Motion-controlled device for supporting planning, deployment or operation of a wireless network

• US 9,894,536 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Aruba Networks Incorporated (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Paulraj, Arogyaswami, Bandemer, Bernd, Tellado, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Oveissi, David
• Application Number:
  US14/827,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 913 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatuses for a motion-controlled device that is operable to support deployment or operation of a wireless network, are disclosed. One apparatus (motion-controlled device) includes a receiver, a motion controller, and a controller. The receiver is operative to sense wireless communication signals of a wireless network. The motion controller is operative to control a positioning of the motion-controlled device in a plurality of dimensions. The controller is operative to at least facilitate analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals, and provide a control signal to the motion controller, wherein the control signal controls the positioning of the motion-controlled device based at least in part on the sensed wireless communication signals.

Claims

1. A motion-controlled device, comprising:

a receiver to sense wireless communication signals of a plurality of separate wireless devices of a wireless network;

a motion controller to control a positioning of the motion-controlled device in a plurality of dimensions;

a controller to;

at least facilitate analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices; and

provide a control signal to the motion controller, wherein the control signal controls the positioning of the motion-controlled device based at least in part on the analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices; and

wherein;

the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices of the wireless network comprise signals interfering with communication within the wireless network; and

the positioning of the motion-controlled device reduces a sensed signal strength of a first wireless device below a specified threshold and maintains or increases a sensed signal strength of a second wireless device.

2. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further to support communication with an analytics engine.

3. The motion-controlled device of claim 2, wherein motion control of the motion-controlled device is at least partially controlled by the analytics engine.

4. The motion-controlled device of claim 2, wherein sensing of the wireless communication signals is at least partially controlled by the analytics engine.

5. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the controller to provide the control signal to the motion controller comprises the controller to:

determine a received signal quality parameter at the receiver of a signal received from at least one terminal of the wireless network; and

select the control signal to the motion controller to reposition the motion-controlled device to change the received signal quality parameter of the signal received from the at least one terminal of the wireless network.

6. The motion-controlled device of claim 5, wherein the control signal to the motion controller is selected to reposition the motion-controlled device to change the received signal quality parameter of the signal received from the at least one of terminals of the wireless network, while maintaining a received signal quality parameter of at least one signal received from other terminals of the wireless network relative to a specified threshold.

7. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein motion control of the motion-controlled device is at least partially controlled by an operator.

8. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein sensing of the wireless communication signals is at least partially controlled by an operator.

9. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein sensing of the wireless communication signals is at least partially controlled by a software agent operating on the controller of the motion-controlled device.

10. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the sensed wireless communication signals comprise signals transmitted from a first external transceiver to a second external transceiver, wherein the analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals comprises diagnosing a problem condition associated with signals transmitted from the first external transceiver to the second external transceiver.

11. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor is separate from the receiver.

12. The motion-controlled device of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor, and wherein the controller is further to:

facilitate analysis of a wireless device of the wireless network based on at least one image generated by the image sensor;

determine from at least one image generated by the image sensor an approximation of a measureable quantity related to the wireless network;

determine, based on the approximation of the measureable quantity, whether to conduct a direct measurement of the measureable quantity related to the wireless network;

perform the direct measurement of the measureable quantity related to the wireless network; and

select the control signal to the motion controller to reposition the motion-controlled device to change the measureable quantity towards a pre-specified target value.

13. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, further comprising a positioning detection unit to determine one or more physical positioning coordinates of the motion-controlled device.

14. The motion-controlled device the motion-controlled device of claim 13, wherein the motion-controlled device is to measure a quantity of interest at each of multiple positionings.

15. The motion-controlled device of claim 14, wherein the controller is further to communicate the measured quantities of interest and corresponding positionings to an analytics engine.

16. The motion-controlled device of claim 15, wherein the analytic engine generates a map of the quantity of interest.

17. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is one of a plurality of motion-controlled devices, wherein each motion-controlled device of the plurality of motion-controlled devices is physically stored at a predetermined location, wherein each point in the wireless network can be navigated to by at least one of the plurality of motion-controlled devices within a predetermined time.

18. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is to follow a predefined measurement schedule when a problem of the wireless network is detected.

19. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is a relay station within the wireless network.

20. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, further comprising a pointing analysis device to detect a pointing direction of a directional apparatus (antenna) of a wireless device of the wireless network.

21. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is to communicate with a wireless device of the wireless network.

22. The motion-controlled device of claim 21, wherein the communication with the wireless device of the wireless network is through a secondary communication channel of the motion-controlled device.

23. The motion-controlled device of claim 22, wherein the communication with the wireless device of the wireless network comprises the motion-controlled device receiving internal state information of the wireless device.

24. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the controller and the motion controller are further to dock the motion-controlled device with a wireless device of the wireless network.

25. The motion-controlled device of claim 24, wherein at least some information is communicated between the motion-controlled device and the wireless device through a mechanical/electrical connection that is established while the motion-controlled device is docked with the wireless device.

26. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is to modify or update a wireless device of the wireless network and wherein to modify or update is selected from an upgrade of firmware, replacement of at least a portion of hardware, connection to a different access point, reorientation, and a reboot of the wireless device.

27. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is to determine desirable placements of to-be-deployed wireless devices of the wireless network.

28. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device includes a directional antenna.

29. The motion-controlled device of claim 28, wherein the motion-controlled device is to indicate desirable placement of the to-be-deployed wireless device by physically marking the position.

30. The motion-controlled device of claim 28, further comprising controlling a positioning of the directional antenna.

31. The motion-controlled device of claim 1, wherein the motion-controlled device is one of a plurality of motion-controlled devices, and wherein positioning of at least one of the plurality of motion-controlled devices is coordinated by an analytics engine that is communicating with each of the plurality of motion-controlled devices.

32. A wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of separate wireless devices for communication through the wireless network;

one or more motion-controlled devices, wherein each motion-controlled device includes;

a receiver to sense wireless communication signals of the plurality of separate wireless devices of the wireless network;

a motion controller to control a positioning of the motion-controlled device in a plurality of dimensions;

a controller to;

at least facilitate analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices; and

provide a control signal to the motion controller, wherein the control signal controls the positioning of the motion-controlled device based at least in part on analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices; and

wherein;

the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices of the wireless network comprise signals interfering with communication within the wireless network; and

the positioning of the motion-controlled device reduces a sensed signal strength of a first wireless device below a specified threshold and maintains or increases a sensed signal strength of a second wireless device.

33. The wireless network of claim 32, further comprising an analytics engine, wherein the analytics engine detects events associated with the wireless network, and instructs the one or more motion-controlled devices to collect event-related information.

34. The wireless network of claim 33, wherein the control signal to the motion control is additionally based at least partially on the detected events.

35. A method of characterizing a wireless network, comprising:

sensing, by a receiver of a motion-controlled device, wireless communication signals of a plurality of separate wireless devices of a wireless network;

controlling, by a motion controller, a positioning of the motion-controlled device in a plurality of dimensions;

analyzing the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices; and

providing a control signal to the motion controller, wherein the control signal controls the positioning of the motion-controlled device based at least in part on the analysis of the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices; and

wherein;

the sensed wireless communication signals from the plurality of separate wireless devices of the wireless network comprise signals interfering with communication within the wireless network; and

the positioning of the motion-controlled device reduces a sensed signal strength of a first wireless device below a specified threshold and maintains or increases a sensed signal strength of a second wireless device.