Patents by Inventor Roger R. Skidmore

Roger R. Skidmore has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8019352
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating the position of wireless devices within a wireless communication network combines measured RF channel characteristics for the wireless device with one or more predicted performance lookup tables, each of which correlates an RF channel characteristic to some higher order network performance metric and/or a position within an environmental model. Measured RF channel characteristics for wireless devices are compared against the performance lookup tables to determine the sent of lookup tables that most closely match the measured RF channel characteristics. The positions within the environmental model corresponding to the selected set of matching lookup tables are identified as possible locations for the wireless device. The performance lookup tables are uniquely constructed by site-specific location, technology, wireless standard, and equipment types, and/or the current operating state of the communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore, Veeraraghavan Anantha, Eric Reifsnider
  • Patent number: 7711371
    Abstract: A system and method for analysis of a wireless communications network is disclosed. A map of a physical environment integrating communications hardware for implementing a wireless communications network is defined. Client service requirements and regions for the wireless communications network are defined. Mesh point constraints and mesh linkage constraints for the wireless communications network are defined. The communications hardware is placed on the map at initial locations. Whether at least one of the defined mesh point constraints and mesh linkage constraints have been met by at least one mesh link between communications hardware based upon the initial locations of the communications hardware in the communications network is calculated. In one embodiment, the at least one calculation is displayed as a visualization on the defined map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Joydeep K. Basak, Veeraraghavan A. Anatha, Eric S. Reifsnider, Roger R. Skidmore, Gemel M. Yang
  • Patent number: 7596518
    Abstract: An automated method for quickly generating a complete bill of materials and total cost information in real time. Components for a desired system are specified and/or replaced by substitute components, while continuously predicting the wireless system performance. A design engineer builds a model of the desired wireless communications system and specifies each component necessary to provide sufficient or optimal system performance. A parts list is maintained, in real time, that contains a definition of each system component and its associated performance and cost parameters. As the user changes wireless system designs through a series of “what-if” scenarios, components are replaced with substitute components, cable lengths are modified, antenna systems and base station parameters are re-designed and moved to alternate locations, etc. The bill of materials is automatically updated and component costs and total system costs are immediately available to the design engineer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Publication number: 20070298805
    Abstract: A system and method for analysis of a wireless communications network is disclosed. A map of a physical environment integrating communications hardware for implementing a wireless communications network is defined. Client service requirements and regions for the wireless communications network are defined. Mesh point constraints and mesh linkage constraints for the wireless communications network are defined. The communications hardware is placed on the map at initial locations. Whether at least one of the defined mesh point constraints and mesh linkage constraints have been met by at least one mesh link between communications hardware based upon the initial locations of the communications hardware in the communications network is calculated. In one embodiment, the at least one calculation is displayed as a visualization on the defined map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.
    Inventors: JOYDEEP K. BASAK, VEERARAGHAVAN A. ANATHA, ERIC S. REIFSNIDER, ROGER R. SKIDMORE, GEMEL M. YANG
  • Patent number: 7299168
    Abstract: A method for displaying the results of predicted wireless communication system performance as a three-dimensional region of fluctuating elevation and/or color within a three-dimensional computer drawing database consisting of one or more multi-level buildings, terrain, flora, and additional static and dynamic obstacles (e.g., automobiles, people, filing cabinets, etc.). The method combines computerized organization, database fusion, and site-specific performance prediction models. The method enables a design engineer to visualize the performance of any wireless communication system as a three-dimensional region of fluctuating elevation, color, or other aesthetic characteristics with fully selectable display parameters, overlaid with the three-dimensional site-specific computer model for which the performance prediction was carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 7295119
    Abstract: A system and method for providing security to a wireless communication system having wireless communication components positioned at different locations within a physical environment are provided. The wireless communication components include an access point and a network device. A site-specific computerized representation of the physical environment displays the location of the wireless communication components including the access point and network device. The access point and network device identify the presence or a physical location of a possible intruder or intruder devices. An indicator is presented in the site-specific representation on the display when an erroneous authentication request or other undesired transmission is received by the network device or the access point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 7243054
    Abstract: A network which includes electromagnetic components, such as a wireless communications system, is designed, optimized, modified and/or saved or exported to another applications program using a graphical interface. A display may present a graphical rendering of performance characteristics in a site specific manner showing elements such as walls, doors, windows, furniture, people, foliage, and terrain. The locations where performance characteristic information are presented can be automatically selected and adjusted to present more or less information. The display can be viewed at multiple perspectives, and the viewing angle can be adjusted. In one embodiment, the display can graphically present information related to two different performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 7171208
    Abstract: A computerized model provides a display of a physical environment in which a communications network is or will be installed. The communications network is comprised of several components, each of which are selected by the design engineer and which are represented in the display. Errors in the selection of certain selected components for the communications network are identified by their attributes or frequency characteristics as well as by their interconnection compatibility for a particular design. The effects of changes in frequency on component performance are modeled and the results are displayed to the design engineer. A bill of materials is automatically checked for faults and generated for the design system and provided to the design engineer. For ease of design, the design engineer can cluster several different preferred components into component kits, and then select these component kits for use in the design or deployment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore, Eric Reifsneider
  • Patent number: 7164883
    Abstract: A method and system for creating, using, and managing a three-dimensional digital model of the physical environment combines outdoor terrain elevation and land-use information, building placements, heights and geometries of the interior structure of buildings, along with site-specific models of components that are distributed spatially within a physical environment. The present invention separately provides an asset management system that allows the integrated three-dimensional model of the outdoor, indoor, and distributed infrastructure equipment to communicate with and aggregate the information pertaining to actual physical components of the actual network, thereby providing a management system that can track the on-going performance, cost, maintenance history, and depreciation of multiple networks using the site-specific unified digital format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola. Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore, Praveen Sheethalnath
  • Patent number: 7155228
    Abstract: A method for engineering management and planning for the design of a wireless communications network in three-dimensions (3-D) combines computerized organization, database fusion, and radio frequency (RF) site-specific planning models. The method enables a designer to keep track of wireless system performance throughout the process of pre-bid design, installation and maintenance of a wireless system. Using a database of information that defines the desired environment, predictions of antenna coverage, system coverage and interference, and other wireless system performance criteria, such as frame error rate and network throughput, can be made. Watch points are created-to ensure, in real time, that any modifications to the design of the wireless system do not degrade the performance of the system with respect to the watch point locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 7096160
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring and monitoring wireless network performance in campus and indoor environments provides for embedding measured network and signal properties at one or more locations within a facility into a site specific computer model which represents the facility. The computer representation is preferably three dimensional. The system and method allows for automatic, periodic, or location specific taking of measurements, and automatic or periodic embedding of measured data. The system and method allows real time or non-real time measurement and storing of performance data, and the invention is useful for test, measurement, verification, and in-situ or remote monitoring for on-going validation and maintenance of wireless networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger R. Skidmore, Theodore S. Rappaport
  • Patent number: 7035642
    Abstract: A method for engineering management and planning for the design of a wireless communications network in three-dimensions (3-D) combines computerized organization, database fusion, and radio frequency (RF) site-specific planning models. The method enables a designer to keep track of wireless system performance throughout the process of pre-bid design, installation and maintenance of a wireless system. Using a database of information that defines the desired environment, predictions of antenna coverage, system coverage and interference, and other wireless system performance criteria, such as frame error rate and network throughput, can be made. Watch points are created to ensure, in real time, that any modifications to the design of the wireless system do not degrade the performance of the system with respect to the watch point locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 6971063
    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 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Brian T. Gold, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Patent number: 6876951
    Abstract: A system for creating a computer database model of either measured data network throughput properties or wireless communication signal properties within a facility by measuring the desired properties at a plurality of locations within the facility and embedding the measured properties at the location of measurement represented in a three-dimensional facility drawing database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger R. Skidmore, Theodore S. Rappaport
  • Patent number: 6850946
    Abstract: A Building Database Manipulator to build databases for a variety of physical environments including definitions of buildings, terrain and other site parameters, by scanning in or rapidly editing data. Raster scans may be entered or object files in various formats may be used as input. Detailed information is stored in the drawing database about the object's location, radio frequency attenuation, color, and other physical information such as electrical characteristics and intersections of the object with the ground, floors, ceilings, and other objects when objects are formatted in a drawing. The formatting process is strictly two-dimensional in nature, but the resulting drawing is a true three-dimensional environment. The user sees the three-dimensional building structure by altering the views. The resulting database may be used in a variety of modeling applications, but is especially useful for engineering, planning and management tools for in-building or microcell wireless systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Wireless Valley Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Publication number: 20040259555
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for the design, prediction, and control of wireless communication networks by combining RF channel data from multiple lookup tables, each of which correlates an RF channel characteristic to some higher order network performance metric. Network performance predictions, and resulting network control instructions, are produced from look-up tables of measured or predicted data relating one or more RF channel characteristics to one or more network performance metrics. These lookup tables are uniquely constructed by site-specific location, technology, wireless standard, or equipment types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Publication number: 20040259554
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for efficient ray tracing propagation prediction and analysis. Given a site-specific model of a physical environment, the present invention places virtual obstructions known as reception surfaces within the environment. As radio waves are predicted to propagate through the environment and intersect with or encounter reception surfaces, the characteristics of the radio wave are captured and stored relative to the location of the interaction with the reception surface. The radio frequency channel environment at any point within the site-specific model can be derived through analysis of the radio wave characteristics captured at nearby reception surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Publication number: 20040236547
    Abstract: A method is presented for determining optimal or preferred configuration settings for wireless or wired network equipment in order to obtain a desirable level of network performance. A site-specific network model is used with adaptive processing to perform efficient design and on-going management of network performance. The invention iteratively determines overall network performance and cost, and further iterates equipment settings, locations and orientations. Real time control is between a site-specific Computer Aided Design (CAD) software application and the physical components of the network allows the invention to display, store, and iteratively adapt any network to constantly varying traffic and interference conditions. Alarms provide rapid adaptation of network parameters, and alerts and preprogrammed network shutdown actions may be taken autonomously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Publication number: 20040229623
    Abstract: A method for engineering management and planning for the design of a wireless communications network in three-dimensions (3-D) combines computerized organization, database fusion, and radio frequency (RF) site-specific planning models. The method enables a designer to keep track of wireless system performance throughout the process of pre-bid design, installation and maintenance of a wireless system. Using a database of information that defines the desired environment, predictions of antenna coverage, system coverage and interference, and other wireless system performance criteria, such as frame error rate and network throughput, can be made. Watch points are created-to ensure, in real time, that any modifications to the design of the wireless system do not degrade the performance of the system with respect to the watch point locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore
  • Publication number: 20040186847
    Abstract: A Building Database Manipulator to build databases for a variety of physical environments including definitions of buildings, terrain and other site parameters, by scanning in or rapidly editing data. Raster scans may be entered or object files in various formats may be used as input. Detailed information is stored in the drawing database about the object's location, radio frequency attenuation, color, and other physical information such as electrical characteristics and intersections of the object with the ground, floors, ceilings, and other objects when objects are formatted in a drawing. The formatting process is strictly two-dimensional in nature, but the resulting drawing is a true three-dimensional environment. The user sees the three-dimensional building structure by altering the views. The resulting database may be used in a variety of modeling applications, but is especially useful for engineering, planning and management tools for in-building or microcell wireless systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Inventors: Theodore S. Rappaport, Roger R. Skidmore