Method and apparatus for node adding decision support in a wireless network

• US 7,092,715 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurminen, Jukka K., Korpela, Harri
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D.
• Application Number:
  US10/487,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20040248578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 455/446
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

A method and apparatus determines whether a new node can be added to a wireless network at a specified position. Information concerning existing network nodes that are in the neighborhood of an inputted position of the new node is extracted from a dynamic network management database. The information extracted from the dynamic network management database may include dynamic position data and/or dynamic transmitting/receiving characteristics data of the existing network nodes. The information regarding the existing network nodes neighboring the inputted position of the new network node as extracted from the dynamic network management database is used to calculate a network coverage at the inputted position. Finally, the result of the calculated network coverage at the inputted position is outputted.

Claims

1. A decision support method for determining whether a new node can be added to a wireless network at a specified position, wherein said wireless network comprises a network management system with a dynamic network management database regularly updating the current status of the network nodes in said wireless network, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting a possible position of said new network node;

extracting information regarding existing network nodes in the surroundings of said inputted position from said dynamic network management database, wherein said information comprise dynamic position data and/or dynamic transmitting/receiving characteristics data of existing network nodes;

calculating a network coverage at said inputted position based on said extracted information regarding existing network nodes; and

outputting the result of the calculated network coverage at said inputted position.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of editing the result of the network coverage calculation such that said result indicates network coverage or no network coverage at said specified position.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a web user interface is used for inputting the possible position of said new network node and outputting said result of the calculated network coverage at said inputted position.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the inputting of a possible position of said new network node is carried out by inputting the street address of the possible position and the antenna installation eight of said network node in to the web user interface.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing the entered position and the result of the calculated network coverage in a dynamic network coverage database.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said new network node is configured as a wireless router.

7. A decision support apparatus for determining whether a new node can be added to a wireless network at a specified position, wherein said wireless network comprise a network management system with a dynamic network management database regularly updating the current status of the network nodes in said wireless network, wherein said decision support means comprises:

information extracting means for extracting information regarding existing network nodes in the surroundings of said specified position of said new network node from said dynamic network management database, wherein said information comprise dynamic position data and/or dynamic transmitting/receiving characteristics data of existing network nodes;

calculating means for calculating a network coverage at said inputted position based on said extracted information regarding existing network nodes; and

input/output interface means for enabling communication with the wireless network, wherein the specified position is entered and the result of the network coverage calculation is output via said input/output interface means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a result editing means for editing the result of the network coverage calculation, wherein the result editing means is arranged to edit said result such that said result indicates network coverage or not network coverage at said specified position.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the input/output interface means is arranged to receive a street address and an antenna installation height as the specified position.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

network coverage updating buffer means for buffering the street address and the antenna installation height and the associated network coverage calculated by the calculating means, wherein said buffer means is arranged to forward the street address and the antenna installation height as well as the associated calculated network coverage to the dynamic network management database via the input/output interface means.