METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS NETWORK MANAGEMENT

• US 20100182915A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Durand, Roger, Montemurro, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/913 Wireless or radio

Abstract

Methods and systems for wireless network management are described. In one embodiment, a radio measurement of a characteristic of a wireless access technology may be taken. The wireless access technology may enable data communication through a wireless network when connected to an access point. A report may be transmitted through an alternate access technology. The report may be based on the radio measurement. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

taking a radio measurement of a characteristic of a wireless access technology; and

transmitting a report through an alternate access technology, the report being based on the radio measurement;

wherein the wireless access technology enables data communication through a wireless network when connected to an access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the taking is performed in response to a report request, the report being a report response.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the report request includes notification regarding availability of the alternate access technology, and wherein the notification includes a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the alternate access technology.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the report through the wireless access technology to the access point;

determining whether the access point has received the report; and

wherein the transmitting of the report through the alternate access technology is based on a determination that the access point has not received the report transmitted through the wireless access technology.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting data to the access point at a data rate through the wireless access technology; and

determining whether a transmission acknowledgement was received from the access point;

wherein the transmitting of the report is based on an acknowledgement determination that the transmission acknowledgement was not received from the access point.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting data to the access point at a data rate through the wireless access technology;

reducing the data rate to a lower data rate based on an acknowledgement determination that a transmission acknowledgement was not received from the access point; and

determining whether the lower data rate is below a rate floor;

wherein the transmitting of the report is based on a rate determination that the lower data rate is below the rate floor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discovering availability of the alternate access technology; and

wherein the transmitting of the report is based on the discovering.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the report comprises:

transmitting the report to the access point through the alternate access technology.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the report comprises:

transmitting the report to a network manager through the alternate access technology.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the report comprises:

transmitting the report to a device manager through the alternate access technology.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the report through the alternate access technology is performed while the wireless access technology is active.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining context information on the taking of the radio measurement;

wherein the report is based on the radio measurement and the context information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the context information includes at least one of a time stamp and device location information.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a report regarding a wireless access technology through an alternate access technology;

identifying a network problem with a wireless network based on the report; and

altering connectivity to the wireless network through the wireless access technology based on identification of the network problem.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to at least one mobile electronic devices regarding the network problem.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

taking a background measurement of the wireless network; and

wherein the identifying of the network problem is based on the report and the background measurement.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the altering of the connectivity comprises:

altering transmit power of an access point associated with the wireless network based on identification of the network problem.

18. A method comprising:

running diagnostics on a wireless network associated with a wireless access technology;

generating a diagnostic report based on the running of the diagnostics; and

transmitting the diagnostic report to a network manager associated with the wireless network through an alternate access technology.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to additional mobile electronic devices based on the running of the diagnostics.

20. A device comprising:

a radio measurement module to measure a characteristic of a wireless access technology, the wireless access technology enabling data communication through a wireless network when connected to an access point; and

a transmission module to transmit a report through an alternate access technology, the report being based on a measurement of the characteristic made by the radio measurement module.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the wireless access technology includes wireless local area network (LAN).

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the alternate access technology is selected from a group consisting of a wireless wide area network (WAN), a wireless metropolitan area network (MAN), and a wireless regional area network (RAN).

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the alternate access technology includes an additional wireless LAN.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the alternate access technology includes a wired connection.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein availability of the alternate access technology is provisioned prior to transmission of the report by the transmission module.