Granted Patent B2

US 7,643,457 · App. 10/964,766 · Granted Jan 5, 2010

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A management device for radio access points of a wireless communications network, comprising:

a processing module which dynamically determines a new transmission power level of each access point based on at least one of the presence and the respective locations of communication terminals in relation to said access points;

wherein said processing module

performs at least one comparison of a first comparison of the number of communication terminals connected to each access point on the network with a first threshold representing a maximum number of communication terminals that each access point is capable of being connected to, and a second comparison of a current traffic level of each access point on the network with a second threshold representing a maximum traffic level that each access point is capable of supporting; and

determines the new transmission power level of each access point based on the respective locations of said communication terminals in relation to said access points and whether at least one of said thresholds is exceeded in said at least one comparison carried out for the corresponding access point.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said processing module determines the new transmission power level of each access point based on the respective locations of said communication terminals in relation to said access points, the first and second comparisons carried out for each access point, and representative information of a network topology of said wireless communications network.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising a storage module which stores said information data.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said processing module determines the new transmission power level of each access point based on the respective locations of said communication terminals in relation to said access points, the first and second comparisons carried out for each access point, and representative information data of a model of traffic of said wireless communications network.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the device generates alarms to a network administration module in the event of traffic saturation.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the device, in the event of detecting traffic saturation and an incapacity to regulate said traffic, orders the restriction of network access, via an access point, to priority equipment selected in a list of priority equipment.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein said processing module generates instructions which cause said access points to transit at the transmission power level.

8. A radio access point for a wireless communications network, comprising:

a communication module; and

a control module which adapts the level of power of the communication module based on instructions received from a management device for radio access points of a wireless communications network; and

wherein the management device for radio access points of a wireless communications network dynamically determines a new transmission power level of the communication module based on at least one of the presence and the respective locations of communication terminals in relation to said access point;

wherein said management device

performs at least one comparison of a first comparison of the number of communication terminals connected to each access point on the network with a first threshold representing a maximum number of communication terminals that each access point is capable of being connected to, a second comparison of a current traffic level of each access point on the network with a second threshold representing a maximum traffic level that each access point is capable of supporting; and

determines a new transmission power level of each access point depending on the respective locations of said communication terminals in relation to said access points and whether at least one of said thresholds is exceeded in said at least one comparison carried out for the corresponding access point.

9. The radio access point of claim 8 , wherein said management device generates instructions which cause said access points to transmit at the new transmission power level.

10. A method for managing radio access points of a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

performing at least one comparison of a first comparison of a number of communication terminals connected to each access point on the network with a first threshold representing a maximum number of communication terminals that each access point is capable of being connected to, and a second comparison of a current traffic level of each access point on the network with a second threshold representing a maximum traffic level that each access point is capable of supporting;

determining a new transmission power level of each access point based on the locations of said communication terminals in relation to said access points and whether at least one of said thresholds is exceeded in said at least one comparison carried out for each of said access points; and

instructing said access points to adjust to said new transmission power level.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said determining a new transmission power level is further based on propagation characteristics specific to the respective locations of said access points.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said propagation characteristics are represented by propagation coefficients for the locations of said access points, the propagation coefficients being linked to at least one of the group consisting of the buildings, the types of traffic commonly used, and the bandwidth consumption of the types of traffic commonly used.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

if said first comparison for a first access point indicates that the number of communication terminals connected to the first access point is higher than said threshold, determining based on said first comparison for each of the other access points whether there exists a second access point, located in the vicinity of a coverage area of the first access point, capable of supporting connections to one or more of the communication terminals connected to the first access point; and

if said second access point exists, determining a new transmission power level for said first access point, and a new power level for said second access point, so as to allow a handover of one or more of the communication terminals connected to the first access point to the second access point, and allow said first access point to assure its remaining connections.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating instructions which cause said access points to transmit at the new transmission power level.

Assignments (9)