Wireless Extender Link Testing for Data Rate and Interference Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for deploying wireless extenders at customer premises are inefficient, as they often result in unnecessary transmission power usage and interference, and fail to accurately ensure the desired data rate is achieved, due to reliance on beacon signal strength measurements which do not account for varying conditions such as interference and physical obstructions.
Innovation Solution
A system that tests individual links to determine if they can support the expected data rate, automatically sets transmission power levels, and uses Dynamic Frequency Selection to minimize interference, by testing and adjusting channel usage and power levels to ensure the desired service level is met without using maximum permitted transmission power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmission power is increased to ensure desired data rate is achieved, then data rate reliability is improved, but interference to other devices increases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs link testing and data rate verification before final deployment of the wireless extender. This preliminary action identifies the minimum necessary transmission power level required to achieve the desired data rate, preventing excessive power configuration that would cause interference. The testing phase allows the system to determine optimal power settings in advance of full operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses measured data rates from link testing to feedback and adjust transmission power levels. By monitoring actual achieved data rates during testing and comparing them against target rates, the system can iteratively optimize power settings to the minimum level needed, thereby reducing interference while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If transmission power is increased to ensure desired data rate is achieved, then data rate reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs link testing and data rate verification before final deployment of the wireless extender. This preliminary action identifies the minimum necessary transmission power level required to achieve the desired data rate, preventing excessive power configuration that would waste energy. The testing phase allows the system to determine optimal power settings in advance of full operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses measured data rates from link testing to feedback and adjust transmission power levels. By monitoring actual achieved data rates during testing and comparing them against target rates, the system can iteratively optimize power settings to the minimum level needed, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If beacon signal strength is used to determine extender placement, then placement simplicity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs actual data rate testing during the deployment process before finalizing extender placement. This preliminary testing action verifies that the placement chosen based on simple beacon signal strength measurements actually achieves the desired data rate, correcting for inaccuracies in the initial placement decision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses measured data rates from link testing to feedback and adjust extender placement. By monitoring actual achieved data rates during testing, the system can identify placements that fail to meet targets and guide repositioning decisions, thereby improving placement accuracy beyond what beacon signal strength alone can provide.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for facilitating the deployment of a wireless extender in combination with a base station at a customer premises are described. Support is provided for data rate testing in combination with configuring one or more aspects of the system such as wireless extender and/or base station transmission power level. By using testing a system can be deployed where one or more devices may use transmission power levels which are less than the maximum permitted transmission power level while still supporting an expected data rate corresponding to a subscriber service level in a reliable manner. In various embodiments DFS channel black and/or white lists are generated for each link taking into consideration the determined transmit power to be used for a given link.