Claims:WE CLAIM
1. A method for selecting Visible light communication Personal Area Network Coordinators (VPANCs), the method comprising:
receiving, by a VPANC, channel scan parameters and VPANC controlling parameters created for the VPANC from a controller and End User Devices (EUD) information from each of a plurality of EUDs associated with the VPANC, wherein the channel scan parameters and the VPANC controlling parameters are created by the controller based on VPANC information received from a plurality of VPANCs that includes the VPANC, the VPANC controlling parameters are associated with VPANCs and dead zones neighboring the VPANC;
creating, by the VPANC, a set of customized channel scan parameters and a VPANC selection policy for each of the plurality of EUDs based on the channel scan parameters, the VPANC controlling parameters, and the EUD information; and
sharing, by the VPANC, with each EUD of the plurality of EUDs, an associated set of customized channel scan parameters and VPANC selection policy, wherein sharing enables an EUD to select a new VPANC from the plurality of VPANCs.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising requesting, by the VPANC:
the EUD information from each of the plurality of EUDs; and
the channel scan parameters and the VPANC controlling parameters from the controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein EUD information associated with an EUD of the plurality of EUDs comprises geo-location of the EUD and channel quality measurement reports for neighboring VPANCs of the EUD.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing control data comprising geo-location of the VPANC, number of EUDs associated with the VPANC, list of the EUDs associated with the VPANC, default VPANC selection policy, geo-location of a requester EUD associated with the VPANC, distance between two or more EUDs in the list of EUDs, a threshold distance between the requested EUD and an EUD from the list of associated EUDs, and EUD parameters associated with the plurality of EUDs.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising discarding channel measurement reports received from the EUD, when distance between the requester EUD and the EUD is more than the threshold distance.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein EUD parameters associated with an EUD of the plurality of EUDs comprises geo-location of the EUD, a set of customized channel scan parameters created for the EUD, channel quality of neighboring VPANCs of the EUD, a channel quality threshold for neighboring VPANCs, and a VPANC selection policy created for the EUD.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising considering a neighboring VPANC as a candidate VPANC, when channel quality measured for the neighboring VPANC is greater than the channel quality threshold.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the VPANC selection policy created for the EUD comprises number of candidate VPANCs, list of the candidate VPANCs, and suitability requirement parameters associated with each candidate VPANC in the list of candidate VPANCs.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein suitability requirement parameters for a candidate VPANC in the list of candidate VPANCs comprises a candidate VPANC-Identifier (ID) of the candidate VPANC, geo-location of the candidate VPANC, geo-location of dead zones near the candidate VPANC, current load on the candidate VPANC, backhaul configured for the candidate VPANC, and backhaul currently used by the candidate VPANC.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing, by the VPANC, to the controller VPANC information associated with the VPANC.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein VPANC information collected from the VPANC comprises information associated with neighboring VPANC of the VPANC, geo-location of the VPANC, current load on the VPANC, backhaul throughput configured for the VPANC, and currently used backhaul throughput by the VPANC.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the VPANC controlling parameters associated with the VPANC comprises number of neighboring VPANCs of the VPANC, list of the neighboring VPANCs, geo-location of dead zones near the VPANC, and VPANC measurement reports associated with each neighboring VPANC.
13. A Visible light communication Personal Area Network Coordinator (VPANC) in a Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) network, the VPANC comprising:
a network interface communicatively coupled to a controller and a plurality of End User Devices (EUDs);
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving channel scan parameters and VPANC controlling parameters created for the VPANC from a controller and EUD information from each of a plurality of EUDs associated with the VPANC, wherein the channel scan parameters and the VPANC controlling parameters are created by the controller based on VPANC information received from a plurality of VPANCs that includes the VPANC, the VPANC controlling parameters are associated with VPANCs and dead zones neighboring the VPANC;
creating a set of customized channel scan parameters and a VPANC selection policy for each of the plurality of EUDs based on the channel scan parameters, the VPANC controlling parameters, and the EUD information; and
sharing with each EUD of the plurality of EUDs, an associated set of customized channel scan parameters and VPANC selection policy, wherein sharing enables an EUD to select a new VPANC from the plurality of VPANCs.
14. The VPANC of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise requesting, by the VPANC:
the EUD information from each of the plurality of EUDs; and
the channel scan parameters and the VPANC controlling parameters from the controller.
15. The VPANC of claim 13, wherein EUD information associated with an EUD of the plurality of EUDs comprises geo-location of the EUD and channel quality measurement reports for neighboring VPANCs of the EUD.
16. The VPANC of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise storing control data comprising geo-location of the VPANC, number of EUDs associated with the VPANC, list of the EUDs associated with the VPANC, default VPANC selection policy, geo-location of a requester EUD associated with the VPANC, distance between two or more EUDs in the list of EUDs, a threshold distance between the requested EUD and an EUD from the list of associated EUDs, and EUD parameters associated with the plurality of EUDs.
17. The VPANC of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise discarding channel measurement reports received from the EUD, when distance between the requester EUD and the EUD is more than the threshold distance.
18. The VPANC of claim 17, wherein EUD parameters associated with an EUD of the plurality of EUDs comprises geo-location of the EUD, a set of customized channel scan parameters created for the EUD, channel quality of neighboring VPANCs of the EUD, a channel quality threshold for neighboring VPANCs, and a VPANC selection policy created for the EUD.
19. The VPANC of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise considering a neighboring VPANC as a candidate VPANC, when channel quality measured for the neighboring VPANC is greater than the channel quality threshold.
20. The VPANC of claim 18, wherein the VPANC selection policy created for the EUD comprises number of candidate VPANCs, list of the candidate VPANCs, and suitability requirement parameters associated with each candidate VPANC in the list of candidate VPANC.

Dated this 28th day of October, 2016

R Ramya Rao
Of K&S Partners
Agent for the Applicant
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates generally to Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) networks and more particularly to Visible light communication Personal Area Network Coordinator (VPANC) and associated method for selecting suitable VPANCs.