Configuration of access points including Internet of Things (IoT) radios

Abstract

The examples described herein relate to configuration of an access point including an Internet of Things (IoT) radio. An access point identifier list is received from a network management node in a network. Each access point identifier in the access point identifier list is uniquely associated with an access point including an IoT radio unit. A first rule list is received from the network management node. Each rule in the first rule list indicates a constraint and an access point configuration value. An objective function is used to identify an access point identifier that satisfies one or more constraints in the rule. An access point associated with the identified access point identifier is configured using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule.

Description

Background Art

[0001] In order to provide access to a network throughout a large area, such as a large building, organizations often rely on the use of access points. Access points can be deployed at many locations over an area where wireless network access is desired, so that client devices within the area will be within range of one or more access points. An access point can provide a wireless interface to a wired network. A typical access point can have many configurable settings. The state of a setting can affect the way the access point functions and / or other network devices, such as client devices, interface with the access point. For example, a given setting can define the transmission power that will be used when sending signals to client devices in the network. Other settings can specify the firmware and protocols enabled by the firmware that the access point can use to communicate with client devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present specification will be better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

[0003] Figure 1 Depicted examples of network systems;

[0004] Figure 2 An example of a network system for configuring an access point including an Internet of Things (IoT) radio is depicted;

[0005] Figure 3A , 3B 3C and 3C respectively depict an access point identifier list, a rule list, and a configuration file according to an example;

[0006] Figure 4 is a flow chart depicting a method for configuring an access point including an IoT radio according to another example;

[0007] Figure 5 is a flow chart depicting a method for selecting an access point for configuration according to an example;

[0008] Fig. 6A and 6B is a flow chart depicting a method for selecting a plurality of access points for configuration according to another example;

[0009] Figure 7 is a block diagram depicting a processor and a machine-readable medium encoded with example instructions for configuring an access point including an IoT radio according to an example.

[0010] It should be emphasized that in the drawings, the various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, in the drawings, the sizes of the various features have been arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Where possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar parts. It should be clearly understood that the drawings are for illustration and description only. Although several examples are described in this document, modifications, adaptations and other implementations are possible. Therefore, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosed examples. On the contrary, the proper scope of the disclosed examples may be defined by the appended claims.

[0012] The terms used herein are to describe specific examples and are not intended to be limited. As used herein, the singular forms "one", "one" and "the" are intended to also include plural forms, unless otherwise indicated by the context. As used herein, the term "another" is defined as at least the second or more. Unless otherwise specified, the term "coupling" as used herein is defined as connection, whether directly without any intermediate element connection or with the connection with at least one intermediate element indirectly. For example, two elements can be mechanically, electrically or communicatively linked and coupled by a communication channel, path, network or system. In addition, the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of the associated listed items. It will also be understood that although the terms first, second, third, fourth, etc. can be used to describe various elements in this article, these elements should not be limited by these terms, because these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, unless otherwise specified or the context indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "includes" means including but not limited to, and the term "including" means including but not limited to. The term "based on" means at least partially based on.

[0013] The access point may include a radio component that can use radio signals to send data to and receive data from wireless client devices in the network. The radio component may include a combination of hardware and software and may be developed based on a technical standard (e.g., IEEE802.11 ax, IEEE802.15.1, IEEE802.15.4, etc.). Based on the standard, the radio component may support a protocol for client devices to communicate that the client devices support. A protocol may refer to a set of rules governing the types of data, commands, syntax, etc. used during communication between devices in a network. Some example protocols may include Wi-Fi protocols, Bluetooth protocols, Internet of Things (IoT) protocols, etc.

[0014] A radio component capable of supporting IoT protocols may be referred to as an "IoT radio". An access point with an IoT radio may support IoT protocols such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ZigBee, Thread, and the like. In some examples, an IoT radio may be developed based on standards such as Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) standards, such as IEEE802.15.1 and IEEE802.15.4 standards, and the like, thereby allowing support for multiple IoT protocols. The IoT radio may support other protocols such as Wireless High-Speed ​​Addressable Remote Transducer Protocol (Wireless HART), ISA100.11a, IPv6 over Low Power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN), Real-Time IoT (RIOT), TinyOS, Unison RTOS, nanoQplus, Contiki, Zephyr, and the like.

[0015] The access point and the IoT radio may include separate memory components capable of storing firmware. Firmware may refer to a specific set of instructions stored in non-volatile memory that initializes the functionality of hardware and software components in the device. In an IoT radio, the firmware may support one or more protocols (e.g., IoT protocols) that allow the access point to interface with another device (e.g., an IoT device). In the access point, the firmware may authenticate other software components stored in non-volatile memory, such as an access point image. The access point image may include boot software, such as a boot loader, an operating system, and other machine executable instructions for implementing protocols (such as IoT protocols). The boot loader may include instructions that are loaded into main memory and may interface hardware components and an operating system.

[0016] The access point may be able to communicate with multiple IoT devices using different IoT protocols, which may be supported by firmware stored in a memory component of the IoT radio device and / or the access point. However, the memory components in the IoT radio and in the access point have limited capacity. Due to the limited memory capacity, the firmware installed in the IoT radio may not be able to support multiple protocols. For example, the total memory space in the IoT radio may be less than 1MB. The memory component may need to include firmware, boot loaders, and additional software components for the protocols, such as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) images, which may require more than 1MB of memory space in total. To overcome this limitation, multiple firmwares can be bundled in an access point image in the memory component of the access point, each of which can support different protocols. However, the memory component in the access point also has a limited capacity, which limits the number of firmwares that can be bundled in the access point image.

[0017] Some methods to address memory limitations may include manually reconfiguring access points with specific radio settings or configurations (e.g., protocols, firmware, transmission power) when needed. However, manual reconfiguration of each access point may be tedious and labor-intensive. For example, a network environment may include IoT devices that operate and communicate using BLE or ZigBee protocols. In such a network, access points may need to be reconfigured in certain scenarios. Example scenarios may include changes in the density of different types of IoT devices in an area, low signal strength received at some access points, and / or installation of new IoT devices in a specific location. In order to change the configuration of an access point, a network administrator may have to manually assign configuration values ​​to each access point individually. This task may become complicated when the number of protocols, firmware, and / or IoT devices in the network increases. In addition, some access points may also require third-party firmware to support certain protocols, such as 6LoWPAN.

[0018] In some solutions, a central entity in the network can execute an application or microservice that can manage the reconfiguration of access points. The central entity can be a server, controller, or network device capable of managing a group of access points or individual access points. The central entity can periodically obtain network data and determine configuration values ​​for each access point. However, in a network that includes access points with IoT radios and IoT client devices, the central entity may not be able to obtain useful data for determining configuration values. For example, some IoT devices (such as ZigBee-based devices) may be silent and may not automatically provide data to the central entity. For example, such a device may require manual interaction to pair with a nearby access point. In such a scenario, the central entity may not be able to perform automatic configuration of the access point.

[0019] To this end, the examples described herein solve the above technical problems by providing automatic reconfiguration of access points including Internet of Things (IoT) radios using a centralized entity. In some examples, a list of access point identifiers is received from a network management node in a network. Each access point identifier in the list of access point identifiers is uniquely associated with an access point including an IoT wireless unit. A first list of rules is received from the network management node. Each rule in the first list of rules indicates a constraint and an access point configuration value. An objective function is used to identify an access point identifier that satisfies one or more constraints in the rule. An access point associated with the identified access point identifier is configured using the access point configuration value as indicated in the rule.

[0020] Thus, the examples presented herein provide configuration of access points including IoT radio components using a centralized entity. Rather than configuring each access point individually, the centralized entity utilizes admin-defined rules to dynamically determine the ideal combination of access points and access point configuration values. In addition, the configuration process overcomes memory limitations in IoT radios and reduces manual intervention for configuring access points. In addition, the examples described herein allow dynamic configuration of access points due to or when rules are received from a network administrator. Based on the configuration process, the radio capabilities of the access points can also be balanced to manage the varying client device density in the network.

[0021] Before describing in detail examples of the disclosed methods and systems, it is useful to describe example network installations in which these systems and methods may be implemented in various applications. Figure 1 An example of a network system 100 is shown, which can be implemented, for example, for an organization, such as a commercial space, a health care facility, a warehouse or storage facility, an educational institution, a government entity, or other organization. The figure shows an example of a network implemented with an organization having multiple client devices 110 and multiple physical or geographic sites 122, 132, 142. The network system 100 can include a primary site 122 in communication with the network 120. The network system 100 can also include secondary sites 132 and tertiary sites 142, which can be remote from the primary site and in communication with the network 120.

[0022] The main site 122 may include a main network, which may be, for example, a home network, an organizational network, or other network installation. In some examples, the main site 122 network may be a private network, such as a network that may include security and access controls to limit access to authorized users of the private network. Authorized users may include, for example, residents of a house, customers at a business, employees of a company at the main site 122, and the like.

[0023] Each site 122, 132, 142 can communicate with a management node 102 for managing and configuring network devices present at the site. The management node 102 can be a central system with computing, storage, and networking capabilities, such as a computing system or server. The management node 102 can use such capabilities to receive network data, process network data, and configure network devices. For example, the management node 102 can be operable to configure access points 106A-C, such as at the primary site 122, and also at the secondary site 132 and the tertiary site 142. The management node 102 can also manage the configuration of switches, routers, and / or client devices. Figure 2 The management node 102 and its capabilities are described in further detail.

[0024] In the illustrated example, the master site 122 includes a controller 104 that communicates with the management node 102 via the network 120. The controller 104 can provide communication with the network 120 for the master site 122, although it may not be the only point of communication with the network 120 for the master site 122. In some examples, the controller 104 can be hardware, software, or a combination thereof for orchestrating and centralizing control of network devices such as access points 106A-C, client devices 110A-J, etc. A single controller 104 is shown, but the master site 122 can include multiple controllers and / or multiple communication points with the network 120. In some examples, the controller 104 communicates with the network 120 using a router (not shown). In some examples, the controller 104 itself can be or provide the functionality of the access point 106A-C. In other examples, the controller 104 provides router functionality to devices in the master site 122. The controller 104 can communicate with the access points 106A-C and / or one or more switches 108. The switch 108 and access points 106A-C provide network connectivity to various client devices 110A-J. Using a connection to the switch 108 or access points 106A-C, the client devices 110A-J can access network resources, including other devices at the main site 122 and other systems and devices connected to the network 120.

[0025] The client device 110 may facilitate resources (e.g., computing, storage, and / or networking resources) for one or more workloads (such as applications) executed thereon. In various examples, the client device 110 may be an Internet of Things (IoT) device, which includes a processor or microcontroller, a memory component, a network component, and / or any other electronic component. In a given implementation of the network system 100, the client device 110 may have similar or varying hardware and / or software configurations. Examples of the client device 110 may include, but are not limited to, sensors, computing devices, IoT-enabled devices, industrial IoT (IIoT)-enabled devices, which may be included in a virtualized architecture and / or a non-virtualized architecture. As used herein, "IoT-enabled devices" include devices embedded with electronic devices, software, sensors, actuators, and / or network connections that enable such devices to connect to a network and / or exchange data. As used herein, "IIoT"-enabled devices refer to devices that enable IoT in industrial applications (such as, for example, manufacturing or energy management). Examples of IoT-enabled devices include sensors, vehicles, monitoring devices, devices that enable smart shopping systems, manufacturing equipment, and the like.

[0026] In addition to IoT devices, client device 110 may also include electronic devices or systems such as computer devices, workstations, desktop computers, laptop computers, smart phones, smart wearable devices, head-mounted display devices, mainframes, tablet computers, e-readers, netbook computers, televisions and similar monitors (e.g., smart TVs), content receivers, set-top boxes, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart terminals, dumb terminals, servers, virtual terminals, video game consoles, virtual assistants, etc.

[0027] Additionally, within the primary site 122, a switch 108 is included as one example of an access point for wired client devices 110I-J to a network established within the primary site 122. The client devices 110I-J may connect to the switch 108 and, through the switch 108, may be able to access other devices within the network system 100. The client devices 110I-J may also be able to access the network 120 through the switch 108. The client devices 110I-J may communicate with the switch 108 through a wired connection 112. In the example shown, the switch 108 communicates with the controller 104 through the wired connection 112, but the connection may also be wireless.

[0028] The access points 106A-C provide access points to the network established in the main site 122 for the client devices 110A-H. The access points 106A-C can control network access for the client devices 110A-H and can authenticate the client devices 110A-H for connection to the access points and through the access points to other devices within the network system 100. Each of the access points 106A-C can be a combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to provide wireless network connections to the wireless client devices 110A-H. In some examples, the access points 106A-C can be configured and managed by the management node 102. In other examples, the access points 106A-C can be managed and configured by the controller 104. The access points 106A-C communicate with the controller 104 and the network via the connection 112, which can be a wired or wireless interface. The access points 106A-C may include a radio component for communicating with the client devices 110A-H using radio signals. In some examples, the radio component may be an IoT radio component capable of communicating with an IoT client device using an IoT protocol. In some examples, the radio component may also include a Wi-Fi radio component, a Bluetooth radio component, etc.

[0029] The network system 100 may include one or more secondary sites 132. The secondary site 132 may be located in a different physical or geographic location than the primary site 122. In some cases, the secondary site 132 may be located in the same geographic location or possibly the same building as the primary site 122, but lacks direct connectivity to a network located within the primary site 122. Instead, the secondary site 132 may utilize connectivity through a different network (e.g., the network 120). The secondary site 132 may include a gateway device 134 for communicating with the network 120. The gateway device 134 may be a router, a digital-to-analog modem, a cable modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, or some other network device configured to communicate with the network 120. The secondary site 132 may also include a switch 138 and / or an access point 106D that communicates with the gateway device 134 via a wired or wireless connection. The switch 138 and the access point 106D may provide connectivity to the network for the various client devices 110A-N.

[0030] In various examples, the secondary site 132 may communicate directly with the primary site 122 such that client devices 110K-N at the secondary site 132 access network resources at the primary site 122 as if those client devices 110O-P were located at the primary site 122. In such examples, the secondary site 132 may be managed by the controller 104 at the primary site 122, and the controller 104 may provide the necessary connectivity, security, and accessibility to enable the secondary site 132 to communicate with the primary site 122. Once connected to the primary site 122, the secondary site 132 may function as part of a private network provided by the primary site 122.

[0031] In various examples, the network system 100 may include one or more smaller tertiary sites 142 that include only a gateway device 144 for communicating with the network 120 and the wireless access point 106E through which various client devices 110O-P access the network 120. Such tertiary sites 142 may represent, for example, the homes of individual employees or temporary remote offices. The tertiary sites 142 may also communicate with the primary site 122 so that client devices 110O-P at the tertiary sites 142 access network resources at the primary site 122 as if these client devices 110A-O were located at the primary site 122. Once connected to the primary site 122, the tertiary sites 142 may be used as part of a private network provided by the primary site 122.

[0032] The network 120 may be a public or private network, such as the Internet or other communications network, to allow connectivity between the various sites 122, 132 to 142. The network 120 may include third-party telecommunication lines, such as telephone lines, broadcast coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, satellite communications, cellular communications, etc. The network 120 may include any number of intermediate network devices, such as switches, routers, gateways, servers, and / or controllers, that are not directly part of the network system 100 but that facilitate communications between various parts of the network system 100 and between the network system 100 and other network-connected entities.

[0033] Figure 2 A network system 200 according to an example is depicted, the network system 200 including the management node 102, the network management node 202, and the access points 106A-C. The access points 106A-C may be as described with reference to Figure 1 1. For example, management node 202 may be coupled to network site 122 via network 120 as part of network system 200. Network system 200 may facilitate configuration of access points 106A-C including IoT radio components 108A-C, respectively. Figure 2 Although the network system 200 is shown as including one management node 102, one network management node 202, and three access points 106A-C, the network system 200 may include any number of management nodes, network management nodes, and access points without limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0034] Examples of network 120 may be public or private networks, including but not limited to Internet Protocol (IP) or non-IP based local area networks (LANs), wireless LANs (WLANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), storage area networks (SANs), personal area networks (PANs), cellular communication networks, and the Internet. Communications through network 120 may be performed according to various communication protocols, such as but not limited to transmission control protocol and Internet protocol (TCP / IP), user datagram protocol (UDP), IEEE 802.11, and / or cellular communication protocols. Communications through network 120 may be implemented via wired (e.g., copper, optical communications, etc.), or wireless communication technologies. In some examples, network 120 may be implemented via dedicated communication links, including but not limited to communication links established via wireless, wired (e.g., copper), etc.

[0035] Access points 106A-C may be referenced Figure 1 The access points 106A-C may perform network data transmission operations, including but not limited to switching, routing, bridging, or a combination thereof. The access points 106A-C may also perform network interface operations, which may allow for, for example, Figure 1 Wireless network devices such as the client devices 110A-P shown in FIG. 1 are connected to a wired or wireless network via various communication standards. Access points 106A-C may include any necessary hardware components, including but not limited to a processing unit, a memory unit, an input device, communication equipment, etc. Access points 106A-C may include one or more network interfaces. The network interface may include a network interface controller (NIC) having one or more ports (e.g., an Ethernet port), one or more sockets, one or more adapters, or a combination thereof. Access points are not intended to be limited to wireless access points that comply with the IEEE 802.11 standard.

[0036] In addition, access points 106A-C may include a radio component with a specific media access control (MAC) address. In some examples, the radio component may be an IoT radio. In some examples, the radio component may operate at a 5 GHz band that complies with the IEEE 802.11ac standard, a 2.4 GHz band that complies with one or more of the IEEE 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11g standards, or a combination thereof. In some examples, radio components 108A-C may operate at one or more frequency bands. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the radio device of the network interface may send and receive wireless signals that comply with any suitable type of wireless communication standard now known or later developed, and / or operate at any suitable frequency range.

[0037] The network management node 202 may include at least one processor and at least one machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by the at least one processor to manage the functions of the network site 122. The network management node 202 may monitor and orchestrate access points and other devices (e.g., Figure 1 1, client devices 110A-P, switches 108) shown in FIG. 1. For example, the network management node 202 can obtain settings associated with access points 106A-C in a network site 122. In some examples, the access point settings can include radio configurations, including but not limited to firmware type, protocols, power specifications, etc. In some examples, the network management node 202 can receive access point identifiers 210, 212, 214 (labeled as AP_ID1, AP_ID2, AP_ID3) from the access points 106A-C, respectively. The access point identifiers can include access point contexts, which can specify the type and location of the access point in the network site 122. For example, the type of the access point can indicate a type of access point design (e.g., internal antenna or external antenna) or a type based on an operating environment (e.g., an indoor access point or an outdoor access point). For example, the location of the access point can indicate a location with respect to the site (e.g., a floor number and a building name in the site).

[0038] In addition, the network management node 202 can participate in any network data transmission operation, including but not limited to switching, routing, bridging, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the functions of the network management node 202 can be implemented in the management node 102. Alternatively, the network management node 202 can be a computing system communicatively coupled to the management node 102 via the network 120. In some examples, the functions performed by the network management node 102 can be automated using various machine learning techniques. In other examples, the network management node 202 can be manually operated by a network administrator or operator. In addition, in some examples, the network management node 202 can include a dashboard interface ( Figure 2 ) to display an overview of the settings and context of the access points 106A-C and other network devices.

[0039] like Figure 2 As depicted in , in some examples, management node 102 may be a system including a processor or microcontroller and / or any other electronic components, or a device that may facilitate, for example, various computing and / or data storage services. Examples of management node 102 may include, but are not limited to, servers, computer devices, desktop computers, laptop computers, smart phones, workstations, storage systems, or converged or hyper-converged systems configured to manage and configure network devices, etc. In addition, in some examples, management node 102 may be or may include a virtual machine or containerized application executed on hardware in network system 200.

[0040] In some examples, the management node 102 may include a processor 204 and a machine-readable medium 206. The machine-readable medium 206 may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that can store data and / or executable instructions 208. For example, the machine-readable medium 206 may include one or more of a random access memory (RAM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a storage drive, a flash memory, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), etc. The machine-readable medium 206 may be non-transitory. As described in detail herein, the machine-readable medium 206 may be encoded with executable instructions 208 to perform one or more methods, for example, in Figure 4 , 5 , the methods described in 6A and 6B.

[0041] In addition, the processor 204 can be a physical device, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more semiconductor-based microprocessors, one or more graphics processing units (GPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), other hardware devices capable of retrieving and executing instructions 208 stored in the machine-readable medium 206, or a combination thereof. The processor 204 can obtain, decode, and execute the instructions 208 stored in the machine-readable medium 206 to configure the access points 106A-C including the IoT radios 108A-C (described further below). As an alternative or in addition to executing the instructions 208, the processor 204 can include at least one integrated circuit (IC), control logic, electronic circuits, or a combination of these, which includes multiple electronic components for performing functions intended to be performed by the management node 102 (described further below). In addition, in some examples, where the management node 102 can be a virtual machine or a containerized application, the processor 204 and the machine-readable medium 206 can represent a processor and a machine-readable medium of a hardware or computing system that hosts the management node 102 as a virtual machine or a containerized application.

[0042] During operation, the processor 204 may receive an access point identifier list 216 (labeled AP_ID_LIST) from a network management node 202 in the network 122. The access point identifier list 216 may specify access point identifiers 210, 212, 214 associated with access points 106A-C including IoT radios 108A-C, respectively. In other examples, the processor 204 may receive the access point identifiers 210, 212, 214 directly from the access points 106A-C. The processor 204 may receive a first rule list 218 (labeled RUL_LIST) from the network management node 202. The first rule list 218 may include one or more rules for configuring the access points 106A-C in the network site 122.

[0043] Figure 3A and 3BAn access point identifier list file and a rule list file according to an example are depicted. The access point identifier list 216 and the rule list 218 may be transmitted in a key-value pair file format, such as a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file format or an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file format. In the access point identifier list 216, each access point identifier may be a key, and the access point location (labeled as AP_LOC1, AP_LOC2, AP_LOC3) and the access point type (AP_TYPE1, AP_TYPE 2, AP_TYPE 3) may be the value of the corresponding key. The access point location may indicate the location of the access point relative to the site (e.g., the floor number and building name in the site). For example, AP_LOC1 may be 'floor 1' of a building in a site (e.g., site 122), AP_LOC2 may be 'floor 2', and AP_LOC3 may be 'floor 3'. The access point type may indicate the type of access point design (e.g., internal antenna or external antenna) or the access point type based on the operating environment (e.g., indoor access point or outdoor access point). For example, AP_TYPE1 may be an "external antenna AP", AP_TYPE2 may be an "internal antenna AP", and AP_TYPE3 may be an "internal antenna AP".

[0044] In the rule list 218, each rule may indicate constraints and access point configuration values. In some examples, the constraints may include an access point selection function for selecting one or more access point identifiers. For example, the access point selection function may include one or more criteria for selecting an access point or multiple access points, such as the location or type of the access point. In some examples, the access point configuration values ​​may include firmware, protocols, power specifications, etc. The firmware may include firmware supported by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or third-party firmware. Examples of protocols may include Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ZigBee, Thread, Wireless High-Speed ​​Addressable Remote Transducer Protocol (Wireless HART), ISA100.11a, IPv6 on Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN), Real-Time IoT (RIOT), TinyOS, Harmony Real-Time Operating System (Harmony RTOS), nanoQplus, Contiki, Zephyr, etc. The power specification may include the amount of transmission power to be used during communication. Each rule may be constructed in a key-value pair format, where constraints (labeled as AP_SEL_FN1, AP_SEL_FN2, AP_SEL_FN3) may be the keys and configuration values ​​(labeled as AP_CONFIG_VAL1, AP_CONFIG_VAL2, AP_CONFIG_VAL3) may be the values.

[0045] Return to reference Figure 2 , the processor 204 may identify an access point identifier from the access point identifier list 216 based on the rules included in the first rule list 218. In some examples, the processor 204 may identify an access point identifier that satisfies one or more constraints indicated in the rule. In some examples, the identification of the access point identifier may be performed using an objective function. The objective function may be a mathematical function for determining a value (hereinafter referred to as an objective function value) for a given input. For example, the access point identifier and the rule list may be provided as inputs to the objective function, and the objective function value may be the output. In some examples, the objective function value may indicate whether a given access point identifier satisfies the constraints in the rules in the first rule list 218. For example, if the access point location (e.g., AP_LOC1) or type (e.g., AP_TYPE1) matches the location or type specified in the constraint, the access point identifier may satisfy the constraint.

[0046] In some examples, the processor 204 can execute an optimization algorithm to vary the input (e.g., the access point identifier) ​​for determining an optimal objective function value. For example, the processor 204 can use the optimization algorithm to iteratively select different access point identifiers as inputs to the objective function to determine whether an optimal objective function value is obtained for the access point identifier. The optimal objective function value can be a predetermined maximum or minimum value of the objective function. For example, a predetermined maximum or minimum objective function value can indicate that a given access point identifier satisfies one of the rules in the first rule list 218.

[0047] In other examples, processor 204 may identify an access point identifier based on a combination of an access point identifier and an access point configuration value that satisfies a rule in the rule list (eg, Figure 5 In such examples, processor 204 may provide a combination of an access point identifier, an access point configuration value, and a rule list as inputs to the objective function to obtain an objective function value.

[0048] Based on the objective function value for each access point identifier, the processor 204 may obtain a list of access point identifiers for configurations that satisfy the constraints in the rule. The processor 204 may configure the access points 106A-C associated with one or more access point identifiers using the access point configuration values ​​indicated in the rule. For example, the processor 204 may send the configuration file 220 to the network management node 202. Figure 3C 20. In other examples, the processor 204 may send the configuration file 220 directly to the access point 106A-C. The configuration file may be a key-value pair file including an access point identifier and an access point configuration value as a key and a value, respectively. The access point is configured using the access point configuration value as indicated in the configuration file 220.

[0049] Now go to Figure 4 , according to an example, a flowchart depicting a method 400 for configuring an access point including an IoT radio is shown. For illustrative purposes, in conjunction with Figure 2 The method 400 is described with reference to the network system 200 of FIG. 1 , but the method 400 should not be construed as being limited to the example configuration of the system 200. The method 400 may include method blocks 402, 404, 406, and 408 (hereinafter collectively referred to as blocks 402-408) that may be performed by a system such as the management node 102. In particular, the operations at each of the method blocks 402-408 may be performed by the processor 204 by executing the instructions stored in the machine-readable medium 206 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 2 ) to execute the instructions 208 in ). In some other examples, the execution order of blocks 402 to 408 may be different from Figure 4 For example, blocks 402-408 may be executed in series, in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel. In addition, for the sake of brevity, the operations performed by processor 204 that have already been described are not repeated here. Figure 2 Some details of the operations described in .

[0050] At block 402, the processor 204 may receive an access point identifier list 216 from a network management node 202 in the network. Each access point identifier in the access point identifier list 216 is uniquely associated with an access point that includes an IoT wireless unit. The access point identifier may indicate an access point location and / or an access point type. For example, the format of an access point identifier indicating an access point location may be: {site}-{building}-{floor}-{quadrant}-{additional modifiers}. Such an access point identifier indicates an access point based on a location site (e.g., Figure 1 122, 132, 142 in the site, the name of the building in the site, the floor number in the building, the quadrant of the floor (e.g., East, West, North, South), and additional variables indicated under "ExtraModifier".

[0051] At block 404, processor 204 may receive first rule list 218 from network management node 202. Each rule in the first rule list indicates a constraint and an access point configuration value. In some examples, each rule may also include a penalty value. The penalty value may be used to change the objective function value (e.g., change the access point identifier to a value that satisfies the constraint in the rule) if the access point identifier fails to satisfy the constraint in the rule. Fig. 6A In some examples, the rules may be constructed and provided by a network administrator operating the network management node 202. Figure 3BAs described, the rules may be in a key-value pair format. In some examples, the network management node 202 may create a key-value pair format using input provided by a network administrator. For example, a network administrator may provide constraints and access point configuration values ​​as input in a predetermined syntax. An example rule based on a predetermined syntax may be: "Select [AP_SEL_FUN] {IOT_RADIO_FW} {IOT_RADIO_PARAM} {PENALTY}". In such a rule, the constraint may be an access point selection function indicated as "AP_SEL_FUN". The access point configuration value may be a firmware type (indicated as IOT_RADIO_FW), as well as a protocol and power specification (indicated as IOT_RADIO_PARAM). The penalty value may be a numerical value (indicated as "PENALTY"). Some examples of rules in a rule list may be shown in Table 1.

[0052] Table 1: Example rules based on a predefined grammar

[0053]

[0054] The first rule (in Table 1) specifies that the radio mode should be set to ZigBee for all IoT radios on access points with a name of "elevator" in it. The constraint, that the access point selection function is [#if access point name {extra modifiers} matches "elevator"], indicates that the access point identifier specifying "elevator" must be selected.

[0055] The second rule (in Table 1) specifies that the radio mode should be set to BLE for all IoT radios on access points and in which the name has a floor value greater than 1 and less than 5. The constraint, i.e., the access point selection function is [#if access point name {floor} is greater than 1 and less than 5], indicates that access points located from the first floor to the fifth floor are selected.

[0056] The third rule (in Table 1) specifies that the radio should be reprogrammed to third-party firmware to enable support for the ISA100 protocol for all IoT radios on access points with names that have a building substring matching "warehouse". The constraint, i.e., the access point selection function is [#if access point name {building} is "warehouse"], indicates that the access point located in the warehouse building is selected.

[0057] Table 2 depicts the constraints of the key-value format (access point selection function) and access point configuration values. For example, the key-value pairs may be specified in the configuration file 220.

[0058] Table 2: Constraints and configuration values ​​in key-value pairs

[0059]

[0060] At block 406, processor 204 may use an objective function to identify access point identifiers that satisfy the constraints indicated in the rule. In some examples, processor 204 may use an objective function to identify a set of access point identifiers that satisfy one or more constraints indicated in the rule. Figure 5 , Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Identification of access point identifiers and selection of access points based on the identification are further described.

[0061] At block 408, processor 204 may configure an access point associated with an access point identifier using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule. In some examples, configuring the access point may include assigning the access point configuration value to the access point based on the rule. A configuration file may be sent to the access point based on the assignment. In some examples, the configuration file may include instructions for configuring the access point configuration value.

[0062] In some examples, processor 204 may receive a second rule list from a network management node in the network. Each rule in the second rule list includes a constraint and an access point configuration value. Processor 204 may use an objective function to identify an access point identifier that satisfies the constraint indicated in the rule in the second rule list. Processor 204 may dynamically configure the access point using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule in the second rule list.

[0063] Figure 5 is a flowchart depicting a method 500 for selecting an access point for configuration according to an example. At block 502, the processor 204 may select a first combination of an access point identifier and an access point configuration value. For example, the first combination may include an access point identifier (e.g., AP_ID1) and multiple access point configuration values ​​(default firmware, Zigbee protocol, etc.). In some examples, the access point identifier may be randomly selected from the access point identifier list, and the access point configuration value may be randomly selected from one of the rules in the first rule list. For example, the processor 204 may select the first access point identifier 210 AP_ID1 from the access point identifier list 216, and select the access point configuration value (e.g., default firmware, Zigbee protocol) from one of the rules in the first rule list. In other examples, the access point identifier and the access point configuration value may be arbitrarily selected from the network. For example, the processor 204 may receive a complete list of access point identifiers and access point configurations used in the network. Based on the complete list, the processor 204 may randomly select a combination of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value.

[0064] At block 504, the processor 204 may calculate an objective function value for the first combination to determine whether the first combination satisfies a rule in the first rule list. For example, the processor provides the first combination (AP_ID1 with default firmware and ZigBee protocol) and the rule list as inputs to an objective function for calculating an objective function value. The first combination satisfies the rule if the access point identifier satisfies the constraints indicated in the rule and the access point configuration value matches the access point configuration value indicated in the rule. If the combination satisfies the rule, the objective function value may be increased (e.g., increased to a predetermined value).

[0065] At block 506, processor 204 may determine whether the objective function value matches a predetermined objective function value. In some examples, the predetermined objective function value may be a predetermined maximum or minimum objective function value. For example, the predetermined objective function value may indicate that a given input combination (AP_ID1 with default firmware and ZigBee protocol) satisfies the rule. In the case where the objective function does not match the predetermined maximum or minimum value and indicates the penalty value of the rule, processor 204 may determine that the given combination does not satisfy the rule. In some examples, processor 204 may execute an optimization algorithm to change the input (i.e., providing different combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values) to the objective function. The processor may determine the objective function value for each of the different combinations provided as input. For example, processor 204 may iteratively execute method blocks 502-506 to select a new combination of access point identifiers and access point configuration values.

[0066] At block 508, the processor 204 may select the access point 106A associated with the access point identifier AP_ID1 in response to the objective function value for the given input combination matching the predetermined objective function value. Additionally, at block 510, the processor 204 may configure the access point 106A using the access point configuration values ​​(i.e., default firmware and Zigbee protocol).

[0067] Fig. 6A and 6B 6 is a flow chart depicting a method 600A-600B for identifying and selecting a plurality of access points for configuration according to another example. At block 602, the processor 204 may randomly select a plurality of combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values ​​(referred to as random plurality of combinations). For example, the processor 204 may arbitrarily select a plurality of combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values ​​from a complete list of access point identifiers and configurations used in a network. For example, a complete list of access point identifiers and configurations used in a network may be received from the network management node 202.

[0068] At block 604, the processor 204 may use the objective function to calculate a random objective function value for a random plurality of combinations. For example, the random plurality of combinations and the current configuration of the network may be provided as inputs to the objective function, and the random objective function value may be an output. The random objective function value may be a measure of the number of access point identifiers correctly paired with the set of access point configuration values ​​in the random plurality of combinations. For example, correctness may be about the current configuration of the access points in the network. The current configuration data may be obtained from a complete list access point, which is received from the network management node 202. In some examples, the processor 204 may execute an optimization algorithm for improving the random objective function value, i.e., for increasing the number of correct combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values. For example, the processor 204 may iteratively perform steps 602 and 604 to change the input (the random plurality of combinations) to the objective function and obtain an improved random objective function value.

[0069] At block 606, processor 204 may select a first plurality of combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values. The first plurality of combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values ​​may be different than the random plurality of combinations selected at block 602. For example, the first plurality of combinations may include access point identifiers arbitrarily selected from the list of access point identifiers and access point configuration values ​​arbitrarily selected from the rules in first list of rules 218. The first plurality of combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values ​​and the list of rules may be provided as inputs to the objective function.

[0070] At block 608, processor 204 may calculate a first objective function value for a first plurality of combinations using an objective function. In some examples, the objective function used to determine the random objective function value may be different from the objective function used to determine the first objective function value. The first objective function value may be a measure of the number of combinations that satisfy one or more rules from first rule list 218. Satisfying a rule may include determining whether an access point identifier satisfies a constraint in a rule and whether an access point configuration value matches an access point configuration value indicated in the same rule. The first objective function value may increase based on the number of combinations that satisfy the rule. For each combination that satisfies the rule, the first objective function value increases. In the event that a combination does not satisfy a rule, the first objective function value may decrease. For example, the decrease in the value may be based on a penalty value indicated in the rule, which is not satisfied. Processor 204 may determine that a combination does not satisfy a given rule based on the penalty value.

[0071] At block 610, the processor 204 may determine whether the first objective function value is greater than the random objective function value. For example, the processor 204 may compare the quality of the first plurality of combinations with the quality of the random plurality of combinations. The quality may be understood based on the correct combination of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value. In the case where the first objective function value is less than or equal to the random objective function value, the processor 204 may attempt to select an improved first plurality of combinations. For example, in the next iteration of 606, 608, and 610, the processor 204 may select a new first plurality of combinations of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value at block 606. For example, in the case where the first objective function value is greater than the random objective function value, the processor 204 may store the associated first plurality of combinations in a cache memory. The stored first plurality of combinations are more accurate combinations of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value than the random plurality of combinations. The processor 204 may use the stored first plurality of combinations as a baseline combination to identify other plurality of combinations of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value based on the objective function value.

[0072] like Figure 6B As shown in FIG. 6 , at block 612, processor 204 may select a second plurality of combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values. The second plurality of combinations may be selected based on a baseline plurality of combinations, such as the stored first plurality of combinations. For example, the second plurality of combinations may include one or more combinations from the first plurality of combinations.

[0073] At block 614, the processor 204 may calculate a second objective function value for the second plurality of combinations using the objective function. The second objective function value may indicate the accuracy of the selected second plurality of combinations. In other words, the second objective function value may be a measure of the number of combinations that satisfy one or more rules from the first rule list 218. Satisfying a rule may include determining whether the access point identifier satisfies the constraints in the rule and whether the access point configuration value matches the access point configuration value indicated in the same rule.

[0074] In some examples, the processor 204 may execute an optimization algorithm for improving the second objective function value, i.e., increasing the number of combinations that satisfy the rules in the first rule list 218. For example, the processor 204 may iteratively perform steps 612 and 614 to change the input to the objective function and obtain an improved second objective function value. To check whether the second objective function value is improved relative to the previous iteration, at block 616, the processor 204 may determine whether the second objective function value remains unchanged relative to the previous iteration. In the case where the second objective function value remains unchanged, the processor 204 may determine that the highest number of combinations that satisfy one or more rules in the first rule list 218 is obtained.

[0075] In the case where the second objective function value is less than or greater than the previous second objective function value, the processor 204 may select another plurality of second combinations of access point identifiers and access point configuration values ​​at box 612. The processor 204 may iteratively perform boxes 612-616 until the second objective function value is the same as the objective function value calculated in the previous iteration. In some examples where the second objective function value is less than the previous second objective function value, the processor 204 may additionally compare the second objective function value with the first objective function value to determine whether the second plurality of combinations is better than the baseline plurality of combinations. In the case where the second objective function value is less than the first objective function value, the processor 204 may use the baseline plurality of combinations (i.e., the first plurality of combinations) as the second plurality of combinations and perform boxes 612-616 again. The baseline plurality of combinations allows the processor 204 to discard the second plurality of combinations when the number of combinations is lower than the baseline plurality of combinations.

[0076] Additionally, in an example where the second objective function value remains unchanged relative to the previous iteration, i.e., a highest number of combinations satisfying one or more rules in the first rule list 218 is obtained, the processor 204 may store the second plurality of combinations of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value in the cache memory. At block 618, the processor 204 may select the access point associated with the access point identifier from the cache memory for configuration with the access point configuration value.

[0077] As described herein, example methods 600A-600B allow for configuration of multiple access points with access point configuration values ​​in a site. Configuration of multiple access points can be performed with reduced manual intervention. For example, a network administrator (e.g., network management node 202) can provide a set of rules (e.g., first rule list 218) and access point identifier 216, and the example methods described herein can automatically select the exact combination of access point identifier and access point configuration value.

[0078] Go to Figure 7 , according to an example, a block diagram 700 depicting a processor 702 and a machine-readable medium 704 encoded with example instructions to facilitate reconfiguration of an access point having an IoT radio. The machine-readable medium 704 may be non-transitory, and alternatively referred to as non-transitory machine-readable medium 704. As described in detail herein, the machine-readable medium 704 may be encoded with instructions for performing Figure 4 Executable instructions 706, 708, 710, and 712 (hereinafter collectively referred to as instructions 706-712) of method 400 described in the embodiment of the present invention. Although not shown, in some examples, machine-readable medium 704 may be encoded with certain additional executable instructions to perform Figure 4The method 400 and / or any other operations performed by the management node 102, without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In some examples, the machine-readable medium 704 can be accessed by the processor 702. In some examples, the processor 702 can represent an example of the processor 204 of the management node 102. In addition, the machine-readable medium 704 can represent an example of the machine-readable medium 206 of the management node 102. In some examples, the processor 702 can obtain, decode, and execute instructions 706-712 stored in the machine-readable medium 704 to perform reconfiguration of the access point with the IoT radio unit.

[0079] When executed by the processor 702, the instruction 706 may cause the processor 702 to receive a list of access point identifiers from a network management node in the network. Each access point identifier in the list of access point identifiers may be uniquely associated with an access point device including an Internet of Things (IoT) radio. When executed by the processor 702, the instruction 708 may cause the processor 702 to receive a first list of rules from the network management node. Each rule in the first list of rules may indicate a constraint and an access point configuration value. In addition, the instruction 710 may cause the processor 702 to use an objective function to identify an access point identifier that satisfies the constraint indicated in the rule when executed by the processor 702. In addition, when executed by the processor 702, the instruction 712 may cause the processor 702 to configure an access point device associated with the access point identifier using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule.

[0080] Although certain embodiments have been shown and described above, various changes in form and detail may be made. For example, some features and / or functions described with respect to one implementation and / or process may be relevant to other implementations. In other words, the processes, features, components and / or properties described with respect to one implementation may be useful in other implementations. In addition, it should be understood that the systems and methods described herein may include various combinations and / or sub-combinations of components and / or features of the different implementations described.

[0081] In the foregoing description, many details are set forth to provide an understanding of the subject matter disclosed herein. However, embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these details. Other implementations may include modifications, combinations, and variations from the details discussed above. The appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method comprising: receiving, by a processor, an access point identifier list from a network management node in a network, wherein the access point identifier list includes a plurality of access point identifiers, and wherein each access point identifier in the access point identifier list is uniquely associated with an access point including an IoT radio capable of supporting an Internet of Things (IoT) protocol; receiving, by the processor, a first rule list from the network management node, wherein rules in the first rule list indicate constraints and access point configuration values; iteratively selecting a new combination of an access point identifier in the access point identifier list and the access point configuration value using an objective function until an objective function value for the access point identifier obtained from the objective function exceeds the constraint indicated in the rule; identifying, by the processor, the access point identifier that satisfies the constraint indicated in the rule using the objective function; as well as An access point associated with the access point identifier is configured, by the processor, using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein iteratively selecting the new combination of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value in the access point identifier list further comprises: selecting, by the processor, a first combination of a second access point identifier and a second access point configuration value in the list of access point identifiers; calculating, by the processor, a second objective function value for the first combination of the second access point identifier and the second access point configuration value using the objective function; determining, by the processor, whether the second objective function value matches a predetermined objective function value; as well as In response to determining that the second objective function value matches the predetermined objective function value, selecting, by the processor, an access point associated with the second access point identifier for configuration with the second access point configuration value.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: In response to determining that the second objective function value does not match the predetermined objective function value, performing, by the processor, a next iteration of the selecting, the calculating, and the determining.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The objective function is used, by the processor, to identify a plurality of access point identifiers that satisfy the constraints indicated in the rules in the first list of rules.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: selecting, by the processor, a combination of each of the identified plurality of access point identifiers and a corresponding access point configuration value from the first rule list; calculating, by the processor, an objective function value for each combination using the objective function; as well as When the corresponding objective function values ​​for the corresponding combinations are the same, the processor selects the corresponding access points for configurations having the same access point configuration value.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the processor, a second list of rules from the network management node in the network, wherein each rule in the second list of rules includes a second constraint and a second access point configuration value; identifying, by the processor, using the objective function, an access point identifier that satisfies the second constraint indicated in the rule in the second rule list; as well as The access point is configured, by the processor, using the second access point configuration value indicated in the rule in the second rule list.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the access point using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule comprises: assigning, by the processor, the access point configuration value to the access point based on the rule; as well as A configuration file is sent, by the processor, to the access point, wherein the configuration file indicates the access point configuration values ​​assigned to the access point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point identifier comprises one or more of a location and a type of the access point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point configuration values ​​include one or more of firmware, protocol, and power specifications.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the constraint indicates an access point selection function, the access point selection function comprising at least one of an access point location and an access point type.

11. A management node, comprising: processor; A machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receiving an access point identifier list from a network management node in the network, wherein the access point identifier list includes a plurality of access point identifiers, and wherein each access point identifier in the access point identifier list is uniquely associated with an access point including an IoT radio capable of supporting an Internet of Things (IoT) protocol; receiving a first rule list from the network management node, wherein rules in the first rule list indicate constraints and access point configuration values; iteratively selecting a new combination of an access point identifier in the access point identifier list and the access point configuration value using an objective function until an objective function value for the access point identifier obtained from the objective function exceeds the constraint indicated in the rule; identifying the access point identifiers that satisfy the constraints indicated in the rules using the objective function; as well as An access point associated with the access point identifier is configured using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule.

12. The management node of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: receiving a second list of rules from the network management node in the network, wherein each rule in the second list of rules includes a second constraint and a second access point configuration value; identifying, using the objective function, a second access point identifier that satisfies the second constraint indicated in the rule in the second rule list; as well as The access point is configured using the second access point configuration value indicated in the rule in the second rule list.

13. The management node of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: selecting a first combination of a second access point identifier and a second access point configuration value in the access point identifier list; calculating, using the objective function, a second objective function value for the first combination of the second access point identifier and the second access point configuration value; determining whether the second objective function value matches a predetermined objective function value; as well as In response to the objective function value matching the predetermined objective function value, the access point associated with the second access point identifier is selected for configuration with the second access point configuration value.

14. The management node of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: The objective function is used to identify a plurality of access point identifiers that satisfy the constraints indicated in the rules in the first rule list.

15. The management node of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: selecting a combination of each of the identified plurality of access point identifiers and a corresponding access point configuration value from the first rule list; calculating an objective function value for each combination using the objective function; and When the corresponding objective function values ​​for the corresponding combinations are the same, the corresponding access points are selected for configurations having the same access point configuration value.

16. The management node of claim 11, wherein the access point configuration values ​​include firmware, protocols, and power specifications.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor, the instructions comprising: Instructions for receiving an access point identifier list from a network management node in a network, wherein the access point identifier list includes a plurality of access point identifiers, and wherein each access point identifier in the access point identifier list is uniquely associated with an access point including an IoT radio capable of supporting an Internet of Things (IoT) protocol; instructions for receiving a first rule list from the network management node, wherein rules in the first rule list indicate constraints and access point configuration values; instructions for iteratively selecting a new combination of an access point identifier in the access point identifier list and the access point configuration value using an objective function until an objective function value for the access point identifier obtained from the objective function exceeds the constraint indicated in the rule; instructions for using the objective function to identify the access point identifiers that satisfy the constraints indicated in the rules; as well as Instructions for configuring an access point associated with an access point identifier using the access point configuration value indicated in the rule.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for iteratively selecting the new combination of the access point identifier and the access point configuration value from the list of access point identifiers further comprise instructions for: selecting a first combination of a second access point identifier and a second access point configuration value in the access point identifier list; calculating, using the objective function, a second objective function value for the first combination of the second access point identifier and the second access point configuration value; determining whether the objective function value matches a predetermined objective function value; as well as In response to the second objective function value matching a predetermined objective function value, the access point associated with the second access point identifier is selected for configuration with the second access point configuration value.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for using the objective function to identify a plurality of access point identifiers that satisfy the constraints indicated in the rules in the first list of rules.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions for identifying the plurality of access point identifiers further comprise instructions for: selecting a combination of each of the identified plurality of access point identifiers and a corresponding access point configuration value from the first rule list; calculating an objective function value for each combination using the objective function; and When the corresponding objective function values ​​for the corresponding combinations are the same, the corresponding access points are selected for configurations having the same access point configuration value.

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