Access point management and usage in a network environment

• US 9,648,506 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Geller, Steven I., Stern, Peter, Cerbone, Robert A., Roudi, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US14/167,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20150215791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 455446-449, 4554561-457, 715762-764, 715765, 715767, 715769, 715771-773, 715775, 715780-783
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A network management application receives input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment. The input specifies a geographical location in which the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment. The network management application produces a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input. The message indicates that the subscriber requests installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location. The network management application initiates transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location. A service provider analyzes installation request information produced by the aggregator resource to determine where to install one or more new wireless access points in the network environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment, the input specifying a geographical location in which the subscriber requests an installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment, the input being received from a graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of the computer device;

producing a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input, the message indicating that the subscriber requests the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location;

initiating transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location;

monitoring a current location of the computer device; and

in response to detecting;

i) a presence of the computer device in a vicinity of a geographical region in which other subscribers of computer devices have requested installations of new wireless access points; and

ii) that a number of the other subscribers requesting the installations of at least some of the new wireless access points at the geographical location is above a threshold value,

initiating, on the display screen of the computer device, a display of the graphical user interface to the subscriber operating the computer device, the graphical user interface including a selectable option for the subscriber to request the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting the current location of the computer device;

initiating display of a map of the geographical region on the display screen of the computer device, the map of the geographical region including the current location of the computer device; and

initiating display of a first symbol on the displayed map, the first symbol indicating the current location of the computer device in the geographical region.

3. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

from the subscriber, receiving selection of the geographical location via input to the displayed map; and

initiating display of a second symbol on the map, the second symbol indicating the geographical location selected by the subscriber for the installation of the new wireless access point.

4. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

initiating display of a visual indication on the map, the visual indication indicating locations in the geographical region where the other subscribers requested the installations of at least some of the new wireless access points at the geographical location.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the geographical location included in the message is the current location of the computer device.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

initiating display of a notification to the subscriber operating the computer device in response to detecting activation of a non-WiFi™

wireless communication link by the computer device to communicate in the network environment, the notification prompting the subscriber to input a request for the installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a unique identifier value; and

including the unique identifier value in the message to indicate an identity of the subscriber requesting the installation of the new wireless access point.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

in response to detecting the presence of the computer device in the vicinity of the geographical region, initiating display of a visual prompt on the display screen, the visual prompt providing notification that the subscriber operating the computer device can request the installation of the new wireless access point.

9. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

subsequent to the installation of the new wireless access point, providing a notification to the subscriber, the notification indicating a presence and location of the new wireless access point.

10. The method as in claim 9 further comprising:

providing the notification to the subscriber in response to detecting the presence of the computer device in the vicinity of the geographical region in which the subscriber previously requested the installation of the new wireless access point.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the received input from the subscriber indicates whether the specified geographical location is one of an indoor location and an outdoor location.

12. A computer system comprising:

computer processor hardware; and

a hardware storage resource coupled to the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of;

receiving an input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment, the input specifying a geographical location in which the subscriber requests an installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment, the input being received from a graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of the computer device;

producing a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input, the message indicating that the subscriber requests the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location;

initiating transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location;

monitoring a current location of the computer device; and

in response to detecting;

i) a presence of the computer device in a vicinity of a geographical region in which other subscribers of computer devices have requested installations of new wireless access points; and

ii) that a number of the other subscribers requesting the installations of at least some of the new wireless access points at the geographical location is above a threshold value,

initiating, on the display screen of the computer device, a display of the graphical user interface to the subscriber operating the computer device, the graphical user interface including a selectable option for the subscriber to request the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location.

13. The computer system as in claim 12, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

detecting the current location of the computer device;

initiating display of a map of the geographical region on the display screen of the computer device, the map of the geographical region including the current location of the computer device; and

initiating display of a first symbol on the displayed map, the first symbol indicating the current location of the computer device in the geographical region.

14. The computer system as in claim 13, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

from the subscriber, receiving selection of the geographical location via input to the displayed map; and

initiating display of a second symbol on the map, the second symbol indicating the geographical location selected by the subscriber for the installation of the new wireless access point.

15. The computer system as in claim 13, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating display of a visual indication on the map, the visual indication indicating locations in the geographical region where the other subscribers requested the installations of at least some of the new wireless access points at the geographical location.

16. The computer system as in claim 12, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating display of a notification to the subscriber operating the computer device in response to detecting activation of a non-WiFi™

wireless communication link by the computer device to communicate in the network environment, the notification prompting the subscriber to input a request for the installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment.

17. The computer system as in claim 12, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

obtaining a unique identifier value; and

including the unique identifier value in the message to indicate an identity of the subscriber requesting the installation of the new wireless access point.

18. The computer system as in claim 12, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

in response to detecting the presence of the computer device in the vicinity of the geographical region, initiating display of a visual prompt on the display screen, the visual prompt providing notification that the subscriber operating the computer device can request the installation of the new wireless access point.

19. The computer system as in claim 12, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

subsequent to the installation of the new wireless access point, providing a notification to the subscriber, the notification indicating a presence and location of the new wireless access point.

20. The computer system as in claim 19, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

providing the notification to the subscriber in response to detecting the presence of the computer device in the vicinity of the geographical region in which the subscriber previously requested the installation of the new wireless access point.

21. Computer-readable hardware storage having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:

receiving an input from a subscriber operating a computer device to add a new wireless access point to a network environment, the input specifying a geographical location in which the subscriber requests an installation of the new wireless access point in the network environment, the input being received from a graphical user interface displayed on a display screen of the computer device;

producing a message to include the geographical location as specified by the input, the message indicating that the subscriber requests the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location;

initiating transmission of the message from the computer device to an aggregator resource at a remote location;

monitoring a current location of the computer device; and

in response to detecting;

i) a presence of the computer device in a vicinity of a geographical region in which other subscribers of computer devices have requested installations of new wireless access points; and

ii) that a number of the other subscribers requesting the installations of at least some of the new wireless access points at the geographical location is above a threshold value,

initiating, on the display screen of the computer device, a display of the graphical user interface to the subscriber operating the computer device, the graphical user interface including a selectable option for the subscriber to request the installation of the new wireless access point at the geographical location.