Anchor-Free AP Constellation Alignment for Hidden WLAN Access Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment and precise location determination of wireless Access Points (APs) in large facilities is challenging due to their hidden nature and the lack of an accurate map, making it difficult to manage and optimize network coverage.
Innovation Solution
A method using inter-access point range finding and anchor-free techniques to generate a wireless local area network (WLAN) constellation, which is then aligned with a building map using signal quality indicators and manual or GPS-assisted anchors to determine accurate AP locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If APs are deployed in hidden locations (behind walls, in ceilings) to optimize network coverage, then network coverage is improved, but the difficulty of locating and maintaining APs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy or digital representation of the physical AP constellation by measuring relative positions and distances between APs. This digital map serves as a copy of the physical infrastructure, allowing technicians to locate hidden APs through the digital representation without physically searching behind walls or in ceilings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that uses signal measurements and mathematical algorithms to bridge the gap between hidden physical APs and their locations. The intermediary process involves measuring signal characteristics, calculating relative positions, and generating a mapped representation that reveals AP locations without direct physical access.
2Measurement precision
If inter-access point range finding is performed with all available data, then location accuracy may be improved, but data quality and reliability deteriorate due to including low-quality links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different quality ratings to different measurement links based on their characteristics. Instead of treating all data uniformly, the system evaluates each link's quality locally and applies appropriate weighting or filtering, ensuring that high-quality measurements contribute more to the final location determination while low-quality measurements are downweighted or excluded.
3Measurement precision
If manual or GPS-assisted anchors are used to align the AP constellation with the building map, then location determination accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the deployment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing anchor points with known locations (through manual placement or GPS) before performing the main constellation mapping. These pre-established anchors serve as reference points that simplify the subsequent alignment process, allowing the system to automatically calculate relative positions of other APs without requiring complex real-time adjustments during deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A method to align a constellation of access points of a wireless local area network to, e.g., a floorplan, includes generating a representation of a constellation of access points of a wireless local area network area using inter-access point range finding, wherein data from the inter-access range finding is filtered based on a quality indicator associated with respective links between the access points, matching the representation of the constellation of access points to features of a map of a predetermined space, and identifying a location for each access point in the representation of the constellation of access points based on location information associated with the map.