Systems and methods for determining operational status of functional components of a wireless signal transmission environment

• US 9,942,788 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ossia, Inc.
• Inventors: Zeine, Hatem Ibrahim, Moghaddam, Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US15/599,877
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 4554221, 455423, 455 6711, 4551151, 4552261, 4552262, 324 7611, 3406866
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/04 based on wireless node resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/06 based on characteristics of available antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

For determining operational status of components of a wireless signal transmission environment, a signal is received from a client power receiver (CPR), and at least one waveform characteristic value of the signal is calculated. Based on the determined waveform characteristic value(s), a current transceiver system operational status is computed for the CPR at a current location. The determined current transceiver system operational status is compared with a prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the CPR at the current location, and it is determined if, as a result of the comparing, the current transceiver system operational status matches the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the CPR at the current location. Determining a presence or an absence of the match facilitates identifying one of a presence and an absence of: functional problem(s) in: at least one of the transceiver system and the CPR.

Claims

1. A method for determining operational status of components of a wireless signal transmission environment, the components including a transceiver system wirelessly communicatively coupled to a client power receiver, the transceiver system including an antenna array, a processor, and a memory, the transceiver system and the client power receiver positioned in an environment, said method comprising:

receiving, at a plurality of elements of the antenna array, a signal from the client power receiver;

calculating and storing, by the processor and the memory, respectively, a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the received signal;

computing and storing, by the processor and in the memory, respectively, and based at least in part on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic for the client power receiver at a current location in the environment, a current transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location;

comparing, by the processor, the determined current transceiver system operational status with a prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location; and

determining, by the processor, if, as a result of the comparing, the computed current transceiver system operational status is a match to the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location,

wherein the determining one of a presence of the match and an absence of the match facilitates identifying, by the processor, one of a presence and an absence of;

at least one functional problem in;

at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising computing, by the processor, the current location of the client power receiver in the environment based at least in part on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing, in the memory, the determined current transceiver system operational status as a currently-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising alerting, by the processor, a user of at least one of:

the transceiver system and the client power receiver, if, as a result of the comparing, the determined current transceiver system operational status does not match the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, by the processor, user instructions to a user of at least one of:

the transceiver system and the client power receiver, if, as a result of the comparing, the determined current transceiver system operational status does not match the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location, the user instructions specifying at least one troubleshooting-related action for the user to perform in the environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver system further includes a three-dimensional (3D) array scanner, said method further comprising:

acquiring and storing, by the processor via the 3D scanner array, and in the memory, respectively, data representative of a physical layout of the environment;

determining and storing, by the processor and in the memory, respectively, a current model of the environment based at least in part on the data representative of the physical layout of the environment;

comparing, by the processor, the determined current model of the environment with a prior-stored last known model of the environment associated with the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location; and

determining, by the processor, if, as a result of the comparing of the determined current model with the prior-stored last known model, the determined current model is a match to the prior-stored last known model for the client power receiver at the current location,

wherein the determining one of a presence of the match and an absence of the match between the determined current model and the prior-stored last known model further facilitates the identifying.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the environment includes at least one line-of-sight (LOS) obstructive object, said method further comprising:

determining, by the processor and based at least in part on the comparison of the determined current model with the prior-stored last known model, a change in a position of the at least one LOS obstructive object in the determined current model relative to the prior-stored last known model; and

ascertaining, by the processor and based at least in part on at least one of;

the value of the at least one waveform characteristic, the current location, and the determined change in position, if the at least one LOS obstructive object is at least partially obscuring an LOS between the client power receiver and at least one element of the plurality of elements,

wherein the ascertaining further facilitates the identifying.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

transmitting, by the processor, a message to a user of at least one of;

the transceiver system and the client power receiver, the message instructing the user to at least one of;

verify the determined change in the position, verify whether or not the ascertained at least partial obscuration of the LOS is an actual obscuration of the LOS in the environment, and place the client power receiver in a new position that is fully in LOS with the at least one element; and

receiving a response to the message from the user, the response further facilitating the identifying.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing, for at least one repetition after a first instance of the receiving and at predetermined intervals of time over a period of time beginning at the first instance:

the receiving, the calculating and storing, the computing and storing, the comparing, the determining, and the identifying, wherein the performing facilitates tracking a plurality of historical operational statuses for the transceiver system, the tracking further facilitating the identifying.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing, at least one iteration of:

the receiving, the calculating and storing, the computing and storing, the comparing, the determining, and the identifying, for each element of at least a subset of the plurality of elements, wherein the performing further facilitates the identifying.

11. A system for determining operational status of components of a wireless signal transmission environment, said system comprising:

a transceiver system wirelessly communicatively coupled to a client power receiver, the transceiver system positioned in the environment with the transceiver system, the transceiver system including antenna array having a plurality of elements configured to receive a signal from the client power receiver;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the antenna array and communicatively coupled to at least one memory, the at least one processor programmed to;

direct the plurality of elements of the antenna array to receive the signal from the client power receiver;

calculate and store in the at least one memory a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the received signal;

compute and store in the memory, based at least in part on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic for the client power receiver at a current location in the environment, a current transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location;

compare the determined current transceiver system operational status with a prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location;

determine if, as a result of the comparing, the computed current transceiver system operational status is a match to the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location; and

identify, based at least in part on determining one of a presence of the match and an absence of the match, one of a presence and an absence of;

at least one functional problem in;

at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to compute the current location of the client power receiver in the environment based at least in part on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to store in the memory the determined transceiver system operational status as a currently-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client receiver at the current location.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to alert a user of at least one of:

the transceiver system and the client power receiver, if, as a result of the comparing, the determined current transceiver system operational status does not match the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to transmit user instructions to a user of at least one of:

the transceiver system and the client power receiver, if, as a result of the comparing, the determined current transceiver system operational status does not match the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location, the user instructions specifying at least one troubleshooting-related action for the user to perform in the environment.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the transceiver system further includes a three-dimensional (3D) array scanner, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

acquire and store in the memory, via the 3D scanner array, data representative of a physical layout of the environment;

determine and store in the memory, a current model of the environment based at least in part on the data representative of the physical layout of the environment;

compare the determined current model of the environment with a prior-stored last known model of the environment associated with the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location; and

determine if, as a result of the comparing of the determined current model with the prior-stored last known model, the determined current model is a match to the prior-stored last known model for the client power receiver at the current location,

wherein determining one of a presence of the match and an absence of the match between the determined current model and the prior-stored last known model facilitates the identifying one of a presence and an absence of;

the at least one functional problem in;

the at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the environment includes at least one line-of-sight (LOS) obstructive object, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

determine, based at least in part on the comparison of the determined current model with the prior-stored last known model, a change in a position of the at least one LOS obstructive object in the determined current model relative to the prior-stored last known model; and

ascertain, based at least in part on at least one of;

the value of the at least one waveform characteristic, the current location, and the determined change in position, if the at least one LOS obstructive object is at least partially obscuring an LOS between the client power receiver and at least one element of the plurality of elements,

wherein ascertaining if the at least one LOS obstructive object is at least partially obscuring the LOS further facilitates the identifying one of a presence and an absence of;

the at least one functional problem in;

the at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

transmit a message to a user of at least one of;

the transceiver system and the client power receiver, the message instructing the user to at least one of;

verify the determined change in the position, verify whether or not the ascertained at least partial obscuration of the LOS is an actual obscuration of the LOS in the environment, and place the client power receiver in a new position that is fully in LOS with the at least one element; and

direct receipt of a response to the message from the user, the response further facilitating the identifying one of a presence and an absence of;

the at least one functional problem in;

the at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

perform, for at least one repetition after a first instance of receiving the signal at the plurality of elements from the client power receiver, and at predetermined intervals of time over a period of time beginning at the first instance;

the receiving, the calculating and storing, the computing and storing, the comparing, the determining, and the identifying; and

track, based on performing the at least one repetition, a plurality of historical operational statuses for the transceiver system,

wherein tracking the plurality of historical operational statuses further facilitates the identifying one of a presence and an absence of;

the at least one functional problem in;

the at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

perform at least one iteration of;

the receiving, the calculating and storing, the computing and storing, the comparing, the determining, and the identifying, for each element of at least a subset of the plurality of elements,

wherein performing the at least one iteration further facilitates the identifying one of a presence and an absence of;

the at least one functional problem in;

the at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.

21. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored therein processor-executable program instructions which, when executed by at least one processor communicatively coupled to at least one memory and communicatively coupled to an antenna array of a transceiver system positioned in an environment with a client power receiver, cause the at least one processor to:

direct a plurality of elements of the antenna array to receive a signal from the client power receiver;

calculate and store in the at least one memory a value of at least one waveform characteristic of the received signal;

compute and store in the memory, based at least in part on the determined value of the at least one waveform characteristic for the client receiver at a current location in the environment, a current transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location;

compare the determined current transceiver system operational status with a prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location;

determine if, as a result of the comparing, the computed current transceiver system operational status is a match to the prior-stored last known good transceiver system operational status for the client power receiver at the current location; and

identify, based at least in part on determining one of a presence of the match and an absence of the match, one of a presence and an absence of;

at least one functional problem in;

at least one of the transceiver system and the client power receiver.