Systems and methods for determining wireless network topology
First Claim
1. A method for mapping the topology of a wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving scan data associated with monitoring of one or more wireless access points, one or more wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(b) identifying a relationship (1) between at least one of the wireless access points and at least one of the wireless network nodes or (2) between any two wireless network nodes based on the received scan data, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless access points, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless network nodes or combinations thereof; and
(c) storing the identified relationship, access point characteristic, node characteristic or combinations thereof in a system data store as topology data.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for wireless network topology mapping and/or analysis. Scan data associated with monitoring one or more wireless access points and/or one or more wireless network nodes is received. The received scan data, potentially in combination with other data such as access point and/or node characteristics, is used to identify one or more relationships between two access points, between two nodes and/or between an access point and a node. The identified relationships are stored and/or outputted. Some systems according to the present invention can implement the above processes on a system processor in communication with a system data store. Some such systems may further include a wireless receiver for monitoring wireless transmission and providing the scan data from such monitoring.
195 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for mapping the topology of a wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving scan data associated with monitoring of one or more wireless access points, one or more wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(b) identifying a relationship (1) between at least one of the wireless access points and at least one of the wireless network nodes or (2) between any two wireless network nodes based on the received scan data, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless access points, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless network nodes or combinations thereof; and
(c) storing the identified relationship, access point characteristic, node characteristic or combinations thereof in a system data store as topology data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for mapping the topology of a wireless network, the system comprising:
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(a) storage means for storing topology data comprising access point characteristic data, wireless network node characteristic data, access point/node relationship data, node/node relationship data or combinations thereof;
(b) monitoring means for scanning wireless transmissions within a wireless network and generating scan data therefrom;
(c) receiving means for receiving scan data from the monitoring means;
(d) analysis means for generating topology data by identifying from scan data received by the receiving means a characteristic of a wireless network node, a characteristic of an access point, an access point-node relationship, a node-node relationship or combinations thereof and for storing the generated topology data in the storage means; and
(e) output means for formatting topology data generated by the analysis means based upon a desired output format and for transmitting the formatted topology data to a desired output device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A system for mapping the topology of a wireless network, the system comprising:
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(a) a system data store (SDS) capable of storing topology data comprising access point characteristic data, wireless network node characteristic data, access point/node relationship data, node/node relationship data or combinations thereof; and
(b) a system processor comprising one or more processing elements, wherein the system processor is in communication with the SDS and wherein the one or more processing elements are programmed or adapted at least to;
(1) initiate at least one scan of one or more wireless access points, one or more wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(2) receive scan data associated with monitoring of one or more wireless access points, one or more wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(3) identify a relationship (i) between at least one of the wireless access points and at least one of the wireless network nodes or (ii) between any two wireless network nodes based on the received scan data, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless access points, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(4) store the identified relationship, access point characteristic, node characteristic or combinations thereof in the SDS as topology data; and
(5) format topology data generated based upon a desired output format; and
(6) output the formatted topology data to a desired output device. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a system processor cause the system processor to map the topology of a wireless network by performing at least the steps comprising of:
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(a) initiating a scan of one or more wireless access points, one or more wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(b) receiving scan data associated with monitoring of one or more wireless access points, one or more wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(c) identifying a relationship (i) between at least one of the wireless access points and at least one of the wireless network nodes or (ii) between any two wireless network nodes based on the received scan data, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless access points, a characteristic of at least one of the wireless network nodes or combinations thereof;
(d) storing the identified relationship, access point characteristic, node characteristic or combinations thereof as topology data; and
(e) formatting topology data generated based upon a desired output format; and
(f) outputting the formatted topology data to a desired output device.
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Specification