Multi-band Access Point Network Plan Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network planning tools cannot automatically create multi-frequency band network plans from frequency-band-specific plans, limiting the deployment and maintenance efficiency of wireless networks by requiring multiple physical access points.
Innovation Solution
A method to merge frequency-band-specific network plans by pairing radios from different plans, assigning utilities based on proximity, signal strength, or user-defined importance, and using a minimum weighted perfect bipartite graph matching algorithm to determine optimal radio groupings and access point locations, thereby creating a merged multi-band network plan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If frequency-band-specific network plans are created separately for each band, then the network planning can be simplified and managed independently, but the number of physical access points increases and deployment efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple frequency-band-specific network plans into a single multi-band network plan by creating a unified plan that combines access points from different frequency bands. The merging process evaluates compatibility between access points from different bands and consolidates them into a unified deployment plan, reducing the total number of physical access points while maintaining independent band management capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables access points to serve multiple frequency bands simultaneously by creating a multi-band network plan where a single access point can handle multiple frequency bands. This multi-functionality allows one physical access point to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate access points for different bands, thereby reducing the quantity of physical devices needed.
2Reliability
If multiple physical access points are deployed for different frequency bands, then coverage and capacity requirements can be met, but deployment and maintenance effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple frequency-band-specific plans into a unified multi-band network plan, consolidating deployment information for access points across different bands. This merging process maintains the coverage and capacity requirements of each band while presenting a single unified deployment plan, thereby reducing the effort required for deployment and maintenance compared to managing separate plans for each band.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual merging of frequency-band-specific plans is performed, then multi-band network plans can be created, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated merging process that performs the combination of frequency-band-specific network plans without requiring manual intervention. The system automatically evaluates compatibility between access points from different bands, resolves conflicts, and generates the unified multi-band network plan. This self-service automation eliminates time-consuming manual operations and reduces human error while maintaining the ability to create adaptable multi-band plans.
Data Source
AI summary
A network planning tool for a merged plan comprising multi-band access points having radio groups merges at least a first and a second frequency-band-specific plan. Firstly, a set of pairs, each pair having a radio from the first plan as a first element and a radio from the second plan as a second element is created and utilities are assigned to the pairs. Then a subset of pairs that maximizes a sum of utilities and contains any radio from the first and second plan at most once is selected. The merged plan is created by placing radios in a pair in the selected subset into the same radio group and selecting a location of the radio group based on locations of corresponding radios in the first and second frequency-band-specific plans.