Abstract: A computing device comprising: a wireless communications interface configured to connect to a network deployed by a plurality of access points; a controller for the wireless communications interface, the controller configured to: initiate an access point scan to identify nearby access points; during the access point scan: obtain a neighbor report, the neighbor report defining a subset of the plurality of access points and an operating channel for each access point in the subset; select a channel to scan and identify an expected access point operating on the selected channel based on the neighbor report; initiate a channel scan to detect the expected access point on the selected channel; and in response to detecting the expected access point, end the channel scan prior to expiry of a default scan time; and connect to a target access point selected based on the access point scan.

Abstract: A mobile computing device comprising: a wireless communications interface configured to connect to a network deployed by a plurality of access points; a short-range wireless communications interface configured to communicate with one or more nearby computing devices; a processor interconnected with the wireless communications interface and the short-range wireless communications interface, the processor configured to: obtain, from the one or more nearby computing devices via the short-range wireless communications interface, a list of potential access points, wherein each potential access point comprises one of the plurality of access points by which a respective nearby computing device is connected to the network; select one of the potential access points as a target access point, wherein the target access point is different from a home access point to which the wireless communications interface is currently connected; and control the wireless communications interface to roam to the selected target access po

Abstract: A mobile computing device including: a wireless communications interface configured to connect to a home access point; a controller configured to: control the wireless communications interface to initiate a scan for foreign access points and select a new access point from among the foreign access points; when the scan is complete, control the wireless communications interface to return to the home access point and initiate a home channel dwell time; control the wireless communications interface to receive data packets from the home access point during the home channel dwell time; and in response to a predefined criterion being met, control the wireless communications interface to connect to the new access point prior to expiry of the home channel dwell time.

Abstract: A mobile computing device includes: a wireless communications interface configured to connect to a network deployed by one or more access points; a controller for the wireless communications interface, the controller configured to: send a buffer indicator to the network to buffer incoming packets destined for the mobile computing device; move away from a home access point to which the mobile computing device is connected; accumulate outgoing packets destined for transmission to the network while the mobile computing device is away from the home access point; connect to a destination access point; transmit the outgoing packets to the destination access point; and after the outgoing packets are transmitted to the destination access point, send a release indicator to the network to release the buffered incoming packets for the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A mobile computing device including: a wireless communications interface configured to connect to a home access point; a controller configured to: control the wireless communications interface to initiate a scan for foreign access points and select a new access point from among the foreign access points; when the scan is complete, control the wireless communications interface to return to the home access point and initiate a home channel dwell time; control the wireless communications interface to receive data packets from the home access point during the home channel dwell time; and in response to a predefined criterion being met, control the wireless communications interface to connect to the new access point prior to expiry of the home channel dwell time.