Wireless access point service coverage area management

Abstract

A wireless terminal serviced by a Wireless Access Point (WAP) of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) infrastructure includes a processor, an RF unit and a directional antenna. The RF unit receives instructions from the WAP that are derived from participatory data based on communications involving the WAP and non-participatory data based on communications the WAP listens to, but does not participate in. The processor alters a gain vector of the directional antenna based on the instructions received from the WAP.

1 . A wireless terminal serviced by a Wireless Access Point (WAP) within a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) infrastructure, the wireless terminal comprising:
 a directional antenna;   an RF unit communicatively coupled to the directional antenna and operable to receive instructions from the WAP, the instructions being derived from participatory data based on communications involving the WAP and non-participatory data based on communications the WAP listens to, but does not participate in; and   a processor for altering a gain vector of the directional antenna based on the instructions received from the WAP.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further based upon WAP operational reports created from the participatory data and non-participatory data that are provided from the WAP to the WLAN and directions received from the WLAN in response to the WAP operational reports. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein, based upon the instructions, the processor also alters the channels of operation of the RF unit. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless terminal of  claim 3 , wherein in altering the channels of operation of the RF unit, the processor directs the RF unit to operate on a reserved set of channels. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory containing WAP management instructions executable by the processor to alter the gain vector of the directional antenna.   
     
     
         6 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the directional antenna includes a plurality of directional antennas, each having a respective gain vector controllable by the processor based on the instructions. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the participatory WAP data is selected from the group consisting of received carrier signal strength, carrier to interference ratio, bit error rate, dropped link occurrences, and channel utilization. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the non-participatory WAP data is selected from the group consisting of received carrier signal strength, carrier to interference ratio, and channel utilizations. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the participatory data includes information on transmissions received at the WAP from the wireless terminal. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless terminal of  claim 1 , wherein, based upon the instructions, the processor also alters a transmission power of the RF unit. 
     
     
         11 . A method for operating a wireless terminal serviced by a Wireless Access Point (WAP) within a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) infrastructure, the method comprising:
 receiving, by an RF unit of the wireless terminal, instructions from the WAP, the instructions being derived from participatory data based on communications involving the WAP and non-participatory data based on communications the WAP listens to, but does not participate in; and   altering, by a processor of the wireless terminal, a gain vector of a directional antenna of the wireless terminal based on the instructions received from the WAP.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further based upon WAP operational reports created from the participatory data and non-participatory data that are provided from the WAP to the WLAN and directions received from the WLAN in response to the WAP operational reports. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 based upon the instructions, altering, by the processor, a transmission power of the RF unit.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 based upon the instructions, altering, by the processor, channels of operation of the RF unit.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein in altering the channels of operation of the RF unit, the method further comprises:
 directing, by the processor, the RF unit to operate on a reserved set of channels.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the directional antenna includes a plurality of directional antennas, each having a respective gain vector controllable by the processor based on the instructions. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the participatory WAP data is selected from the group consisting of received carrier signal strength, carrier to interference ratio, bit error rate, dropped link occurrences, and channel utilization. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-participatory WAP data is selected from the group consisting of received carrier signal strength, carrier to interference ratio, and channel utilizations. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the participatory data includes information on transmissions received by the WAP from the wireless terminal.