Signal strength guided intra-cell upstream data forwarding

摘要

Intra-cell upstream data forwarding can be utilized in a wireless network such as a wireless local area network. A network forwarding path can be determined based on the signal strength of an access point signal received at client stations within the network, referred to as the observed access point signal strength (OASS). In particular embodiments, a station that is either originating or forwarding a frame can insert its own OASS into the frame before transmitting it and a client station that receives a frame can forward it only if its own OASS exceeds the frame-enclosed OASS, by at least a predetermined amount.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
determining, by a first device comprising a processor, a first signal strength from first signal strength data associated with the first device; receiving, by the first device from a second device, second signal strength data representative of a second signal strength associated with the second device; comparing, by the first device, the first signal strength data to the second signal strength data; inserting, by the first device, an indication of the first signal strength associated with the first signal strength data, after a media access control header; and based on the comparing, forwarding, by the device, message data comprising the indication of the first signal strength to a third device in response to a determination the first signal strength exceeds the second signal strength.