Distributed Wi-Fi Network Topology Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Wi-Fi networks face challenges with interference, congestion, and coverage issues, particularly in residential environments, where signal strength decreases with distance and is affected by obstacles, leading to poor performance and limited capacity.
Innovation Solution
A distributed Wi-Fi system with multiple access points, each communicating via different channels, is optimized using cloud-based control to minimize interference and congestion, ensuring strong signal strength and robust operation by adapting topology and configuration in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single access point is used to provide Wi-Fi coverage, then device complexity is low, but coverage and signal strength deteriorate with distance and obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the Wi-Fi network into multiple access points distributed throughout the coverage area. Each access point serves a specific zone, ensuring strong signal strength in its local area while collectively providing comprehensive coverage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining low complexity at the individual node level while achieving high reliability through distributed architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-point (0D) or centralized (1D) access point model to a distributed spatial network (3D). By placing multiple access points throughout the physical space, the system adds spatial dimensionality to the network architecture, ensuring that users anywhere in the coverage area remain within range of at least one access point, thus maintaining strong signal strength without increasing individual device complexity.
2Reliability
If transmit power is increased to improve coverage, then signal strength improves, but interference between networks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables each access point to operate with optimized transmit power tailored to its specific local environment and coverage requirements. Rather than uniformly increasing power across the entire network, each access point adjusts its power level to provide adequate coverage for its zone while minimizing interference to neighboring access points. This local optimization resolves the contradiction by achieving coverage without proportional increases in interference.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the coverage area into multiple zones served by different access points, the patent segments the overall interference problem into smaller, localized interference management tasks. Each access point only needs to manage interference with its immediate neighbors rather than dealing with network-wide interference, reducing the total harmful interference while maintaining coverage.
3Reliability
If multiple access points are deployed to improve coverage, then signal strength and coverage improve, but device complexity and network configuration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-configuration and self-optimization capabilities in the distributed access point network. Access points automatically discover each other, establish appropriate connections, and adjust their operational parameters without requiring manual configuration. This self-service approach resolves the contradiction by enabling comprehensive multi-access-point coverage while keeping the configuration process simple and automatic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where access points continuously monitor network conditions, signal strength, and interference levels, then automatically adjust their configuration based on this feedback. This closed-loop control enables the network to self-optimize its performance and configuration, resolving the contradiction by maintaining simple user-side interaction while achieving complex optimized multi-access-point operation.
4Reliability
If repeaters or mesh networks are used to extend coverage, then coverage improves, but congestion and interference increase due to repeated transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into independent access point zones that communicate directly with the core network infrastructure, eliminating the need for repeated transmissions through repeaters. Each access point maintains its own connection to the network backbone, allowing simultaneous data flow without the congestion and interference inherent in multi-hop repeater systems. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by achieving extended coverage without proportional increases in congestion.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include obtaining data associated with operation of a Wi-Fi network, via a network interface connected to the one or more processors; analyzing the obtained data to determine one or more of forecasts, predictions, trends, and interference associated with the Wi-Fi network based on the obtained data and correlations determined therein; and causing configuration of the Wi-Fi network based on the determined one or more forecasts, predictions, trends, and interference, wherein the configuration includes at least one of channel selection, bandwidth selection, topology selection of access points in the Wi-Fi network, and client associations with the access points.