Automatic feedback for proper placement of Wi-Fi connected set top box
Embodiments include an automatic set top box placement (STB) process and system that balances video playback needs against the performance characteristics of individual devices and the communications system. For video playback, this involves maintaining required sustained data rates needed to support video of various levels of quality and resolution and matching these against the capacity of the Wi-Fi system in terms of channel capacity and gateway/Access Point to STB connection quality. An intelligent network controller calculates the STB total airtime. Each STB is associated with a Service Set Identifier (SSID) that the controller uses to identify the STB clients. The controller calculates the End-to-End PHY rates for each client. The total STB airtime can then be calculated and compared to the default allocation for the STBs. Recommendations regarding moving STBs, gateways, and or satellite/booster devices can then be provided to the user.
1 . A method of indicating optimal location of Wi-Fi set top box (STB) devices in network in an environment, comprising:
placing, in an initial deployment, a gateway access point (AP), the STB devices, and one or more Wi-Fi boosters in the environment;
calculating, for each STB of the STB devices, a respective fraction of a total channel airtime needed for data transmission through the gateway AP when all STB devices are using the gateway AP, wherein a portion of the total channel airtime is unusable due to signal degradation and a remaining portion is usable airtime; and
automatically indicating, through a user interface, non-optimal placement of at least one of the AP, the STB devices, or the Wi-Fi boosters in the initial deployment if the usable airtime is fully utilized.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface displaying a network topology of the initial deployment showing respective icons for each of the gateway AP, STB devices and Wi-Fi boosters, and further comprising displaying the respective fraction for each STB as a graphical pattern or color along a defined scale to indicate an amount of usable airtime for a respective STB.
3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a recommendation to re-locate, in a subsequent deployment, at least one device in the environment, wherein the recommendation comprises at least one of: moving the gateway AP to a more central location in the environment, moving an STB device closer to the gateway AP, and installing or moving one or more of the Wi-Fi boosters proximate to the STB device.
4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising determining operating parameters and device characteristics of each of the STB devices, wherein each STB device wirelessly communicates with the gateway AP, which is coupled to an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and wherein each STB device comprises a communication device having a minimum data transmission rate.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the calculating step comprises determining a percentage airtime utilization of each STB device to calculate a total airtime needed for playback of a video channel, wherein the airtime dictates how much of a channel capacity is used at any given time.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the percentage airtime utilization is a function of a recommended sustained speed of a video application creating video content transmitted over the video channel, and a physical layer (PHY) rate of a corresponding STB, and further wherein the PHY rate is a function of the backhaul PHY rate of each STB, and a backhaul PHY rate of each satellite coupled between a corresponding STB and the gateway, wherein a backhaul PHY rate comprises a Physical layer rate from the gateway to a satellite and a fronthaul PHY rate comprises a Physical layer rate from a satellite to an STB.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein, if no Wi-Fi boosters are deployed, the PHY rate comprises a fronthaul PHY rate of the corresponding STB.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein each STB device has an service set identifier (SSID) that uniquely identifies a corresponding device, and wherein the SSID further specifies a device type of the corresponding device, and further wherein the playback device comprises an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), and the video content comprises 4K High Definition video, and wherein the environment comprises one of an enclosed building or a community Wi-Fi environment.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the community Wi-Fi environment allows one or more external devices outside of the environment to utilize the gateway AP on a temporary basis, and further wherein at least one of the external devices utilizes the usable airtime.
10 . A method of indicating optimal location of Wi-Fi set top box (STB) devices in a subscriber network providing access to the Internet, comprising:
defining an initial network topography comprising devices including a gateway access point (AP), the STB devices, and one or more Wi-Fi boosters located in the environment;
calculating an amount of total channel airtime needed for data transmission without signal degradation through the gateway AP when all STB devices are using the gateway AP;
determining an amount of free airtime within the total channel airtime that comprises a sum of unused airtime for each STB device; and
automatically indicating, through a user interface, non-optimal placement of at least one of the AP, the STB devices, or the Wi-Fi boosters in the initial network topography if there is no free airtime indicating that the STB devices in the initial network topography will overload the gateway AP.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the subscriber network is managed by a user subscribing to a service provider providing access to the Internet, and wherein the network comprises a community Wi-Fi environment that allows one or more external devices operated by non-subscribers to utilize the gateway AP on a temporary basis, and further wherein at least one of the external devices utilizes the free airtime.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface displaying a network topology of the initial deployment showing respective icons for each of the gateway AP, STB devices and Wi-Fi boosters, the method further comprising displaying the respective fraction for each STB as a graphical pattern or color along a defined scale to indicate an amount of usable airtime for a respective STB.
13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising providing to the user a recommendation to re-locate, in a subsequent deployment, at least one device in the environment, wherein the recommendation comprises at least one of: moving the gateway AP to a more central location in the environment, moving an STB device closer to the gateway AP, and installing or moving one or more of the Wi-Fi boosters proximate to the STB device.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the network comprises a home network having different playback devices operated by various users at any one time, wherein each device consumes a certain amount of bandwidth and imposing bandwidth limitations that impact the quality of video content delivery through the gateway AP.
15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:
associating each STB with a Service Set Identifier (SSID) that is used by an intelligent network controller to identify STBs in the network;
calculating, for each STB, a total airtime and an End-to-End (EtE) Physical Layer (PHY) rate;
calculating a total STB airtime for all STBs in the network based on airtime utilization that dictates how much channel capacity is being used at any given time; and
comparing the total STB airtime to a default allocation of airtime for each respective STB to determine the free airtime.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the total STB airtime is a function of a recommended sustained speed of a video application creating streaming video content for the data transmission, and a PHY rate of a corresponding STB, and further wherein the PHY rate is a function of the backhaul PHY rate of each STB, and a backhaul PHY rate of each satellite coupled between a corresponding STB and the gateway, wherein a backhaul PHY rate comprises a Physical layer rate from the gateway to a satellite and a fronthaul PHY rate comprises a Physical layer rate from a satellite to an STB.
17 . A system indicating optimal location of Wi-Fi set top box (STB) devices in network in an environment, comprising:
a plurality of devices placed in an initial deployment, and comprising a gateway access point (AP), the STB devices, and one or more Wi-Fi boosters in the environment;
an automated placement processing component calculating, for each STB of the STB devices, a respective fraction of a total channel airtime needed for data transmission through the gateway AP when all STB devices are using the gateway AP, wherein a portion of the total channel airtime is unusable due to signal degradation and a remaining portion is usable airtime; and
a user interface displaying icons for the plurality of devices in a network topography and graphically indicating non-optimal placement of at least one of the AP, the STB devices, or the Wi-Fi boosters in the initial deployment if the usable airtime is fully utilized.
18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface displaying a network topology of the initial deployment showing respective icons for each of the gateway AP, STB devices and Wi-Fi boosters, and further comprising displaying the respective fraction for each STB as a graphical pattern or color along a defined scale to indicate an amount of usable airtime for a respective STB.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the automated placement processing component provides, through the user interface, a recommendation to re-locate, in a subsequent deployment, at least one device in the environment, wherein the recommendation comprises at least one of: moving the gateway AP to a more central location in the environment, moving an STB device closer to the gateway AP, and installing or moving one or more of the Wi-Fi boosters proximate to the STB device.