Methods and apparatus for access point location
First Claim
1. A computerized method of determining an optimized installation configuration to install a wireless access point within a user premises, said computerized method comprising:
- configuring at least one computer program application operative to run on at least one of a plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices disposed in respective ones of a plurality of locations within said user premises;
causing, by said at least one computer program application, each of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to;
(i) exchange signals between one another as part of an iterative process, and (ii) collect data relating to one or more radio frequency characteristics at respective ones of said plurality of locations;
receiving, by said at least one computer program application, said collected data;
utilizing at least said collected data to generate a plurality of profiles associated with said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, respectively, wherein said plurality of profiles comprise a plurality of respective antenna signatures associated with said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices;
utilizing said plurality of respective antenna signatures to associate said one or more radio frequency characteristics of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to said plurality of locations;
determining, via use of said plurality of profiles, said optimized installation configuration; and
displaying, via at least one computerized graphical user interface, information relating to said optimized installation configuration to a user;
wherein said iterative process comprises;
enabling a mode that allows an individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to act as an ad hoc access point;
receiving, by said individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, said data from one or more available other ones of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices;
disabling said mode to cause said individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to stop acting as said ad hoc access point; and
enabling said mode for another individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to act as said ad hoc access point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for determining a desired or optimal location for one or more access points within a premises. In one embodiment, software is provided to wireless-enabled client devices in a user premises; the software enables each of the devices to communicate with one another and collect a plurality of data relating to the connectivity of each at various locations within the premises. The data is used to determine a desired or optimal location for placement of an access point. Once the optimal location is determined, the access point is placed, and the client devices communicate therewith. In one variant, ongoing data may be collected as the system operates to ensure continued optimization. In the instance changes in the topology or environment of the user premises cause significant alterations to the communication signals or connectivity, a new optimal location for the access point may be determined.
592 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computerized method of determining an optimized installation configuration to install a wireless access point within a user premises, said computerized method comprising:
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configuring at least one computer program application operative to run on at least one of a plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices disposed in respective ones of a plurality of locations within said user premises; causing, by said at least one computer program application, each of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to;
(i) exchange signals between one another as part of an iterative process, and (ii) collect data relating to one or more radio frequency characteristics at respective ones of said plurality of locations;receiving, by said at least one computer program application, said collected data; utilizing at least said collected data to generate a plurality of profiles associated with said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, respectively, wherein said plurality of profiles comprise a plurality of respective antenna signatures associated with said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices; utilizing said plurality of respective antenna signatures to associate said one or more radio frequency characteristics of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to said plurality of locations; determining, via use of said plurality of profiles, said optimized installation configuration; and displaying, via at least one computerized graphical user interface, information relating to said optimized installation configuration to a user; wherein said iterative process comprises; enabling a mode that allows an individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to act as an ad hoc access point; receiving, by said individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, said data from one or more available other ones of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices; disabling said mode to cause said individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to stop acting as said ad hoc access point; and enabling said mode for another individual one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to act as said ad hoc access point. - View Dependent Claims (5, 7)
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2. A computerized method of determining an optimized placement of a wireless access point at a premises, said computerized method comprising:
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causing a plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to transmit and receive signals in a prescribed sequence in order to characterize;
(i) at least one of movement or predictable pathways within said premises, and (ii) a performance of each of a plurality of wireless links between said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices;wherein said characterization of said at least one of said movement or said predictable pathways within said premises comprises;
(i) generating a plurality of location profile data structures, said plurality of location profile data structures associated with respective ones of a plurality of locations within said premises where said plurality of wireless links are disposed, and (ii) initiating said prescribed sequence based on a movement of at least one of the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices;displaying information relating to said plurality of location profile data structures to at least one user of said premises, said displaying comprising enabling said at least one user to provide input to prioritize said plurality of locations based on a relative importance for each of said plurality of locations to said at least one user; and determining, based at least in part on said prioritization and said characterizations of said performance of said plurality of wireless links, a configuration comprising one or more of said plurality of locations where said performance of said plurality of wireless links is optimized when considered in an aggregate; wherein said causing said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to transmit and receive signals in said prescribed sequence comprises causing at least; (i) a first one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to radiate radio frequency signals, and a second one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to receive said radio frequency signals radiated from said first one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices; and (ii) said second one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to radiate radio frequency signals, and a third one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to receive said radio frequency signals radiated from said second one of said plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 6)
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8. A computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus, cause a computerized process to:
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receive data collected by each of a plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, the collected data relating to one or more radio frequency characteristics at respective ones of a plurality of locations within a user premises; utilize the collected data to generate data representative of a plurality of profiles associated with the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices, respectively, wherein the plurality of profiles comprise a plurality of respective antenna signatures associated with the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices; utilize the plurality of respective antenna signatures to associate the one or more radio frequency characteristics of the respective plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices to the respective plurality of locations; determine, via use of at least the data representative of the plurality of profiles, an optimized installation configuration for use of a wireless access point within the user premises; and cause display, via at least one computerized graphical user interface, of information relating to the optimized installation configuration to a user at least one of the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized client devices. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus, cause a computerized process to:
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cause a plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices to transmit and receive signals in a prescribed sequence in order to characterize;
(i) at least one of movement or predictable pathways within a premises, and (ii) a performance of each of a plurality of wireless links between the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices;wherein the characterization of the movement or the predictable pathways within the premises comprises;
(i) a generation of a plurality of location profile data, the plurality of location profile data associated with respective ones of a plurality of locations within the premises where the plurality of wireless links are disposed, and (ii) an initiation of the prescribed sequence based on a movement of at least one of the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices; anddetermine, based at least on the characterizations of (i) the at least one of the movement or the predictable pathways within the premises, and (ii) the performance of each of the plurality of wireless links between the plurality of wireless-enabled computerized devices, a configuration comprising one or more of the plurality of locations where the performance of the plurality of wireless links is optimized when considered in an aggregate. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification