METHODS AND TOOLS FOR ASSISTING IN THE CONFIGURATION OF A WIRELESS RADIO NETWORK

• US 20160014613A1
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquiti Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sriram Dayanandan
• Inventors: PONNAMPALAM, Vish, DAYANANDAN, Sriram
• Granted Patent: US 11,751,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/391 Modelling the propagation channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/18 for wireless local area networks or WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/226 Selection of non-jammed channel for communication spectrum sharing arrangements H04W16/14; selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/822 by detecting the presence of a surveillance, interception or detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Tools and methods for optimizing the selection and placement of wireless radio devices in a wireless network within a geographic region using a remote database that includes a geographic mapping of existing wireless devices within the network and/or adjacent networks, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the network and/or adjacent networks, and radio frequency spectral information across times for a plurality of regions (e.g., corresponding to locations of existing wireless devices). A tool may include a local user interface, a remote database, and a processor that communicates with the user interface and remote database. The methods and tools described herein may receive user input indicating a desired location and/or operational characteristics of new wireless radio device and may determine and suggest an optimal type, location and/or operational parameters for the additional device, or may suggest other modifications to the current network to optimize the network including the new device.

Claims

1. A tool for assisting in the configuration of a wireless radio network, the tool comprising:

a user interface for a mobile device, the user interface configured to receive an input from a user and to output network management information, wherein the input includes a location of a new wireless radio device to be added to the wireless radio network within a geographic region;

a database remote to the user interface, the database including a map of the geographic region, geographic location information for wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for a plurality of regions within the geographic region; and

a processor adapted to communicate with the user interface and the database and to send to the user interface the output network management information, wherein the output network management information comprising one or more of operational parameters for the new wireless radio device, a model type for the new wireless radio device, or a modification of one or more existing devices within the wireless radio network, wherein the output is determined by the processor using the map of the geographic region, the device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and the radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for the plurality of regions within the geographic region.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to display the map of the geographic region and allow the new wireless radio device to be selected on the map.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to allow the user to input target characteristics of the new wireless radio device and wherein the process is configured to use these target characteristics to determine the output.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive as input the wireless radio device type for the new wireless radio device and wherein the process is configured to use the wireless radio device type to determine the output.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the database is part of a remote server.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the database includes terrain obstructions as part of the map of the geographic region.

7. The tool of claim 1, wherein the database includes the geographic location information for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network including a plurality of access points and client devices.

8. The tool of claim 1, wherein the device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network comprises one or more of:

power, antenna gain, antenna direction, data rate, and operating frequency.

9. The tool of claim 1, wherein the device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network database comprises received signal strength information and usage information.

10. The tool of claim 1, wherein the database includes frequency spectral information received from a plurality of the devices within the wireless radio network at multiple times over a time period of greater than 24 hours comprising the radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for a plurality of regions within the geographic region.

11. The tool of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the output based on a metric for network performance over time including the RF spectral information, further wherein the metric comprises one or more of:

predicted signal to noise ratios (SNR), network capacity, or data throughput.

12. The tool of claim 1, wherein the output comprises settings for the new wireless radio device, wherein the processor determines the output by estimating the data rate over time for the new wireless device to be added based on the received input and the geographic location information for the plurality of wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time within the geographic region.

13. The tool of claim 1, wherein the output comprises a type of wireless radio device from a listing of wireless radio device types, further wherein the processor determines the output by estimating the data rate over time for the new wireless device to be added based on the received input and the geographic location information for the plurality of wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time within the geographic region.

14. A tool for assisting in the configuration of a wireless radio network, the tool comprising:

a user interface for a mobile device, the user interface configured to receive an input from a user and to output network management information, wherein the input includes a location of a new wireless radio device to be added to the wireless radio network within a geographic region;

a database remote to the user interface, the database including a map of the geographic region, geographic location information for each of a plurality of wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for each of a plurality of wireless devices within the wireless radio network, radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for a plurality of regions within the geographic region, and a listing of wireless radio device types including device characteristics for each of the types of listed wireless radio devices; and

a processor adapted to communicate with the user interface and the database and to receive the input from the user interface and to send to the user interface the output network management information, the output network management information comprising a new device parameter determined by the processor using the map of the geographic region, the device characteristics for each of the plurality of wireless devices within the wireless radio network, the radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for the plurality of regions within the geographic region, and the listing of wireless radio device types including device characteristics for each of the types of listed wireless radio devices;

further wherein the new device parameter comprises one or more of;

settings for the new wireless radio device, and a type of wireless radio device from the listing of wireless radio device types.

15. A method for configuring a wireless radio network, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface on a mobile device;

receiving from the user interface an input from a user, wherein the input includes a location of a new wireless radio device to be added to the wireless radio network within a geographic region;

contacting, in a processor, a database remote to the user interface, the database including a map of the geographic region, geographic location information for wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for a plurality of regions within the geographic region;

determining an output network management information, wherein the output network management information comprising one or more of operational parameters for the new wireless radio device, a model type for the new wireless radio device, or a modification of one or more existing devices within the wireless radio network, further wherein the output is determined by the processor using the map of the geographic region, the device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and the radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for the plurality of regions within the geographic region; and

displaying the output on the user interface.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically modifying one or more existing devices within the wireless radio network using the determined output network management information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the input from the user comprises displaying the map of the geographic region and allowing the user to select the location of the new wireless radio device on the map.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving the input comprises allowing the user to input target characteristics of the new wireless radio device and further wherein determining comprises using these target characteristics to determine the output.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the input comprises receiving a wireless radio device type for the new wireless radio device and further wherein determining comprises using the wireless radio device type to determine the output.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein contacting the database comprises contacting a remote server.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein determining an output comprises using terrain obstructions as part of the map of the geographic region.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein determining an output comprises using the geographic location information for the access points and client devices within the network.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein determining an output comprises using, for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, one or more of:

power, antenna gain, antenna direction, data rate, and operating frequency.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein determining an output comprises using received signal strength information and usage information as the device characteristics for the wireless devices.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the output network management information comprises using frequency spectral information received from a plurality of the devices within the wireless radio network at multiple times over a time period of greater than 24 hours comprising the radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for a plurality of regions within the geographic region.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the output network management information comprises determining the output based on a metric for network performance over time including the RF spectral information, further wherein the metric comprises one or more of:

predicted signal to noise ratios (SNR), network capacity, or data throughput.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the output comprises estimating the data rate over time for the new wireless device to be added based on the received input and the geographic location information for the plurality of wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time within the geographic region.

28. A method for configuring a wireless radio network, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface on a mobile device;

receiving from the user interface an input from a user, wherein the input includes a location of a new wireless radio device to be added to the wireless radio network within a geographic region;

contacting, in a processor, a database remote to the user interface, the database including a map of the geographic region, geographic location information for wireless devices within the wireless radio network, device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, and radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for a plurality of regions within the geographic region;

determining an output comprising a new device parameter for the new wireless radio device, wherein the new device parameter comprises one or more of operational parameters for the new wireless radio device or a model type for the new wireless radio device, further wherein the new device parameter is determined by the processor using the map of the geographic region, the device characteristics for the wireless devices within the wireless radio network, the radio frequency (RF) spectral information over time for the plurality of regions within the geographic region, and a listing of wireless radio device types; and

displaying the new device parameter on the user interface.

29-83. -83. (canceled)