User interface and time-shifted presentation of data in a system that monitors activity in a shared radio frequency band

• US 20050227625A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diener, Neil R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.700
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/26 using historical data, averaging values or statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters

Abstract

An intelligent spectrum management (ISM) system and method that includes sophisticated features to detect, classify, and locate sources of RF activity. The system comprises one or more radio sensor devices positioned at various locations in a region where activity in a shared radio frequency band is occurring. A server is coupled to the radio sensor devices and aggregates the data generated by the sensor devices. Data collected and processed by the server from the sensors may be coupled to a console application that displays the data in desirable user interface format. According to one aspect, the server continuously stores spectrum analysis data pertaining to activity in a frequency band over time and/or protocol analysis data pertaining to analysis of packets transmitted in the frequency band according to a communication protocol. A console application includes a time-shift display mode that permits a user to specify an instant of time prior to the current time from which to playback spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data generated by one or more radio sensor devices.

Claims

1. A method for presenting data related to activity occurring in a frequency band, comprising steps of:

a. continuously storing data derived from energy received in a frequency band over time; and

b. presenting the data to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of detecting occurrence of an event associated with the data.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising the step of setting parameters associated with detection of an event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuously storing comprises continuously storing spectrum analysis data derived from performing spectrum analysis on energy received in the frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuously storing comprises continuously storing protocol analysis data pertaining analysis of packets sent according to a communication protocol in the frequency band.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuously storing comprises continuously storing spectrum analysis data derived from performing spectrum analysis on energy received in the frequency band and protocol analysis data pertaining to analysis of packets sent according to a communication protocol in the frequency band.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising the step of detecting occurrence of an event associated with the spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of detecting occurrence of an event comprises monitoring parameters associated with the spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data to determine whether a condition is satisfied corresponding to an event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of setting parameters comprises setting thresholds for one or more statistics derived from the spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data, which when met or exceeded, causes trigger of an event.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying the spectrum analysis information as it occurred over time on or about the time of occurrence of the event.

11. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of detecting occurrence of one or more types of signals occurring in the frequency band.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of presenting data comprises displaying information indicating the type of signal detected and time of detection.

13. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of receiving energy in a frequency band at each of a plurality of radio devices, and generating the data from the received energy at each of the plurality of radio devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving energy comprises receiving energy in a building where wireless network activity is occurring in the frequency band together with other activity.

15. The method of claim 13, and further comprising the step of aggregating statistics derived from the data from two or more radio devices, and wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying data aggregated from two or more radio devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of aggregating comprises combining statistics derived from spectrum data pertaining to spectrum analysis performed by the two or more radio devices based on energy they receive in the frequency band and/or from protocol analysis data pertaining to analysis of packets sent according to a communication protocol in the frequency band and received by the two or more radio devices.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises retrieving the data from storage beginning at an instant of time prior to the current time.

18. The method of claim 17, and further comprising the step of controlling playback of the data with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying data including plots of power versus frequency data derived from the energy received in the frequency band over time.

20. The method of claim 19, and further comprising the step of controlling the playback of the data with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying plots for statistics associated with pulses of energy detected in the frequency band over time including one or more of center frequency, bandwidth, time duration, time between pulses, power and number of pulses.

22. The method of claim 21, and further comprising the step of controlling the playback of the information with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying plots over time for one or more of:

average power, duty cycle and maximum power in a particular frequency range within the frequency band.

24. The method of claim 23, and further comprising the step of controlling the playback of the information with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying plots of statistics, with respect to activity in a particular frequency range within the frequency band, for one or more of:

pulses of radio frequency energy per time interval, duration of pulses of radio frequency energy, percentage of packet resends associated with a communication protocol, average data rate associated with a communication protocol traffic in the frequency band and number of detected client stations that operate according to the communication protocol.

26. The method of claim 25, and further comprising the step of controlling the playback of the information with one or more controls including:

start, play, pause, reverse and forward.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying with respect to time a trace of a statistic derived from the data.

28. The method of claim 27, and further comprising displaying a marker on the trace associated with occurrence of an event.

29. The method of claim 27, and further comprising displaying details associated with an event corresponding to an event marker in response to a user command.

30. A method for presenting data related to activity occurring in a frequency band, comprising steps of:

a. receiving energy in the frequency band at each of a plurality of radio devices

b. generating spectrum analysis data from the received energy at each of the plurality of devices;

c. generating protocol analysis data pertaining to analysis of packets sent according to a communication protocol in the frequency band at each of the plurality of devices;

d. continuously storing the spectrum analysis data and protocol analysis data produced by each of the plurality of radio devices; and

e. presenting the spectrum analysis data and protocol analysis data to a user.

31. The method of claim 30, and further comprising a step of aggregating data from two or more radio devices, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying data aggregated from two or more radio devices.

32. The method of claim 30, and further comprising the step of retrieving the spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data beginning at an instant of time prior to the current time.

33. The method of claim 32, and further comprising the step of presenting the spectrum analysis and/or protocol analysis data with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of presenting comprises displaying plots over time for one or more of:

average power, duty cycle and maximum power in a particular frequency range within the frequency band.

35. A system for monitoring activity in a frequency band, comprising:

a. at least one radio device positioned at a location in a region where activity in the radio frequency band is occurring, the radio device monitoring packets transmitted on a wireless network in the frequency band to produce packet analysis data representing analysis of the packets, and monitoring radio frequency energy occurring in the frequency band to produce spectrum analysis data representing analysis of at least a portion of the frequency band; and

b. a computing device coupled to the at least one radio device that receives data from the radio device and executes functions to process the data supplied by the radio device, wherein the computing device continuously stores the packet analysis data from the radio device and presents the data to a user.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the computing device retrieves the spectrum analysis data and/or the protocol analysis data from storage for an interval of time beginning prior to the current time.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the computing device produces a playback display of the spectrum analysis and/or protocol analysis data with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

38. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the step of continuously displaying spectrum analysis data derived from performing spectrum analysis on energy received in a frequency band and protocol analysis data pertaining to analysis of packets sent according to a communication protocol in the frequency band.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, and further comprising instructions stored on the medium, that when executed by the computer, cause the computer to retrieve the spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data from storage for an interval of time beginning prior to a current time.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 38, and further comprising instructions stored on the medium, that when executed by the computer, cause the computer to display user interface controls to control the playback of the spectrum analysis and/or protocol analysis data with one or more controls including:

play, pause, reverse and forward.

41. A method for presenting data related to activity occurring in a frequency band, comprising steps of:

a. receiving from a plurality of radio devices spectrum analysis data derived from energy received in the frequency band at each of the plurality of radio devices;

b. receiving from the plurality of radio devices protocol analysis data pertaining to analysis of packets sent according to a communication protocol in the frequency band that are received at each of the plurality of radio devices;

c. continuously storing the spectrum analysis data and protocol analysis data received from the plurality of radio devices;

d. retrieving spectrum analysis data and/or protocol analysis data from storage for an interval of time beginning prior to a current time; and

e. displaying plots and/or statistics associated with the spectrum analysis and/or protocol analysis data for the interval of time in a scrolling format.