System and method for predicting network performance and position location using multiple table lookups

• US 20040259555A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rappaport, Theodore S., Skidmore, Roger R.
• Application Number:
  US10/830,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259555A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for the design, prediction, and control of wireless communication networks by combining RF channel data from multiple lookup tables, each of which correlates an RF channel characteristic to some higher order network performance metric. Network performance predictions, and resulting network control instructions, are produced from look-up tables of measured or predicted data relating one or more RF channel characteristics to one or more network performance metrics. These lookup tables are uniquely constructed by site-specific location, technology, wireless standard, or equipment types.

Claims

1. A site-specific wireless network prediction method, comprising the steps of:

Representing, in a computer, a computerized model of at least one physical environment where at least one in-building or campus network may be installed;

Providing, using a computer, site-specific predictions of network performance or position location for said at least one in-building or campus network using said computerized model, where said site-specific predictions are specified for one or more locations in said computerized model by (a) a human user or (b) by a computer;

Accessing one or more tables of data containing RF channel characteristics, and performing one or more table look-ups on said one or more tables to perform said site-specific predictions of network performance or position location, said table look-ups processed by using either an interpolation function or a “

closest table entry”

algorithm;

Creating unique tables of data used in said accessing and performing step for one or more of different technologies, applications, specific environments, or hardware configurations for said at least one in-building or campus network;

Displaying the results of said site-specific predictions of network performance or position location in a computer representation of said at least one physical environment.

2. A site-specific wireless network prediction, measurement, or control method, comprising the steps of:

Representing, in a computer, a computerized model of at least one physical environment where at least one in-building or campus network is installed;

Providing, using a computer, either

(a) site-specific predictions of network performance or position location for said at least one in-building or campus network using said computerized model, where said site-specific predictions are specified for one or more locations in said computerized model by a human user or by a computer;

or

(b) measurements of network performance or position location or RF channel characteristics for said at least one in-building or campus network, where said measurements are specified for one or more locations in said computerized model by a human user or by a computer;

Accessing one or more tables of data containing RF channel characteristics provided by said providing step, and performing one or more table look-ups on said one or more tables to perform said site-specific predictions of network performance or position location, said table look-ups processed by using either an interpolation function or a “

closest table entry”

algorithm;

Creating unique tables of data used in said accessing and performing step for one or more of different technologies, applications, site-specific environments, or hardware configurations for said at least one in-building or campus network;

Displaying the results of said site-specific predictions of network performance or position location in a computer representation of said at least one physical environment; and

Providing control signals from a computerized controller to one or more devices in said at least one in-building or campus network to alter the network performance of at least one device operating in said at least one in-building or campus network.