Method and systems for multiple access point coordination

Abstract

According to a first aspect of the disclosure, methods are discussed in which a station (STA) sends a message to an access point, for example an associated access point, about a change in multi-AP coordination parameters. A STA, which may be a mobile STA, can be in a better position than the APs themselves, for detecting changes in conditions which can affect the effectiveness, or even the desirability of the multi-AP coordination. Accordingly the STA can send a message reporting detected conditions related to multi-AP coordination. In some embodiments, such a message can request for initializing multi-AP coordination, such a message can be in response to a triggering event detected by the STA. In response to such a triggering event, the STA can analyze the STA's service needs, and send the message about a change in multi-AP coordination parameters. A second aspect of the disclosure provides an AP-to-AP negotiation process for multi-AP coordination. This can be useful either by itself or combined with the first aspect or can be used as an improvement to other multi-AP coordination methods and systems. In some embodiments, such a process includes each AP maintaining an ongoing database of adjacent APs based on prior multi-AP coordination.