Method and system for proactive steering in a wireless network

Abstract

A method for proactive steering of client devices in a wireless network includes identifying, by a network controller, at least two radio resources in a wireless network including a first radio resource and a second radio resource; detecting, by the network controller, a client device connected to the wireless network via an established communication channel with the first radio resource; determining, by the network controller, that the client device is technically capable of establishing a communication channel with the second radio resource; and steering, by the network controller, the client device to establish the communication channel with the second radio resource.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for proactive steering of client devices in a wireless network, comprising:
 maintaining, by a network controller, a list of all available radio resources in the wireless network, the available radio resources on the list being assigned a priority order;   identifying, by the network controller, at least two radio resources on the list including a first radio resource and a second radio resource, each of the first radio resource and the second radio resource implementing a different communication band in accordance with a WiFi protocol;   detecting, by the network controller, a client device connected to the wireless network via an established communication channel with the first radio resource;   determining, by the network controller, that the client device is technically capable of establishing a communication channel with the second radio resource; and   steering, by the network controller, the client device to establish the communication channel with the second radio resource without relation to a connection issue, the second radio resource having a higher assigned priority order than the first radio resource on the list;   wherein the method further comprises   repeating, by the network controller, the detecting step to detect a plurality of devices connected to the wireless network; and   generating, by the network controller, an ordered list of the devices in the plurality of devices, and   wherein the client device is in the ordered list.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 conducting, by the network controller, a reactive steering process at a predetermined interval of time, wherein   steering the client device occurs during downtime of the reactive steering process.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 repeating, by the network controller, the detecting, determining, and steering steps for an additional client device after a predetermined period of time that occurs after the last steer occurrence for the client or for any client, where the last occurrence is from a proactive steer or a reactive steering.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than the predetermined interval of time,
 where the predetermined period of time increase for a client based on the historical success or failure of prior proactive steering attempts made for the client on a given radio resource.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 ,
 wherein
 the client device is first in the ordered list. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 each device of the plurality of devices is connected to one of a plurality of access points via the first radio resource,   each of the plurality of access points has a channel utilization rating associated therewith based on bandwidth used by the respective access point using the first radio resource, and   the ordered list is ordered based on the channel utilization rating of the access point to which the respective device is connected.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the first radio resource implements a 2.4 GHz communication band, and   the second radio resource implements a 5 GHz communication band.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the network controller, a signal strength rating for the client device with each of a plurality of access points connected to the first radio resource, wherein   the client device is steered to establish the communication channel with the second radio resource via a specific access point of the plurality of access points for which the client device has the highest signal strength rating.   
     
     
         25 . A system for proactive steering of client devices in a wireless network, comprising:
 a client device;   a first radio resource configured to implement a first communication band in accordance with a WiFi protocol;   a second radio resource configured to implement a second communication band in accordance with the WiFi protocol; and   a network controller configured to
 maintain a list of all available radio resources in the wireless network, the available radio resources on the list being assigned a priority order 
 identify the first radio resource and the second radio resource on the list, 
 detect the client device connected to the wireless network via an established communication channel with the first radio resource, 
 determine that the client device is technically capable of establishing a communication channel with the second radio resource, and 
 steer the client device to establish the communication channel with the second radio resource without relation to a connection issue, the second radio resource having a higher assigned priority order than the first radio resource on the list, 
   wherein the network controller is further configured to   repeat the detecting step to detect a plurality of devices connected to the wireless network, and   generate an ordered list of the devices in the plurality of devices, and   wherein the client device is in the ordered list.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein
 the network controller is configured to conduct a reactive steering process at a predetermined interval of time, and   steering the client device occurs during downtime of the reactive steering process.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the network controller is configured to repeat the detecting, determining, and steering steps for an additional client device after a predetermined period of time that occurs after the last steer occurrence for the client or for any client, where the last occurrence is from a proactive steer or a reactive steering. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than the predetermined interval of time,
 where the predetermined period of time increase for a client based on the historical success or failure of prior proactive steering attempts made for the client on a given radio resource.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein
 the client device is first in the ordered list.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein
 each device of the plurality of devices is connected to one of a plurality of access points via the first radio resource,   each of the plurality of access points has a channel utilization rating associated therewith based on bandwidth used by the respective access point using the first radio resource, and   the ordered list is ordered based on the channel utilization rating of the access point to which the respective device is connected.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein
 the first communication band of the first radio resource is a 2.4 GHz communication band, and   the second communication band of the second radio resource is a 5 GHz communication band.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein
 the network controller is further configured to identify a signal strength rating for the client device with each of a plurality of access points connected to the first radio resource, and   the client device is steered to establish the communication channel with the second radio resource via a specific access point of the plurality of access points for which the client device has the highest signal strength rating.