Patent ID: 8675547

Claim:
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, is configured to perform operations comprising: transmitting a data frame from an access point to a wireless device, the data frame is a unicast communication that is initiated by the access point and is not responsive to any prior frames received by the access point from the wireless device; wherein the data frame is sent from the access point to the wireless device when the wireless device is not associated with the access point; wherein the data frame is addressed to the wireless device; wherein the data frame reaches an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Layer 2 interface of the wireless device; receiving an Acknowledgement (ACK) frame, as defined by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards, by the access point from the wireless device, that is not associated with the access point; wherein the ACK frame is received in response to the data frame; wherein the ACK frame includes a Media Access Control (MAC) header and a Frame Check Sequence (FCS) and does not include a frame body for data transfer; wherein the ACK frame traverses the OSI Layer 2 interface of the wireless device prior to the access point receiving the ACK frame from the wireless device; determining one or more characteristics of the wireless device, that is not associated with the access point, based on the ACK frame that is received by the access point from the wireless device; wherein the one or more characteristics comprises one or more of: a location of the wireless device; an antenna connectivity for the wireless device; an antenna connectivity for the access point; a direction from the access point toward the wireless device; an altered transmission rate that is different than a transmission rate used prior to transmission of the data frame that can be supported for communications between the access point and the wireless device; a distance of the wireless device from the access point.