Wireless communication obstacles for improving wireless communications

• US 8,346,245 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Potkonjak, Miodrag
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US12/487,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/457, 455/67.6, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to methods for improving wireless communications. Example embodiments include placing a wireless communication obstacle at an optimal or approximately optimal position to improve one or more characteristics of a wireless communication link between two wireless communication devices. The wireless communication obstacle may be adapted to absorb or reflect one or more wireless communications from other wireless communication devices to prevent and/or reduce interference with the wireless communication link between the two wireless communication devices.

Claims

1. A method for improving wireless communications between wireless communication devices in a wireless communication network deployed at a location, comprising

collecting wireless communication data from the wireless communication devices transmitting communication signals at the location to develop one or more characteristics associated with the wireless communications;

and

placing a wireless communication obstacle at an optimal or approximately optimal position relative to the location to improve the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices,

wherein the wireless communication obstacle is adapted to absorb or reflect at least a portion of the communication signals to prevent and/or reduce interference with the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

forming the wireless communication obstacle by applying a nanopaint to a structure, wherein the nanopaint is configured to absorb or reflect the at least a portion of the communication signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices correspond to

one or more of a bandwidth, a throughput of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices, a transmission power of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices, and/or a security of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication devices include a wireless gateway and a stationary or a mobile wireless user device, the method further comprising:

developing a wireless link model for the location; and

determining an optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless gateway to improve either a bandwidth or a throughput of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the stationary or the mobile wireless user device at the location based at least in part on the wireless link model.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

developing a wireless link model for the location; and

determining the optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless communication obstacle and/or a shape of the wireless communication obstacle based at least in part on the wireless link model.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication devices include a first wireless gateway and a second wireless gateway, and the optimal or approximately optimal position corresponds to a position between the first wireless gateway and the second wireless gateway.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication devices include a first wireless gateway, a second wireless gateway, a first wireless user device, and a second wireless user device, the method further comprising:

placing the wireless communication obstacle to define an enclosed space; and

relaying a communication signal between the first wireless user device and the first wireless gateway in the enclosed space through the second wireless gateway to the second wireless user device outside of the enclosed space.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after placing the wireless communication obstacle at the optimal or approximately optimal position, determining if the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless devices have deteriorated; and

when the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices have deteriorated, changing the position of the wireless communication obstacle to improve the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication devices include a wireless gateway and a wireless user device; and

placing the wireless communication obstacle at the optimal or approximately optimal position to create an area where the wireless gateway and the wireless user device are arranged to communicate with reduced interference from another wireless gateway in the wireless communication network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication devices include a wireless gateway, and wherein placing the wireless communication obstacle at the optimal or approximately optimal position comprises

applying a nanopaint to one or more surfaces of the wireless gateway.

11. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for execution by a processor to improve wireless communications between wireless communication devices in a wireless communication network deployed at a location, the instructions comprising

collecting wireless communication data from the wireless communication devices transmitting communication signals at the location to develop one or more characteristics associated with the wireless communications;

and

determining an optimal or approximately optimal position for a wireless communication obstacle relative to the location to improve the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices at the location,

wherein the wireless communication obstacle is adapted to absorb or reflect at least a portion of the communication signals to prevent and/or reduce interference with the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

developing a wireless link model for the location;

wherein determining the optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless communication obstacle is based on the wireless link model, and the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices is either a bandwidth or a throughput of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication devices include a wireless gateway and a wireless user device, and the instructions further comprise

determining an optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless gateway to improve the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the wireless user device.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise:

developing a wireless link model for the location;

wherein determining the optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless gateway is based on the wireless link model, and the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the wireless user device is one or more of bandwidth, throughput, transmission power, and/or security of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the wireless user device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the wireless user device is either mobile or stationary.

16. A device for improving wireless communication, comprising:

a memory unit; and

a processor configured to determine an optimal or approximately optimal position relative to a location for a wireless communication obstacle to improve one or more characteristics of wireless communications between wireless communication devices at the location, wherein the wireless communication obstacle is adapted to absorb or reflect at least a portion of communication signals to prevent and/or reduce interference with the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

develop a wireless link model for the location;

wherein determining the optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless communication obstacle is based at least in part on the wireless link model, and/or the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices, which corresponds to one or more of bandwidth and/or throughput of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication devices include a wireless gateway and a wireless user device, and the processor is further configured to

determine an optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless gateway relative to the location to improve one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the wireless user device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

develop a wireless link model for the location;

wherein determining the optimal or approximately optimal position for the wireless gateway is based at least in part on the wireless link model, and the one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the wireless user device, which corresponds to one or more of bandwidth, throughput, transmission power, and/or security of the wireless communications between the wireless gateway and the wireless user device.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the wireless user device is either mobile or stationary.

21. A wireless communication network, comprising:

wireless communication devices; and

a wireless communication obstacle at an optimal or approximately optimal position that improves one or more characteristics of the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication obstacle is adapted to absorb or reflect one or more communication signals to prevent and/or reduce interference with the wireless communications between the wireless communication devices.

22. The wireless communication network of claim 21, wherein:

the wireless communication obstacle is a wall; and

the wireless communication devices comprise a first wireless user device and a first wireless gateway on one side of the wall, and a second wireless user device and a second wireless gateway on an other side of the wall.

23. The wireless communication network of claim 21, wherein:

the wireless communication obstacle comprises a first, second, and third walls intersecting with one another to form a triangular structure; and

the wireless communication devices comprise;

a first wireless gateway device located near the first wall;

a first wireless user device located in a first region defined by the first wall and virtual extension of the second and the third walls beyond the first wall, the first wireless user device being adapted to communicate with the first wireless gateway device;

a second wireless gateway device located near the second wall;

a second wireless user device located in a second region defined by the second wall and virtual extension of the first and the third walls beyond the second wall, the second wireless user device being adapted to communicate with the second wireless gateway device; and

a third wireless user device located in a third region defined by extending lines from the first and the second walls, the third wireless user device being adapted to communicate with the first and the second wireless gateway devices.

24. The wireless communication network of claim 21, wherein:

the wireless communication obstacle comprises a first wall and a second wall joined to the first wall at an angle; and

the wireless communication devices comprise;

a first wireless user device and a first wireless gateway device located on a concave side of the wireless communication obstacle; and

a second wireless user device and a second wireless gateway device located on a convex side of the wireless communication obstacle.