OPTIMIZING A RADIO PERFORMANCE OF A WIRELESS NETWORK

Disclosed are a method (1) of and a management entity (23) for optimizing a radio performance of a wireless network (2). The wireless network (2) comprises a plurality (C) of communication channels and a plurality (N) of configurable radio access entities (21). The method (1) comprises determining (11), by a respective configurable radio access entity (21, i) of the plurality of configurable radio access entities (21), a respective set of receivable radio access entities (21, 22, j) in a particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels. The method (1) further comprises collecting (12), by a management entity (23), the respective set of the receivable radio access entities (21, 22, j) determined by the respective configurable radio access entity (21, i) of the plurality of configurable radio access entities (21, i). The method (1) further comprises optimizing (13), by the management entity (23), the radio performance of the wireless network (2) in accordance with the respective set of the receivable radio access entities (21, 22, j) collected from the plurality of configurable radio access entities (21, i). The resulting channel allocation is quickly obtainable, straightforward to understand, and therefore enables users with even a little radio communications background to quickly and safely carry out a professional frequency optimization.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to wireless networks, and in particular to a method of and a management entity for optimizing a radio performance of a wireless network, to a system comprising said management entity and to a computer program.

BACKGROUND ART

Optimization of Wi-Fi channel allocation has become a challenge due to a steady rise in numbers of access points and Wi-Fi networks as well as increasing requirements as regards network availability and network capacity especially in a professional environment. On a small scale at home, e.g. when setting up consumer access points, questions arise such as: Which channel is the best? Which channel bandwidth should be selected? In the case of multiple access points: Which channel should be allocated to the respective access point in order to make the Wi-Fi network as interference-free and powerful as possible?

The channel allocation and thus the quality of the distribution of access points across the available radio spectrum often dominates a Wi-Fi network's network performance. Especially in very large Wi-Fi networks (e.g. in “high-density” environments such as exhibition halls, stadiums, schools and universities, etc.) or in environments with many neighboring access points (such as in inner-city areas or in multi-story office buildings), efficient channel allocation is crucial.

Renowned manufacturers of Wi-Fi network systems thus provide their own procedures for channel allocation. No matter if the underlying optimization is performed locally or (somewhat) globally, the resulting channel allocation may be hard to understand, and these procedures barely support troubleshooting and manual analysis.

SUMMARY

These and other drawbacks and limitations are overcome by the embodiments as defined by the appended independent claims. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims and in the following description and drawings.

A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of optimizing a radio performance of a wireless network. The wireless network comprises a plurality of communication channels and a plurality of configurable radio access entities. The method comprises determining, by a respective configurable radio access entity of the plurality of configurable radio access entities, a respective set of receivable radio access entities in a particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels. The method further comprises collecting, by a management entity, the respective set of the receivable radio access entities determined by the respective configurable radio access entity of the plurality of configurable radio access entities. The method further comprises optimizing, by the management entity, the radio performance of the wireless network in accordance with the respective set of the receivable radio access entities collected from the plurality of configurable radio access entities.

The determining of the respective set of the receivable radio access entities in the particular communication channel may comprise one or more of: configuring the respective configurable radio access entity to use the particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels and to transmit on the same for an indicated time period; listening, by each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities, the particular communication channel responsive to a trigger event; and scanning, by each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities, the particular communication channel in a background of regular radio operation of the respective configurable radio access entity.

The optimizing of the radio performance of the wireless network may comprise: determining, for the respective configurable radio access entity, a respective total number of the receivable radio access entities in the plurality of communication channels; defining an order of a respective configurable radio access entity of interest in the plurality of configurable radio access entities in accordance with a decreasing order of the respective total number; and processing each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities as the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in accordance with the defined order.

The processing may comprise computing a baseline value of a metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in a respective presently intended communication channel. The respective presently intended communication channel may be retrievable from a channel allocation vector comprising the respective presently intended communication channel of the plurality of configurable radio access entities. The computing may be performed in accordance with: the respective receivable radio access entity of the respective configurable radio access entity of interest, and/or the respective configurable radio access entity comprising the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in its respective receivable radio access entities.

The computing of the baseline value may further be performed in accordance with a respective weight of the respective configurable radio access entity.

The respective weight may be defined in accordance with one or more of: machine learning from a real usage behavior of the wireless network, and a pre-configuration.

The processing may further comprise updating a respective number of the receivable radio access entities of the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in a respective candidate communication channel. The respective candidate communication channel may be selectable from a whitelist of those of the plurality of communication channels being useable by the respective receivable radio access entity.

The processing may further comprise computing a prospective value of the metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in the respective candidate communication channel. The computing may be performed in accordance with: the respective receivable radio access entity of the respective configurable radio access entity of interest, and/or the respective configurable radio access entity may comprise the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in its respective receivable radio access entities.

The computing of the prospective value may further be performed in accordance with the respective weight of the respective configurable radio access entity.

The processing may further comprise accepting the respective candidate communication channel as the respective presently intended communication channel of the respective configurable radio access entity of interest in accordance with at least one acceptance criterion of: the prospective value of the metric is lower than the baseline value of the metric; and the prospective value of the metric equals the baseline value of the metric, and an occurrence of the respective candidate communication channel in the channel allocation vector is less than an occurrence of the respective presently intended communication channel in the channel allocation vector.

The method may further comprise providing, by the management entity, a visualization of a result of the optimizing.

The result of the optimizing may comprise one or more of: a graph node for the respective receivable radio access entity, a graph edge from the respective receivable radio access entity to the respective configurable radio access entity, any of the above colored in accordance with the respective presently intended communication channel, the respective number of the receivable radio access entities of the respective configurable radio access entity in its respective presently intended communication channel, the total number of the receivable radio access entities of the respective configurable radio access entity in the plurality of communication channels, and any of the above before, during, and/or after the optimizing.

The method may further comprise configuring the respective configurable radio access entity to use the respective presently intended communication channel in the channel allocation vector as its respective communication channel.

The wireless network may comprise an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network, WLAN (“Wi-Fi”), and the respective configurable radio access entity may comprise an access point, AP.

The plurality of receivable radio access entities may comprise the plurality of configurable radio access entities.

The plurality of receivable radio access entities may further comprise one or more radio access entities not being configurable by the management entity.

The management entity may comprise one of: a cloud-based management entity, a controller of the wireless network, and a particular configurable radio access entity of the plurality of configurable radio access entities of the wireless network.

A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a management entity for optimizing a radio performance of a wireless network. The wireless network comprises a plurality of communication channels, and a plurality of configurable radio access entities. The management entity comprises a processor configured to: collect a respective set of receivable radio access entities determined by a respective configurable radio access entity of the plurality of configurable radio access entities in a particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels; and optimize the radio performance of the wireless network in accordance with the respective set of the receivable radio access entities in the particular communication channel collected from the plurality of configurable radio access entities.

The processor may further be configured to perform the method according to the first aspect or any of its implementations.

A third aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system, comprising a wireless network comprising a plurality of communication channels and a plurality of configurable radio access entities; the system further comprising a management entity according to the second aspect or any of its implementations for optimizing a radio performance of the wireless network.

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure relates to computer program, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to the first aspect or any of its implementations.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS

The disclosed method generally attempts to reduce the number of radio conflicts on the one hand and to equally distribute the access points across all available radio channels on the other hand.

Unlike local optimization methods, the disclosed method performs channel allocation with a view to increasing the performance of the entire Wi-Fi network, thereby taking a holistic approach.

In accordance with real usage behavior, selected access points may be given preference in the sense of demand-driven prioritization.

The method is deterministic, which offers the advantage that repeated calculations with identical input parameters result in a same channel allocation. This in turn enables a decentralized approach without any central cloud and/or Wi-Fi controller management instance.

The method does not require any human intervention, resulting in quick performance improvements.

This in turn facilitates channel re-assignment during ongoing operations as well, in response to a changing radio environment, be it through changes in usage, or due to removal or failure of access points, for example.

By means of a visualization of existing/remaining radio conflicts that is straightforward to understand, the method further enables users with even a little radio communications background to quickly and safely carry out a professional frequency optimization and to thereby optimize the radio performance.

The technical effects and advantages previously described equally apply to the method of and a management entity for optimizing a radio performance of a wireless network having corresponding features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS

FIG.1illustrates an exemplary network system comprising a management entity23in accordance with the present disclosure, and a wireless network2.

The wireless network2may particularly comprise an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN/Wi-Fi).

IEEE 802.11 technical standards may use various radio frequency bands reserved internationally for industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) purposes including, but not limited to, 2.4 GHz (2.400-2.500 GHz), 5 GHz (4.915-5.925 GHz), 6 GHz (5.925-7.125 GHz) and other frequency bands. In general, users have no regulatory protection in these bands.

The wireless network2comprises a plurality C of communication channels.

As used herein, “communications channels” may refer to non-overlapping radio frequency bands which do not (significantly) interfere with one another.

The plurality C of communication channels varies significantly by regulatory domain and channel bandwidth. For example, within the 2,4 GHz frequency band and for a channel bandwidth of 20 MHz, C=4 in Germany (channel numbers 1, 5, 9 and 13, respectively) and C=3 in the USA (channel numbers 1, 6 and 11, respectively). Within the 2,4 GHz frequency band and for a channel bandwidth of 40 MHz, C=2 in Germany (channel numbers 3 and 11, respectively) and C=1 in the USA (channel number 3). Similar provisions apply for other frequency bands, such as the 5 GHz frequency band.

The management entity23shown on the top right ofFIG.1comprises a processor231and is designed for optimizing a radio performance of the wireless network2. In particular, the processor231is configured to perform particular steps of a method1which will be explained in more detail in connection withFIG.2.

The management entity23may comprise one of: a cloud-based management entity23A, a controller of the wireless network23B, and a particular configurable radio access entity23C of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21of the wireless network2.

In accordance withFIG.1, the underlying structure of the optimization problem is modeled as a graph, wherein a plurality N of configurable radio access entities21of the wireless network2forms (cross-hatched) nodes of the graph. In particular, the respective configurable radio access entity21,iof the plurality N of configurable radio access entities21may comprise an access point (AP).

Nϵ+Number of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21

iϵ1NIndex of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21

As used herein, “configurable” may mean that the respective radio access entity21being designated as “configurable” is configurable by (i.e., under control of) the management entity23.

The plurality N of configurable radio access entities21may form part of a plurality of receivable radio access entities21,22being arranged circularly inFIG.1for a better visual understanding.

Mϵ+≥NNumber of the plurality of receivable radio access entities21,22

jϵ1MIndex of the plurality of receivable radio access entities21,22

As used herein, “receivable” may mean that a transmit power of the respective radio access entity21,22being designated as “receivable” can be received by at least one of the plurality N of configurable radio access entities21, in view of transmission circumstances such as boresights, radiation patterns, and a distance of the involved radio antennas.

In accordance withFIG.1, one or more radio access entities22not being configurable by the management entity23may form part of the plurality of receivable radio access entities21,22as well, and may thus form (solid) nodes of the graph, too. The one or more radio access entities22may respectively comprise an AP or any other source of interference.

Thereby, it is taken into account that radio conflicts do not only occur within the wireless network2but can also be caused by radio access entities22,jof other wireless networks as well.

FIG.2illustrates a method1of optimizing a radio performance of a wireless network2in accordance with the present disclosure.

A brief implementation of the method1(indicated by solid lines on the left ofFIG.2) comprises determining11, collecting12and optimizing13steps.

More detailed implementations (indicated by shaded dashed lines on the right ofFIG.2) may further comprise various refinements of the determining11and/or the optimizing13steps.

More extensive implementations (indicated by shaded solid lines on the left ofFIG.2) may further comprise providing14and/or configuring15steps.

With reference toFIG.1, the method1starts off with determining11, by a respective configurable radio access entity21,iof the plurality of configurable radio access entities21, a respective set of receivable radio access entities21,22,jin a particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels.

The determining11of the respective set of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jin the particular communication channel may comprise configuring111the respective configurable radio access entity21,ito use the particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels and to transmit on the same for an indicated time period. For example, within the 2,4 GHz frequency band and for a channel bandwidth of 20 MHz, any one of the channel numbers 1, 5, 9 and 13 may be configured111as the particular communication channel to start with. Thereby, each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iindicates its presence on the particular communication channel by transmitting on the same, to enable being determined11as a receivable radio access entity21,22,j.

The determining11of the respective set of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jin the particular communication channel may comprise listening112, by each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,i,the particular communication channel responsive to a trigger event. Thereby, while still indicating its presence on the particular communication channel, each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iidentifies any receivable radio access entities21,22,jon the particular communication channel.

The determining11of the respective set of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jin the particular communication channel may comprise scanning113, by each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,i,the plurality C of communication channels in a background of regular radio operation of the respective configurable radio access entity21,i.Thereby, each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iidentifies any receivable radio access entities21,22,jin any of the plurality C of communication channels besides the respectively allocated/used communication channel.

FIG.3illustrates an exemplary set of receivable radio access entities21,22,jdetermined by a configurable radio access entity21,iin the exemplary network system ofFIG.1.

The depicted set of receivable radio access entities21,22,jis visualized by graph edges from the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,jof the set to the respective configurable radio access entity21,i. In this example, six graph edges connect the configurable radio access entity21,ion the left ofFIG.3to a respective receivable radio access entity21,22,j.

While the entities21,22,jinFIGS.1and3(andFIGS.4and5A-5Eas well) are arranged circularly, alternative arrangements may include arc diagrams in which the graph nodes are arranged along a line and the graph edges are being drawn as semicircles in one or both of the two halfplanes bounded by the line.

Each graph edge represents a capability of the configurable radio access entity21,ion the one end of the graph edge to receive a transmit power of the receivable radio access entity21,22,jon the other end of the graph edge. Put another way, each graph edge stands for a potential radio conflict, because each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iis provided for communication with its radio clients rather than with other receivable radio access entities21,22,j.

As such, the schematic visualization based on graph nodes representing the plurality of receivable radio access entities21,22,jand on graph edges representing potential radio conflicts is straightforward to understand even for users with little radio communications background.

Said receiving capability may or may not be reciprocal (bidirectional), meaning that the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,jmay or may not be able to receive a transmit power of the configurable radio access entity21,ion its part, for example due to different transmit powers or radiation patterns.

This observation gives rise to the concept of “neighborhood” of a particular configurable radio access entity21,i.Said neighborhood N(i) includes all entities21,22,jbeing receivable by the particular configurable radio access entity21,i(negative neighborhood N−(i)) as well as all entities21,jbeing able to receive the particular configurable radio access entity21,ion their part (positive neighborhood N+(i)):

Returning toFIG.2, the method1further comprises collecting12, by a management entity23, the respective set of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jdetermined by the respective configurable radio access entity21,iof the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,i.In other words, the management entity23is configured to collect12from each of the plurality N of configurable radio access entities21,ithe respective set of receivable radio access entities21,22,jdetermined by that specific configurable radio access entity21,i.

The management entity (23) comprises a processor (231) configured to: collect (12) a respective set of receivable radio access entities (21,22,j) determined (11) by a respective configurable radio access entity (21,i) of the plurality of configurable radio access entities (21) in a particular communication channel of the plurality of communication channels

FIG.4illustrates a superpositioning of the respective sets of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jdetermined by each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iin the exemplary network system ofFIG.2.

Bidirectional graph edges represent receiving capabilities (i.e., potential radio conflicts) on both ends of the graph edge, whereas unidirectional graph edges stand for a receiving capability (and a potential radio conflict) on one end only.

Returning toFIG.2, the method1further comprises optimizing13, by the management entity23, the radio performance of the wireless network2in accordance with the respective set of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jcollected from the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,i.

The optimizing13involves examining each the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iin descending order according to its respective number of radio conflicts, which corresponds to its respective total number ciof the receivable radio access entities21,22,jin the plurality C of communication channels.

α=(αi,j)Adjacency matrix, defining a receivability αi,jϵ{0,1} of the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,jby the respective configurable radio access entity21,iwhen allocated to a same communication channel. The adjacency matrix may be composed of the sets of receivable radio access entities21,22,jcollected from each of configurable radio access entity21,i.

x=(xi)Channel allocation vector, defining a presently intended communication channel xi(or xpi) of a respective configurable radio access entity21,i.

c=(ci)=f⁡(a,x)Conflict vector, defining a total number ciof the receivable radio access entities21,22,j(i.e., the number of radio conflicts) of a respective configurable radio access entity21,iin view of the presently intended channel allocation (as defined by the channel allocation vector).

The optimizing13of the radio performance of the wireless network2may therefore comprise:determining131, for the respective configurable radio access entity21,i,a respective total number ciof the receivable radio access entities21,22,j(i.e., the respective number of radio conflicts) in the plurality C of communication channels;defining132an order p of a respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iin accordance with a decreasing order of the respective total number; andprocessing133each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,ias the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin accordance with the defined order p.

Accordingly, the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, pirepresents the respective configurable radio access entity21,itaken/chosen in the defined order p:

p=(pi)Permutation vector, defining a rank/indexpiof the respective configurable radio access entity21,iaccording to the defined order p

The processing133step may be regarded as a loop wherein loop cycles relate to respective configurable radio access entities of interest21, pi.

The processing133may comprise computing1331a baseline value of a metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin a respective presently intended communication channel xpi(which may initially correspond to the particular communication channel chosen in the determining11step):

The metric comprises as a first term a total number cpiof the receivable radio access entities21,22,j(i.e., the number of radio conflicts) of the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, pi(in other words, a size of the negative neighborhood N−(pi) of the entity of interest21, pi) in the presently intended communication channel xpi.

The computing1331may thus be performed in accordance with the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,jof the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, pi.

The metric further comprises a second term including total numbers ciof the receivable radio access entities21,22,j(i.e., the number of radio conflicts) of all entities21,ibeing able to receive the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, pion their part (i.e., of the positive neighborhood N+(pi) of the entity of interest21, pi) in the presently intended communication channel xpi.

The computing1331may thus be performed also in accordance with the respective configurable radio access entity21,icomprising the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin its respective set of receivable radio access entities21,22,j.

The computing1331of the baseline value may further be performed in accordance with a respective weight wiof the respective configurable radio access entity21,i:

wiWeight, defining a relative importance of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21with respect to one another.

The respective weight wpi(or wi) may be used to manipulate a relative importance among the plurality of configurable radio access entities21, and may be defined in accordance with machine learning from a real usage behavior of the wireless network2and/or a pre-configuration.

As such, the method1can be fed with real usage data from connected Wi-Fi clients and thus better adapt to an actual demand.

The resulting value of the metric is termed baseline value since it serves as a baseline/reference for subsequent comparisons.

At some point in the course of the processing133step/loop, each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iwill be considered as the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, pi, and will therefore be subject to the computing1331of the baseline value.

Having obtained the baseline value of the conflict metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piresulting in connection with the presently intended communication channel xpi, the method1proceeds by evaluating the same conflict metric resulting in connection with other (candidate) communication channels to see if altering the presently intended communication channel xpireduces the value of the conflict metric.

The following steps1332-1334may be carried out as part of an inner loop wherein loop cycles relate to respective candidate communication channels xpi′(≠xpi).

The processing133may further comprise updating1332a respective number ciof the receivable radio access entities21,22,jof the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin a respective candidate communication channel xpi′.

In other words, the above-mentioned conflict vector c=(ci) requires updating in view of the changed channel allocation (xpi′ instead of xpias the respective candidate communication channel):

The respective candidate communication channel xpimay be selectable from a whitelist whitelistjof those of the plurality C of communication channels being useable by the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,j. For example, the whitelist of the respective configurable radio access entity21,jmay correspond to the plurality C of communication channels, whereas the whitelist of the respective radio access entity22,jnot being configurable by the management entity23may correspond to a single invariant communication channel.

The processing133may further comprise computing1333a prospective value of the metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin the respective candidate communication channel:

The computing1333of the prospective value may further be performed in accordance with the respective weight wiof the respective configurable radio access entity21,i:

These metrics are exactly the same as already explained in connection with the computing1331step, the only difference being that their evaluation is based on an altered channel allocation and may thus result in a different (prospective) value of the metric.

As already mentioned, each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,iwill be considered as the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piat some point in the course of the processing133step/loop.

In connection with the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, pibeing considered, each of the communication channels selectable from its whitelist (except for the currently allocated communication channel) will be regarded as the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ at some point in the course of the computing1333step/loop, and will therefore be subject to the computing1333of a prospective value.

The processing133step/loop may be repeated until a (local) optimum solution is found in accordance with the following accepting1334step.

The processing133may further comprise accepting1334the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ as the respective presently intended communication channel xpiof the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin accordance with at least one acceptance criterion of:(I) the prospective value of the metric is lower than the baseline value of the metric, meaning that a channel allocation with less conflicts has been achieved; and(II) the prospective value of the metric equals the baseline value of the metric, meaning that the conflicts have not been mitigated further, but an occurrence of the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ in the channel allocation vector x is less than an occurrence of the respective presently intended communication channel xpiin the channel allocation vector x.

In a first fictional example, the baseline value of the metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin the respective presently intended communication channel xpimay amount to a total of 12 radio conflicts, and the prospective value of the metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ may amount to a total of 8 radio conflicts. As the prospective value (8) of the metric is lower than the baseline value (12) of the metric, the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ will be accepted1334as the respective presently intended communication channel xpiin accordance with acceptance criterion I.

In a second fictional example, the baseline value of the metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin the respective presently intended communication channel xpias well as the prospective value of the metric for the respective configurable radio access entity of interest21, piin the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ may amount to a total of 12 radio conflicts. Additionally, an occurrence of the respective presently intended communication channel xpiin the channel allocation vector x amounts to 30, and an occurrence of the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ in the channel allocation vector x amounts to 23. As the prospective value (12) of the metric equals the baseline value (12) of the metric, and the occurrence (23) of the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ in the channel allocation vector x is less than the occurrence (30) of the respective presently intended communication channel xpiin the channel allocation vector x, the respective candidate communication channel xpi′ will be accepted1334as the respective presently intended communication channel xpiin accordance with acceptance criterion II.

The underlying problem is that configurable radio access entities21,isharing a same communication channel take throughput from one another. Beyond a certain quantity and/or density of the plurality N of configurable radio access entities21,i,radio conflicts can no longer be avoided completely.

Therefore the method aims to reduce a number of radio conflicts as much as possible as a primary criterion (I). This results in increasing efficiency of the respective configurable radio access entity21,isince it shares the spectrum with fewer competing configurable radio access entities21,iand thus with fewer associated radio clients.

Besides conflict reduction, the method also aims to achieve an equal distribution of the available communication channels as a secondary criterion (II). On the one hand, this facilitates a choice between candidate channels having identical merits with regard to radio conflicts. On the other hand, it is expected that this maximizes a use of the available spectrum.

The result of the optimizing13may be a configuration specification including one or more of: a respective (presently) intended communication channel xi, and a channel bandwidth for each of the plurality of configurable radio access entities21,i.

In a more extensive implementation, the method1may further comprise providing14, by the management entity23, a visualization of the result of the optimizing13.

The result of the optimizing13may comprise one or more of: a graph node for the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,j(seeFIGS.1,3and4, for example), a graph edge from the respective receivable radio access entity21,22,jto the respective configurable radio access entity21,i(seeFIGS.3and4, for example), any of the above colored in accordance with the respective presently intended communication channel xpi; the respective number ciof the receivable radio access entities21,22,jof the respective configurable radio access entity21,iin its respective presently intended communication channel xpi(seeFIGS.5A-5E, for example), the total number of the receivable radio access entities21,22,jof the respective configurable radio access entity21,iin the plurality C of communication channels, and any of the above before, during, and/or after the optimizing13.

In a more extensive implementation, the method1may further comprise configuring15, by the management entity23, the respective configurable radio access entity21,ito use the respective presently intended communication channel xiin the channel allocation vector x as its respective communication channel.

FIGS.5A-5Eillustrate visualizations of respective results of subsequent optimization steps of the optimizing in another exemplary network system.

The wireless network2of said network system comprises a plurality of C=4 communication channels (channel numbers 1, 5, 9 and 13 in connection with the 2,4 GHz frequency band and20MHz channel bandwidth in Germany) and a plurality of N=70 configurable radio access entities21.

The respective figure/graph comprises a plurality of N=70 graph nodes for the respective receivable radio access entity21,i,and a graph edge from the respective receivable radio access entity21,jto the respective configurable radio access entity21,iin accordance with the adjacency matrix mentioned previously.

The respective configurable radio access entity21,iis associated with a respective number ciof the receivable radio access entities21,jin the respective presently intended communication channel xpi.

FIG.5Arepresents step 0 forming the starting point of the optimization of the radio performance of the wireless network2. In this example, channel number 1 has been configured111in each of the plurality of N=70 configurable radio access entities21(access points) as the particular communication channel to start with. Step 0 is associated with 878 (initial) conflicts, and a maximum occurrence of the respective presently intended communication channel (channel number 1) of 70. In other words, all N=70 access points initially use channel number 1.

FIG.5Billustrates the result of the optimization after a first iteration of the processing133step, which is associated with161remaining conflicts and a maximum occurrence of 22 of a most frequently used communication channel (#13) in the channel allocation vector x.

FIG.5Cshows the result of the optimization after a second iteration of the processing133step, which is associated with150remaining conflicts and a maximum occurrence of 19 of a most frequently used communication channel (#1) in the channel allocation vector x.

FIG.5Ddepicts the result of the optimization after a third iteration of the processing133step, which is associated with138remaining conflicts and a maximum occurrence of 20 of a most frequently used communication channel (#1) in the channel allocation vector x.

FIG.5Edisplays the result of the optimization after a fourth and a fifth iteration of the processing133step, which are respectively associated with138remaining conflicts and a maximum occurrence of 18 of a most frequently used communication channel (#9, #13) in the channel allocation vector x.

Due to lack of further improvement, the optimization is concluded after step 5 in accordance with acceptance criterion I.

The optimization is summarized in the following table: