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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 threedimensional facility drawing database.

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.

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.

Abstract: A portable real-time monitoring system for field testing and troubleshooting a cellular telephone network, paging network, or mobile radio system employs a user friendly interface between a user and a scanning radio receiver which displays, monitors and stores parameters related to real-time performance. A portable all-band radio receiver capable of receiving cellular and paging frequencies is connected to a computer, such as, for example, a lap-top computer suitable for mobile operation at remote sites, personal computer (PC) or workstation. An interface circuit is installed within the radio receiver which taps available signals within the receiver as well as allows the computer to control the receiver frequency selection, band designation and demodulation setting. The interface hardware and microcode cooperate to process and decode received signals according to cellular and paging network industry standards.

Abstract: A communications stimulation system allows a user to perform a quantitative or subjective test of digital baseband devices over wireless channels using actual measured or modeled propagation data. The digital wireless communication simulation system is capable of simulating the transient nature of channels and radio hardware so that loss of synchronization can be included in the simulation. The simulator is a combination of computer software and hardware that computes a convolution, in the time domain, of a sequence of binary digits or data symbols (i.e., the data stream) with a computer model of a radio transmitter, a propagation channel or channels and a receiver. The transmitter typically comprises a coder, a pulse shaper, a modulator, and a spreader. The propagation channel or channels may include impulsive and average noise levels, co-channel interference and adjacent interference levels, fading and multipath propagation events, and non-linear channel and radio system effects.

Abstract: A discone antenna has a conducting cone having an apex and a conducting disc with a disc feed conductor extending from its center. The conducting disc is mounted at the apex of the cone in spaced relation therewith such that the disc feed conductor extends down into the cone through the cone's apex. A coaxial connector is mounted within the cone at the apex of the cone and defines a tuning cavity therein. A tuning slug is received in the tuning cavity through the apex of the cone and is vertically adjustable within the tuning cavity to tune the antenna.