Patent ID: 9014087
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A system, comprising: a plurality of access points operable in a communication network and each of the plurality of access points having an operating area; a switch configured for communicating with the plurality of access points, the switch being configured to provide no access point functionality; and a client device situated within a first operating area of a first access point of the plurality of access points, the client device including a wireless transceiver configured to broadcast a probe request to each of the plurality of access points, wherein the probe request includes a sub-element data to indicate to each of the plurality of access points that a respective probe response is to be sent to the switch, and wherein the probe requests include a time duration data related to a total duration allocated to receive a consolidated probe response and wherein the time duration data included in the probe request is a difference between the total duration and a time related to the duration data, wherein the switch is configured to receive probe responses generated by each of the plurality of access points in response to receiving the probe request, wherein the probe responses include the time duration data, wherein the switch is operable to determine a waiting time to receive all probe responses sent from access points as a function of the time duration data, to generate the consolidated probe response as a function of the received probe responses, and to transmit the consolidated probe response to the first access point which operates to forward the consolidated probe response to the client device.