MANAGING ANTENNAS ON AN ACCESS POINT IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20130215876A1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: SANTOS, Curtis, MASKE, Rudolph
• Granted Patent: US 9,225,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/12 of transmit antennas, e.g. of the amplitude or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/085 Access point devices with remote components

Abstract

Embodiments include a method for managing connections to one or more antennas in a wireless network. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving antenna information at a wireless controller from an antenna. Configuration information is accessed from a database coupled to the wireless controller, where this information includes suitable antenna characteristics for use with the wireless network. The received antenna information and the configuration information are compared, and instructions are provided to cause the antenna to be connected to or disconnected from the wireless network based on the comparison between the antenna information and the configuration information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving antenna information from an antenna, wherein the antenna information is received at a wireless controller of a wireless network;

accessing antenna configuration information from a database coupled to the wireless controller, wherein the antenna configuration information includes suitable antenna characteristics for use with the wireless network;

comparing the antenna information and the antenna configuration information; and

providing instructions to cause the antenna to be connected to or disconnected from the wireless network based on the comparison between the antenna information and the antenna configuration information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the antenna information does not match the antenna configuration information based on the comparison of the antenna information and the antenna configuration information, and

wherein the providing instructions cause the antenna to be disconnected from the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the antenna information matches the antenna configuration information based on the comparison of the antenna information and the antenna configuration information; and

wherein the providing instructions cause the antenna to be connected to the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the antenna information matches the antenna configuration information, and wherein the providing instructions include:

in response to the antenna information matching the antenna configuration information, providing instructions to maintain a connection of the antenna to the wireless network or to connect the antenna to the wireless network; and

in response to the antenna information not matching the antenna configuration information, providing instructions to disconnect the antenna from the wireless network or to not connect the antenna to the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the antenna is a first antenna, and further comprising:

determining that the first antenna is to be disconnected from the wireless network based on the comparison between the antenna information and the antenna configuration information; and

connecting a second antenna to the wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless controller is coupled to a wireless access point, and wherein the antenna information is received from the wireless access point and the instructions are provided to the wireless access point.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the antenna information is received using a communication channel separate from the wireless network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the antenna information is received from a radio frequency identification (RFID) module provided on the antenna.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the antenna information and the suitable antenna characteristics for use with the wireless network include at least one of:

an antenna type, an antenna operating frequency range, and an antenna signal range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the antenna type can be selected from the group consisting of directional antenna, omni-directional antenna, point-to-point antenna, point-to-multipoint antenna, home office, mobile WiFi, Yagi antenna, Backfire antenna, and parabolic antenna.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the suitable antenna characteristics for use with the wireless network are compliant with standards for operating the wireless network.

12. A device comprising:

a storage device storing antenna configuration information including suitable antenna characteristics for use with a wireless network; and

at least one processor accessing the storage device and operative to perform operations comprising;

receiving antenna information from an antenna;

accessing the antenna configuration information stored by the storage device;

comparing the antenna information with the antenna configuration information; and

providing instructions to cause the antenna to be connected to or disconnected from the wireless network based on the comparison between the antenna information and the antenna configuration information.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the processor further determines whether the antenna information matches the antenna configuration information, and wherein the providing instructions include:

in response to the antenna information matching the antenna configuration information, providing instructions to maintain a connection of the antenna to the wireless network or to connect the antenna to the wireless network; and

in response to the antenna information not matching the antenna configuration information, providing instructions to disconnect the antenna from the wireless network or not connect the antenna to the wireless network and to connecting a second antenna to the wireless network.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the antenna information is received from a wireless access point of the wireless network, and the instructions are provided to the wireless access point.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the antenna information is received using a communication channel coupled between the antenna and the wireless access point, the communication channel being separate from the wireless network.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein the antenna information and the suitable antenna characteristics for use with the wireless network include at least one of:

an antenna type, an antenna operating frequency range, and an antenna signal range.

17. A method comprising:

receiving antenna information from an antenna, wherein the antenna information is received at a wireless access point of a wireless network and describes one or more characteristics of the antenna;

providing the antenna information to a wireless controller of the wireless network;

receiving instructions from the wireless controller indicating whether the antenna is to be connected to or disconnected from the wireless network based on a comparison between the antenna information and antenna configuration information;

connecting the antenna, or maintaining connection of the antenna, to the wireless network in response to the instructions indicating the connection; and

disconnecting the antenna, or maintaining disconnection of the antenna, from the wireless network in response to the instructions indicating the disconnection.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the antenna information is received over a communication channel between the antenna and the wireless access point, wherein the communication channel is separate from the wireless network.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the communication channel includes an RFID module provided on the antenna and an RFID receiver provided on the wireless access point.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the antenna information includes at least one of:

an antenna type, an antenna operating frequency range, and an antenna signal range.

21. A system comprising:

a first antenna;

a wireless access point coupled to the first antenna;

an identification module coupled to the first antenna;

a second antenna;

a receiver coupled to the wireless access point, wherein the receiver communicates with the identification module and receives first antenna information from the identification module;

a wireless controller coupled to the wireless access point; and

a database coupled to the wireless controller and storing antenna configuration information, wherein the receiver transmits the first antenna information to the wireless controller and

wherein the wireless controller compares the first antenna information to the antenna configuration information and, based on the comparison, provides instructions to the wireless access point to couple to the first antenna or decouple from the first antenna and access the second antenna.