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US 7,151,938 B2Granted
Dynamically managing and reconfiguring wireless mesh networks
AssigneeAmerica Online, Inc.
InventorGilbert G. Weigand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wireless network with multiple subscriber systems in a lobe pool may operate by determining a state of the wireless network, identifying a new condition, the new condition including a new demand condition or a new network health condition, determining whether the new condition has a threshold impact on operations of the wireless network or component subscriber systems of the wireless network, and if the threshold impact exists, reconfiguring the wireless network to accommodate the new condition.
Claims60
A method of operating a dynamically reconfigurable wireless network with multiple subscriber systems in a lobe pool, the method comprising:
- determining a state of a first wireless network that includes a first lobe pool, wherein the first lobe pool includes multiple subscriber systems and a base station configured to provide services to the multiple subscriber systems;
- identifying a new condition, the new condition including a new demand condition that is associated with an exchange of a stream of data units;
- determining whether the new condition has a threshold impact on operations of one or more of the multiple subscriber systems in the first lobe pool;
- and
- if the threshold impact is determined to exist, reconfiguring the first wireless network to accommodate the new demand condition by:
- identifying a first device, representing one of the multiple subscriber systems in the first lobe pool, as being affected by the new demand condition;
- determining whether the first device is capable of accessing a second lobe pool that is different than the first lobe pool;
- determining an estimated impact of the new demand condition on operations of a second wireless network that includes the second lobe pool if the first device were to access the second lobe pool instead of the first lobe pool;
- determining whether the estimated second lobe pool impact is less than a revised threshold;
- and
- instructing the first device to access the second lobe pool instead of the first lobe pool if the estimated second lobe pool impact is less than the revised threshold.
8 more elements
A wireless network controller for a wireless network with multiple subscriber systems in a lobe pool, the wireless network controller comprising:
- a state processor structured and arranged to determine a state of a first wireless network that includes a first lobe pool, wherein the first lobe pool includes multiple subscriber systems and a base station configured to provide services to the multiple subscriber systems;
- an identification processor structured and arranged to identify a new condition, the new condition including a new demand condition that is associated with an exchange of a stream of data units;
- a threshold processor structured and arranged to determine whether the new condition has a threshold impact on operations of the first wireless network or operations of one or more of the multiple subscriber systems in the first lobe pool;
- and
- a reconfiguration processor structured and arranged to reconfigure the first wireless network to accommodate the new condition if the threshold impact is determined to exist, wherein:
- the reconfiguration processor identifies a first device, which is associated with one of the multiple subscriber systems at the first lobe pool, as a device that is affected by the new condition;
- the reconfiguration processor determines whether the first device is capable of accessing a second lobe pool that is different than the first lobe pool;
- the reconfiguration processor determines an estimated impact of the new demand condition on operations of a second wireless network that includes the second lobe pool if the first device were to access the second lobe pool instead of the first lobe pool;
- the reconfiguration processor determines whether the estimated second lobe pool impact is less than a revised threshold;
- and
- the reconfiguration processor instructs the first device to access the second lobe pool instead of the first lobe pool if the estimated second lobe pool impact is less than the revised threshold.
8 more elements
A wireless network controller comprising:
- means for determining a state of a first wireless network that includes a first lobe pool, wherein the first lobe pool includes multiple subscriber systems and a base station that is configured to provide services to the multiple subscriber systems;
- means for identifying a new condition, the new condition including a new demand condition that is associated with an exchange of a stream of data units;
- means for determining whether the new condition has a threshold impact on operations of the first wireless network or operations of one or more of the multiple subscriber systems in the first lobe pool;
- and
- means for reconfiguring the first wireless network to accommodate the new condition if the threshold impact exists by:
- identifying a first device, which is associated with one of the multiple subscriber systems of the first lobe pool, as a device that is affected by the new condition;
- determining whether the first device is capable of accessing a second lobe pool that is different than the first lobe pool;
- determining an estimated impact of the new demand condition on operations of a second wireless network that includes the second lobe pool if the first device were to access the second lobe pool instead of the first lobe pool;
- determining whether the estimated second lobe pool impact is less than a revised threshold;
- and
- instructing the first device to access the second lobe pool instead of the first lobe pool if the estimated second lobe pool impact is less than the revised threshold.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.