Estimation of wireless signal strength at a distance from distributed survey

A wireless communication device configured to estimate a wireless signal strength value of a wireless signal transmission for an unpopulated cell in an array corresponding to a geographic area, the device comprising:

• an interface configured to receive wireless signal strength values;
• and
• processing circuitry including a memory and a processor, the memory in communication with the processor, the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:
• populate at least one cell along a route within the array with a corresponding received wireless signal strength value;
• select a number of populated cells within a predetermined distance of the unpopulated cell;
• identify one of the number of populated cells within a predetermined distance of the unpopulated cell;
• determine a maximum wireless signal strength value (MAX STRENGTH) from among the received wireless signal strength values;
• and
• estimate a first wireless signal strength value for the unpopulated cell based on a wireless strength value for the identified one of the number of populated cells and the MAX STRENGTH.

A wireless communication device configured to estimate a wireless signal strength value of a wireless signal transmission for an unpopulated cell in an array corresponding to a geographic area, the device comprising:

• an interface configured to receive wireless signal strength values;
• and
• processing circuitry including a memory and a processor, the memory in communication with the processor, the memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:
• populate at least one cell along a route within the array with a corresponding the received wireless signal strength value;
• select a number of populated cells within a predetermined distance of the unpopulated cell;
• identify one of the number of populated cells within a predetermined distance of the unpopulated cell;
• determine a maximum wireless signal strength value (MAX STRENGTH) from among the received wireless signal strength values;
• determine a maximum range value (MAX RANGE) represented by a largest distance between two populated cells;
• determine a distance (d) between the unpopulated cell and the identified one of the number of populated cells;
• determine a distance (D) between the identified one of the number of populated cells and a hypothetical location, the hypothetical location proximate a source of the wireless transmission, wherein the MAX STRENGTH and MAX RANGE are used to calculate the distance D;
• and
• estimate a first wireless signal strength value for the unpopulated cell based upon a wireless strength value for the identified one of the number of populated cells, the distance (d) between the unpopulated cell and the identified one of the number of populated cells, the MAX STRENGTH, and the distance (D) between the identified one of the number of populated cells and the hypothetical location.