Wireless Mesh Network Roaming and Installation Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing a wireless mesh network in a home environment is challenging due to the difficulty in identifying and addressing dead spots, coordinating multiple access points, and ensuring efficient roaming and bandwidth allocation, especially for layman users.
Innovation Solution
A mobile software application assists users in surveying and installing mesh points, providing guided installation, rate estimation, and automated configuration to optimize wireless coverage and roaming within the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single access point with high transmission power is used, then coverage area is improved, but regulatory compliance and link asymmetry cause deterioration in reliable communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single high-power access point into multiple lower-power mesh points that work together in a distributed manner. Each mesh point covers a specific area, and they collectively provide whole-home coverage while maintaining reliable bidirectional communication through mesh networking protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mesh points as intermediary devices between the gateway and client devices. These mesh points relay communications, enabling reliable bidirectional traffic flow while operating at lower transmission powers that comply with regulations and avoid the link asymmetry problems of high-power single APs.
2Reliability
If multiple smaller access points are deployed in a distributed manner, then reliable communication is improved, but installation and configuration complexity increases for layman users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where mesh points automatically discover each other, establish connections, and configure themselves without user intervention. The system performs automated surveying, placement optimization, and network configuration, allowing layman users to deploy the network simply by plugging in devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically surveying the environment, determining optimal mesh point placements, and pre-configuring network parameters before the user completes installation. This eliminates the need for users to manually plan or configure the distributed access points.
3Ease of operation
If automated surveying and guided installation are implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a control entity that performs multiple functions including environmental surveying, optimal placement determination, network configuration, and roaming coordination. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single management system while keeping individual mesh points simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the control entity continuously monitors network performance, client device locations, and signal quality, then automatically adjusts mesh point configurations and triggers roaming decisions. This feedback loop simplifies operation by making the system adaptive without requiring user expertise.
Data Source
AI summary
Introduced here are techniques to provide automated mesh point survey and guided installation for assisting the installation and configuration of a wireless mesh network. Additional implementation techniques are also introduced including, for example, link rate estimation, roaming, and dedicated backhaul link implementation in such wireless mesh network, are also discussed. Among other benefits, this disclosure provides an integral solution where multiple wireless local area network (WLAN) mesh point devices are deployed in a relatively large environment with potential dead spots, such as a home or an office.