US-20260129552-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WI-FI NETWORK EVALUATION

US20260129552A1US 20260129552 A1US20260129552 A1US 20260129552A1US-20260129552-A1

Abstract

Systems and methods for Wi-Fi network evaluation are provided. The methods may be carried out by a networking device operating within a Wi-Fi network including a plurality of stations and a plurality of access points. The networking device may identify a communication link topology of the Wi-Fi network defined by a plurality of communication links between an associated pair of stations and access points. The networking device may receive a plurality of sensing measurements measured according to the communication link topology. A proximity link topology of the Wi-Fi network may be determined based on the plurality of sensing measurements and used to adjust the Wi-Fi network.

Inventors

Chris Beg
Mohammad Omer

Assignees

COGNITIVE SYSTEMS CORP.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20230928

Claims (20)

1 . A method for Wi-Fi network evaluation carried out by a networking device operating within a Wi-Fi network including a plurality of stations and a plurality of access points, the networking device including at least one processor configured to execute instructions, the method comprising: identifying a communication link topology of the Wi-Fi network, the communication link topology being defined by a plurality of communication links, each communication link being between an associated pair from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points; receiving, by the networking device, a plurality of sensing measurements measured according to the communication link topology; determining a proximity link topology of the Wi-Fi network based on the plurality of sensing measurements, the proximity link topology being defined by a plurality of proximity links, each proximity link being between a proximal network pair from a plurality of network pairs from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points; identifying an overlap ratio based on the proximity link topology and the communication link topology; and identifying a Wi-Fi network adjustment based on the overlap ratio.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the proximity link topology includes: identifying the proximal network pair as being between one of the plurality of stations and a corresponding one of the plurality of access points that is a closest access point to the one of the plurality of stations based on at least one of the plurality of sensing measurements.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of sensing measurements is indicative of a motion in a sensing space associated with the Wi-Fi network.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein identifying the proximal network pair further includes: in an analysis period including a plurality of motion detection windows that each includes a plurality of locating sampling instances, identifying, for the plurality of locating sampling instances, a corresponding plurality of network devices closest to the motion in the sensing space from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points; for each motion detection window, identifying a plurality of network pairs, each network pair including one station and one access point from the plurality of network devices; for the analysis period, summing a number of occurrences of each of the plurality of network pairs; and designating, as the proximal network pair, a selected one of the plurality of network pairs having a largest number of occurrences from among the plurality of network pairs that share a station.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the motion in the sensing space is selected from a plurality of detected motions as a motion closest to one of the plurality of network devices.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising: for a filtering window including the analysis period and a plurality of additional analysis periods, summing a number of occurrences of each of the plurality of network pairs in the filtering window; and redesignating, as the proximal network pair, a new selected one of the plurality of network pairs having a largest number of occurrences from among the plurality of network pairs that share a station.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: identifying an overlapping coverage area defined by selected ones of the plurality of stations having non-corresponding communication links and proximity links.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlap ratio is defined as a ratio between a first number of selected ones of the plurality of stations having non-corresponding communication links and proximity links and a second number of the plurality of stations.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the Wi-Fi network adjustment is further based on the overlap ratio exceeding an overlap ratio threshold.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the Wi-Fi network adjustment includes at least one of: a frequency band change, a modulating coding scheme change, a transmission power reduction, a beamforming adjustment, and a network parameter change, the method further comprising: transmitting the Wi-Fi network adjustment to one or more selected access points from the plurality of access points.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a new overlap ratio subsequent to transmitting the Wi-Fi network adjustment.
12 . A system for Wi-Fi network evaluation, comprising a networking device operating within a Wi-Fi network including a plurality of stations and a plurality of access points, the networking device including at least one processor configured to execute instructions for: identifying a communication link topology of the Wi-Fi network, the communication link topology being defined by a plurality of communication links, each communication link being between an associated pair from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points; receiving, by the networking device, a plurality of sensing measurements measured according to the communication link topology; determining a proximity link topology of the Wi-Fi network based on the plurality of sensing measurements, the proximity link topology being defined by a plurality of proximity links, each proximity link being between a proximal network pair from a plurality of network pairs from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points; identifying an overlap ratio based on the proximity link topology and the communication link topology; and identifying a Wi-Fi network adjustment based on the overlap ratio.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the proximity link topology includes: identifying the proximal network pair as being between one of the plurality of stations and a corresponding one of the plurality of access points that is a closest access point to the one of the plurality of stations based on at least one of the plurality of sensing measurements.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of sensing measurements is indicative of a motion in a sensing space associated with the Wi-Fi network.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein identifying the proximal network pair further includes: in an analysis period including a plurality of motion detection windows that each includes a plurality of locating sampling instances, identifying, for the plurality of locating sampling instances, a corresponding plurality of network devices closest to the motion from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points; for each motion detection window, identifying a plurality of network pairs, each network pair including one station and one access point from the plurality of network devices; for the analysis period, summing a number of occurrences of each of the plurality of network pairs; and designating, as the proximal network pair, a selected one of the plurality of network pairs having a largest number of occurrences from among the plurality of network pairs that share a station.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the motion is selected from a plurality of detected motions as a motion closest to one of the plurality of network devices.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured for: for a filtering window including the analysis period and a plurality of additional analysis periods, summing a number of occurrences of each of the plurality of network pairs in the filtering window; and redesignating, as the proximal network pair, a new selected one of the plurality of network pairs having a largest number of occurrences from among the plurality of network pairs that share a station.
18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured for: identifying an overlapping coverage area defined by selected ones of the plurality of stations having non-corresponding communication links and proximity links.
19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the overlap ratio is defined as a ratio between a first number of selected ones of the plurality of stations having non-corresponding communication links and proximity links and a second number of the plurality of stations.
20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein identifying the Wi-Fi network adjustment is further based on the overlap ratio exceeding an overlap ratio threshold.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/377,633, filed Sep. 29, 2022, and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/381,656, filed Oct. 31, 2022, both of which are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for Wi-Fi sensing. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for Wi-Fi network evaluation. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Motion detection systems have been used to detect movement, for example, of objects in a room or an outdoor area. In some example motion detection systems, infrared or optical sensors are used to detect movement of objects in the sensor's field of view. Motion detection systems have been used in security systems, automated control systems, and other types of systems. A WLAN sensing system (which may be referred to as a Wi-Fi sensing system) is one recent addition to motion detection systems. A Wi-Fi sensing system may be a network of Wi-Fi-enabled devices that may be a part of an IEEE 802.11 network. In an example, a Wi-Fi sensing system may be configured to detect features of interest in a sensing space. A sensing space may refer to any physical space in which the Wi-Fi sensing system may operate, such as a place of residence, a place of work, a shopping mall, a sports hall or sports stadium, a garden, or any other physical space. Features of interest may include motion of objects and motion tracking, presence detection, intrusion detection, gesture recognition, fall detection, breathing rate detection, and other applications. A typical Wi-Fi sensing system includes a sensing transmitter (which may be an access point (AP) or a non-AP station (STA)) and a sensing receiver (which is an AP if the sensing transmitter is a STA, and a STA if the sensing transmitter is an AP). A sensing transmission is sent from the sensing transmitter to the sensing receiver. The sensing measurement is made using the sensing transmission at the sensing receiver. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for Wi-Fi sensing. In particular, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for Wi-Fi network evaluation. Methods are provided for Wi-Fi network evaluation. In an example embodiment, a method for Wi-Fi network evaluation is described. The method may be carried out by a networking device operating within a Wi-Fi network including a plurality of stations and a plurality of access points. The networking device includes at least one processor configured to execute instructions. The method includes identifying a communication link topology of the Wi-Fi network, the communication link topology being defined by a plurality of communication links, each communication link being between an associated pair from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a plurality of sensing measurements measured according to the communication link topology, and determining a proximity link topology of the Wi-Fi network based on the plurality of sensing measurements, the proximity link topology being defined by a plurality of proximity links, each proximity link being between a proximal network pair from a plurality of network pairs from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points. Further, in some embodiments, the method includes identifying an overlap ratio based on the proximity link topology and the communication link topology, identifying a Wi-Fi network adjustment based on the overlap ratio. In some embodiments, determining the proximity link topology includes identifying the proximal network pair as being between one of the plurality of stations and a corresponding one of the plurality of access points that is a closest access point to the one of the plurality of stations based on at least one of the plurality of sensing measurements. In some embodiments, the at least one of the plurality of sensing measurements is indicative of a motion in a sensing space associated with the Wi-Fi network. In some embodiments, identifying the proximal network pair further includes, in an analysis period including a plurality of motion detection windows that each includes a plurality of locating sampling instances, identifying, for the plurality of locating sampling instances, a corresponding plurality of network devices closest to the motion from the plurality of stations and the plurality of access points. In some embodiments, identifying the proximal network pair further includes, for each motion detection window, identifying a plurality of network pairs, each network pair including one station and one access point from the plurality of network devices. In some embodiments, identifying the proximal network pair further includes, for the analysis period, summing a number of occurrences of each of the plurality of network pairs. In some