1. A wireless local area network, comprising:
a plurality of clients including a first client;
a plurality of access points including a first access point; and
a mesh network of wireless switches each being directly coupled to an access point and each being coupled to each of the other wireless switches via an IP tunnel, wherein each of the wireless switches in the mesh network of wireless switches is configured to: monitor traffic being tunneled to and from the wireless switch, generate a traffic load record (TLR) comprising traffic load information for clients associated with that wireless switch, and transmit the TLR to the registration server;
a registration server, coupled to each of the wireless switches via IP tunnels, and configured to: receive the TLRs from each of the wireless switches, generate a network load report (NLR) comprising traffic load information for each of the wireless switches, and send the NLR to each of the wireless switches,
wherein the mesh network of wireless switches comprises:
a plurality of candidate wireless switches each being directly coupled to at least one access point; and
an initial home wireless switch directly coupled to the first access point, and being configured to support the first client such that the first client communicates with the initial home wireless switch via the first access point, wherein the initial home wireless switch is configured to determine, based on the NLR when traffic at the initial home wireless switch exceeds a predefined traffic load threshold (TLT), which of the candidate wireless switches is currently handling the least amount of traffic, and to select the one of the candidate wireless switches that is currently handling the least amount of traffic as a new home wireless switch for the first client, and to tunnel traffic generated by the first client to the new home wireless switch.
2. The wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein the initial home wireless switch selects the one of the candidate wireless switches handling the least amount of traffic based on attributes in traffic load records (TLRs) associated with each of the candidate wireless switches.
3. The wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein the initial home wireless switch is configured to select one of the candidate wireless switches as a new home wireless switch for the first client based on the NLR and the TLRs for each wireless switch.
4. The wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein each wireless switch maintains an active client list.
5. The wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein the traffic load record (TLR) for each wireless switch comprises:
a first parameter which specifies the number of clients the switch supports as a home switch;
a second parameter which specifies the number of clients the switch supports as a visited switch;
a third parameter which specifies traffic volume being tunneled to the switch;
a fourth parameter which specifies traffic volume being tunneled from the switch; and
a fifth parameter which specifies traffic volume being transferred by the switch.
6. The wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein the initial home wireless switch continuously determines which of the candidate wireless switches is to be selected as a new home wireless switch.
7. The wireless local area network of claim 1, wherein the first client sends a DHCP request to the initial home wireless switch, and wherein the initial home wireless switch forwards the DHCP request to the candidate wireless switch selected as a new home wireless switch.
8. The wireless local area network of claim 1, when a new client joins the WLAN and sends a DHCP request to the initial home wireless switch, wherein the initial home wireless switch redirects a DHCP request received from the new client to the candidate wireless switch selected as a home wireless switch.
9. The wireless local area network of claim 1, further comprising:
a DHCP server, coupled to the new home wireless switch, configured to assign an IP address belonging to the new home wireless switch to the first client, and
wherein the new home wireless switch tunnels a DHCP response to the initial home wireless switch such that the initial home wireless switch becomes a visited wireless switch of the first client.
10. A method of load balancing in wireless local area network comprising a plurality of access points, a mesh network of wireless switches comprising an initial home wireless switch and a plurality of candidate wireless switches, wherein each of the wireless switches in the mesh network is coupled to the other wireless switches via IP tunnels and directly coupled to at least one access point, and a plurality of clients including a first client that communicates with the initial home wireless switch via one of the plurality of access points that is directly coupled to the initial home wireless switch, the method comprising:
generating, at each of the wireless switches, a traffic load record (TLR) and communicating the TLR to a registration server, wherein each TLR comprises traffic load information for a particular wireless switch;
generating, at the registration server based on the TLRs, a network load report (NLR) which includes traffic load information for each of the wireless switches, and sending the NLR to each of the wireless switches; and
selecting one of the candidate wireless switches as a new home wireless switch for the first client based on the NLR;
determining, by the initial home wireless switch based on the NLR, which one the candidate wireless switches is currently handling the least amount of traffic;
selecting, at the initial home wireless switch, the candidate wireless switch which is currently handling the least amount of traffic as a new home wireless switch for the first client.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A controlled release composition for treatment of honeybees, the composition comprising a covalently crosslinked polymer gel and an active agent comprising a salt of formic acid.
2. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 wherein the active agent further comprises formic acid.
3. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 wherein the covalently crosslinked polymer gel is comprised of crosslinked polyacrylic acid or a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid.
4. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 wherein the salt of formic acid is sodium formate.
5. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 wherein the salt of formic acid is present in an amount in the range of 1% to 50% by weight, based upon the weight of the composition.
6. The controlled release composition according to claim 2 wherein the formic acid is present in an amount in the range of 1% to 70% by weight, based upon the weight of the composition.
7. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 further comprising a support material associated with the crosslinked polymer gel.
8. The controlled release composition according to claim 7 wherein the support material comprises a fibrous material.
9. The controlled release composition according to claim 8 wherein the fibrous material comprises nonwoven high-density polyethylene.
10. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 wherein the crosslinked polymer gel includes a crosslinking agent selected from N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide, N,N-(1,2-dihydroxyethylene)bisacrylamide, 3-(acryloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, and mixtures thereof.
11. The controlled release composition according to claim 1 wherein the gel further comprises a releasing agent.
12. The controlled release composition according to claim 11 wherein the releasing agent is a nonvolatile acid.
13. The controlled release composition according to claim 12 wherein the nonvolatile acid is selected from malic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and combinations thereof.
14. A method for controlling parasitic mites in honeybees, the method comprising treating the honeybees with a controlled release composition comprising a covalently crosslinked polymer gel and an active agent comprising a salt of formic acid.
15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the active agent further comprises formic acid.
16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the step of treating the honeybees comprises placing the covalently crosslinked polymer gel in proximity to a honeybee hive so that the honeybee hive is exposed to formic acid vapors in a concentration sufficient to control the parasitic mites.
17. The method according to claim 14 wherein the covalently crosslinked polymer gel is comprised of crosslinked polyacrylic acid or a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid.
18. The method according to claim 14 wherein the salt of formic acid is sodium formate.
19. The method according to claim 14 wherein the salt of formic acid is present in an amount in the range of 1% to 50% by weight, based upon the weight of the controlled release composition.
20. The method according to claim 14 wherein the treating comprises delivering the active agent at an effective dose over a period of at least one honeybee brood cycle.
21. The method according to claim 15 wherein the treating comprises delivering the active agent at an effective dose over a period of at least one honeybee brood cycle.
22. The method according to claim 14 wherein the crosslinked polymer gel includes a crosslinking agent selected from N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide, N,N-(1,2-dihydroxyethylene)bisacrylamide, 3-(acryloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, and mixtures thereof.
23. A kit for treatment of parasitic mites in honeybees, the kit comprising an envelope containing a controlled release composition comprising a covalently crosslinked polymer gel and an active agent comprising a salt of formic acid, formic acid, or a combination of a salt of formic acid and formic acid.
24. The kit according to claim 23 wherein the envelope is fabricated from a hydrophobic porous material.
25. The kit according to claim 24 wherein the hydrophobic porous material is a nonwoven polyolefin.
26. The kit according to claim 25 wherein the nonwoven polyolefin is a high-density polyethylene material.
27. The kit according to claim 23 further comprising a support material associated with the controlled release composition within the envelope.
28. The kit according to claim 23 further comprising an outer packaging.