IP Library › Granted Patent US 12701444
Granted Patent B2
US 12701444 · App. 17/990,790 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Survey and optimizer system for large public venue access point networks with steerable antenna beams

Inventors: John Matthew Swartz (Lithia, FL); Jerome Henry (Pittsboro, NC); Robert Edgar Barton (Richmond, CA); Matthew Aaron Silverman (Shaker Heights, OH); Fred Jay Anderson (Lakeville, OH)
Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
H04W24/08H04W24/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701444
App. No.
17/990,790
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Presented herein are techniques to optimize wireless local area network access point beam settings. A method includes, during a survey period, causing a first access point and a second access point in a wireless local area network, to simultaneously transmit survey transmissions according to a predetermined sequence of transmission states, receiving, from a survey station that received the survey transmissions during the survey period, telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the telemetry including a location of the survey station when the survey station received the survey transmissions, and after the survey period, controlling, based on the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the first access point to operate according to a first transmission state from among the transmission states and the second access point to operate according to a second transmission state from among the transmission states.

Claims (44)

1 . A method includes:

during a survey period, causing a first access point and a second access point in a wireless local area network, to simultaneously transmit survey transmissions according to a predetermined sequence of transmission states, wherein the survey transmissions include at least one of an indication of a beam shape and an indication of a beam direction;

receiving, from a mobile survey station that received the survey transmissions during the survey period, telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions including a location of the mobile survey station when the mobile survey station received the survey transmissions and a corresponding one of the at least one of the indication of a beam shape and the indication of the beam direction; and

after the survey period, controlling, based on the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the first access point to operate according to a first transmission state from among the predetermined sequence of transmission states and the second access point to operate according to a second transmission state from among the predetermined sequence of transmission states.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a beam shape.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a beam direction.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a beam transmission power.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a transmission channel.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the survey transmissions include at least one of an access point identifier and an indication of transmission power.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in one of a stadium or a concert hall.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a time period to cycle through a given transmission state in the predetermined sequence of transmission states during the survey transmissions is 1-5 seconds.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, an optimized transmission state for each of the first access point and the second access point.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining comprises at least one of:

(a) determining distinct coverage zones for each of the first access point and the second access point with minimum overlap with other access points;

(b) selecting respective channels for each of the first access point and the second access point that optimizes channel reuse;

(c) selecting respective channels for each of the first access point and the second access point that minimizes co-channel interference; and

(d) selecting transmit power levels for each of the first access point and the second access point that ensures a predetermined minimum SNR within selected coverage zones.

11 . A device comprising:

an interface configured to enable network communications;

a memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the interface and the memory, and configured to:

during a survey period, cause a first access point and a second access point in a wireless local area network, to simultaneously transmit survey transmissions according to a predetermined sequence of transmission states, wherein the survey transmissions include at least one of an indication of a beam shape and an indication of a beam direction;

receive, from a mobile survey station that received the survey transmissions during the survey period, telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions including a location of the mobile survey station when the mobile survey station received the survey transmissions and a corresponding one of the at least one of the indication of a beam shape and the indication of the beam direction; and

after the survey period, control, based on the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the first access point to operate according to a first transmission state from among the predetermined sequence of transmission states and the second access point to operate according to a second transmission state from among the predetermined sequence of transmission states.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a beam shape.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a beam direction.

14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein a parameter of the predetermined sequence of transmission states includes a beam transmission power.

15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the survey transmissions include at least one of an access point identifier, an indication of transmission power, an indication of a beam shape, and an indication of a beam direction.

16 . The device of claim 11 , wherein a time period to cycle through a given transmission state in the predetermined sequence of transmission states during the survey transmissions is 1-5 seconds.

17 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine, based on the telemetry, an optimized transmission state for each of the first access point and the second access point by at least one of:

(a) determining distinct coverage zones for each of the first access point and the second access point with minimum overlap with other access points;

(b) selecting respective channels for each of the first access point and the second access point that optimizes channel reuse;

(c) selecting respective channels for each of the first access point and the second access point that minimizes co-channel interference; and

(d) selecting transmit power levels for each of the first access point and the second access point that ensures a predetermined minimum SNR within selected coverage zones.

18 . One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

during a survey period, cause a first access point and a second access point in a wireless local area network, to simultaneously transmit survey transmissions according to a predetermined sequence of transmission states, wherein the survey transmissions include at least one of an indication of a beam shape and an indication of a beam direction;

receive, from a mobile survey station that received the survey transmissions during the survey period, telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions including a location of the mobile survey station when the mobile survey station received the survey transmissions and a corresponding one of the at least one of the indication of a beam shape and the indication of the beam direction; and

after the survey period, control, based on the telemetry associated with the survey transmissions, the first access point to operate according to a first transmission state from among the predetermined sequence of transmission states and the second access point to operate according to a second transmission state from among the predetermined sequence of transmission states.

19 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 18 , wherein a time period to cycle through a given transmission state in the predetermined sequence of transmission states during the survey transmissions is 1-5 seconds.

20 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further configured to determine, based on the telemetry, an optimized transmission state for each of the first access point and the second access point by at least one of:

(a) determining distinct coverage zones for each of the first access point and the second access point with minimum overlap with other access points;

(b) selecting respective channels for each of the first access point and the second access point that optimizes channel reuse;

(c) selecting respective channels for each of the first access point and the second access point that minimizes co-channel interference; and

(d) selecting transmit power levels for each of the first access point and the second access point that ensures a predetermined minimum SNR within selected coverage zones.