Access Point Channel Selection via Neighboring Reaction Prediction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managed wireless access points experience oscillating behavior and reduced performance improvement due to reactive configuration changes from neighboring unmanaged access points, leading to service interruptions and lower Quality of Service (QoS).

Innovation Solution

A device that learns the reaction probabilities of neighboring access points by repeatedly switching channels and measuring responses, calculating gain and probability for each channel combination to select the optimal configuration, anticipating and minimizing oscillating behavior.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the managed access point changes configuration to improve performance, then throughput and coverage are improved, but the unmanaged access point reacts by changing its configuration which reduces the performance improvement and causes oscillating behavior

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidconfiguration stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by proactively selecting optimal channels for unmanaged access points based on predicted behavior patterns, rather than reactively responding to their changes. This preliminary configuration reduces oscillations by anticipating and preventing reactive behavior before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring channel changes and performance metrics, then adjusting channel assignments to account for the reactive behavior of unmanaged access points. This closed-loop feedback stabilizes the network by continuously adapting to observed patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If channel measurements are performed to determine optimal configuration, then interference from unmanaged access points is accounted for, but oscillating behavior occurs leading to service interruptions and lower Quality of Service

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQuality of ServiceVSAvoidreconfiguration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary channel assignments based on predicted behavior patterns before oscillations occur. By pre-configuring channels that account for unmanaged access point reactions, the system avoids repeated reconfigurations and service interruptions, thereby reducing reconfiguration time while maintaining QoS.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts to the reactive behavior of unmanaged access points by adjusting channel assignments based on observed patterns. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain stability and QoS by flexibly responding to changing conditions without excessive reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the managed access point continuously changes configuration to optimize performance, then performance improvement is pursued, but oscillating behavior with unmanaged access points leads to service interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveperformanceVSAvoidservice continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary channel selections that account for the reactive behavior of unmanaged access points. By anticipating oscillations and pre-selecting stable channel combinations, the system achieves performance optimization without causing service interruptions, thereby maintaining both productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by counteracting the expected reactive behavior of unmanaged access points before oscillations occur. By pre-adjusting channel assignments to compensate for anticipated reactions, the system prevents performance degradation and service interruptions while maintaining optimal throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3413663B1Selection of an optimal communication channel of an access point
Publication Date: 2021.11.03 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP3413663B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3413663B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3413663B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A device (100) is disclosed for selecting a communication channel of an access point (110, 120) in a wireless communication network (111, 121) from a set of communication channels; wherein the wireless communication network overlaps with a neighbouring wireless communication network (131); the device comprises i) a learning module (101) configured to determine, for each combination of channels in the set, a probability that, when the access point switches to a first channel of the combination, the neighbouring network will switch to a second channel of the combination; and ii) a performance module (102) configured to determine, for each combination of channels in the set, a performance metric indicative for a gain obtained by switching the communication channel of the access point to the first channel; and iii) a selection module (103) configured to select an optimal communication channel for the access point based on the determined performance metric and the determined probability of each combination.