographic area, wherein the predicted path and the predicted schedule define the future location and the predicted time.