Spatial mapping of wireless access point service area

Abstract

Spatial mapping of wireless access point service area. A means is presented by which a WACN's (Wireless Access Control Node's) service area is spatially mapped providing information corresponding to coverage region(s) within the WACN's service area. This spatial mapping may be generated and stored within either communication device at either end of a communication link (e.g., in a WACN or in a communication device operable to connect to the WACN). From the WACN's perspective, the spatial map can include its one or more coverage regions within its service area. From a communication device's perspective (e.g., a communication device that is capable to connect to a WACN), the spatial map can include multiple service areas provided by multiple WACNs and the various coverage regions therein. The partitioning of a WACN's service area into coverage areas can be performed along various lines (e.g., signal strength, history of connectivity, operational parameters employed, etc.).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device comprising:
 a communication interface configured to support communications with a plurality of wireless access control nodes (WACNs); and   a processor configured to generate a spatial map that includes one or more WACNs of the plurality of WACNs with which the communication interface can communicate using one or more preferred operational parameters based on a plurality of signal qualities of a plurality of communication links between the communication device and the one or more WACNs of the plurality of WACNs.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the communication interface configured to:
 support first communications with the one or more WACNs of the plurality of WACNs using the one or more preferred operational parameters; and 
 support second communications with the one or more other WACNs of the plurality of WACNs using the one or more other operational parameters that are different than the one or more preferred operational parameters; and 
 
 the processor configured to generate the spatial map to include the one or more WACNs of the plurality of WACNs and to exclude the one or more other WACNs of the plurality of WACNs. 
 
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the processor configured to modify the spatial map to exclude at least one of the one or more WACNs of the plurality of WACNs based on a degradation of communications between the communication device and the at least one of the one or more WACNs of the plurality of WACNs. 
 
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the communication interface configured to support communications with at least one additional WACN using the one or more preferred operational parameters based on signal quality improvement of a communication link between the communication device and the at least one additional WACN; and 
 the processor configured to modify the spatial map to include the at least one additional WACN. 
 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the processor configured to select one WACN of the plurality of WACNs that is included in the spatial map; and 
 the communication interface configured to support communications with the one WACN and to terminate communications with other WACNs of the plurality of WACNs. 
 
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the processor configured to process the communications with the plurality of WACNs to determine signal quality change of a communication link between the communication device and at least one WACN of the plurality of WACNs; and 
 a user interface configured to:
 present information to a user to indicate the signal quality change of the communication link; and 
 receive input from the user; and 
 
 based on the input from the user, the communication interface configured to modify at least one operational parameter employed to support communications with the plurality of WACNs. 
 
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of WACNs includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP), a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) AP, and a cellular AP. 
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a cellular telephone, a two-way radio, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, or a home entertainment equipment. 
 
     
     
         9 . A communication device comprising:
 a communication interface configured to:
 support first communications with a first one or more wireless access control nodes (WACNs) using a first one or more operational parameters; and 
 support second communications with a second one or more other WACNs using a second one or more operational parameters that are different than the first one or more operational parameters; and 
   a processor configured to:
 generate the spatial map to include the first one or more WACNs and to exclude the second one or more WACNs; 
 modify the spatial map to include at least one additional WACN when signal quality of a first communication link between the communication device and the at least one additional WACN improves above a threshold; 
 modify the spatial map to exclude one WACN of the first one or more WACNs when signal quality of a second communication link between the communication device and the one WACN degrades below the threshold. 
   
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 9  further comprising:
 the processor configured to select one WACN of the first one or more WACNs that is included in the spatial map; and 
 the communication interface configured to support communications with the one WACN and to terminate communications with other WACNs of the first one or more WACNs and the second one or more WACNs. 
 
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 9  further comprising:
 the processor configured to process the communications with the first one or more other WACNs to determine signal quality change of a third communication link between the communication device and at least one other WACN of the first one or more other WACNs; and 
 a user interface configured to:
 present information to a user to indicate the signal quality change of the third communication link; and 
 receive input from the user; and 
 
 based on the input from the user, the communication interface configured to modify at least one operational parameter employed to support communications with the first one or more WACNs. 
 
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of WACNs includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP), a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) AP, and a cellular AP. 
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a cellular telephone, a two-way radio, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, or a home entertainment equipment. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method for execution by a communication device, the method comprising:
 determining a plurality of signal qualities of a plurality of communication links between the communication device and a plurality of wireless access control nodes (WACNs);   identifying a first communication link of the plurality of communication links between the communication device and a first WACN of the plurality of WACNs having signal quality above a threshold;   identifying a second communication link of the plurality of communication links between the communication device and a second WACN of the plurality of WACNs having signal quality below a threshold; and   generating a spatial map that includes the first WACN of the plurality of WACNs and excludes the second WACN of the plurality of WACNs.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 via a user interface of the communication device:
 displaying the spatial map that includes the first WACN of the plurality of WACNs; and 
 receiving input that selects the first WACN of the plurality of WACNs; and 
 
 supporting communications between the communication device and the first WACN of the plurality of WACNs; 
 terminating any communications with the second WACN of the plurality of WACNs. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 modifying the spatial map to exclude the first WACN of the plurality of WACNs based on a degradation of the first communication link between the communication device and the first WACN. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 modifying the spatial map to include an additional WACN based on improvement of a third communication link between the communication device and the additional WACN. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 supporting first communications with the first WACN using one or more preferred operational parameters. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of WACNs includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP), a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) AP, and a cellular AP. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the communication device is a cellular telephone, a two-way radio, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, or a home entertainment equipment.