RF Quality Assessment Using Self-Reporting Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing RF network quality in wireless communication systems are incomplete and costly, relying on assumptions and providing only marginal accuracy, making it difficult to determine if adjustments or upgrades are needed.
Innovation Solution
A system where a network application broadcasts reporting criteria to base stations to request RF signal strength reports from powered RF devices, allowing for comprehensive data acquisition and processing to assess RF network quality, enabling tailored data collection and automatic adjustment of system parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If RF prediction software is used to assess RF network quality, then the assessment can be performed without physical testing, but the accuracy of the prediction is only marginal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses actual RF devices (copies of real user equipment) to collect real RF measurement data instead of relying on prediction software. These devices physically traverse the network and capture actual signal conditions, replacing virtual predictions with real-world measurements while maintaining automated data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The RF devices themselves perform the measurement and reporting functions. The devices autonomously measure RF signal strength and quality at their current locations and automatically report this data to the network, eliminating the need for external testing equipment or manual measurement processes.
2Measurement precision
If test RF devices are driven around the mobile network to gather data, then accurate RF environment data can be collected, but the cost and time for data collection are high
Solution Approach 1:
Existing RF devices in the network perform self-measurement and self-reporting of RF conditions. The devices autonomously collect and transmit their own measurement data to base stations, eliminating the need for external testing equipment and manual data collection processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes ordinary RF devices serve multiple functions: they not only communicate normally but also perform RF measurement and quality assessment. This multi-functionality allows the network to gather comprehensive RF data from existing devices without adding specialized testing equipment.
3Quantity of substance
If measurements are collected at the mobile network to characterize network quality, then general conclusions about RF environment can be drawn, but specific analysis of actual RF conditions is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent collects RF measurement data from multiple local positions throughout the network as devices move to different locations. Each device reports RF conditions specific to its current location, providing granular, location-specific RF quality data that enables detailed spatial analysis of the RF environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The network is divided into multiple measurement points corresponding to different device locations. RF quality is assessed separately at each location rather than as a single aggregate measurement, enabling specific analysis of RF conditions in different geographic areas and identifying localized problems.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are presented for assessing wireless communication quality in a communications network, in which a network application broadcasts reporting criteria to base stations in the network that requests reporting of RF signal strength from powered RF devices, and the base stations send messages to RF devices to request the RF devices to RF quality information according to the reporting criteria. The base station sends reported RF quality information to the network application, which processes the reported information to provide an assessment of RF network quality for all or a subset of the RF coverage areas served by the network.