System, method, and apparatus for portable design, deployment, test, and optimization of a communication network

Abstract

A system and method which employ one or more portable hand held computers and one or more servers, allows a field engineer to complete the entire design, deployment, test, optimization, and maintenance cycle required to implement successful communications networks. The portable hand held computer provides the user with a three-dimensional display of the physical environment in which a communications network will be deployed or optimized. The engineer may take the portable hand held computer into the field, and make alterations to the components, position of the components, orientation of the components, etc. based on on-site inspection. As these alterations to the computerized model are made, predictions for the effects these changes will have on the communications network are displayed to the engineer. Measurements may also be made using equipment connected to or contained in the portable hand held computer, and these measurements may be used to optimize performance criteria. Information can be transmitted to and from the portable hand held computer and the server to allow for complex processing to be performed using portable computer. The system allows the engineer to remain in the field while deploying the communications network, making measurements within the network, receiving optimized predictions on the performance of the network, re-configuring the communications network and associated components, and repeating the entire cycle to achieve maximum possible performance with minimal required time or effort.

1 - 50 . (canceled)  
   
   
       51 . A method for designing, deploying, optimizing, modifying or maintaining a communications network, comprising: 
 providing a computer generated model representing a physical environment in which said communications network is or will be deployed, said computer generated model performs at least one of    (A) providing a three-dimensional representation of locations of components within said physical environment, or    (B) providing a representation of locations of components within said physical environment in either two dimensions or three dimensions, and wherein said computer generated model is used for performance prediction of said communications network based on one or more factors selected from the group consisting of choice of components to be used within said physical environment, choice ofr parameters of said components, choice of locations for said components within said physical environment, and orientation of said components at said locations;    downloading, uploading or storing data representing at least a portion of said computer generated model between server computer or computers and at least one portable computer;    measuring, with at least one measurement device associated with said at least one portable computer, performance measurements or metrics; and    communicating, from either or both said at least one portable computer or said measurement device, said performance measurements or metrics to said server computer or computers.    
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of displaying data that represents either or both said three dimensional representation of (A) or said representation or said performance prediction results of (B).  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of 
 uploading performance predictions made with said at least one portable computer to said server computer or computers.    
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of connecting or interfacing said at least one measurement device with said at least one portable computer.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of 
 downloading performance predictions made with said server computer or computers to said at least one portable computer.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising at least one of the steps of updating, modifying, logging, storing or archiving one or more of said computer generated model, said representation of said computer generated model, network component parameters, locations or orientations, and predicted or measured results.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said downloading, uploading or storing step downloads an updated representation of said computer generated model from said server computer or computers to said at least one portable computer, or to another computer.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 51  wherein either or both predicted or measured performance measurements or metrics are communicated between said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer, or another computer.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of inputting changes to at least a portion of said computer generated model.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising the step of editing or modifying said changes.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of performing, at said at least one portable computer, at least one of a) performance predictions, b) autonomous measurements, c) tracking network changes, and d) analysis of cost data of components or network infrastructure.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said downloading, uploading or storing step uploads an updated representation of said computer generated model from said at least one portable computer to said server computer or computers or to another computer.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said uploading, downloading or storing step stores changes at either said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer or at another computer.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 51  wherein downloading and uploading operate in real time or near real time.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 51  wherein communication of simulation or prediction or measurement data occurs through a docking cradle connection, a wireless connection, a wired connection, or via electronic media.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said at least one portable computer includes a plurality of portable computers, and wherein either one or more of simulated or predicted or measured performance measurements or metrics, or network component information, may be communicated between said server computer or computers and said plurality of portable computers.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of providing data from said at least one portable computer to said server computer or computers and said server computer or computers processes provided data to provide a modified result.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 67  where said modified result is communicated to said at least one portable computer.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising at least one of the steps of tracking, sharing, revising, and substituting a cost of a communication network component in said computer generated model with either or both said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising at least one of the steps of tracking, sharing, revising, and substituting a performance attribute of a communication network component in said computer generated model with either or both said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising at least one of the steps of tracking, sharing, revising, and substituting a location or orientation of a communication network component in said computer generated model with either or both said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising at least one of the steps of tracking, sharing, revising, and substituting a maintenance record in said computer generated model with either or both said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said three dimensional representation of said physical environment is represented by one or more two dimensional representations.  
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said computer generated model provides a two dimensional or three dimensional representation based upon at least one floor plan of a building.  
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 74  wherein said computer generated model provides two dimensional or three dimensional representations based upon a plurality of floor plans for one or more floors for one or more buildings.  
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 75  further comprising the step of selecting one or more floor plans of one or more buildings for displaying measurements or predictions.  
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 51  wherein components represented in said computer generated model are selected from the group consisting of base stations, base station controllers, amplifiers, attenuators, antennas, coaxial cabling, fiber optic cabling, splitters, repeaters, transducers, converters, couplers, leaky feeder cables, hubs, switches, routers, firewalls, power distribution lines, copper wiring, twisted pair cabling and wireless access points.  
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said communications network includes wireless communication devices.  
   
   
       79 . The method of  claim 51  wherein said computer generated model represents an outdoor environment in two dimensions or three dimensions.  
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of identifying a location of said at least one portable computer or said measurement device.  
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 80  wherein said identifying step is performed automatically.  
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 80  wherein said identifying step is performed on demand.  
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 80  wherein said identifying step is performed using information obtained from a position tracking or locationing device.  
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of using said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer to input changes to said computer generated model.  
   
   
       85 . The method of  claim 84  wherein said changes that are input in said inputting step with said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer modify a representation of a configuration of said communications network.  
   
   
       86 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of using an un-manned measurement device for making performance measurements in said physical environment.  
   
   
       87 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the step of altering a layout of components using said server computer or computers or said at least one portable computer.