WIRELESS NETWORK CONTROLLER AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A WIRELESS NETWORK
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling a wireless network comprising:
- an input to receive signal strength information and direction information from at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network;
configuration optimisation circuitry to perform an iterative wireless network optimisation procedure to determine at least one rotational position for the at least one antenna apparatus on the basis of the signal strength information and the direction information received, wherein the iterative wireless network optimisation procedure iterates in a direction of reduced interference for the at least one antenna apparatus; and
instruction transmission circuitry configured to send at least one rotational positioning instruction to at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network to cause the at least one antenna apparatus to rotationally position its directional antenna in accordance with the at least one rotational positioning instruction.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An antenna apparatus for use in a wireless network and method of operating such an antenna apparatus are provided. A wireless network controller provides a configuration of such an antenna apparatus, a method of operating such a wireless network controller, and a resulting wireless network. The antenna apparatus comprises a directional antenna and a uniform circular antenna array. The directional antenna can be rotatably positioned about an axis with respect to a fixed mounting portion of the apparatus in dependence on wireless signals received by the antenna array. The antenna array allows the antenna apparatus to receive wireless signals isotropically and thus to accurately monitor the wireless signal environment in which it finds itself. The antenna apparatus can thus monitor and characterise incoming signals, both from external interference sources and from other network nodes, and the directional antenna can then be positioned in rotation to improve the network throughput.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for controlling a wireless network comprising:
-
an input to receive signal strength information and direction information from at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network; configuration optimisation circuitry to perform an iterative wireless network optimisation procedure to determine at least one rotational position for the at least one antenna apparatus on the basis of the signal strength information and the direction information received, wherein the iterative wireless network optimisation procedure iterates in a direction of reduced interference for the at least one antenna apparatus; and instruction transmission circuitry configured to send at least one rotational positioning instruction to at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network to cause the at least one antenna apparatus to rotationally position its directional antenna in accordance with the at least one rotational positioning instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A method of controlling a wireless network comprising the steps of:
-
receiving signal strength information and direction information from at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network; performing an iterative wireless network optimisation procedure to determine at least one rotational position for the at least one antenna apparatus on the basis of the signal strength information and the direction information received, wherein the iterative wireless network optimisation procedure iterates in a direction of reduced interference for the at least one antenna apparatus; and transmitting at least one rotational positioning instruction to at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network to cause the at least one antenna apparatus to rotationally position its directional antenna in accordance with the at least one rotational positioning instruction.
-
-
4. Apparatus for controlling a wireless network comprising:
-
means for receiving signal strength information and direction information from at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network; means for performing an iterative wireless network optimisation procedure to determine at least one rotational position for the at least one antenna apparatus on the basis of the signal strength information and the direction information received, wherein the iterative wireless network optimisation procedure iterates in a direction of reduced interference for the at least one antenna apparatus; and means for transmitting at least one rotational positioning instruction to at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network to cause the at least one antenna apparatus to rotationally position its directional antenna in accordance with the at least one rotational positioning instruction.
-
-
5. A wireless network comprising:
-
a plurality of antenna apparatuses wherein at least one antenna apparatus in the plurality of antenna apparatuses comprises; a directional antenna configured to be rotatably positioned about an axis with respect to a mounting portion, a uniform circular antenna array, the mounting portion configured to be fixed relative to a physical location of the antenna apparatus; and a wireless network controller comprising; an input to receive signal strength information and direction information from the at least one antenna apparatus in the plurality of antenna apparatuses; configuration optimisation circuitry to perform an iterative wireless network optimisation procedure to determine at least one rotational position for the at least one antenna apparatus on the basis of the signal strength information and the direction information received, wherein the iterative wireless network optimisation procedure iterates in a direction of reduced interference for the at least one antenna apparatus; and instruction transmission circuitry configured to send at least one rotational positioning instruction to the at least one antenna apparatus in the wireless network to cause the at least one antenna apparatus to rotationally position its directional antenna in accordance with the at least one rotational positioning instruction; wherein the uniform circular antenna array in the at least one antenna apparatus comprises monitoring circuitry configured to generate signal strength information and direction information for wireless signals received, and the directional antenna is configured to be rotatably positioned about the axis with respect to the mounting portion in dependence on the signal strength information and the direction information; and wherein the at least one antenna apparatus is configured to send the signal strength information and the direction information to the wireless network controller, and is configured to position the directional antenna about the axis with respect to the mounting portion in accordance with a rotational positioning instruction received from the wireless network controller. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification