Patent ID: 7974620

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for selecting a roaming partner from potential roaming partners for wireless communications, comprising: determining, by a processor, a load value for at least one of the potential roaming partners, wherein determining a load value for each of the roaming partners further comprises: receiving a configuration message having a load field, the load field identifying one or more media access control (MAC) addresses in use for at least one of the potential roaming partners; summing a number of the one or more MAC addresses in use respectively for at least one of the potential roaming partners; and storing respective sums of MAC addresses in use as respective load values for at least one of the potential roaming partners; determining, by a processor, which of the potential roaming partners has a lowest load value; if only one of the potential roaming partners has the lowest load value, then selecting the roaming partner having the lowest load value; and if not, then selecting the roaming partner having a highest priority from among the potential roaming partners that share the lowest load value.