ACCESS POINT MANAGEMENT AND USAGE IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20150215791A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stern, Peter, Geller, Steven I., Cerbone, Robert A., Roudi, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,648,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A network management application receives input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment. The input specifies a geographical location in which the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment. The network management application produces a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input. The message indicates that the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location. The network management application initiates transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location. A service provider analyzes installation request information produced by the aggregator resource to determine where to install one or more new wireless access points in the network environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment, the input specifying a geographical location in which the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment;

producing a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input, the message indicating that the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location; and

initiating transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the input from a graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of the computer device, the graphical user interface including a selectable option to request the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a current location of the computer device;

initiating display of a map of a geographical region on a display screen of the computer device, the map of the geographical region including the current location of the computer device; and

initiating display of a first symbol on the displayed map, the first symbol indicating the current location of the computer device in the geographical region.

4. The method as in claim 3 further comprising:

from the subscriber, receiving selection of the geographical location via input to the displayed map; and

initiating display of a second symbol on the map, the second symbol indicating the geographical location selected by the subscriber for the installation of the new wireless access point.

5. The method as in claim 3 further comprising:

initiating display of a visual indication on the map, the visual indication indicating locations in the geographical region where other subscribers requested installation of one or more new wireless access points.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the geographical location included in the message is a current location of the computer device.

7. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

initiating display of a notification to the subscriber operating the computer device in response to detecting activation of a non-WiFi™

wireless communication link by the computer device to communicate in the network environment, the notification prompting the subscriber to input the request.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a unique identifier value; and

including the unique identifier value in the message to indicate an identity of the subscriber requesting the installation of the new wireless access point.

9. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

in response to detecting presence of the computer device in a particular geographical region, initiating display of a visual prompt on the display screen, the visual prompt providing notification that the subscriber operating the computer device can request installation of the new wireless access point.

10. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

monitoring a current location of the computer device;

in response to detecting;

i) presence of the computer device in a vicinity of a geographical region in which other subscribers of computer devices have requested installation of a respective new wireless access point, and ii) that a number of the other subscribers requesting the installation of the respective new wireless access point at the geographical location is above a threshold value, initiating display of a graphical user interface to the subscriber operating the computer device, the graphical user interface including a selectable option for the subscriber to request installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

subsequent to installation of the new wireless access point, providing a notification to the subscriber, the notification indicating presence of and location of the newly installed wireless access point.

12. The method as in claim 11 further comprising:

providing the notification to the subscriber in response to detecting presence of the subscriber in a vicinity of the geographical location in which the subscriber previously requested installation of the new wireless access point.

33. The method as in claim 1, wherein the received input from the subscriber indicates whether the specified geographical location is an indoor location or outdoor location.

13. A method comprising:

receiving requests from multiple computer users in a network environment, each of the requests specifying a corresponding geographical location in which a respective computer user desires installation of a respective new wireless access point in the network environment;

producing installation request information indicating corresponding geographical locations as specified by the requests; and

utilizing the installation request information to identify locations in which to install new wireless access points in the geographical region.

14. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

producing a map of a geographical region in the network environment, the map including symbols to indicate the corresponding geographical locations as specified by the requests.

15. The method as in claim 13, wherein utilizing the installation request information to identify locations in which to install new wireless access points in the geographical region includes:

identifying a specific region in the network environment in which a number of computer users above a threshold value requests installation of a wireless access point in the specific region, the specific region located within the geographical region; and

initiating installation of a new wireless access point in a vicinity of the specific region.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein receiving requests from multiple computer users in the network environment includes:

receiving a first request, the first request received from a first computer user in the network environment requesting installation of a wireless access point at a first location within the specific region; and

receiving a second request, the second request received from a second computer user in the network environment requesting installation of a wireless access point at a second location within the specific region.

17. The method as in claim 13, wherein utilizing the installation request information to identify locations in which to install new wireless access points in the geographical region includes:

analyzing the installation request information to identify zones within the geographical region that include requests for installation of a new wireless access point per unit area above a threshold value; and

providing notification of the zones present in the geographical region.

18. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

initiating transmission of the installation request information to a particular computer user in the geographical region to notify the particular computer user of corresponding geographical locations in which other respective computer user requested installation of new wireless access points in the network environment.

19. The method as in claim 18 further comprising:

initiating transmission of the installation request information to the particular computer user in response to detection that the particular computer user is currently located in an area in which multiple other users previously requested installation of a new wireless access point in the area.

20. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

for each respective request of the received requests;

receiving a unique identifier value assigned to a corresponding computer device generating the respective request; and

receiving location information indicating a location in which a user of the corresponding computer device desires installation of a new wireless access point.

21. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

reviewing subscription levels associated with the multiple computer users; and

initiating installation of new wireless access points at the locations in the geographical region based at least in part on the subscription levels.

22. A computer system comprising:

computer processor hardware; and

a hardware storage resource coupled to the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of;

receiving input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment, the input specifying a geographical location in which the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment;

producing a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input, the message indicating that the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location; and

initiating transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location.

23. The computer system as in claim 22, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

receiving the input from a graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of the computer device, the graphical user interface including a selectable option to request the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location.

24. The computer system as in claim 22, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

detecting a current location of the computer device;

initiating display of a map of a geographical region on a display screen of the computer device, the map of the geographical region including the current location of the computer device; and

initiating display of a first symbol on the displayed map, the first symbol indicating the current location of the computer device in the geographical region.

25. The computer system as in claim 24, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

from the subscriber, receiving selection of the geographical location via input to the displayed map; and

initiating display of a second symbol on the map, the second symbol indicating the geographical location selected by the subscriber for the installation of the new wireless access point.

26. The computer system as in claim 24, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating display of a visual indication on the map, the visual indication indicating locations in the geographical region where other subscribers requested installation of one or more new wireless access points.

27. The computer system as in claim 23, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating display of a notification to the subscriber operating the computer device in response to detecting activation of a non-WiFi™

wireless communication link by the computer device to communicate in the network environment, the notification prompting the subscriber to input the request.

28. The computer system as in claim 22, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

obtaining a unique identifier value; and

including the unique identifier value in the message to indicate an identity of the subscriber requesting the installation of the new wireless access point.

29. The computer system as in claim 23, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

in response to detecting presence of the computer device in a particular geographical region, initiating display of a visual prompt on the display screen, the visual prompt providing notification that the subscriber operating the computer device can request installation of the new wireless access point.

30. The computer system as in claim 22, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

subsequent to installation of the new wireless access point, providing a notification to the subscriber, the notification indicating presence of and location of the newly installed wireless access point.

31. The computer system as in claim 30, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

providing the notification to the subscriber in response to detecting presence of the subscriber in a vicinity of the geographical location in which the subscriber previously requested installation of the new wireless access point.

32. Computer-readable hardware storage having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:

receiving input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment, the input specifying a geographical location in which the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment;

producing a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input, the message indicating that the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location; and

initiating transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location.