Apparatus and methods for providing wireless service in a venue

• US 10,645,547 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charter Communications Operating LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Charter Communications Operating LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gunasekara, Don, Divvi, Venkata Ramana, Bencheikh, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US15/612,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20180352386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/29 Performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3912 Simulation models, e.g. distribution of spectral power density or received signal strength indicator [RSSI] for a given geographic region
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for monitoring a wireless network such as a WLAN to characterize a venue or other area. In one embodiment, the network comprises a WLAN which includes one or more access points (APs) in data communication with a controller, which in turn communicates with managed network entities via a backhaul connection. The controller s is configured to monitor the operation of the network components including the APs, as well as one or more fixed or mobile sensors. In one variant, the sensors provide data relating to wireless signal performance at their current location, which can be provided to a cloud-based evaluation process for enhanced characterization of the venue in conjunction with the AP-derived data. In the exemplary embodiment, logic operative to run on the system includes automated seating allocation suggestions, thereby providing end users with a better quality experience.

Claims

1. A computerized method of dynamically and automatically providing venue location assignments to a user within a venue using a computerized system, the computerized method comprising:

obtaining, at the computerized system, data representative of a request for evaluation from a computerized mobile device of the user, the computerized mobile device located at a first location within the venue;

based at least on the request, obtaining first data relating to radio frequency (RF) signal performance within the venue under a then-current configuration of the venue;

based at least on the first data, generating a computer spatial model of the venue, the computer spatial model identifying variations in said RF signal performance as a function of at least two dimensions;

based at least on the computer spatial model, identifying at least one second location of the venue with a predicted level of RF signal performance greater than that of the first location, wherein the identifying of the at least second location is further based at least on a target spatial distribution of bandwidth demand within the venue;

transmitting notification data, via the computerized system, to the computerized mobile device, the notification data configured to notify the computerized mobile device of the at least one second location, the transmitting of the notification data based on both the predicted level of RF signal performance being greater than that of the first location and the target spatial distribution;

based on a physical change to the then-current configuration, generating an updated computer spatial model;

based at least on the updated computer spatial model, identifying at least one third location of the venue with a predicted level of RF signal performance greater than that of the at least one second location; and

transmitting second notification data, via the computerized system, to the computerized mobile device, the second notification data configured to notify the computerized mobile device of the at least one third location.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the first data relating to the radio frequency (RF) signal performance within the venue under the then-current configuration of the venue comprises utilizing at least a plurality of wireless access points disposed at respective prescribed locations within the venue to report, in real time, data relating to at least one RF performance parameter.

3. The computerized method of claim 2, wherein the identifying of the at least one second location of the venue with the predicted level of the RF signal performance greater than that of the first location based at least on the computer spatial model, comprises correlating at least the prescribed locations to respective locations of seating within the venue.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the at least one second location of the venue with the predicted level of the RF signal performance greater than that of the first location based at least on the computer spatial model, comprises correlating the at least one second location to a seat within a seating area of the venue, and the computerized method further comprises:

requesting an automated seat management process, via an application programming interface (API) call, to provide data indicative of a current availability of the seat.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the first data relating to the radio frequency (RF) signal performance within the venue under the then-current configuration of the venue comprises:

utilizing at least a plurality of wireless access points disposed at prescribed locations within the venue to report, in real time, data relating to at least one RF-related operational parameter; and

utilizing one or more RF sensors disposed at one or more respective locations in the venue to report, in real time, data relating to one or more RF performance parameters sensed by the one or more RF sensors.

6. The computerized method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more RF sensors is disposed on a mobile apparatus within the venue, the mobile apparatus having a respective location changing as a function of time.

7. The computerized method of claim 5, wherein the generating of the computer spatial model comprises utilizing at least one computer program to model RF signal propagation within the venue in at least one prescribed frequency band according to one or more three-dimensional propagation models, the modeling of the RF signal propagation based at least in part on data representative of a proposed physical configuration of at least a portion of the venue.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein the modeling of the RF signal propagation based at least in part on the data representative of the proposed physical configuration of at least the portion of the venue comprises categorizing a plurality of portions of the venue according to physical configurations for different types of RF interference or attenuation modalities.

9. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the categorizing the plurality of portions of the venue according to the physical configuration for the different types of the RF interference or attenuation modalities comprises categorizing at least with respect to:

(i) fading;

(ii) absorption; and

(iii) interferer density.

10. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein the modeling of the RF signal propagation based at least in part on the data representative of the proposed physical configuration of at least the portion of the venue comprises categorizing at least portions of the venue as modified compared to a baseline configuration, and the computerized method further comprises estimating one or more signal propagation effects within the at least portions based on data descriptive of structural modifications made thereto.

11. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the target spatial distribution is configured to minimize clustering of computerized mobile devices at certain ones of individual locations of the venue, the minimization of clustering reducing wireless signal interference between at least the computerized mobile device of the user and one other computerized mobile device within the venue.

12. The computerized method of claim 11, wherein:

the user comprises a subscriber of a managed content network; and

the target spatial distribution is selectively applied to only the computerized mobile device of the user and computerized mobile devices of one or more other subscribers of the managed content network.

13. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein:

the user comprises a subscriber of a managed content network; and

the target spatial distribution is selectively applied to only the computerized mobile device of the user and computerized mobile devices of one or more other subscribers of the managed content network.

14. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the target spatial distribution is configured to minimize adjacent channel interference (ACI) between the computerized mobile device of the user and at least one other computerized mobile device within the venue, the minimization based at least on respective one or more radio frequency carriers utilized to service the computerized mobile device of the user and the at least one other computerized mobile device within the venue.

15. Computerized network apparatus configured to enable dynamic user-specific location allocation to obtain a desired level of wireless LAN (WLAN) performance, the computerized network apparatus comprising:

computerized controller apparatus configured to control operation of a plurality of WLAN access points (APs) operative within a venue so as to obtain location-specific WLAN operating data from the plurality of WLAN APs; and

computerized processing apparatus in data communication with the computerized controller apparatus and configured to;

(i) obtain the location-specific WLAN operating data;

(ii) correlate the location-specific WLAN operating data to one or more prescribed locations within the venue;

(iii) estimate WLAN performance at a plurality of other locations within the venue based at least on the location-specific WLAN operating data and the correlation;

(iv) evaluate the estimated WLAN performance associated with at least one of the plurality of other locations against a current location of a computerized user mobile device; and

(v) based at least on the evaluation, cause transmission of data to the computerized user mobile device, the transmitted data relating to the estimated WLAN performance associated with the at least one other location;

wherein the computerized processing apparatus is further configured to;

repeat at least (i)-(iv) above based on a modification to a physical configuration of the venue; and

cause transmission of second data to the computerized user mobile device, the second data relating to the estimated WLAN performance associated with the at least one other location, the causation of the transmission based at least on the estimated WLAN performance associated with the at least one other location being greater than WLAN performance associate with the current location of the computerized user mobile device;

wherein the transmission comprises transmission of a data structure to the computerized user mobile device, the data structure configured to enable extraction of the data therefrom without establishment of an attachment by the computerized user mobile device, the data comprising API (application programming interface) data which a computer application program of the computerized user mobile device may utilize to obtain the second data.

18. The computerized network apparatus of claim 15, wherein the data structure comprises a Wi-Fi beacon frame, and the extraction of the data from the data structure comprises extraction of information bit-stuffed into the Wi-Fi beacon frame.

16. The computerized network apparatus of claim f, wherein:

the computerized controller apparatus is further configured to control operation of a plurality of radio frequency sensors operative within the venue so as to obtain location-specific RF parametric data from the plurality of radio frequency sensors; and

the computerized processing apparatus is further configured to utilize the location-specific RF parametric data as part of said estimation of the WLAN performance.

17. The computerized network apparatus of claim 16, wherein

the obtained location-specific RF parametric data from the plurality of radio frequency sensors comprises at least a received signal strength indication (RSSI) for each of the plurality of radio frequency sensors.

19. Computer readable apparatus, the computer readable apparatus comprising a storage medium having at least one computer program disposed thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed on a digital processing apparatus:

receive first data representative of a request for service from a computerized mobile device of a user, the computerized mobile device located at a first location within a venue;

based at least on the first data, receive second data relating to at least radio frequency (RF) signal performance associated with the first location;

identify at least one second location of the venue, the at least one second location having a predicted level of RF signal performance greater than the RF signal performance of the first location, wherein the identification of the at least second location is based at least on a target spatial distribution of bandwidth demand within the venue; and

transmit notification data to the computerized mobile device, the notification data configured to notify the computerized mobile device of the second location.

20. The computer readable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the receipt of the second data relating to the RF signal performance associated with the first location comprises utilization of at least one wireless access point disposed at the first location to report, in real time, data relating to at least one RF performance parameter.

21. The computer readable apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the identification of the at least one second location comprises a correlation of the first location to a seat within the venue; and

the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus;

cause execution of an automated seat management process, via an application programming interface (API) call, to provide to the computerized mobile device data indicative of a current availability of the seat.

22. The computer readable apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the receipt of the second data relating to the RF signal performance associated with the first location comprises;

utilization of at least a plurality of wireless access points disposed at prescribed locations within the venue to report, in real time, data relating to at least one RF-related operational parameter; and

utilization of one or more RF sensors disposed at one or more respective locations in the venue to report, in real time, data relating to one or more RF performance parameters sensed by the one or more RF sensors; and

at least one of the one or more RF sensors is disposed on a mobile apparatus within the venue, the mobile apparatus having a respective location changing as a function of time.

23. The computer readable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus:

based at least on the second data, generate a computer spatial model of the venue, the computer spatial model indicative of variations in RF signal performance associated with a plurality of respective locations within the venue as a function of at least two dimensions.

24. The computer readable apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the generation of the computer spatial model comprises utilization of the at least one computer program to model the RF signal performance associated with the plurality of respective locations within the venue in at least one prescribed frequency band according to one or more three-dimensional propagation models; and

the modeling of the RF signal performance associated with the plurality of respective locations within the venue is based at least in part on data representative of a proposed physical configuration of at least a portion of the venue, the data representative of the proposed physical configuration of at least the portion of the venue being one of a plurality of portions of the venue categorized according to physical configurations for different types of RF interference or attenuation modalities.

25. The computer readable apparatus of claim 24, wherein the categorization of the plurality of portions of the venue according to the physical configurations for the different types of the RF interference or attenuation modalities comprises categorization at least with respect to:

(i) fading;

(ii) absorption; and

(iii) interferer density.

26. The computer readable apparatus of claim 24, wherein:

the categorization of the plurality of portions of the venue according to the physical configurations for the different types of the RF interference or attenuation modalities comprises categorization of one or more of the plurality of portions of the venue as modified compared to a baseline configuration; and

the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed on the digital processing apparatus;

estimate one or more signal propagation effects within the one or more of the plurality of portions of the venue based on data descriptive of structural modifications made thereto.