Narrow beam mesh network

• US 10,412,738 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aervivo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ross, Kevin, Kalkunte, Venkat
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US15/393,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20170181151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 340991, 370254, 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems relating to narrow beam communications and wireless networking are disclosed. Exemplary methods for wireless networking and communications may include identifying a geographic area, receiving topography data related to the geographic area, analyzing the topography data, identifying a first line of sight path related to a first access point location and one or more customer premises device locations based at least in part on the analyzing, and identifying a second line of sight path based at least in part on a predetermined amount.

Claims

1. A method for wireless networking and communications, comprising:

identifying a geographic area;

receiving topography data related to one or more geographic areas including signal inhibitor related data;

comparing a first access point location and one or more customer premises device locations with a location of one or more signal inhibitors;

identifying one or more alternatives of a first line of sight path related to the first access point location;

adjusting a narrow beam communication device including adjusting a direction of the first access point an amount relative to the first line of sight path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the first access point location and the customer premises device location; and

determining a second line of sight path from the first access point based at least in part on the comparison.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting is based at least in part on the first line of sight path, a second line of sight path, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating trends of network performance based at least in part on received historical network performance data over a pre-determined period of time and identifying the signal inhibitor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal inhibitor comprises vegetation, or a home, a structure in the geographic area.

6. An apparatus for wireless networking and communications, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to;

identify a geographic area;

receive topography data related to one or more geographic areas including signal inhibitor related data;

compare a first access point location and one or more customer premises device locations with a location of one or more signal inhibitors;

identify one or more alternatives of a first line of sight path related to the first access point location;

adjust a narrow beam communication device including adjusting a direction of the first access point an amount relative to the first line of sight path.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, the instructions being further executable to:

compare the first access point location and the customer premises device location with a location of the signal inhibitor; and

determine a second line of sight path from the first access point.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, the instructions are further executable to cause the apparatus to:

adjust an antenna a predetermined amount relative to the first line of sight path.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein adjusting the antenna is based at least in part on the first line of sight path, a second line of sight path, or both.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, the instructions being further executable to:

calculate trends of network performance based at least in part on received historical network performance data over a pre-determined period of time and identifying the signal inhibitor.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the signal inhibitor comprises vegetation, or a home, a structure in the geographic area.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, the code executable by a processor to:

identify a geographic area;

receive topography data related to one or more geographic areas including signal inhibitor related data;

compare a first access point location and one or more customer premises device locations with a location of one or more signal inhibitors;

identify one or more alternatives of a first line of sight path related to the first access point location;

adjust a narrow beam communication device including adjusting a direction of the first access point an amount relative to the first line of sight path.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, the code executable by the processor to:

compare the first access point location and the customer premises device location;

determine a second line of sight path from the first access point based at least in part on the comparison;

adjust a direction of the narrow beam communication based in part on the second line of sight path.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the signal inhibitor comprises vegetation, or a home, a structure in the geographic area.