Automatic access point location, planning, and coverage optimization

• US 8,744,352 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Pochop, Jeffrey L Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US12/951,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20120129559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 703223-226, 455 411- 413, 4554561-457, 455/522, 455 69- 70, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A device receives distances between an access point, located on a floor of a building, and other access points located on the same floor, and determines, based on the distances, relative location information associated with the access point, where the relative location information provides a location of the access point relative to the other access points. The device also determines, using a triangulation method, an actual location of the access point based on the relative location information. The device further maps the actual location of the access point to a floor plan of the floor, and displays the floor plan with the mapped actual location of the access point.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, distances between a particular access point, of a plurality of access points located on a floor of a building, and other access points of the plurality of access points;

determining, by the computing device and based on the distances, relative location information associated with the particular access point,

the relative location information providing a location of the particular access point relative to the other access points;

determining, by the computing device and using a triangulation method, an actual location on the floor of the particular access point based on the relative location information;

mapping, by the computing device, the actual location on the floor of the particular access point on a floor plan of the floor;

providing, by the computing device and for display, the floor plan after mapping the actual location on the floor of the particular access point; and

providing, by the computing device and based on the actual location on the floor of the particular access point, a recommendation to move the particular access point from the actual location on the floor to another location on the floor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, for display, one or more performance recommendations with the floor plan,

the one or more performance recommendations including one or more recommendations to rotate one or more of the plurality of access points.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining additional relative location information associated with the other access points;

determining, using the triangulation method, actual locations on the floor of the other access points based on the additional relative location information;

mapping the actual locations on the floor of the other access points on the floor plan; and

providing, for display, the floor plan after mapping the actual locations on the floor of the other access points.

4. The method of claim 3, where providing the recommendation includes:

providing, for display, coverage problems associated with the actual location on the floor of the particular access point and the actual locations on the floor of the other access points; and

providing, for display and based on the coverage problems, the recommendation to move the particular access point from the actual location on the floor to the other location on the floor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, for display, another recommendation to remove one or more of the other access points from the floor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the actual location on the floor of the particular access point to assign attenuation values to obstructions provided on the floor; and

providing information based on the attenuation values.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving client information from one or more client devices associated with the particular access point;

receiving location information associated with one or more access points located on a different floor of the building; and

adjusting information identifying the actual location on the floor of the particular access point based on at least one of the client information or the location information associated with the one or more access points located on the different floor.

8. The method of claim 1, where the relative location information includes omnidirectional range estimates that are based on strengths of radio frequency signals received from the other access points.

9. The method of claim 1, where the triangulation method includes a global positioning satellite (GPS) triangulation method.

10. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of access points form a wireless local area network (WLAN).

11. A device comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor to execute one or more of the plurality of instructions to;

determine distances between a particular access point, of a plurality of access points located on a floor of a building, and other access points of the plurality of access points,

determine, based on the distances, relative location information associated with the particular access point,

the relative location information providing a location of the particular access point relative to the other access points,

determine, using a triangulation method or a trilateration method, an actual location on the floor of the particular access point based on the relative location information,

map the actual location on the floor of the particular access point on a floor plan of the floor,

provide, for display, the floor plan after mapping the actual location on the floor of the particular access point, and

provide, based on the actual location of the particular access point, a recommendation to move the particular access point from the actual location on the floor to another location on the floor.

12. The device of claim 11, where the processor is further to:

provide, for display, one or more performance recommendations with the floor plan,

the one or more performance recommendations including one or more recommendations to use the actual location on the floor of the particular access point for monitoring or debugging of one or more of the plurality of access points.

13. The device of claim 11, where the processor is further to:

determine additional relative location information associated with the other access points,

determine, using the triangulation method or the trilateration method, actual locations on the floor of the other access points based on the additional relative location information,

map the actual locations on the floor of the other access points on the floor plan, and

provide, for display, the floor plan after mapping the actual locations on the floor of the other access points.

14. The device of claim 13, where the processor is further to:

determine coverage problems associated with the actual locations on the floor of the other access points, and

provide, based on the coverage problems, another recommendation to move one or more of the other access points.

15. The device of claim 11, where the processor is further to:

provide a recommendation to remove one or more of the other access points from the floor.

16. The device of claim 13, where the processor is further to:

use the actual location on the floor of the particular access point and the actual locations on the floor of the other access points to assign attenuation values to obstructions provided on the floor, and

provide information based on the attenuation values.

17. The device of claim 11, where the processor is further to:

receive client information from one or more client devices associated with the particular access point,

receive location information associated with one or more access points located on a different floor of the building, and

adjust information identifying the actual location on the floor of the particular access point based on at least one of the client information or the location information associated with the one or more access points located on the different floor.

18. The device of claim 11, where the relative location information includes omnidirectional range estimates that are based on strengths of radio frequency signals received from the other access points.

19. The device of claim 11, where the plurality of access points form a wireless local area network (WLAN).

20. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

determine distances between a particular access point, a plurality of access points located on a floor of a building, and other access points of the plurality of access points;

determine, based on the distances, relative location information associated with the particular access point,

the relative location information providing a location of the particular access point relative to the other access points;

determine, using a triangulation method or a trilateration method, an actual location on the floor of the particular access point based on the relative location information;

map the actual location on the floor of the particular access point on a floor plan of the floor;

provide, for display, the floor plan after mapping the actual location on the floor of the particular access point; and

provide, for display and based on the actual location on the floor of the particular access point, to move the particular access point from the actual location on the floor to another location on the floor.