Self-Optimizing WiFi Network Management for Residential Hotspots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Residential and community WiFi networks face challenges in scalability and management due to the variance in customer-premises equipment vendors and models, lack of physical control by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) over access points, leading to poor quality of experience and inefficient hotspot services.
Innovation Solution
A self-optimizing network (SON) server system that receives configuration details and performance statistics from access points, uses dynamic channel assignment, power control, and multi-band steering to optimize WiFi performance, accommodating different device vendors and levels of control, and balances home and hotspot usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If ISPs deploy massive densification of WiFi service in residential space and community hotspots, then network coverage and service continuity are improved, but network management complexity and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-optimizing network (SON) functionality that enables access points to automatically detect, analyze, and remediate performance issues without manual intervention. The system autonomously monitors network conditions, identifies interference and capacity problems, and applies corrective actions such as power adjustments and channel changes, allowing the densely deployed network to self-manage despite increased complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuous feedback loops where access points collect performance statistics and configuration details, analyze them to identify issues, determine remedial actions, and implement changes. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables dynamic adaptation to changing network conditions, maintaining optimal performance as the network scales to dense deployments
2Adaptability or versatility
If access points serve both authorized residential users and community WiFi users, then network utility and coverage are improved, but quality of experience and service quality deteriorate due to interference and resource contention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies differentiated quality of service policies and resource allocation for different user types and traffic priorities. The system analyzes performance statistics to identify users or applications experiencing degradation and applies targeted remedial actions such as power control adjustments and channel assignments that protect high-priority traffic while allowing flexible access for community users, maintaining local quality variations across the network
3Productivity
If diverse vendor equipment is deployed in residential networks, then market flexibility and deployment speed are improved, but network compatibility and centralized control capability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal SON architecture that can manage diverse access point vendors and models through a common interface and protocol set. The system collects configuration details and performance statistics from multi-vendor equipment using standardized methods, analyzes data centrally, and issues vendor-agnostic remedial commands, enabling centralized control and optimization across heterogeneous network infrastructure without sacrificing deployment flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
A method for improving performance in a residential/community WiFi network is implemented on a self-optimizing network (SON) server and includes: receiving current configuration details and local performance statistics from SON clients installed in access points (APs) in the residential/community WiFi networks, where at least one of the APs is a residential AP configured to provide WiFi connectivity to both authorized users of the residential AP and a community of WiFi users not associated with the residential AP, analyzing at least the current configuration details and local performance statistics to identify performance issues in the residential/community WiFi network, determining remedial actions based on the analyzing, and instructing the access points to perform the remedial actions via the SON clients.