Using wireless network access points for monitoring radio spectrum traffic and interference

• US 20040054774A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Devicescape Software, Inc. (Pareteum Corp.)
• Inventors: Barber, Simon, Petruschka, Roy, de Castro, Edward Rodriguez
• Application Number:
  US10/430,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring radio spectrum traffic and interference thereof in a wireless networks. One or more access points are generally associated with the wireless network and monitor passing frames addressed to the access point or otherwise. A command and control center is associated with the wireless network and is capable of communicating with the access points to receive data associated with one or more frames monitored by such access points. Additionally, the command and control center may direct an access point to actively generate radio traffic to be monitored. The returned data can be used to generate a radio mapping of the wireless network and the radio environment thereof based on data received from the access points.

Claims

1. In a wireless network wherein network devices communicate over a wireless medium and include access point devices that couple the wireless medium to a distribution system, an improved access point device comprising:

logic to listen to frames transmitted over the wireless medium;

logic to record statistics about receipt of the frames; and

logic to report the statistics to a controller for further analysis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to listen to frames transmitted over the wireless medium includes logic to listen to frames that are addressed to the improved access point device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to listen to frames transmitted over the wireless medium includes logic to listen to frames other than frames addressed to the improved access point device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to listen to frames transmitted over the wireless medium includes logic to listen to frames that are addressed to the improved access point device and to other network devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to listen to frames transmitted over the wireless medium includes logic to listen to all frames that are correctly received by the access point.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the statistics include radio signal strength, radio signal quality, network device address, and interference type.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising logic to actively probe the wireless medium by sending out signals to the wireless medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access points are IEEE 802.11 compliant access points.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller that collects statistics from a plurality of access points.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising logic to scan a plurality of frequency ranges to collect statistics on a plurality of frequency ranges.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller that collects statistics from a plurality of access points.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising logic to transmit at least one probe signal one or more frequency channel and logic to receive the at least one probe signal and report statistics about the receipt to the controller.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a radio service quality log compiled from the statistics.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller further comprises logic to generate radio mappings of the wireless network based on data received from at least one access point.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the radio mappings are adapted for detecting weak coverage areas associated with the wireless network.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the radio mappings are adapted for use in detecting rogue access points.