Abstract:
A communication system is described where multiple communication networks are simultaneously accessible from a plurality of fixed and/or mobile communication devices. A Master and Slave hierarchy is implemented among the communication devices to improve communication properties on one or multiple networks. Slave devices are configured to access cellular networks through routing of data with a master device within a sub-network.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of priority with U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 62/045,509, filed Sep. 3, 2014, titled “HETEROGENEOUS NETWORK OPTIMIZATION AND ORGANIZATION UTILIZING MODAL ANTENNA TECHNIQUES AND MASTER-SLAVE SCHEMES”; and 
         [0002]    is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 14/821,655, filed Aug. 7, 2015, titled “HETEROGENOUS NETWORK OPTIMIZATION UTILIZING MODAL ANTENNA TECHNIQUES”; which claims benefit of priority with U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 62/034,554, filed Aug. 7, 2014, having the same title; 
         [0003]    the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention relates generally to the field of wireless communication. In particular, the present invention relates to operation on multiple communication networks and optimization of network parameters on these networks using Modal antenna techniques. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Cellular networks and Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) are prevalent in society and have evolved to a level that moderate to high data rate transmissions along with voice communications. Moreover, these networks are becoming increasingly stable and are reliable over large regions and throughout urban areas. Mobile user devices, such as cell phones and tablet PC&#39;s, among others, have progressed to the point of providing not only voice communications, low data rate text, and email service, but also, high data rate internet connectivity. Continued adoption of mobile communications systems and introduction of new uses of cellular networks, such as Machine to Machine (M2M) applications, have put strain on the cellular systems in regard to providing consistent service and improved service in terms of higher data rates and less service interruptions from one year to the next. Similar congestion can be found on WLAN networks were large number of users are putting strain on these systems. Continued improvements are sought after to improve communication system reliability, as well as, better command and control of communication nodes and the mobile devices utilizing these nodes. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,911,402, issued Mar. 22, 2011, and titled “ANTENNA AND METHOD FOR STEERING ANTENNA BEAM DIRECTION”, hereinafter the &#39;402 patent, describes modal antennas in various embodiments; the contents of the &#39;402 patent are hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0007]    U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/109,789, filed Dec. 17, 2013, titled “MODAL ADAPTIVE ANTENNA USING PILOT SIGNAL IN CDMA MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND RELATED SIGNAL RECEIVING METHOD”, hereinafter the &#39;789 application, describes modal antennas and related signal receiving methods; the contents of the &#39;789 application are hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0008]    U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/749,627, filed Jan. 24, 2013, and titled “MODAL COGNITIVE DIVERSITY FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION,” hereinafter the &#39;627 application, describes modal antennas and a related modal cognitive diversity scheme in various embodiments; the contents of the &#39;627 patent are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    As cellular networks become increasingly congested, off-loading of users onto WLAN becomes an attractive solution. An area of improvement for today&#39;s devices and communication networks is better coordination between networks in regard to ensuring that all devices have access to cellular networks. When a group of communication devices are located in-building, and these devices are capable of communication on both cellular networks and WLAN, an improvement over today&#39;s system architecture would be to have the capability where an in-building device that has the best connectivity with the cellular network is used to control and coordinate data transfer of the other in-building communication devices on the cellular as well as the in-building WLAN network. Selecting the optimal in-building device to control and coordinate data transfer among the in-building devices will ensure that in-building communication devices that cannot connect to the external cellular network directly due to blockage and propagation challenges can use a data transfer capability from the selected device to pass critical information to the cellular network. 
         [0010]    The following invention describes multiple communication systems such as 3G and 4G cellular networks, WLAN systems, and a plurality of fixed and/or mobile communication devices accessing these networks, each combining to make up an aggregate network of devices. In this aggregate cellular and WLAN network, dynamically configurable fixed and/or mobile systems comprising modal adaptive antennas and RF-front end circuits, where network parameters such as capacity and throughput are dynamically managed, operation of these devices can be alternated between networks to optimize communication parameters, wherein a “MASTER” and “SLAVE” designation among groups of fixed and/or mobile communication devices within the aggregate network can be dynamically adjusted to improve communication among the various networks and communication devices. 
         [0011]    As described in the commonly owned application Ser. No. 14/821,655 referenced above, modal antenna techniques allow a heterogeneous network to operate more efficiency, leveraging on sub networks, managed by designed “MASTER” devices. These sub-networks communicate with each other from base station to “MASTER” devices; from “MASTER” devices to “MASTER” devices; and from “MASTER” devices to “SLAVE devices, using different protocols and metrics to re-configure themselves. 
         [0012]    In the embodiments described herein, the different sub-groups, MASTER&#39;s, and SLAVE&#39;s can be created from a plurality of fixed and/or mobile communication devices. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a plurality of fixed and/or mobile devices, each device having a modal antenna system therein, and being located within a footprint associated with a first network, the first network footprint being adjacent to three base stations associated with a second cellular network, with each of the devices is configured to communicate with the first network and at least one base station of the second network, causing a myriad of problems including signal interference, which reduce the link quality of each device and the negatively impact the resulting communication performance. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows multiple radiation patterns available for selection with a modal antenna system; wherein one or more of the fixed and/or mobile devices of  FIG. 1  comprise a modal antenna capable of switching between a plurality of antenna modes and associated radiation patterns. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows an embodiment wherein three of the fixed and/or mobile devices having the best link quality within the group of devices are configured as “MASTER” devices, and the remaining devices are configured as “SLAVE” devices, each device is configured to communicate with the first network, however, only the master devices are configured to communicate with the second cellular network, wherein the “SLAVE” devices are configured to access data from the second cellular network through a coupling with one of the “MASTER” devices. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment, wherein the first network does not include an access point or router, the devices within the footprint of the first network are configured to communicate with each other, and select devices configured as “MASTER” devices are further configured to communicate with the second cellular network, wherein remaining “SLAVE” devices are configured to connect to the second cellular network through a coupled “MASTER” device. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a similar embodiment to that illustrated in  FIG. 4 , with the variation that each cellular base station tower can designate a plurality of “MASTER” devices for managing the requirements of various other “SLAVE” devices in the network. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  shows a table containing a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) matrix of data associated with devices connected to the aggregate network, the SINR matrix data can be used as an element of decision for the adjustment of device settings and overall reconfiguration of the individual networks within the aggregate network. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  shows a throughput matrix that can be used as element of decision for the reconfiguration of the network. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  shows an algorithm to select the “MASTER” devices in the first network that will be used to forward the services of the second cellular network to the “SLAVE” devices in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  shows an algorithm to select the “MASTER” devices in the first network that will be used to forward the services of the second cellular network to the “SLAVE” devices in accordance with another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Modern devices often support connection on multiple distinct networks at the same time, such as a cellular network and WLAN network. The quality of the link of the different devices with the different access point or terminal of the network is unequal between networks and between devices. The utilization of multi radiation pattern antennas, such as the modal antennas described in the referenced &#39;402 patent, allow the devices to increase the quality of the link with a specific network terminal, base station or access point by changing a radiation mode of the antenna to achieve optimum link quality and/or to reduce interference from nearby interfering signals. This capability can be leveraged to allow heterogeneous networks to be dynamically reconfigured to create sub-groups of devices, supervised by a master device selected among them. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a plurality of fixed and/or mobile devices, each device having a modal antenna system therein, and being located within a footprint associated with a first network, the first network footprint being adjacent to three base stations associated with a second cellular network, with each of the devices is configured to communicate with the first network and at least one base station of the second network, causing a myriad of problems including signal interference, which reduce the link quality of each device and the negatively impact the resulting communication performance. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 1 , nine devices D 1  to D 9  are covered by a first network  11 , here a WLAN network, constrained within the coverage area of a second cellular network that is made up of cellular base station towers  13   a ;  13   b ;  13   c , respectively. The first network comprises an access point  12  serving as a node for communicating with each of the respective devices D 1  to D 9 . Each of the devices is capable of communicating with at least one of the cellular base station towers  13   a ;  13   b ;  13   c . The devices are each configured to communicate with both the first and second networks. Although this scheme is functional, quality of services decreases as more devices are introduced into the network. 
         [0025]    Using modal antenna technologies, such as the active modal antennas described in the referenced &#39;402 patent, an antenna radiation mode of the antenna can be configured from a plurality of available modes. In this regard, an antenna can be actively steered for improving link quality and reducing interferences. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows multiple radiation patterns  21   a ;  22   a ;  23   a ;  24   a , and the corresponding signal directions  21   b ;  22   b ;  23   b ;  24   b , respectively, available for selection using a modal antenna system such as that described in the referenced &#39;402 patent. Thus, one or more of the fixed and/or mobile devices of  FIG. 1  can comprise a modal antenna capable of switching between a plurality of antenna modes and associated radiation patterns. 
         [0027]    In an embodiment wherein each of the devices comprises a modal antenna having four modes, each of the devices can therefore sample and store data associated with the quality of its link with the second cellular network for each of the four antenna modes, as well as the quality of its link with the first WLAN network in each mode. 
         [0028]    Using the sampled data, each device can deliver the data to a network, for example to the second cellular network shown in the illustrated example, which can further determine which of the devices has the best link quality of the several connected devices, and designate the device with the best link quality as a “MASTER” device. With a “MASTER” device determined, the remaining devices can be designated as “SLAVE” devices, and configured to access the second cellular network for services through a coupling with a “MASTER” device. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows an embodiment wherein three of the fixed and/or mobile devices having the best link quality within the group of devices are configured as “MASTER” devices  32 , and the remaining devices are configured as “SLAVE” devices  31 , each device is configured to communicate with the first network through access point  12 , however, only the “MASTER” devices are configured to communicate with the second cellular network  13   a ;  13   b ;  13   c , wherein the “SLAVE” devices are configured to access data from the second cellular network through a coupling with one of the “MASTER” devices, in this case the “SLAVE” devices coupling to respective “MASTER” devices through the access point  12 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment, wherein the first network does not include an access point or router, the devices D 1  to D 9  within the footprint of the first network  11  are configured to communicate with each other, and select devices configured as “MASTER” devices  32  are further configured to communicate with the second cellular network via one of the base station towers  13   a ;  13   b ;  13   c , respectively, wherein the remaining “SLAVE” devices  31  are configured to connect to the second cellular network through a coupled “MASTER” device  32 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a similar embodiment to that illustrated in  FIG. 4 , with the variation that each cellular base station tower can designate a plurality of “MASTER” devices for managing the requirements of various other “SLAVE” devices  31  in the network. Here, tower  13   b  is shown communicating with two “MASTER” devices  32 . 
         [0032]    Several link quality metrics can be used to determine which device of the plurality of devices will be designated as a “MASTER” device, for example, a consolidated matrix made up of data associated with Signal to Interferences plus Noise Ratio (SINR) for each device within the network is presented  FIG. 6  and can be used as an element of decision for selecting the “MASTER” device(s) within an individual network. 
         [0033]    Another quality metric that can be used is the maximum data throughputs that each device can support on each network, depending of the antenna mode selected, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 8  describes a method embodied in a computerized algorithm for selecting each of the “MASTER” devices and “SLAVE” devices in accordance with an embodiment, such as that described in  FIG. 3  and the associated description, wherein the first network is a WLAN network having an access point or a base station with which the devices are each configured to connect. 
         [0035]    Each device has therefore a Quality Metric Factor QMFi,j,k, where “i” is the network number (for instance 0 for the cellular network and 1 for the WLAN network), where “j” is the access point, terminal, or base station of the network, and where “k” is the index of the antenna mode used by the device; note that k=0 if the device has a single mode antenna for this network. 
         [0036]    Each network knows the quality that a device has when connected to it, but without necessary knowing the antenna mode selected by the device. 
         [0037]    In a first step, the network i=0 (index corresponding for instance to the cellular network) selects from among each of the “N” devices connected to any of the access point of the network, a master device “M 1 ”, having the strongest QMF among the “N” devices. 
         [0000]        M   1 =Max(QMF 0,j,n ) n ε(0 to  N ), j ε(0 to  J )
 
         [0038]    In a second step, this M1 device broadcast on the network i=1 (corresponding to the WLAN network in our example) a request to obtain all of the QMFi,j,k from all the devices connected on the WLAN network, as well as the devices&#39; needs in term of Quality of Services (QoSi) on both networks. 
         [0039]    As all the devices on the WLAN network are communicating with each other via an access point, the QMF of the device only depends on the index of the antenna mode selected for a given access point they are connected to. 
         [0040]    Thus, in a third step, each device, once it has received the request from the “MASTER”, switches over each of it&#39;s antenna modes to complete its QMF matrix and then send it to the “MASTER” device M1, the devices QoSi is also sent to the “MASTER”. 
         [0041]    In the next step, the “MASTER” device M1 which has all the QMFi,j,k,n and all the QoSi,n, wherein “n” is the device number, computes a Consolidated Quality of Service (CQoS), which is a metric consolidating all the needs that the devices on the WLAN have from the cellular network. 
         [0042]    Among the N×K possible configuration of the network (for instance if there are 9 devices, each of them having a 4 mode antenna on the first network, the result is 36 possible configurations on the first WLAN network), a combination, indexed “z” (zε(N×K), is selected. 
         [0043]    In this “z” configuration, there are “N” factorial possible ways to route the services depending of the number of “MASTER” and “SLAVE” devices selected. For Each of this “N” factorial possibility, using the QMFi,j,k factor, a Quality of Service Achievable (QoSAi,n) can be estimated on each network. 
         [0044]    A Cost function can therefore be computed for each device “n”, wherein: 
         [0000]      Cost z,i,n   =f (CoS i,n −CoSA z,i,n )
 
         [0045]    And for all the devices of a network (first network or second network), a consolidated cost (CCostz,i) function can be computed, whereas: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               CCost 
               
                 z 
                 , 
                 i 
               
             
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 n 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 Cost 
                 
                   z 
                   , 
                   i 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0046]    Depending on the goal for network prioritization, a Global Consolidated cost function (GCCost z ) can be computed to take into account the quality of service on both networks, whereas: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               GCCost 
               z 
             
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 i 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 Cost 
                 z 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0047]    Finding the minimum GCCost z  among the Z=N×K possible configurations of the network will provide the optimum configuration. 
         [0048]    In the final step, once the optimum configuration has been found, the “MASTER” device M1 informs all the other devices of their new role as a “MASTER” (Mx), or “SLAVE” (Sx). In the event they are slaves, they are told which master they should use to access to the services of the cellular network. 
         [0049]    If any event occurs on the cellular network, such as a new device on the network, a device leaves the network, change in device position, etc., it may be decided by the cellular network to restart the process of configuration from the beginning. 
         [0050]    In yet another embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , a method embodied in a computerized algorithm for selecting each of the “MASTER” devices and “SLAVE” devices in accordance with an embodiment wherein each of the devices are communicating directly with each other (not an access point), such as that illustrated in  FIGS. 4-5 . In such a network, as the devices are communicating with each other directly, the number of possible configuration, Z, is more important, wherein: 
         [0000]        Z=Π   n,i   k   i,n , 
         [0051]    where “ki,n” is the number of antenna modes of the device “n” on the network “i”. 
         [0052]    Each device of the network has therefore a quality metric factor QMFi,j,z where “i” is the network index, “j” the access point or base station index, and “z” the configuration index for each of the devices. 
         [0053]    In a first step, the network i=0 (index corresponding, for instance, to the cellular network) selects among each of the “N” devices connected to any of the access point of the network “i”, a “MASTER” device (M1), the “MASTER” device having the strongest QMF at the instant among the N devices, such that: 
         [0000]        M   1 =Max(QMF 0,j,n ) n ε(0 to  N ), j ε(0 to  J )
 
         [0054]    In a second step, this “MASTER” device (M1), broadcasts a request to all devices to switch back to the antenna mode 0, which will be corresponding to the global configuration z=0, (zεZ). 
         [0055]    The “MASTER” device M1 then broadcasts a request to get the QMFi,j,z from each of the devices connected on the first network, as well as the devices&#39; needs in terms of Quality of Services (QoSi,z) on both networks. 
         [0056]    The “MASTER” device (M1) then switches to its next antenna mode, and increases to the global configuration index z=z+1, and requests again all the QMFi,j,z and QoSi,z. 
         [0057]    When the “MASTER” device has been through all of its antenna modes, the “MASTER” device goes back to the antenna mode 0 and asks the first “SLAVE” device to switch to its second antenna mode, if the device has this capability, and then the “MASTER” device increases the configuration index z=z+1 and requests again all the QMFi,j,z and QoSi,z. 
         [0058]    When this first “SLAVE” has been through all of its antenna modes, the “MASTER” device selects the next “SLAVE” and requests again all the QMFi,j,z and QoSi,z., for all the configuration mode of this “SLAVE”. 
         [0059]    In the next step, the “MASTER” device (M1), once the master device M1 has gathered all of the QMFi,j,z,n, and QoSi,z.n, “n” being the device number, computes a Consolidated Quality of Service CQoS which is a metric consolidating all the needs that the devices on the first network have from the second cellular network. 
         [0060]    For each “z” configuration, there are N factorial possible ways to route the services depending of the number of “MASTER” and “SLAVE” devices selected. For each of this N factorial possibility, using the QMFi,j,z factor, a Quality of Service Achievable QoSAi,n can be estimated on each network. 
         [0061]    A Cost function can therefore be computed for each device n, wherein: 
         [0000]      Cost z,i,n   =f (CoS i,n ,CoSA z,i,n ) 
         [0062]    And for each of the devices of a network (first or second networks), a consolidated cost (CCostz,i) function can be computed, wherein: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               CCost 
               
                 z 
                 , 
                 i 
               
             
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 n 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 Cost 
                 
                   z 
                   , 
                   i 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0063]    Depending of the goal for network prioritization, a Global Consolidated cost function (GCCost z ) can be computed to take into account the quality of service on both networks, wherein: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               GCCost 
               z 
             
             = 
             
               
                 ∑ 
                 i 
               
                
               
                   
               
                
               
                 Cost 
                 z 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0064]    Finding the minimum GCCost z , among the Z possible configurations of the network will provide the optimum configuration. 
         [0065]    In the final step, once the optimum configuration has been found, the “MASTER” device (M1) informs each of the other devices of their new role as “MASTER” (Mx) or “SLAVE” (Sx). In case they are slaves, they are told which master they should use to access to the services of the cellular network. 
         [0066]    If any event occurs on the cellular network, it may be decided by the cellular network to restart the process of configuration from the beginning 
         [0067]    Several policies and strategies can be applied for the optimization of communication networks using the above systems and methods, such as, for example, load balancing, maximum coverage, minimum service warranty, spectral efficiency consideration or power consideration. Depending on the priority for optimization, the main quality factor and metrics that are used in the decision process are generally distinct from one another, but may include: Signal to interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR), receive signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) throughput data rates in Rx, TX, or a combination of both, Channel quality indicator (CQI), or any other channel quality metric. For the Same reason, the different cost functions may be adjusted to give more weight to such or such network, device or access point. 
         [0068]    Although specific examples are shown, it should be recognized that cellular, WLAN, or other networks can be interchanged in the given examples. Additionally, the number and position of devices, the number of devices with modal antennas, and other specifics described above are provided for illustrative purpose only and are not intended to be limited to the above examples.