Cable-Integrated Wireless Access Point Radios for Coverage and Bandwidth

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Solution Overview

Problem

In high-density wireless access point environments, the available bandwidth decreases, and coverage variability is significant due to factors like interference and obstructions, limiting effective wireless communication.

Innovation Solution

Integration of wireless access point radios within a cable, where each radio is communicatively coupled to a wireless controller, allowing for power distribution, feature updates, and configuration settings, enabling self-healing by adjusting transmission power and adding new cables with radios to maintain coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If wireless access point density is increased to improve coverage, then coverage area is improved, but available bandwidth decreases due to spectrum sharing limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidavailable bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the wireless network into multiple distributed access points integrated along a physical cable infrastructure. Each cable segment contains multiple APs that operate independently, dividing the coverage area into manageable zones that can be optimized individually, thereby maintaining bandwidth while expanding overall coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional standalone or ceiling-mounted APs to a three-dimensional cable-integrated deployment model. By embedding APs within cable infrastructure distributed throughout the physical space, the system adds a spatial dimension to network deployment, enabling coverage expansion without increasing spectral congestion at any single location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If transmission power is increased to extend coverage range, then coverage area is improved, but interference from other devices on the same frequency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage rangeVSAvoidinterference
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by integrating multiple low-power access points distributed along cable infrastructure throughout the coverage area. Each AP provides localized wireless access with optimized transmission parameters for its specific location, eliminating the need for high-power transmissions that would cause interference while maintaining comprehensive coverage through the distributed architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If cable integration is used to deploy multiple radios, then bandwidth utilization is enhanced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth utilizationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing the cable infrastructure to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides both power delivery and data communication channels for the integrated access points. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems, reducing overall complexity while enabling enhanced bandwidth utilization through the shared cable medium.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2475218B1Method and system for wireless access point radios integrated in a cable
Publication Date: 2019.07.03 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD
  • EP2475218B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP2475218B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~1C
  • EP2475218B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A wireless access point (AP) radio may be integrated in a cable. The cable may comprise one or more other integrated wireless AP radios. The cable may be communicatively coupled to a wireless controller and the wireless AP radio may receive power from the wireless controller via the cable. Feature information and/or configuration parameter settings may be received by the wireless AP radio from the wireless controller via the cable. The wireless AP radio may provide wireless communication services such as wireless access to a wired network for one or more client devices, based on the feature information and/or the configuration parameter settings. When one or more adjacent wireless AP radios in the cable become non-operational, the wireless AP radio may increase its transmission power to increase its coverage for covering at least a portion of coverage area associated with the one or more non-operational adjacent wireless AP radios.