End-to-End Network Diagnostics Across Wireless LAN and Wide Area Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in diagnosing and locating the source of network connectivity problems that can arise from wireless local area networks, access networks, and wide area networks, due to interference, weak signals, and issues beyond the wireless network, such as broadband modem or internet service provider problems.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for end-to-end network diagnostics that involves obtaining condition information from wireless local area networks, access networks, and wide area networks, and providing a condition report to a diagnostic module to identify network issues across these networks, using a wireless access point that performs spectrum analysis and requests diagnostic data from access network devices and servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If network diagnostics are performed across multiple network layers (wireless LAN, access network, wide area network), then the completeness of network issue identification is improved, but the complexity of the diagnostic system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork issue identification accuracyVSAvoiddiagnostic system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The diagnostic system is segmented into three distinct modules, each responsible for a specific network layer: wireless LAN diagnostics module, access network diagnostics module, and wide area network diagnostics module. Each module collects condition information from its respective network layer independently, then the results are integrated to provide comprehensive end-to-end diagnostics. This segmentation allows the system to achieve complete network issue identification while managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If comprehensive condition information is collected from all network layers, then the ability to pinpoint network issues is improved, but the time required for diagnostics increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork issue location accuracyVSAvoiddiagnostic time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary diagnostics at each network layer by collecting condition information (such as signal strength, interference levels, connection status) before attempting to identify the root cause of network issues. This preliminary data collection from wireless LAN, access network, and wide area network layers enables the diagnostic module to quickly pinpoint issues without requiring extensive troubleshooting time, as the foundational information is already gathered and analyzed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3162004B1End-to-end network diagnostics
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3162004B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3162004B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3162004B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system and machine-implemented method of network diagnostics are provided. First condition information about a wireless local area network is obtained. Second condition information about an access network connecting the wireless local area network to a wide area network is obtained. Third condition information about the wide area network is obtained. Based on the first, second and third condition information, a condition report is provided to a diagnostic module configured to identify one or more network issues across the wireless local area network, the access network and the wide area network based on the condition report.