Antenna configuration operator interface

Abstract

The antenna installation assistant application provides one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) representing the ports of mobile-mountable antennas and the ports of one or more mobile-mounted modems and / or other network hardware. The assistant application can determine whether the antenna ports are connected to the ports of the modem (or other hardware), and more specifically, whether each connection is correctly made to the hardware, and can show the results to the user of the assistant application. This allows the assistant application to guide the installer through the installation of one or more antennas in response to the installer's work, including correct or incorrect wiring connections between hardware in a mobile-based communication network.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 207,380, filed on June 8, 2023, entitled "Antenna Configuration Operator Interface", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Technical Field The present disclosure generally relates to communication systems, and more particularly, to a configuration interface for one or more antenna systems of a mobile body.

Background Art

[0003] A mobile entity (including, but not limited to, an aircraft) may establish one or more satellite-based and / or ground-based communication links for receiving information to and / or transmitting information from the mobile entity. Such communications may, for example, enable the mobile entity to receive live media content available to passengers of the mobile entity (e.g., web browsing, sporting events, live news) on passenger electronics, or enable live two-way communication with passenger electronics (e.g., internet browsing, mobile phone calls, etc.). Furthermore or alternatively, such communication links may enable the mobile entity to communicate with the ground to support necessary operations of the mobile entity's equipment and / or crew (e.g., the aircraft's navigation system or crew communications). In any case, the mobile entity-based communication system typically supports such communication links via one or more mobile-borne antennas configured to transmit and receive signals to and from one or more external communication system elements (e.g., one or more satellites and / or one or more ground stations). Mobile-based communication systems are typically further implemented by additional communication components mounted on the mobile device, which may be implemented, for example, as mobile-mounted line-replaceable units (LRUs).

[0004] For a mobile-based communication system to function correctly, it is essential that its various hardware and software components (including, but not limited to, one or more mobile-mounted antennas) are properly installed and configured. Improper installation or configuration of one or more antennas can cause a loss of functionality in one or more aspects of the mobile network. Antennas are subject to the risk of errors during installation by operator personnel each time they are installed, for example, during the initial deployment of a mobile unit or when antennas are reinstalled after repair or maintenance of the mobile unit. These risks increase as the technical complexity of mobile-mounted antennas increases (for example, as the number of configurable ports increases). Nevertheless, mobile-based communication systems have traditionally relied on operator personnel to understand antenna hardware in order to properly install antennas and / or diagnose and correct incorrect installations (e.g., miswiring between antenna hardware ports and other mobile-mounted hardware) each time they are installed. [Overview of the project]

[0005] This disclosure describes an antenna installation assistant application, as well as related systems and methods. In embodiments, the assistant application provides one or more graphical user interfaces that display a plurality of ports of one or more mobile-mountable antennas, one or more mobile-mountable modems, and / or other mobile-mountable network hardware (e.g., those in an LRU).

[0006] An antenna installation assistant application may acquire configuration information indicating the correct installation of an antenna, which may include information indicating the correct wired connections between the antenna's ports and internal and / or external mobile network hardware (e.g., connections from the antenna to each of one or more modems, and vice versa). In particular, stored information indicating the correct wired connections between ports may include stored reference noise and / or loss measurement thresholds corresponding to the correct connections between components (e.g., for each antenna / modem combination). When an operator performs the installation by connecting wiring between the antenna, modem, and other mobile network hardware, the installation application causes a test tone to be transmitted to a first port of either the antenna, modem, or other hardware. The installation application further causes signal measurements to be performed at each of one or more other ports of the antenna, modem, or other hardware, and determines whether a connection has been formed between the first port and each port being measured based on whether the tone was detected at each port being measured. If the tone is detected at a specific port among the ports being measured (i.e., a second port), the assistant application may perform a measurement of the signal noise and / or loss associated with the tone based on a comparison between the tone measured at the second port and the tone transmitted through the first port (for example, by comparing the respective signal strengths).

[0007] After the measurement is performed, the assistant application may determine, based on the stored configuration information, whether the connection is correct to the hardware and provide the user with an indication of whether the connection is correct. In particular, using stored reference noise and / or loss measurement thresholds, the assistant application may determine that the connection is correct to the hardware if the measured noise and / or loss is less than the corresponding stored noise or loss threshold, or that the connection is incorrect to the hardware if the measured noise or loss is equal to or greater than the corresponding stored threshold. If the connection is correct, the assistant application may report the measured values ​​of the specific noise and / or loss to the aircraft-based and / or ground-based system elements, thereby enabling subsequent operation of the antenna system that takes the noise and / or loss into account (for example, augmenting subsequent signals transmitted and received through the port combination if the noise or loss is high). Therefore, the antenna installation assistant application guides the operator / maintenance personnel through the installation of antenna hardware by recognizing and responding to the installation work actually being performed by the operator (i.e., by detecting and responding to the wiring connections being made by the operator to specific hardware).

[0008] In one embodiment, a computer implementation method is provided for configuring an antenna as a modem in a mobile communication network, the method being executed by one or more processors of a computer device. The method performed by the computer may include: (1) causing a test tone to be transmitted via a first communication connection through a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network (the set of devices consists of a mobile-mounted modem and an antenna that can be mounted on a mobile device); (2) causing a signal measurement to be performed via a second communication connection on one or more ports of a second device among the set of mobile-mounted devices; (3) detecting a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port among the one or more ports of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement; (4) determining whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices; and / or (5) displaying an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct via a graphical user interface on the user's computer. The method may include additional, fewer, or alternative operations, including those described herein.

[0009] In another embodiment, one or more non-temporary computer-readable media are provided. The one or more non-temporary computer-readable media store non-temporary computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more computers to (1) transmit a test tone via a first communication connection to a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network (the set of devices consists of a mobile-mounted modem and a mobile-mountable antenna), and (2) perform a signal measurement via a second communication connection to one or more ports of a second device among the set of mobile-mounted devices. (3) detecting a communication connection between a first port of the first device and a second port of one or more ports of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement; (4) determining whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices; and / or (5) displaying an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct via a graphical user interface on the user's computer. The one or more non-temporary computer-readable media may include additional instructions, fewer instructions, or alternative instructions, including those described herein.

[0010] In another embodiment, a computer system associated with a mobile-based communication network is provided. The computer system includes an antenna that can be mounted on a mobile body, a mobile modem, one or more processors, and when executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors are configured to: (1) transmit a test tone via a first communication connection to a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with the mobile-based communication network (the set of devices consists of the mobile modem and the antenna); (2) perform signal measurements via a second communication connection to one or more ports of a second device among the set of mobile devices; and (3) transmit the test tone and The computer system may include one or more memories for storing instructions that cause the computer system to: (4) detect a communication connection between a first port of the first device and a second port of one or more ports of the second device based on the signal measurement; (5) determine whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices; and / or (6) display an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct via a graphical user interface on the user's computer. The computer system may include additional, fewer, or alternative computing elements and / or instructions, including those described herein.

[0011] This patent or application file includes at least one drawing made in color. A copy of this patent or patent application publication containing the color drawing will be provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office upon request and payment of the prescribed fee.

[0012] In the accompanying drawings, identical or functionally similar elements are denoted by the same reference numeral throughout the drawings. These drawings, together with the following detailed description, constitute part of this specification and further illustrate conceptual embodiments, including the claimed embodiments, and illustrate the various principles and advantages of those embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Exemplary computing environments in which the technologies described herein may be implemented are shown according to several embodiments. [Figure 2] This document shows an example of a graphical user interface (GUI) for an antenna installation assistant application, according to several embodiments. [Figure 3] Here is another example of a GUI for an antenna installation assistant application, following several embodiments. [Figure 4] Here is yet another example of a GUI for an antenna installation assistant application, following several embodiments. [Figure 5] Here is yet another example of a GUI for an antenna installation assistant application, following several embodiments. [Figure 6] A block diagram of an exemplary computing device in which an antenna installation assistant application may be implemented according to several embodiments is shown. [Figure 7] Exemplary computer implementation methods are shown according to several embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] This application discloses an antenna installation assistant application for a mobile antenna, as well as related systems and methods. Broadly speaking, the antenna installation assistant application displays one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that show the status of ports in the antenna hardware and other mobile network hardware (e.g., LRU / modem hardware for an aircraft cabin network) in real time. These GUIs show the connections formed between ports by the installer during the installation of the antenna hardware (e.g., connections from the antenna to one or more mobile modems, or vice versa). The display and user operation functions of the antenna installation assistant application may be implemented on the user's electronic computing device, such as a mobile computing device (e.g., a smartphone, smart wearable device, tablet, etc.), a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and / or other electronic computing device, which is available to the user during the physical installation of the mobile antenna hardware. In some embodiments, the computer that performs the user-facing aspects of the antenna installation assistant (e.g., user input / output) is communicatively connected to the mobile body's mobile network hardware (e.g., LRU), which can perform and / or store functions or information such as coefficients and thresholds for reference noise and / or loss amounts related to the implementation of communication with and / or communication between the mobile body's mobile hardware, such as antennas.

[0015] In some embodiments, one or more GUIs of the antenna installation assistant application display graphical representations of antenna hardware and other mobile network hardware, including representations of physical ports on each piece of hardware. The graphical representation of each piece of hardware or port may include an alphanumeric identifier for that hardware or port. The one or more GUIs may include other graphical indicators relating to the hardware and / or ports, including, for example, color representations that match or mimic the appearance of the physical hardware. The graphical representation of any particular port may further include a graphical representation indicating whether that particular port is connected by wiring to another port of the antenna or other mobile network hardware ("second port"). More specifically, if that particular port is connected to the second port, the graphical representation of that particular port may indicate whether the connection to that particular port is correct, based on hardware configuration information specific to the hardware involved. The indication of whether the connection is correct may be, for example, by color coding, for example, a green indicator may be provided for a correct connection to that particular port, or a red indicator may be provided for an incorrect connection to that particular port.

[0016] The assistant application may store (or separately acquire) hardware configuration information indicating the correct installation of the antenna, and such hardware configuration information may include information indicating the correct wired connection between the antenna and other mobile network hardware (e.g., one or more modems). In particular, the stored information indicating the correct wired connection between ports may include stored reference noise and / or loss measurement thresholds (e.g., for each antenna / modem combination) corresponding to the correct connection between the components.

[0017] To determine whether specific ports are connected during antenna installation, the assistant application may cause a test tone to be transmitted on any first port of either the antenna hardware or one or more modems. In response to the transmission of the test tone, the assistant application may further cause signal measurements to be performed on all ports of the opposing hardware (for example, on the ports of one or more modems if the first port is a port on the antenna, or on the ports of the antenna if the first port is a port on the antenna). If the tone is detected on a specific port among the ports being measured, i.e., a second port, the assistant application may cause a measurement of signal noise and / or loss related to the tone based on a comparison of the tone measured on the second port with the tone transmitted through the first port (for example, by comparing their respective signal strengths). The assistant application may refer to the detected connection with stored or retrieved hardware configuration information to determine whether the installed connection is correct and may present an indication to the installer indicating whether the connection is correct. In particular, using stored reference noise and / or loss measurement thresholds, the assistant application may determine that the connection is correct to the hardware if the measured noise and / or loss is less than the corresponding stored noise or loss threshold, or if the measured noise or loss is greater than or equal to the corresponding stored threshold. For any first port, there is only one second port whose noise or loss is less than the noise or loss threshold; that is, there may be only one correct second port. If the connection is correct, the assistant application may report the measured noise and / or loss values ​​to the aircraft-based and / or ground-based system elements, thereby enabling subsequent operation of the antenna system that takes the noise and / or loss into account (for example, augmenting subsequent signals transmitted and received through the port combination if the noise or loss is high).

[0018] The assistant application may perform test tone measurements at various timings related to the installation and / or operation of the antenna. For example, the assistant application may perform test tone measurements when the antenna is first installed and / or reinstalled, for example, after repair or maintenance of a mobile device. The assistant application may also perform test tone measurements at each antenna activation, for example, at each flight of an aircraft, so that the updated path loss measurements reflect the actual flight conditions. Furthermore, or alternatively, the assistant application may perform test tone measurements at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 5 seconds, etc.) while the application is in use to assist the installer during antenna installation. As another example, a port may have a sensor configured to indicate the formation of a wired connection using that port, in which case the assistant application may perform test tone measurements at any time for any port in response to the detection of a wired connection involving that port. As yet another example, as described later herein, one or more GUIs of the assistant application may provide interactive controls that allow the user to automatically perform test tone measurements on demand. In any case, the assistant application may repeatedly perform test tone measurements on any port or combination of ports of the antenna hardware and other mobile network hardware (e.g., a modem). Based on the test tone measurement results, the assistant application updates the GUI to display whether the connection to each port is correct or not. An example of the GUI is provided in a later part of this description.

[0019] Therefore, the antenna installation assistant application can visually guide the installer in installing the antenna hardware on the mobile body in a manner that responds to the connections actually formed by the installer at each stage of the installation work. The installer using the assistant application can prevent improper connections or at least reduce the time and effort required to diagnose and correct such improper connections during the installation of the antenna. These advantages can be particularly prominent in an increasingly complex mobile network environment where a single mobile-mounted antenna operates to support multiple mobile-mounted modems that enable the use of multiple communication standards (e.g., EVDO, 5G, LTE, CDMA, etc.) between the mobile-mounted network hardware and the external network hardware.

[0020] The examples provided herein describe an exemplary aircraft network environment including an antenna mounted on an aircraft and other network hardware on the aircraft, but it should be noted that the systems and methods described herein are also applicable to other types of mobile bodies. In particular, it is applicable when such a mobile body uses one or more antennas in combination with other mobile-mounted network hardware to realize a mobile-mounted network in the passenger compartment of the mobile body during movement. Such mobile bodies may include, for example, trains, ships, buses, etc.

[0021] The following description discloses a detailed description of exemplary methods, apparatuses, and / or products, but it should be noted that the legal scope of the rights related to this patent is defined by the language of the claims described at the end of this patent. Therefore, the following detailed description is only illustrative and does not describe all possible examples, and it is not practical to describe all possible examples, even if it is not impossible. Using current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, a number of alternative examples can be implemented. Such alternative examples are also expected to be included within the scope of the claims.

[0022] Example of a communication system Figure 1 shows an exemplary communication system 100 in which the technology described herein may be implemented. The communication system 100 includes an aircraft 102 equipped with one or more antennas 104. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, one antenna 104 is mounted on the underside of the aircraft 102 (for example, for implementing one or more air-to-ground (ATG) networks using S-band, cellular / LTE band, etc.). Another antenna 104 is mounted on the upper fuselage of the aircraft 102 (for example, for implementing one or more satellite-based networks using Ku-band, Ka-band, L-band, S-band, etc.). Depending on the embodiment, the number of antennas 104 may be more or less. For example, one or more antennas 104 may be mounted on other parts of the aircraft 102. In some embodiments, a single aircraft-mounted antenna 104 (or each of one or more antennas 104) may operate to enable communication with the aircraft 102 via several different communication standards (e.g., two or more standards from EVDO, 5G, LTE, CDMA, etc.). While Figure 1 illustrates the aircraft 102 as an example, in various alternative embodiments, one or more antennas 104 may be mounted on other types of mobile vehicles (e.g., private cars, buses, trains, ships, helicopters, emergency vehicles, etc.) and configured to provide services to such mobile vehicles via one or more ground-based or satellite-based communication networks.

[0023] Communication system 100 uses antenna 104 and other mobile network devices on an aircraft to provide a communication network 106 (i.e., one or more communication networks) within the passenger cabin of aircraft 102. The communication network 106 may include, for example, a Wi-Fi network, a cellular network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), one or more wired networks, and the like. The communication network 106 enables personal electronic devices 110 of passengers boarding aircraft 102 to transmit and receive data for, for example, browsing the Internet or using other media content (e.g., movies, TV shows, news broadcasts, and / or other media locally stored on aircraft 102 or transmitted from the ground). Although not shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity of illustration, aircraft 102 may include an avionics system (or a corresponding system in a non-aircraft mobile body), for example, an electronic system such as a communication system, a navigation system, instruments, a flight control system, or a collision avoidance system, and any one or more of these may further utilize the communication network 106 (and thus, antenna 104 and other mobile-mounted devices) to transmit and receive communication with the ground.

[0024] Many of the electronic systems of aircraft 102 may require a certain degree of stability and / or secure fastening during transport; therefore, at least some of the other mobile network equipment of aircraft 102 may be included in line-replaceable units (LRUs) 120 that are fixedly or rigidly attached to aircraft 102. The LRUs 120 may consist of modular components that can be configured as enclosed units of the aircraft, and these components are designed to be replaced quickly without the use of special tools while the LRUs 120 are being tested and repaired, so that aircraft 102 can be quickly returned to operation. Typically, the LRUs 120 are electronic assemblies that perform specific functions in aircraft 102 and can be removed or replaced in units and serviced at mobile maintenance facilities. Some of the electronic systems of aircraft 102 may not be included in the LRUs 120. For example, instead of being fixedly connected to aircraft 102 via the LRUs 120, some electronic systems may be fixedly connected to aircraft 102 by other means such as brackets or other connection devices. In any case, the mobile network equipment on the aircraft 102 includes one or more modems 122, a content distribution system 124, and a content library 126. In some embodiments, and not necessarily in all embodiments, the one or more modems 122 are integrated into the LRU 120.

[0025] The one or more modems 122 may be configured to be compatible with several different communication standards used by one or more air-to-ground (ATG) communication links 130 and / or communication standards used by one or more satellite communication links. The one or more ATG communication links 130 may utilize communication protocols related to terrestrial communications (e.g., TDMA, GSM, CDMA, LTE, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G, etc.) and / or communication protocols related to Ka-band, Ku-band, L-band, and / or any other suitable radio communication frequency bands. Each of the one or more modems 122 may be connected by wire or wirelessly to at least one corresponding antenna 104. The communication links 130 may utilize communication protocols related to terrestrial communications (e.g., TDMA, GSM, CDMA, LTE, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G, etc.) and / or communication protocols related to Ka-band, Ku-band, L-band, and / or any other suitable radio communication frequency bands.

[0026] Each of the modems 122 may operate across one or more frequency bands, and the aircraft 102 may use the modem 122 to receive data to or transmit data from the aircraft 102. For example, the aircraft 102 may have one of the modems 122 tuned to a frequency band allocated for direct communication between the aircraft 102 and a ground station, or to a frequency band that supports direct air-to-ground (ATG) communication links (e.g., 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHz). The aircraft 102 may also have one of the modems 122 tuned to a frequency band allocated for satellite communications, such as the L-band (40-60 GHz or 1-2 GHz), Ku-band (12-18 GHz), Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz), and / or other frequency spectra allocated for satellite communications. Furthermore, each of the modems 122 may operate according to a predetermined communication protocol. For example, at least one of the modems 122 may operate according to a 4G communication protocol, and at least one of the modems 122 may operate according to a 5G communication protocol. In some embodiments, each of two or more modems 122 is configured to correspond to each of a plurality of different communication links, and a single antenna 104 may support communication using the plurality of different communication links (e.g., a plurality of ATG communication links, a plurality of satellite-based communication links, or a combination of one or more ATG communication links and one or more satellite-based communication links). The ATG communication links 130 (and / or one or more satellite-based communication links) may connect the aircraft 102 to one or more ground base stations 140, which may further connect to one or more data centers 150 and / or other external networks such as the Internet 160.

[0027] Returning to LRU120, the content distribution system 124, in addition to other functions, is configured to distribute content from the content library 126 to the electronic device 110 via the communication network 106. The electronic device 110 may include any mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), e-reader, smart glasses, smartwatch, and / or any other mobile computing device capable of wireless communication. The electronic device 110 may, in response to user input, initiate a request for content, for example. The content distribution system 124 may distribute content to the electronic device 110 with or without connection to an external network such as the Internet 160. The content distribution system 124 may be configured to provide the electronic device 110 via the communication network 106 with an interface for, for example, viewing a list of content, selecting content, browsing content, downloading content, or purchasing content or access to content, via the Internet 160 or the content library 126. The content distribution system 124 may communicate with the electronic equipment 110, for example, via one or more wired access points and / or wireless access points (WAPs) arranged around the cabin of the aircraft 102. The communication network 106 may include additional network equipment such as routers, hubs, switches, repeaters, bridges, and / or gateway devices. Some of these network devices may utilize spread spectrum and / or one or more RF bands (e.g., ISM bands such as the 900 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, or 5 GHz band) to facilitate communication.

[0028] Content provided via the content distribution system 124 may be presented on the user interface of one or more electronic devices 110 in response to one or more requests from one or more electronic devices 110 to distribute content to said one or more electronic devices 110. Examples of media content may include movies, television programs, music, video games, digital magazines, news feeds, web data, applications, messages, or any other content that involves presentation in text, audio, and / or video. Content may also include software, configuration data, files, etc., which are installed, applied, or made available (e.g., provided as a file server) via the aircraft 102 or the aircraft 102's systems (e.g., LRU 120) by maintenance personnel. In particular, software content provided to one or more electronic devices 110 by the content distribution system 124 may include antenna installation assistant applications (and / or related data or functions) provided to one or more electronic devices 110 of operators or maintenance personnel associated with the aircraft 102.

[0029] Each antenna 104 is attached to the aircraft 102 by physically securing its hardware to the fuselage or other part of the aircraft 102 on which it will be mounted (e.g., by using bolts, latches, adhesive, etc.). The installation of the antennas 104 on the aircraft 102 further involves physically connecting the wiring between specific ports of one or more modems 122 on which the antennas 104 will communicate and specific ports of the antennas 104 (i.e., connecting the antenna ports to the modem ports, or vice versa). Incorrect port connections during installation may render at least some of the functions of the modems 122 and / or antennas 104 inoperable. Therefore, correctly connecting the hardware ports during installation is extremely important for operators / maintenance personnel working on the aircraft 102. However, correctly forming the connection between the antennas 104 and the modems 122 can be difficult, especially for installers with little experience with a particular antenna 104 and / or modem 122. These difficulties can become even more pronounced as antenna hardware becomes increasingly complex, for example, when a single antenna 104 is installed to accommodate multiple different modems 122 to implement multiple different communication standards. Furthermore, beyond the initial installation of the antenna 104 on the aircraft 102, the antenna 104 may need to be reinstalled on the aircraft 102 multiple times over time, for example, after being removed during maintenance and / or repair of the aircraft 102 or the antenna 104. In light of these challenges, the antenna installation assistant described herein provides a graphical user interface to facilitate antenna installation and prevent misconnections between the antenna 104 and other mobile onboard hardware on the aircraft 102 (e.g., modems 122).

[0030] Example interface for an antenna installation assistant application Figures 2 to 5 show examples of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that may be displayed by an antenna installation assistant application for one or more mobile antennas (e.g., antenna 104 on aircraft 102 in Figure 1). The GUIs in Figures 2 to 5 may be displayed, for example, via one or more display devices (e.g., touchscreens) of client electronic equipment associated with the mobile installation worker (operator / maintenance personnel).

[0031] While running the GUI described herein, the antenna configuration assistant application may be communicatively connected to mobile network equipment. For example, referring to Figure 1, the assistant application may be communicatively connected by wire and / or wirelessly to one or more modems 122 and / or one or more antennas 104 and may perform the following: (1) detect a wired connection formed in the one or more modems 122 and / or the one or more antennas 104; (2) cause a test tone to be transmitted through the ports of the one or more modems 122 and / or the one or more antennas 104; and / or (3) cause a signal measurement of the test tone to be performed and the results of the signal measurement to be received at the ports of the one or more modems 122 and / or the one or more antennas 104.

[0032] In some embodiments, client electronic devices may be located within the mobile body while the mobile body is stationary and / or while the mobile body is in motion. The client electronic devices may be, for example, a smartphone, smart wearable device, laptop computer, desktop computer, etc. (for example, any of the electronic devices 110 in Figure 1) within the mobile body. Alternatively, depending on the embodiment, the client electronic devices running the assistant application may be located in a remote location away from the mobile body, including while the mobile body is in motion (for example, the assistant application may operate on the ground to intermittently or continuously perform path loss measurements after the antenna has been properly installed on the modem). In embodiments, non-temporary instructions for the antenna installation assistant application are stored in one or more memories of the client electronic devices and, when executed by one or more processors of the client electronic devices, cause the client electronic devices to perform the functions of the assistant application described herein, including displaying the GUI and receiving user input via the GUI.

[0033] Referring to Figure 2, the first GUI 200 displays panels 210 and 220, respectively, indicating the ports of the two modems ("X3" and "L5 AVANCE") on the mobile unit. Similarly, the GUI 200 displays panels 230 and 240, respectively, indicating the ports of the two antennas ("Forward (FWD) Antenna" and "Rear (AFT) Antenna") installed (or planned to be installed) on the mobile unit. Visually, each of panels 210, 220, 230, and 240 may be arranged to match or mimic the layout of the physical hardware they represent. For example, the port indicators on modem panels 210 and 220 may be arranged vertically and / or horizontally in a manner similar to the arrangement of port connectors on the actual modem hardware. Similarly, the port indicators on antenna panels 230 and 240 may be arranged vertically in a manner similar to the arrangement of port connectors on the antenna hardware (e.g., on its rear panel). Furthermore, additional graphical details may be added to any of panels 210, 220, 230, and / or 240 to more accurately represent the actual modem and / or antenna hardware. For example, if color-coded indicators exist on or near the corresponding ports on the hardware, as shown in the second modem panel 220, color-coded indicators may be provided above the text indicating each port.

[0034] In the display of Figure 2, the circular indicators corresponding to each port indicator on panels 210, 220, 230, and 240 are displayed in gray, which may indicate that a wired connection has not yet been established between the antenna and the modem, or alternatively, that the assistant application is not communicating with the antenna and / or modem to receive information indicating that a connection has been established. However, as will be discussed later in relation to Figure 3, the circular indicators for each port may be displayed in different colors based on whether the installer has wired the ports between the antenna hardware and the modem hardware correctly or incorrectly. Referring further to Figure 2, the GUI 200 includes a control unit 250 labeled "test," and when the control unit 250 is selected by the user (for example, by tapping on a touchscreen), a test tone is transmitted in the antenna and / or modem, and signal measurements are performed as described herein to detect connection and / or path loss between ports.

[0035] The GUI 300 shown in Figure 3 includes modem panels 310 and 320, and antenna panels 330 and 340, arranged similarly to the GUI 200 in Figure 2. Each of panels 310, 320, 330, and 340 displays text indicators for each of a plurality of ports and circular indicators indicating whether a connection using each port has been correctly formed. The assistant application can determine whether a port is correctly connected by having a test tone sent to any first port and performing signal measurements at each port of the opposing hardware. If the test tone is detected at any port of the opposing hardware ("second port") by the signal measurement, the assistant application determines that the installer has connected the first port to the second port. The assistant application can compare the detected connection with hardware configuration information that reflects a correct connection to the system, and / or can be stored in local memory by the assistant application and / or obtained separately by signal communication with other information sources.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, a green indicator for a port indicates that the installer made the correct connection to that port, i.e., connected the port to the correct corresponding port, based on a comparison of hardware configuration information and signal measurements. Conversely, a red indicator for a port indicates that the installer made an incorrect connection to that port. For example, GUI 300 indicates that the installer made incorrect connections to ports "ATG2 FWD V1" and "ATG1 FWD H1" on the second modem (panel 320), and ports "J2" and "J4" on the first antenna (panel 330). For example, the installer may have connected "ATG2 FWD V1" to "J2" and "ATG FWD H1" to "J4," but should have connected "ATG FWD V1" to "J4" and "ATG FWD H1" to "J2."

[0037] Figure 4 shows an exemplary notification GUI 400 for providing users of an antenna installation assistant application with information about errors that occurred during the installation of one or more antennas. In particular, the first and second notification panels 410 and 420 display textual descriptions of wiring errors, which may include, for example, (1) which port was incorrectly connected to which other port ("cross-connected"), and / or (2) corrective actions to be taken to rectify the incorrect connection (e.g., disconnecting the incorrect connection ("reversing"), or reconnecting one port to the other port). Similar to the GUI 300 in Figure 3, the notification panels 410 and 420 include a display of the hardware port on which the incorrect connection was made (e.g., a display of L5 AVANCE with a red indicator).

[0038] Once a correct wired connection is established between the antenna and other mobile-mounted hardware (e.g., one of one or more mobile-mounted modems), the assistant application can calculate the amount of noise or change in power density (path loss) between the connected ports. In yet another GUI 500 shown in Figure 5, the antenna installation assistant application may display the calculated path loss and the measured path loss (in decibels (dB)) across each connection formed by the installer. In some embodiments, the assistant application performs path loss measurements only after all necessary connections to the antenna (or multiple antennas) have been configured. The assistant application may store (or obtain separately, for example, from a modem) predetermined noise loss thresholds corresponding to each correct connection, and these thresholds may differ for each hardware combination, depending on the embodiment. If the calculated loss for a connection exceeds the predetermined threshold, the assistant application may notify the user that the formed connection is incorrect.

[0039] It should be noted that additional or alternative GUIs, or elements contained therein, may be conceivable based on the descriptions herein. Furthermore, in some embodiments, certain aspects of the GUIs shown in Figures 2 to 5 may be combined with aspects of other GUIs shown in Figures 2 to 5 to constitute a single GUI. The visual arrangement of each aspect of the GUI may be modified without departing from the functionality described herein.

[0040] Examples of computing devices Figure 6 shows an exemplary computing device 600 that may implement an antenna installation assistant application in some embodiments. The computing device 600 may be, for example, one of the personal electronic devices 110 in Figure 1, and / or other mobile or non-mobile electronic devices on which the assistant application is implemented.

[0041] The computing device 600 includes a processor 602 (i.e., one or more processors), such as a microprocessor, controller, and / or other suitable type of processor. The computing device 600 further includes a memory 604 (i.e., one or more computer memories), which may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory, and which stores computer executable instructions accessible to the processor 602, thereby enabling the computing device 600 to perform the operations described herein. The computing device 600 further includes a network interface 606 (i.e., one or more network communication interfaces) and / or an input / output (I / O) interface 608 (i.e., one or more input and / or output interfaces). Each component of the computing device 600 is operably connected to one another via a computing bus 612.

[0042] The network interface 606 may enable the computing device 600 to communicate with one or more other devices, such as a base station, LRU, modem, or antenna. The network interface 606 may include any suitable type of communication interface, such as a wired interface and / or a wireless interface, configured to operate according to any suitable communication protocol. Examples of the network interface 606 may include a TCP / IP interface, a Wi-Fi transceiver (e.g., one conforming to the IEEE 802.11x standard family), an Ethernet transceiver, a radio device for a cellular network, a radio device for a satellite network, or any other suitable interface based on a suitable communication protocol or standard. The I / O interface 608 may include, for example, a Bluetooth® interface, a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a serial interface, an infrared interface, etc., which enable the reception of user input (e.g., touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, touchpad, joystick, trackball, microphone, button, etc.) and the provision of output data to the user (e.g., via a display device, speaker, printer, etc.).

[0043] With respect to memory 604, the non-temporary portion of memory 604 may particularly include the antenna installation assistant application 616 described herein. Non-temporary instructions stored in memory 604 can cause the computing device 600 to perform various operations belonging to the assistant application 616, such as executing a GUI, obtaining hardware configuration information, communicating with antennas, modems and / or other mobile device-mounted hardware, calculating noise levels or path loss, etc.

[0044] Depending on the embodiment, the computing device 600 may include additional, fewer, and / or alternative components, including those described in the detailed description herein.

[0045] Examples of computer implementation methods Figure 7 shows an exemplary computer implementation method 700 according to several embodiments. The method 700 can be implemented, for example, by the computing elements described in Figures 1 and 5 (e.g., electronic devices 110 and / or 600).

[0046] The method 700 includes (702) causing a first communication connection to transmit a test tone from a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network. The set of physical devices may include, for example, a mobile-mountable antenna and a mobile-mountable modem, or a mobile-mountable antenna and other network hardware elements of the mobile-based communication network. Thus, the first port of the first device may be a first port of the antenna, modem and / or other physical network hardware elements of the mobile-based communication network. The first communication connection may be a direct or indirect communication connection to the antenna, modem and / or other physical network hardware elements.

[0047] The method 700 further includes (704) arranging for signal measurement to be performed on one or more ports of the second device in the set of mobile-mounted devices via the second communication connection. If the first port in operation 702 was the first port of an antenna, then the one or more ports of the second device could be, for example, one or more ports of a mobile-mounted modem (or other mobile-mounted network hardware element). Conversely, if the first port in operation 702 was the first port of a mobile-mounted modem (or other mobile-mounted network hardware element), then the one or more ports of the second device could be one or more ports of an antenna. Thus, the second communication connection could be a direct or indirect communication connection to the antenna, modem and / or other physical network hardware elements.

[0048] In some embodiments, enabling the signal measurement may involve performing the signal measurement on each of a plurality of ports of the second device (i.e., testing whether the first port is wired to any port of the second device). Alternatively, enabling the signal measurement may involve referring to hardware configuration information indicating the correct communication connection between the first and second devices (i.e., the correspondence indicating which ports should be connected to each other). By referring to the hardware configuration information, the signal measurement may be performed on only one port of the second device that is considered correct for the first port of the first device.

[0049] The method 700 further includes detecting a communication connection between a first port of the first device and a second port of one or more ports of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement (706). In particular, if the test tone is detected by a signal measurement at the second port of the second device, the method 700 may determine that the first port of the first device is connected to the second port of the second device.

[0050] The method 700 further includes determining whether the detected communication connection is correct for the first device and the second device (708). Specifically, this determination may be based on hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices, for example, on a noise level or path loss threshold.

[0051] The method 700 further includes (710) ensuring that an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct is displayed via one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on the user's computer. The one or more GUIs may include, for example, one or more GUIs that include the elements described in relation to Figures 2 to 5. The user's computer may include, for example, mobile or non-mobile devices used by installation workers, operators, maintenance personnel, etc. (e.g., smartphones, smart wearable devices, tablets, laptop computers, desktop computers, etc.).

[0052] In some embodiments, the method 700 includes calculating the path loss between a first port of the first device and a second port of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement (e.g., a comparison of the power density of the test tone and the power density of the signal measurement). In these embodiments, the method 700 may further include displaying the calculated path loss via one or more GUIs. Furthermore, the method 700 may include comparing the calculated path loss to a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection. If the calculated path loss is below the threshold and therefore the connection is correct, the method 700 may further include instructing the onboard modem to update the stored path loss calibration setting corresponding to the detected communication connection, and / or communicating with one or more other network elements (e.g., ground-based system elements) to update the path loss calibration setting and thereby calibrate the system.

[0053] The method 700 may be performed, for example, when installing an antenna (e.g., when installing an antenna on a mobile device for the first time, or when reinstalling an antenna after maintenance or repair of a mobile device). Furthermore, or alternatively, the method 700 may be performed when activating a mobile device-mounted modem and / or other network hardware elements (e.g., at each transmission by the mobile device).

[0054] At the point in time when some operations of method 700 are performed, the mountable antenna does not actually need to be mounted on the mobile body yet. For example, an installer may wire the antenna to the onboard network hardware element and test the communication connection according to the method described herein before the antenna is fully mounted on the mobile body (i.e., before it is physically fixed to the mobile body in a manner suitable for movement, for example, by bolts, latches, adhesive, etc.).

[0055] It should be noted that, in addition to or instead of the operations shown in Figure 7, including any appropriate operations described herein, Method 700 may include further additional, fewer, and / or alternative operations. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the order of the operations in Method 700 may be changed. In some embodiments, Method 700 is implemented by one or more processors executing instructions stored in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media or one or more computer memories of a computing device (e.g., device 110 in Figure 1 or device 600 in Figure 6).

[0056] Additional considerations Throughout this specification, any component, operation, or structure described as a single embodiment may be implemented by multiple embodiments. While individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of these operations may be performed simultaneously, and it is not essential that the operations be performed in the illustrated order. Structures and functions presented as separate components in exemplary configurations may be implemented as combined structures or components. Similarly, structures and functions presented as single components may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter described herein.

[0057] Any reference in this specification to “in one embodiment” or “in a particular embodiment” means that any specific element, feature, structure or characteristic described in relation to that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The phrase “in one embodiment” appearing in various parts of this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0058] Some embodiments may be described using the terms “coupled” and “connected,” as well as their derivatives. For example, in some embodiments, the term “coupled” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, the term “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are cooperating or interacting with each other even if they are not in direct contact with each other. The embodiments described herein are not limited in this respect.

[0059] As used herein, “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” or any variation thereof, are intended to mean non-restrictive inclusion. For example, a process, method, product, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not limited to the elements explicitly enumerated in the list, but may further include other elements inherent in or not explicitly enumerated in the process, method, product, or apparatus. Furthermore, unless expressly stated otherwise, “or” means inclusive or, not exclusive or. For example, condition A or B is satisfied in any of the following cases: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist); A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists); or both A and B are true (or exist).

[0060] Furthermore, the definite nouns "a" or "an" are used in this specification to describe elements and components of embodiments. This is solely for the convenience of description and to provide a general understanding of the description. The descriptions and subsequent claims in this specification should be interpreted as including "one or at least one," and unless otherwise clearly intended in context, the singular form shall also include the plural form.

[0061] The methods and techniques described herein, or any part thereof, may be implemented by executing software stored on one or more non-temporary, tangible computer-readable storage media or memory, such as magnetic disks, laser disks, optical disks, semiconductor memory, biomemory, other memory devices, or other storage media, in the RAM or ROM of a computer or processor.

[0062] This detailed description should be interpreted as illustrative and does not describe all possible embodiments, for it would not be practical, even if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments may be implemented using the technology available at the time of filing of this patent or technology developed thereafter, and all of these may fall within the scope of the claims. The following are illustrative and not limiting embodiments of this disclosure:

[0063] In a first aspect, a computer implementation method is provided, performed by one or more processors of a computing device, for configuring an antenna relative to a modem in a mobile-based communication network. The method includes transmitting a test tone via a first communication connection to a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network, the set of physical devices comprising a mobile-based modem and a mobile-mountable antenna. The method further includes performing a signal measurement via a second communication connection to one or more ports of a second device among the set of mobile-based devices. The method further includes detecting a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port among the one or more ports of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement. The method further includes determining whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices, based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices, and / or displaying an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct via a graphical user interface on the user's computer.

[0064] In a second embodiment, the method according to the first embodiment further includes calculating a path loss between a first port of a first device and a second port of a second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement, and / or displaying the calculated path loss via the graphical user interface.

[0065] In a third aspect, the method according to the second aspect further includes comparing a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection with the calculated path loss, and / or causing the mobile modem to update a stored path loss calibration value corresponding to the detected communication connection in response to the calculated path loss being less than the predetermined threshold.

[0066] In a fourth embodiment, in the method according to any of the first to third embodiments, the transmission of the test tone is performed when the antenna is installed.

[0067] In a fifth embodiment, in the method according to any of the first to fourth embodiments, the transmission of the test tone is performed when the mobile modem is started up.

[0068] In a sixth aspect, in a method relating to any of the first to fifth aspects, enabling signal measurement to be performed on one or more ports of the second device includes identifying a specific port to be connected to the first port of the first device from among the one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information, and / or enabling signal measurement to be performed on the identified port.

[0069] In a seventh aspect, in the method according to any of the first to sixth aspects, the first device in the set of devices is a mobile modem, and the second device in the set of devices is an antenna.

[0070] In an eighth aspect, in the method according to any of the first to sixth aspects, the first device in the set of devices is an antenna, and the second device in the set of devices is a mobile modem.

[0071] In a ninth aspect, a method relating to any of the first to eighth aspects is carried out in combination with any other suitable provision from the first to eighth aspects.

[0072] In a tenth aspect, one or more non-temporary computer-readable media are provided, which, when executed by one or more processors, store instructions causing one or more computing devices to perform the following: namely, a test tone is transmitted via a first communication connection through a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network, the set of physical devices comprising a mobile-mounted modem and an antenna that can be mounted on a mobile device. Furthermore, the system enables signal measurement at one or more ports of the second device among the collection of mobile-mounted devices via a second communication connection; detects a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port among the one or more ports of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement; determines whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the collection of devices based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the collection of devices; and / or displays an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct via a graphical user interface on the user's computer.

[0073] In an eleventh aspect, in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to the tenth aspect, the instruction, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more computing devices to calculate a path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement, and / or displays a representation of the calculated path loss via the graphical user interface.

[0074] In a twelfth aspect, in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to the eleventh aspect, the instruction, when executed by one or more processors, causes one or more computing devices to compare a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection with the calculated path loss, and / or causes the mobile modem to update a stored path loss calibration value corresponding to the detected communication connection in response to the calculated path loss being less than the predetermined threshold.

[0075] In a thirteenth aspect, the instruction for transmitting the test tone in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the tenth to twelfth aspects includes an instruction for transmitting the test tone when the antenna is installed.

[0076] In a fourteenth aspect, the instruction for causing the transmission of the test tone in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the tenth to thirteenth aspects includes an instruction for causing the transmission of the test tone when a mobile modem is started up.

[0077] In a 15th aspect, in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the 10th to 14th aspects, the instructions for causing a signal measurement to be performed on one or more ports of the second device include instructions for identifying a specific port to be connected to a first port of the first device from among the one or more ports of the second device based on the hardware configuration information, and / or instructions for causing the signal measurement to be performed on the identified port.

[0078] In a sixteenth aspect, in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the tenth to fifteenth aspects, the first device among the set of devices is a mobile modem, and the second device among the set of devices is an antenna.

[0079] In a 17th aspect, in one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the 10th to 15th aspects, the first device in the set of devices is an antenna, and the second device in the set of devices is a mobile modem.

[0080] In the eighteenth aspect, one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the tenth to seventeenth aspects include instructions relating to any other appropriate clause of the tenth to seventeenth aspects.

[0081] In a 19th aspect, one or more non-temporary computer-readable media relating to any of the 10th to 18th aspects include instructions for performing a method relating to any suitable item among the 1st to 9th aspects.

[0082] In a 20th aspect, a computing system associated with a mobile-based communication network is provided, the computing system including an antenna that can be mounted on a mobile body, a mobile modem, one or more processors, and one or more non-temporary memories for storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the following: namely, a test tone is transmitted via a first communication connection through a first port of a first device among a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network, the set of physical devices comprising the mobile modem and the antenna. Furthermore, the system is configured such that a signal measurement is performed at one or more ports of the second device among the set of mobile-mounted devices via a second communication connection; a communication connection between the first port of the first device and the second port among the one or more ports of the second device is detected based on the test tone and the signal measurement; a determination is made as to whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices, based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices; and / or an indication of whether the detected communication connection is correct is displayed via a graphical user interface on the user's computer.

[0083] In a 21st embodiment, in the calculation system according to the 20th embodiment, when the instruction is executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to calculate the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device based on the test tone and the signal measurement, and / or display the calculated path loss via the graphical user interface.

[0084] In a 22nd aspect, in the computing system according to the 21st aspect, when the instruction is executed by one or more processors, the instruction causes one or more processors to compare a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection with the calculated path loss, and / or causes the mobile modem to update the stored path loss calibration value corresponding to the detected communication connection in response to the calculated path loss being less than the predetermined threshold.

[0085] In a 23rd aspect, in a calculation system according to any of the 20th to 22nd aspects, the command for transmitting the test tone includes a command for transmitting the test tone when the antenna is installed.

[0086] In a 24th aspect, in a computing system according to any of the 20th to 23rd aspects, the instruction for transmitting the test tone includes an instruction for transmitting the test tone when a mobile modem is started up.

[0087] In a 25th aspect, in a computing system according to any of the 20th to 24th aspects, the instruction for causing a signal measurement to be performed on one or more ports of the second device includes an instruction for identifying a specific port to be connected to a first port of the first device from among the one or more ports of the second device, based on the hardware configuration information, and / or an instruction for causing the signal measurement to be performed on the identified port.

[0088] In the 26th aspect, in a computing system according to any of the 20th to 25th aspects, the first device in the set of devices is a mobile modem, and the second device in the set of devices is an antenna.

[0089] In the 27th aspect, in a computing system according to any of the 20th to 25th aspects, the first device in the set of devices is an antenna, and the second device in the set of devices is a mobile modem.

[0090] In a 28th aspect, a computing system relating to any of the 20th to 27th aspects is configured to perform an operation relating to any other suitable term among the 20th to 27th aspects.

[0091] In a 29th aspect, a computing system relating to any of the 20th to 28th aspects includes a non-temporary instruction relating to any suitable provision among the 10th to 19th aspects.

[0092] In a 30th aspect, a calculation system relating to any of the 20th to 29th aspects is configured to perform a method relating to any suitable one of the 1st to 9th aspects.

[0093] In a 31st aspect, any of the first to 30 aspects may be implemented in combination with any other suitable provision of the first to 30 aspects.

[0094] Accordingly, numerous modifications and alterations can be made to the technologies and structures described and illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. Therefore, it should be noted that the methods and apparatus described herein are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A computer implementation method, executed by one or more processors of a computing device, for configuring an antenna for a modem in a mobile communication network, To enable the transmission of a test tone via a first communication connection through a first port of a first device in a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network, the set of devices comprising a mobile modem and an antenna mountable on the mobile device. To enable signal measurement at one or more ports of the second device among the collection of mobile device-mounted devices via a second communication connection, Based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection is detected between the first port of the first device and the second port of the one or more ports of the second device. Based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices, it is determined whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices, and To display whether the detected communication connection is correct or not via the graphical user interface on the user's computer. Computer implementation methods, including those mentioned above.

2. A computer implementation method according to claim 1, Based on the test tone and the signal measurement, the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device is calculated, and The calculated path loss is to be displayed via the graphical user interface. Computer implementation methods, including further details.

3. A computer implementation method according to claim 2, Comparing a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection with the calculated path loss, and In response to the calculated path loss being less than the predetermined threshold, the mobile modem is instructed to update the stored path loss calibration value corresponding to the detected communication connection. Computer implementation methods, including further details.

4. A computer implementation method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A computer implementation method wherein the transmission of the test tone is performed when the antenna is installed.

5. A computer implementation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A computer implementation method wherein the transmission of the test tone is performed when the mobile modem is started up.

6. A computer implementation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, To enable signal measurement at one or more ports of the second device, Based on the hardware configuration information, a specific port to be connected to the first port of the first device is identified from among the one or more ports of the second device, and To ensure that the signal measurement is performed at the aforementioned specific port. Computer implementation methods, including those mentioned above.

7. A computer implementation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A computer implementation method in which the first device among the set of devices is the mobile modem, and the second device among the set of devices is the antenna.

8. A computer implementation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A computer implementation method in which the first device among the set of devices is the antenna, and the second device among the set of devices is the mobile modem.

9. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media, when executed by one or more processors, To enable the transmission of a test tone via a first communication connection through a first port of a first device in a set of physical devices associated with a mobile-based communication network, the set of devices comprising a mobile modem and an antenna mountable on the mobile device. To enable signal measurement at one or more ports of the second device among the collection of mobile device-mounted devices via a second communication connection, Based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection is detected between the first port of the first device and the second port of the one or more ports of the second device. Based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection between the set of devices, it is determined whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices, and To display whether the detected communication connection is correct or not via the graphical user interface on the user's computer. A non-temporary computer-readable medium that stores multiple instructions for causing one or more computing devices to execute a computer.

10. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to claim 9, When the aforementioned plurality of instructions are executed by the one or more processors, they are sent to one or more computers. Based on the test tone and the signal measurement, the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device is calculated, and The calculated path loss is to be displayed via the graphical user interface. A non-temporary, computer-readable medium that enables further execution.

11. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to claim 10, When the aforementioned plurality of instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more computers will: Comparing a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection with the calculated path loss, and In response to the calculated path loss being less than the predetermined threshold, the mobile modem is instructed to update the stored path loss calibration value corresponding to the detected communication connection. A non-temporary, computer-readable medium that enables further execution.

12. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9 to 11, The plurality of commands for transmitting the test tone include a plurality of commands for transmitting the test tone when the antenna is installed. A non-temporary computer-readable medium.

13. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9 to 12, The plurality of commands for transmitting the test tone include a plurality of commands for transmitting the test tone when the mobile modem is started up. A non-temporary computer-readable medium.

14. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9 to 13, The plurality of instructions for causing the signal measurement to be performed on one or more ports of the second device are: Based on the hardware configuration information, a specific port to be connected to the first port of the first device is identified from among the one or more ports of the second device, and To perform the signal measurement at the specified port. A non-temporary, computer-readable medium containing multiple instructions for [a specific purpose].

15. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9 to 14, The first device in the set of devices is the mobile modem, and the second device in the set of devices is the antenna. A non-temporary computer-readable medium.

16. One or more non-temporary computer-readable media according to any one of claims 9 to 15, The first device in the set of devices is the antenna, and the second device in the set of devices is the mobile modem. A non-temporary computer-readable medium.

17. A computing system associated with a mobile-based communication network, An antenna that can be mounted on a mobile device, The mobile device's mounted modem, One or more processors, One or more non-temporary memory and Equipped with, The one or more non-temporary memories, when executed by the one or more processors, A set of physical devices associated with the mobile-based communication network, wherein a test tone is transmitted via a first communication connection through a first port of a first device in the set of devices, which consists of a mobile-mounted modem and an antenna. To cause signal measurement to be performed on one or more ports of the second device in the collection of mobile device-mounted devices via the second communication connection, Based on the test tone and the signal measurement, a communication connection is detected between the first port of the first device and the second port among the one or more ports of the second device. Based on comparing the detected communication connection with hardware configuration information indicating a correct communication connection in the set of devices, it is determined whether the detected communication connection between the first port and the second port is correct for the set of devices, and To display whether the detected communication connection is correct or not via the graphical user interface on the user's computer. It stores multiple commands that execute it. Computation system.

18. A calculation system according to claim 17, When the aforementioned plurality of instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors will, Based on the test tone and the signal measurement, the path loss between the first port of the first device and the second port of the second device is calculated, and The calculated path loss is to be displayed via the graphical user interface. To make it run further, Computation system.

19. A calculation system according to claim 18, When the aforementioned plurality of instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors will, The calculated path loss is compared with a predetermined threshold corresponding to the detected communication connection, and In response to the calculated path loss being less than the predetermined threshold, the mobile modem is instructed to update the stored path loss calibration value corresponding to the detected communication connection. To make it run further, Computation system.

20. A calculation system according to any one of claims 17 to 19, The plurality of commands for transmitting the test tone include a plurality of commands for transmitting the test tone when the antenna is installed. Computation system.

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