Systems and methods providing assisted aiming for wireless links

• US 9,629,005 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Inventors: Durick, Travis, Yeung, Yu, Chong, Ming Pui, Chan, Alex Wing Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): AYOTUNDE, AYODEJI O
• Application Number:
  US14/681,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 455 6711, 455 677
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Systems and methods which provide local sensor and/or external information derived proactive aiming assistance with respect to wireless nodes for facilitating desired wireless links are shown. Embodiments provide an aiming assistance user interface providing guidance with respect to properly altering the orientation of a wireless node to provide a desired wireless link. To facilitate providing aiming assistance embodiments of wireless nodes are adapted to include a plurality of sensors operable to provide information useful in environmental analysis for determining proactive orientation guidance information. Wireless nodes adapted according to embodiments additionally or alternatively utilize information obtained externally useful in determining proactive orientation guidance information. Embodiments of the invention utilize the foregoing sensor information and externally sourced information to determine proactive orientation guidance information.

Claims

1. A method for updating information at a database, performed at a server, wherein the information is used for providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information at a wireless node for orienting the wireless node, comprising the steps of:

a. obtaining sensor information from a wireless node;

b. sending a list of candidate wireless nodes to the wireless node;

c. receiving a first information of a selected first candidate wireless node from the wireless node;

d. determining a radio map corresponding to the wireless node for deployment configuration determinations;

e. performing communication environment analysis, wireless link quality modeling;

f. determining positions of interferers in a wireless environment;

g. sending a second information based on steps (d), (e) and (f) to the wireless node;

h. receiving a third information regarding final deployment configuration of the wireless node and information regarding various interference sources detected by the wireless node from the wireless node;

i. updating the database based on the third information received in step (h);

j. wherein the wireless node uses the second information received from the server for;

(i) determining proactive aiming assistance guidance information with respect to the first candidate wireless node;

(ii) providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information for reorientation;

(iii) presenting the proactive aiming assistance guidance information at an aiming assistance user interface of the wireless node;

(iii) determining values of wireless link attributes;

(iv) when the values of wireless link attributes are not satisfactory, prompting the user to perform steps (i)-(ii) with another candidate wireless node;

(v) when the values of wireless link attributes are satisfactory, prompting the user to stop the reorientation;

wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance information includes a rotation direction and a tilt direction;

wherein the rotation direction corresponds to a direction to rotate the wireless node to orient the wireless node into the desired deployment configuration; and

wherein the tilt direction corresponds to a direction to tilt the wireless node to orient the wireless node into the desired deployment configuration.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the aiming assistance user interface comprises at least one indicator associated with tilt direction and at least one indicator associated with rotation direction;

wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance information indicates the amount of rotation to be provided in the rotation direction by selectively flashing the at least one indicator associated with rotation direction; and

wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance information indicates the amount of tilt to be provided by selectively flashing the at least one indicator associated with tilt direction.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving providing sensor information from the wireless node when orientation of the wireless node has changed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (j)(v) is performed by activating a hold guidance output of the aiming assistance user interface of the wireless node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless node assigns a preference hierarchy to candidate wireless nodes listed in the list of candidate wireless nodes after receiving the list of candidate wireless nodes and selects the first candidate wireless node according to the preference hierarchy.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the preference hierarchy is assigned according to at least one of relative distance, topology, configuration of the candidate wireless nodes, and calculation of predicted link budget.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless node further performs the steps of:

monitoring a wireless link established with the first candidate wireless node;

determining whether or not the current orientation is suitable; and

wherein when the wireless node determines that the current orientation is not suitable, indicating at the aiming assistance user interface that reorientation of the wireless node should be performed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless node further providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information for performing reorientation of the wireless node.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless node further performs the steps of:

periodically determining whether one or more new candidate wireless nodes have been deployed; and

when one or more new candidate wireless nodes have been deployed, providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information with respect to the one or more new candidate wireless nodes.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the sensor information for determining positions of interferers in a wireless environment of the wireless node after performing step (a).

11. A system comprising a server and a wireless node, wherein the server comprising:

at least one first processor;

at least one first storage medium for storing program instructions executable by the at least one first processor for updating information at a database, performed at a server, wherein the information is used for providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information at a wireless node for orienting the wireless node, comprising the steps of;

a. obtaining sensor information from a wireless node;

b. sending a list of candidate wireless nodes to the wireless node;

c. receiving a first information of a selected first candidate wireless node from the wireless node;

d. determining a radio map corresponding to the wireless node for deployment configuration determinations;

e. performing communication environment analysis, wireless link quality modeling;

f. determining positions of interferers in a wireless environment;

g. sending a second information based on steps (d), (e) and (f) to the wireless node;

h. receiving a third information regarding final deployment configuration of the wireless node and information regarding various interference sources detected by the wireless node from the wireless node;

i. updating the database based on the third information received in step (h);

j. wherein the wireless node comprises an antenna, a plurality of sensors, an aiming assistance user interface, at least one second processor; and

at least one second storage medium for storing program instructions executable by the at least one second processor for using the second information received from the server for;

(i) determining proactive aiming assistance guidance information with respect to the first candidate wireless node;

(ii) providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information for reorientation;

(iii) presenting the proactive aiming assistance guidance information at an aiming assistance user interface, of the wireless node;

(iii) determining values of wireless link attributes;

(iv) when the values of wireless link attributes are not satisfactory, prompting the user to perform steps (i)-(ii) with another candidate wireless node;

(v) when the values of wireless link attributes are satisfactory, prompting the user to stop the reorientation;

wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance information includes a rotation direction and a tilt direction;

wherein the rotation direction corresponds to a direction to rotate the wireless node to orient the wireless node into the desired deployment configuration; and

wherein the tilt direction corresponds to a direction to tilt the wireless node to orient the wireless node into the desired deployment configuration.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the aiming assistance user interface comprises at least one indicator associated with tilt direction and at least one indicator associated with rotation direction;

wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance information indicates the amount of rotation to be provided in the rotation direction by selectively flashing the at least one indicator associated with rotation direction; and

wherein the proactive aiming assistance guidance information indicates the amount of tilt to be provided by selectively flashing the at least one indicator associated with tilt direction.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one second storage medium further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processor for:

receiving sensor information from the wireless node when orientation of the wireless node has changed.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein step (j)(v) is performed by activating a hold guidance output of the aiming assistance user interface of the wireless node.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless node assigns a preference hierarchy to candidate wireless nodes listed in the list of candidate wireless nodes after receiving the list of candidate wireless nodes and selects the first candidate wireless node according to the preference hierarchy.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the preference hierarchy is assigned according to at least one of relative distance, topology, configuration of the candidate wireless nodes, and calculation of predicted link budget.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one second storage medium further storing program instructions executable by the at least one second processor for:

monitoring a wireless link established with the first candidate wireless node after performing step (i);

determining whether or not the current orientation is suitable; and

wherein when the wireless node determines that the current orientation is not suitable, indicating at the aiming assistance user interface that reorientation of the wireless node should be performed.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one second storage medium further storing program instructions executable by the at least one second processor for:

providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information for performing reorientation of the wireless node.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one second storage medium further storing program instructions executable by the at least one second processor for:

periodically determining whether one or more new candidate wireless nodes have been deployed; and

when one or more new candidate wireless nodes have been deployed, providing proactive aiming assistance guidance information with respect to the one or more new candidate wireless nodes.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one first storage medium further storing program instructions executable by the at least one first processor for:

utilizing the sensor information for determining positions of interferers in a wireless environment of the wireless node after performing step (a).