Analyzing a network topology

• US 9,030,963 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Mahasenan, Arun Vijayakumari, Pulleti, Uday K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taha, Shaq
• Application Number:
  US13/692,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20140153438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 340/993
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for analyzing a network topology are described herein. For example, one or more embodiments include receiving data from a node in a node array with a locating device, determining a position of the locating device, determining a position of the node in relation to the locating device based on the data received from the node and the position of the locating device, comparing the position of the node to a defined layout of the node array, and determining whether the position of the node matches a defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing a network topology;

receiving data from a node in a node array with a locating device, wherein the data is received by the locating device at a plurality of different positions between a first point and a second point of a path throughout the node array, wherein the data from the node includes a time of flight data of a signal from the node;

determining a position of the locating device;

determining a position of the node in relation to the locating device based on the data received from the node and the position of the locating device on the node array map at each of the plurality of different positions of the locating device, wherein determining the position of the node includes triangulating the position of the node in the node array using the time of flight data of the signal of the node from the plurality of different positions of the locating device;

comparing the position of the node to a defined position in the defined layout of the node array; and

determining whether the position of the node matched the defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes receiving data from the node in the node array from a plurality of positions with the locating device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the locating device includes determining the position of the locating device on a node array map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the position of the locating device includes determining the position of the locating device on the node array map based on a position of the locating device entered by a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes triangulating the position of the node using the received data from the node in the node array from the plurality of positions and the position of the locating device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes determining a change to make the position of the node to make the position of the node match the defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the node is at least one of a sensor, camera, and wireless router.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the sensor is a smoke detector.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes detecting whether the node is operational.

10. A machine-readable non-transitory medium storing instructions for analyzing a network topology, executable by a machine to cause the machine to:

receive data from a node in a node array with a locating device, wherein the locating device is moved from a first point to a second point along a path and wherein the data is received by the locating device at a plurality of different positions between the first point and the second point along the path of the locating device, wherein the data from the node includes a time of flight data of a signal from the node;

determine a position of the locating device on a node array map;

determine a position of the node in relation to the locating device based on the data received from the node and the position of the locating device on the node array map at each of the plurality of different positions of the locating device, wherein determining the position of the node includes triangulating the position of the node in the node array using the time of flight data of the signal of the node from the plurality of different positions of the locating device;

compare the position of the node to a defined layout of the node array; and

determine whether the position of the node matches a defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable by the machine to provide an indication that the position of the node matches the defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable by the machine to:

provide an indication that the position of the node does not match the defined position in the defined layout of the node array; and

determine a change to make the position of the node to match the position of the node to the defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein instructions are executable by the machine to receive data from the node in the node array that includes directional signal data.

14. The medium of claim 10, wherein instructions are executable by the machine to receive data from the node in the node array that includes directional signal data.

15. The medium of claim 10, wherein instructions are executable by the machine to:

determine that the locating device is not receiving data from the node in the node array; and

provide an indication that the node in the node array is not operational.

16. A system for analyzing a network topology, the system comprising a processing resource in communication with a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium contains a set of instructions and wherein the processing resource is designed to execute the set of instructions to:

receive data from a node in a node array with a locating device, wherein the locating device is moved from a first point to a second point along a path and wherein the data is received by the locating device at a plurality of different positions between the first point and the second point along the path, wherein the data from the node includes a time of flight data of a signal from the node;

determine a position of the locating device on a node array map;

determine a position of the node in relation to the locating device based on the data received from the node and the position of the locating device on the node array map, wherein determining the position of the node includes triangulating the position of the node in the node array using the time of flight data of the signal of the node from the plurality of different positions of the locating device;

determine whether the position of the node matches a defined position in a defined layout of the node array; and

determine a change to make the position of the node to match the position of the node to the defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the determined change to make to the position of the node includes a determination of a distance to move the node to match the position of the node to the defined position in the defined layout of the node array.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the position of the locating device on a erode array map is determined automatically.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein a prompt is provided by the locating device to a user to enter the position of the locating device.