Location aware self-locating access point

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9386461-B2
Application number	US-201313923882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2013
Priority date	Jun 21, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A location aware, self-locating access point can provide a wireless link through a wireless network to a wireless device. If the wireless link bandwidth is less than a target bandwidth for the wireless device, then the location aware, self-locating access point can move itself to a new operating location that provides an increased wireless link bandwidth. If a second wireless device is added to the wireless network, then the new operating location is selected to provide an increased link bandwidth for both wireless devices. In one embodiment, the wireless devices in the wireless network can be prioritized so that the new operating location increases the wireless link bandwidth for the wireless device with a higher priority.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a self-locating access point, the method comprising:
determining a first target bandwidth associated with a first wireless device communicatively coupled with the self-locating access point, wherein the first target bandwidth is determined by a device profile corresponding to the first wireless device;
determining, by the self-locating access point, a first wireless link bandwidth between the self-locating access point and the first wireless device, the first wireless link bandwidth associated with a first operating location of the self-locating access point;
determining a second operating location of the self-locating access point in response to a determination that the first wireless link bandwidth is less than the first target bandwidth; and
causing the self-locating access point to move to the second operating location via a component of the self-locating access point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the self-locating access point to move to the second operating location comprises operating the component of the self-locating access point to reposition the self-locating access point to the second operating location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the self-locating access point to move to the second operating location comprises autonomously repositioning the self-locating access point from the first operating location to the second operating location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second operating location comprises determining a second wireless link bandwidth, greater than the first wireless link bandwidth, between the self-locating access point and the first wireless device at the second operating location.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second operating location comprises determining a second wireless link bandwidth, greater than the first target bandwidth, between the self-locating access point and the first wireless device at the second operating location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second operating location comprises determining a second wireless link bandwidth, greater than a bandwidth threshold, and less than the first target bandwidth, between the self-locating access point and the first wireless device at the second operating location.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operating location and the second operating location are constrained to an operating pathway.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein causing the self-locating access point to move to the second operating location constrains the self-locating access point to locations within a tolerance distance of the operating pathway.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining the operating pathway by capturing, using the self-locating access point, location information while the self-locating access point moves along a desired operating pathway.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the location information comprises Global Positioning System location information.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the self-locating access point to move to the second operating location comprises moving the self-locating access point by hovering to the second operating location.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the self-locating access point to move to the second operating location comprises moving the self-locating access point by one of rolling and driving operations to the second operating location.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the device profile corresponding to the first wireless device in a memory of the self-locating access point.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device profile is created in response to user input.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device profile is created by monitoring a wireless connection between the first wireless device and the self-locating access point.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second operating location of the self-locating access point comprises selecting a location having a reduced distance to the first wireless device with respect to the first operating location.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second operating location of the self-locating access point further comprises determining a second wireless link bandwidth between the self-locating access point and a second wireless device communicatively coupled to the self-locating access point.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprises determining when the second wireless link bandwidth for the second wireless device is less than a second target bandwidth of the second wireless device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the second operating location comprises determining a third wireless link bandwidth, greater than the second target bandwidth, between the self-locating access point and the second wireless device.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first priority number for the first wireless device and a second priority number for a second wireless device communicatively coupled to the self-locating access point; and
selecting the second operating location that increases a wireless link bandwidth to the first wireless device in response to a determination that the first priority number is higher than the second priority number.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first priority number for the first wireless device is determined by the device profile and the second priority number for the second wireless device is determined by a second device profile corresponding to the second wireless device.

22. A self-locating access point comprising:
a processor; and
a memory having instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processor, cause the self-locating access point to:
determine a first target bandwidth associated with a first wireless device communicatively coupled with the self-locating access point, wherein the first target bandwidth is determined by a device profile corresponding to the first wireless device;
determine, by the self-locating access point, a first wireless link bandwidth between the self-locating access point and the first wireless device, the first wireless link bandwidth associated with a first operating location of the self-locating access point
determine a second operating location of the self-locating access point in response to a determination that the first wireless link bandwidth is less than the first target bandwidth; and
cause the self-locating access point to move from the first operating location to the second operating location.

23. The self-locating access point of claim 22 , further comprising a component configured to reposition the self-locating access point to the second operating location.

24. The self-locating access point of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the self-locating access point to determine autonomously the second operating location.

25. The self-locating access point of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the self-locating access point to determine the second operating location comprising a second wireless link bandwidth, greater than the first wireless link bandwidth, between the self-locating access point and the first wireless device.

26. The self-locating access point of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when execu

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ramachandran Ponmudi
• Anantharaman Subramanian

Classifications

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title

• H04W16/18 Primary

  Network planning tools · CPC title