Methods and apparatus for managing and/or configuring base stations which include sensors
Sensor based information from a base station is received by a configuration management device and is used to determine orientation, altitude and/or location. In some embodiments, the configuration management device compares measurement based information to corresponding expected values in a deployment plan to determine whether or not the base station has been correctly deployed. In some embodiments, the configuration management device uses received sensor based information from a base station to control re-configuration of the base station, e.g., re-orient an antenna or change an antenna pattern.
1. A method of operating a configuration management device, comprising:
receiving from a base station, at the configuration management device, sensor based information including a pressure sensor measurement, the pressure sensor measurement being a measurement of barometric pressure; and
making a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information, said step of making the configuration determination including:
comparing the received pressure sensor measurement to an expected pressure sensor measurement value to determine if the base station was mounted in accordance with a predetermined height, said expected pressure sensor measurement value being based on both height information in a base station deployment plan and atmospheric pressure information.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein making a configuration determination includes:
determining a floor level of a building on which the base station has been installed based on the pressure sensor measurement information, known information about the height of a ground level with regard to sea level, and floor height information.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing schedule information; and
wherein making a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information includes:
determining which of a plurality of antenna patterns is to be used based on said schedule and the orientation of the base station as indicated by the received sensor information.
4. The method of claim 3 ,
wherein said schedule information includes information about a scheduled time of a sporting event, concert or other entertainment event; and
wherein determining which of a plurality of antenna patterns is to be used based on said schedule and the orientation of the base station as indicated by the received sensor based information includes:
determining to use a first antenna pattern during a first time period people are expected to be arriving or leaving said sporting event, concert or other entertainment event; and
determining to use a second antenna pattern during a second time period during which said event is to be ongoing.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
receiving information indicating location of people in the base station coverage area; and
wherein making a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information includes using said location information to select an antenna pattern which provides better coverage in an area said information indicates a large number of people are located than at a location where said information indicates a lower number of people are located.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said information is based on at least one of usage statistics from the base station or from real time feedback information obtained from one or more other devices.
7. A method of operating a configuration management device, comprising:
receiving from a base station, at the configuration management device, sensor based information including at least one of: i) a pressure sensor measurement, or ii) a height based on a pressure sensor measurement; and
making a configuration determination based on received sensor based information, said step of making a configuration determination including:
determining, using pressure sensor information in combination with GPS determined position information, if the base station was mounted at a predetermined height above ground level.
8. A method of operating a configuration management device, comprising:
receiving from a base station, at the configuration management device, sensor based information including a pressure sensor measurement and at least one of: i) an accelerometer measurement or ii) orientation information based on an accelerometer measurement; and
making a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information;
wherein making a configuration determination includes:
determining if the base station was mounted in accordance with at least one of a predetermined orientation, height or location; and
determining if the base station was mounted in a predetermined orientation by comparing tilt information to an intended tilt included in a base station deployment plan;
wherein said received sensor based measurement information includes pressure sensor measurement information; and
wherein making a configuration determination includes:
using said received pressure sensor information to determine the height from ground level at which said base station was mounted.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining if the height from ground level is different from a height in the specified plan.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
taking an action based on a detected difference between a predetermined orientation, height or location specified in the predetermined deployment plan.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said action includes operating a motor in said base station to reorient an antenna included in said base station or move said base station.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said action includes changing a set of antenna selectable antenna patterns which used by said base station.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said action includes automatically deploying service personal to service said base station in response to detecting that the base station was mounted in a manner that deviates from at least one of a predetermined orientation, height or location by more than a predetermined amount and the deviation is not correctable by controlling a motor in the base station or by altering the set of antenna patterns used by said base station.
14. A configuration management device, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive from a base station, at the configuration management device, sensor based information including at least of: i) a pressure sensor measurement, or ii) a height based on a pressure sensor measurement; and
a processor configured to make a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information,
wherein the pressure sensor measurement is received from the base station as part of receiving sensor based information, and
wherein said processor is further configured, as part of being configured to make a configuration determination, to compare the received pressure sensor measurement to an expected pressure sensor measurement value to determine if the base station was mounted in accordance at predetermined height, said expected pressure sensor measurement value being based on both height information in a base station deployment plan and atmospheric pressure information.
15. A configuration management device, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive from a base station, at the configuration management device, sensor based information including at least of: i) a pressure sensor measurement, or ii) a height based on a pressure sensor measurement; and
a processor configured to make a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information,
wherein said processor is further configured, as part of being configured to make a configuration determination, to:
use pressure sensor information in combination with GPS determined position information to determine if the base station was mounted at a predetermined height above ground level.
16. The configuration management device of claim 15 , wherein said processor is further configured, as part of being configured to make a configuration determination, to compare received GPS location information to a predetermined location in a base station deployment plan to determine if the base station was mounted at the location intended in said deployment plan.
17. The configuration management device of claim 16 ,
wherein said base station is a cable mounted base station.
18. A non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a configuration management device, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
instructions which when executed by a processor cause said processor to:
control a receiver to receive from a base station, at the configuration management device, sensor based information including at least of: i) a barometric pressure sensor measurement, or ii) a height based on a pressure sensor measurement; and
make a configuration determination based on the received sensor based information, wherein making a configuration determination includes:
determining, using pressure sensor information in combination with GPS determined position information, if the base station was mounted at a predetermined height above ground level.