Generating a network map

• US 8,712,420 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Marti, Urs-Viktor, Zasowski, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US13/337,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20120184279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method, and various systems operable or arranged to implement that method, of generating a network map illustrating availability of network access technologies in various locations of the network. The method may comprise the following steps: (a) sending, by a first network unit, the location of which is identified by a first identifier, first data to a second network unit, the location of which is identified by a second identifier, whereby the first data is sent using at least two different network access technologies and is sent to at least two different possible locations for the second network unit; (b) receiving by the first network unit from the second network unit, first measurement data relating to the sent first data; and (c) generating the network map based on the measurement data, the first identifier and the second identifier.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving by a processing unit, a first measurement data transferred from a second network unit, the location of which is identified by a second identifier, wherein;

the first measurement data relates to first data received by the second network unit from a first network unit, the location of which is identified by a first identifier; and

the first network unit sends the first data to the second network unit, while the second network unit is located in at least two different locations; and

generating by the processing unit a network map based on the first measurement data, the first identifier and the second identifier, wherein the network map illustrates availability of network access technologies in various locations of a network comprising the first network unit and the second network unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is the first network unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first data is sent by the first network unit using at least two different network access technologies.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first measurement data is obtained by processing the first data.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating a recommendation for a network access technology for a home networking unit in a given location and/or a recommendation for a position for a home networking unit configured to use a specific network access technology.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network unit is placed in at least one other location, the first network unit then sending the first data from this new location to the second network unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in at least certain locations the first network unit and/or the second network unit is/are plugged into a connection point of a wired communication network.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving by the processing unit before generating the network map, from the first network unit a second measurement data for use in generating the network map.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first network unit receives third data from the second network unit, whereby the third data is received over at least two different network access technologies and from at least two different locations for the second network unit, and the first network unit processes the third data to obtain the second measurement data.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 8, wherein the first and/or second measurement data comprise one or more of the following values:

attenuation between the first and second network units, throughput, distance between the first and second network units, data round-trip time, data receiving statistics, bit rate sweep statistics, packet size sweep statistics, data loss statistics and retransmission information.

11. The method according to claim 1 or 8, wherein when obtaining the first and/or second measurement data, a learning process is used in which the previously processed data is taken into account when processing the current data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network unit and the second network unit exchange the first and second identifiers.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network map is obtained by mapping a network topology map with a given floor plan.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first measurement data is transferred to the processing unit by the second network unit transferring the first measurement data to the first network unit which transfers the first measurement data to the processing unit.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein a specific second network unit is used for each location and wherein the first measurement data is obtained by the specific second network units processing, one after the other or simultaneously, the first data.

16. A system, comprising:

a network unit for use during generation of a network map illustrating availability of network access technologies in various locations of a network, the location of the network unit being identified by a first identifier, the network unit being operable to;

send first data to another network unit, the location of which is identified by a second identifier, while the other network unit is located in at least two different locations;

receive from the other network unit second data comprising first measurement data relating to the sent first data; and

process the first measurement data to obtain the network map based on the first measurement data, the first identifier and the second identifier.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the measurement data processing comprises transferring the measurement data to an external device for generating the network map.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the network unit is operable to send the first data using at least two different network access technologies.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the network unit is operable to exchange the first and second identifiers with the other network unit.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein the network unit is operable to:

receive third data from the other network unit, whereby the third data is received over at least two different network access technologies and from at least two different locations for the other network unit; and

process the third data to obtain the second measurement data.

21. A system, comprising:

a processing unit that is used in generating a network map illustrating availability of network access technologies in various locations of a network, the processing unit being operable to;

receive a first measurement data transferred from a second network unit, the location of which is identified by a second identifier, wherein;

the first measurement data relates to first data received by the second network unit from a first network unit, the location of which is identified by a first identifier; and

the first data being sent by the first network unit to the second network unit, while the second network unit is located in at least two different locations; and

generate the network map based on the first measurement data, the first identifier and the second identifier.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing unit is operable to generate a recommendation for an optimal network access technology for a home networking unit in a given location and/or a recommendation for an optimal position for a home networking unit configured to use a specific network access technology.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing unit is operable to receive before generating the network map, from the first network unit a second measurement data for use in generating the network map.

24. The system according to claim 21 or 23, wherein the first and/or second measurement data comprise one or more of the following values:

attenuation between the first and second network units, throughput, distance between the first and second network units, data round-trip time, data receiving statistics, bit rate sweep statistics, packet size sweep statistics, data loss statistics and retransmission information.

25. The system according to claim 21 or 23, wherein when obtaining the first and/or second measurement data, a learning process is used in which the previously processed data is taken into account when processing the current data.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing unit is operable to obtain the network map based on mapping of a network topology map with a given floor plan.

27. A system for generating a network map illustrating availability of network access technologies in various locations of the network, the system comprising:

a first network unit, the location of which is identified by a first identifier, a second network unit, the location of which is identified by a second identifier, and a third network unit, wherein;

the first network unit is operable to send first data to the second network unit, whereby the first data is sent to at least two different locations for the second network unit;

the second network unit is operable to receive the first data and to process the first data in order to generate first measurement data, relating to the sent first data;

the second network unit is operable to transfer the first measurement data to the third network unit; and

the third network unit is operable to receive the first measurement data and to process the first measurement data to obtain the network map, based on the measurement data, the first identifier and the second identifier.