5G fixed wireless access device self-installation

• US 10,560,204 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Samirkumar, Wang, Xin, Mcdonough, Paul R., Youtz, Andrew E., Zhu, Lily, Aksu, Arda, Raghavachari, Balaji L., Eichinger, Siegfried Erhard, Schmidt, Christopher M., Panchal, Jignesh S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bocure, Tesfaldet
• Application Number:
  US16/121,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20200076518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 375262, 375356, 375377, 375228
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A fixed wireless access device may include a memory configured to store instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions to activate a Fifth Generation (5G) scanning mode and scan for 5G wireless signals associated with a provider that is also associated with the fixed wireless access device. The processor may be further configured to detect a 5G wireless signal associated with the provider; determine a signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal; and generate an indication of the determined signal strength to be displayed in a user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

activating, by a fixed wireless access device, a Fifth Generation (5G) scanning mode;

scanning, by the fixed wireless access device, for 5G wireless signals associated with a provider that is also associated with the fixed wireless access device;

detecting, by the fixed wireless access device, a 5G wireless signal associated with the provider;

determining, by the fixed wireless access device, a signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal; and

generating, by the fixed wireless access device, an indication of the determined signal strength to be displayed on a user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for 5G wireless signals includes:

determining a 5G operator identifier associated with the provider; and

scanning for 5G wireless signals associated with the determined 5G operator identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for 5G wireless signals includes:

obtaining information identifying a frequency at which a 5G synchronization signal is broadcast; and

scanning for the 5G synchronization signal at the identified frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for 5G wireless signals includes:

attaching to a Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station;

causing the 4G LTE base station to add a 5G New Radio (NR) base station as a secondary node base station for the fixed wireless access device; and

scanning for 5G wireless signals associated with the 5G NR base station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for 5G wireless signals includes:

sending an attach request to a Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station, wherein the attach request includes an identifier that identifies the fixed wireless access device as a fixed wireless access device type;

receiving, from the 4G LTE base station, a reconfiguration message, wherein the reconfiguration message includes information identifying one or more parameters for a 5G synchronization signal; and

scanning for 5G wireless signals based on the identified one or more parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning for 5G wireless signals includes:

attaching to Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station;

requesting high data rate traffic via a connection with the 4G LTE base station, wherein the high data rate traffic causes the 4G LTE base station to add a 5G New Radio (NR) base station as a secondary node for the fixed wireless access device;

receiving, from the 4G LTE base station and in response to requesting the high data rate traffic, a reconfiguration message, wherein the reconfiguration message includes information identifying one or more parameters for a 5G synchronization signal; and

scanning for 5G wireless signals based on the identified one or more parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the indication of the determined signal strength further includes:

displaying the indication of the determined signal strength on an output device included on the fixed wireless access device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the indication of the determined signal strength further includes:

sending the indication, of the determined signal strength to a client device configured to communicate with the fixed wireless access device, to be displayed by the client device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

keeping track of the signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal over a time period; and

generating an indication of how the signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal varies over the time period, to be displayed on the user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

keeping track of the signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal at a plurality of locations for the fixed wireless access device; and

generating an indication of how the signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal varies over the plurality of locations, to be displayed in the user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

11. A fixed wireless access device comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

activate a Fifth Generation (5G) scanning mode;

scan for 5G wireless signals associated with a provider that is also associated with the fixed wireless access device;

detect a 5G wireless signal associated with the provider;

determine a signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal; and

generate an indication of the determined signal strength to be displayed in a user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

12. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein, when scanning for 5G wireless signals, the processor is further configured to:

determine a 5G operator identifier associated with the provider; and

scan for 5G wireless signals associated with the determined 5G operator identifier.

13. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein, when scanning for 5G wireless signals, the processor is further configured to:

attach to a Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station;

cause the 4G LTE base station to add a 5G New Radio (NR) base station as a secondary node base station for the fixed wireless access device; and

scan for 5G wireless signals associated with the 5G NR base station.

14. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein, when scanning for 5G wireless signals, the processor is further configured to:

send an attach request to a Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station, wherein the attach request includes an identifier that identifies the fixed wireless access device as a fixed wireless access device type;

receive, from the 4G LTE base station, a reconfiguration message, wherein the reconfiguration message includes information identifying one or more parameters for a 5G synchronization signal; and

scan for 5G wireless signals based on the identified one or more parameters.

15. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein, when scanning for 5G wireless signals, the processor is further configured to:

attach to Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station;

request high data rate traffic via a connection with the 4G LTE base station;

receive, from the 4G LTE base station and in response to requesting the high data rate traffic, a reconfiguration message, wherein the reconfiguration message includes information identifying one or more parameters for a 5G synchronization signal; and

scan for 5G wireless signals based on the identified one or more parameters.

16. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein, when generating the indication of the determined signal strength, the processor is further configured to:

display the indication of the determined signal strength on an output device included on the fixed wireless access device.

17. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein, when generating the indication of the determined signal strength, the processor is further configured to:

send the indication, of the determined signal strength to a client device configured to communicate with the fixed wireless access device, to be displayed by the client device.

18. The fixed wireless access device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

keep track of the signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal over a time period; and

generate an indication, of how the signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal varies over the time period, to be displayed in the user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

19. A system comprising:

a base station configured to;

detect a fixed wireless access device type based on an attach request message; and

configure a 5G New Radio (NR) base station as a secondary node base station for a connection associated with the attach request message based on the detected fixed wireless access device type; and

a fixed wireless access device configured to;

send the attach request message to the base station;

activate a Fifth Generation (5G) scanning mode;

scan for 5G wireless signals associated with the 5G NR base station;

detect a 5G wireless signal associated with the provider;

determine a signal strength for the detected 5G wireless signal; and

generate an indication of the determined signal strength to be displayed in a user interface associated with the fixed wireless access device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the fixed wireless access device is further configured to:

receive, from the base station, a reconfiguration message, wherein the reconfiguration message includes information identifying one or more parameters for a 5G synchronization signal; and

scan for 5G wireless signals based on the one or more parameters.