System for the three-dimensional display of wireless communication system performance

• US 6,499,006 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1999
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rappaport, Theodore S., Skidmore, Roger R
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US09/352,678
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 703/5, 703/18, 703/20, 455/33.1, 455/67.1, 455/33.4, 455/56.1, 345/133
• US Class Current: 703/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/336 Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3913 Predictive models, e.g. based on neural network models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment

Abstract

A method for displaying the results of predicted wireless communication system performance as a three-dimensional region of fluctuating elevation and/or color within a three-dimensional computer drawing database consisting of one or more multi-level buildings, terrain, flora, and additional static and dynamic obstacles (e.g., automobiles, people, filing cabinets, etc.). The method combines computerized organization, database fusion, and site-specific performance prediction models. The method enables a design engineer to visualize the performance of any wireless communication system as a three-dimensional region of fluctuating elevation, color, or other aesthetic characteristics with fully selectable display parameters, overlaid with the three-dimensional site-specific computer model for which the performance prediction was carried out.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying a simulated performance characteristic for a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of:

modeling a three-dimensional environment;

modeling a wireless communication system in said three-dimensional environment;

generating a computer simulation of at least one performance characteristic for said wireless communication system operating in said three-dimensional environment;

displaying said three-dimensional environment; and

displaying said at least one performance characteristic as a three-dimensional representation of fluctuating elevations superimposed on said displayed three-dimensional environment,

wherein said three-dimensional representation comprises a mesh of fluctuating elevations, wherein a height of said fluctuating elevations corresponds to a value of said at least one performance characteristic.

2. A computer implemented method for displaying a simulated performance characteristic for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting only a portion of said three-dimensional environment to be displayed.

3. A computer implemented method for displaying a simulated performance characteristic for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional environment comprises at least one building.

4. A computer implemented method for displaying a simulated performance characteristic for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional environment comprises any of buildings, furniture, landscaping, terrain, climatic conditions, and obstacles.

5. A computer implemented method for displaying a simulated performance characteristic for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one performance characteristic comprises any of radio signal strength intensity (RSSI), network throughput, bit error rate, frame error rate, signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

6. A computer implemented method for displaying a simulated performance characteristic for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of moving a displayed three-dimensional region to create a fly-through effect.

7. A computer program for displaying simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of:

modeling a wireless communication system in a simulated three-dimensional environment;

calculating RF characteristics for said wireless communication system; and

displaying said RF characteristics as a three-dimensional representation of fluctuating elevations superimposed on said three-dimensional environment,

wherein said three-dimensional representation of fluctuating elevations comprises a mesh, wherein a height of said mesh at any given point corresponds to a value of said RF characteristics at said point.

8. A computer program for displaying simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of color coding said mesh according to a value of said RF characteristics.

9. A computer program for displaying simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 7 wherein said RF characteristics are selected from the group consisting of radio signal strength intensity (RSSI), network throughput, bit error rate, frame error rate, signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

10. A computer program for displaying simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 7 wherein said three-dimensional environment comprise s at least one building.

11. A computer program for displaying simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 7 wherein said three-dimensional environment comprises any of buildings, furniture, landscaping, terrain, climatic conditions, and obstacles.

12. A computer program for displaying simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of moving a displayed three-dimensional representation of fluctuating elevations to create a fly-through effect.

13. A method for presenting simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system, comprising;

creating a database of parameters comprising a three-dimensional environment;

positioning representations of hardware device components within said environment to form a wireless communication system;

running a prediction model of the wireless communication system to predict RF characteristics at points within said environment;

configuring said RF characteristics in terms of relative elevations on a mesh;

presenting said mesh superimposed on said three-dimensional environment, wherein a relative height of said mesh at any given point in said three-dimensional environment corresponds to said RF characteristics at that point.

14. A method for presenting simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of configuring said RF characteristics in terms of color on said mesh.

15. A method for presenting simulated electromagnetic radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 13 wherein said database of parameters comprising said three-dimensional environment includes any of buildings, furniture, landscaping, terrain, climatic conditions, and obstacles and said hardware device parameters includes any of antennas, receivers, transmitters, cables, amplifiers and splitters.

16. A method for presenting simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 13, wherein said RF characteristics comprise any of radio signal strength intensity (RSSI), network throughput, bit error rate, frame error rate, signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

17. A method for presenting simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system as recited in claim 13, wherein said mesh comprises a plurality of wireframe connected vertices.

18. A method for presenting simulated radio frequency (RF) characteristics for a wireless communication system, comprising:

creating a database of environmental elements comprising a three-dimensional environment;

positioning representations of hardware device components within said three-dimensional environment to form a wireless communication system;

repositioning at least one of a group consisting of an environmental element and a hardware device component which are selected from said environmental elements and said hardware device components;

running prediction models for said wireless communication system to predict RF characteristics within said three-dimensional environment; and

presenting said predicted RF characteristics as a three-dimensional representation superimposed on said three-dimensional environment, wherein said three dimensional representation changes in real time as said at least one of said group consisting of an environmental element and a hardware device component selected from said environmental elements and said hardware device components are repositioned.

19. A method for presenting simulated electromagnetic characteristics in a simulated three-dimensional environment, comprising the steps of:

modeling a wireless electromagnetic system in a simulated three-dimensional environment;

calculating electromagnetic characteristics for said wireless electromagnetic system; and

presenting said calculated electromagnetic characteristics as a three-dimensional representation of fluctuating elevations superimposed on said three-dimensional environment.

20. A method for presenting simulated electromagnetic characteristics in a simulated three-dimensional environment as recited in claim 19 wherein said three-dimensional representation comprises at least one of fluctuating elevations and colors.