Cloud Controller Distributed Wi-Fi Topology Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Wi-Fi systems face challenges with interference, congestion, and coverage issues, particularly in distributed networks, where traditional approaches like increasing access point power or using mesh networks are limited in improving throughput and capacity, and fail to address interference and congestion effectively.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-controlled distributed Wi-Fi system with multiple access points that adapt topology and configuration in real-time, using different channels for backhaul and client links to minimize interference and congestion, and a method for updating firmware and topology to optimize network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a single access point uses higher transmit power to improve coverage, then signal strength increases, but interference between networks increases and regulatory limits are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the network into multiple access points distributed throughout the coverage area, each transmitting at lower power levels. This segmentation replaces the single high-power access point with multiple low-power nodes, reducing individual interference while maintaining overall coverage through coordinated transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
Each access point transmits at optimized power levels tailored to its local environment and distance from clients. The system adjusts transmission characteristics locally at each node rather than using uniform high power across the entire network, reducing unnecessary interference while maintaining adequate signal strength in each local area.
2Device complexity
If mesh networks use the same frequency for all backhaul communication, then device complexity is reduced, but network capacity decreases due to airtime consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically assigns different frequency channels to different backhaul links based on current network conditions, traffic patterns, and interference levels. This dynamic channel assignment allows the network to adaptively optimize capacity without requiring complex manual configuration, as the cloud controller automatically manages channel distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frequency channel parameter for different backhaul links rather than using a single fixed frequency. By varying this critical parameter across multiple links, the system increases network capacity while the cloud controller manages the complexity of coordination, effectively trading controlled complexity for significant performance gains.
3Area of stationary object
If repeaters are added to extend coverage through multiple hops, then coverage area increases, but airtime consumption increases and network capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backhaul connection into multiple parallel frequency channels across different access points rather than using sequential hopping through repeaters. This allows simultaneous transmissions on different frequencies, extending coverage through multiple nodes without the cumulative airtime consumption of traditional multi-hop repeater systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the frequency dimension to the backhaul communication, allowing multiple access points to communicate simultaneously on different channels. This transforms the traditional time-sequential multi-hop approach into a parallel frequency-multiplexed architecture, extending coverage while maintaining network capacity.
4Productivity
If centralized cloud control is implemented to optimize topology, then network performance improves, but system complexity and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud controller as an intermediary that centralizes the complex optimization functions. Rather than requiring complex distributed algorithms at each access point, the cloud controller serves as a mediator that receives network state information, performs centralized optimization calculations, and distributes simplified configuration commands back to the access points, managing complexity centrally while enabling sophisticated optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include a cloud controller communicatively coupled to one or more distributed Wi-Fi networks and configured to manage the one or more distributed Wi-Fi networks. The cloud controller includes a network interface communicatively coupled to the distributed Wi-Fi networks; one or more processors communicatively coupled to the network interface; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: determine a new topology state for a topology of Wi-Fi network from a current topology state based on management of the Wi-Fi network; cause one or more nodes to change to new associated parent nodes based on the new topology state; cause an update to a configuration of the one or more nodes based on the new topology state; and continue to change additional nodes to new associated parent nodes based on the new topology state until the new topology state is obtained.