System and method for determining path loss in a use environment

Abstract

A method includes providing a first data collection unit and a second data collection unit, each of the first test data collection unit and the second data collection unit comprising a wireless transceiver and adapted for wireless communication therebetween, physically moving the first data collection unit to each of a plurality of different locations within the use environment associated with use of the home appliance, establishing a radio frequency link between the first data collection unit and the second data collection unit at each of the plurality of different locations within the use environment, characterizing quality of the radio frequency link at each of the plurality of different locations, the quality of the radio frequency link being at least partially based on the path loss within the use environment, and determining an aggregate characterization of the first data collection unit within the use environment using the quality of the radio frequency link at each of the plurality of different locations. A system for characterizing radio communications quality is also provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.