Patent Publication Number: US-2019200245-A1

Title: Systems and Methods for Determining Preferred Location and Orientation of Wireless Broadband Router

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to wireless communications, and in particular relates to systems and methods for determining a preferred location and an orientation of a wireless broadband router. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Currently, wireless access methods are based on two popular standards: a wide area network (WAN) standard referred to as The Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) system; and a local area network (LAN) standard called Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is generally used indoors as a short-range wireless extension of wired broadband systems, whereas the 4G LTE systems provide wide area long-range connectivity both outdoors and indoors using dedicated infrastructure such as cell towers and backhaul to connect to the Internet. 
     As more people connect to the Internet, increasingly chat with friends and family, watch and upload videos, listen to streamed music, and indulge in virtual or augmented reality, data traffic continues to grow exponentially. In order to address the continuously growing wireless capacity challenge, the next generation of LAN and WAN systems are relying on higher frequencies referred to as millimeter waves in addition to currently used frequency bands below 7 GHz. The next generation of wireless WAN standard referred to as 5G New Radio (NR) is under development in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The 3GPP NR standard supports both sub-7 GHz frequencies as well as millimeter wave bands above 24 GHz. In 3GPP standard, frequency range 1 (FR1) covers frequencies in the 0.4 GHz-6 GHz range. Frequency range 2 (FR2) covers frequencies in the 24.25 GHz-52.6 GHz range. Table 1 provides examples of millimeter wave bands including FR2 bands that may be used for wireless high data-rate communications. In the millimeter wave bands above 24 GHz, a time division duplexing (TDD) scheme is generally preferred. However, regulations in most parts of the world allow using other duplexing schemes including frequency division duplexing (FDD). 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Examples of millimeter wave bands 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Bands 
                 Frequency 
                 Bandwidth 
               
               
                   
                 [GHz] 
                 [GHz] 
                 [GHz] 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 26 
                 GHz Band 
                 24.25-27.5  
                 3.250 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 LMDS Band 
                  27.5-28.35 
                 0.850 
               
               
                   
                   
                  29.1-29.25 
                 0.150 
               
               
                   
                   
                   31-31.3 
                 0.300 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 32 
                 GHz Band 
                 31.8-33.4 
                 1.600 
               
               
                 39 
                 GHz Band 
                 38.6-40   
                 1.400 
               
               
                 37/42 
                 GHz Bands 
                 37.0-38.6 
                 1.600 
               
               
                   
                   
                 42.0-42.5 
                 0.500 
               
               
                 47 
                 GHz 
                 47.2-48.2 
                 1.000 
               
               
                 60 
                 GHz 
                 57-64 
                 7.000 
               
               
                   
                   
                 64-71 
                 7.000 
               
               
                 70/80 
                 GHz 
                 71-76 
                 5.000 
               
               
                   
                   
                 81-86 
                 5.000 
               
               
                 90 
                 GHz 
                 92-94 
                 2.900 
               
               
                   
                   
                 94.1-95.0 
               
               
                 95 
                 GHz 
                  95-100 
                 5.000 
               
               
                 105 
                 GHz 
                 102-105 
                 7.500 
               
               
                   
                   
                   105-109.5 
               
               
                 112 
                 GHz 
                  111.8-114.25 
                 2.450 
               
               
                 122 
                 GHz 
                 122.25-123   
                 0.750 
               
               
                 130 
                 GHz 
                 130-134 
                 4.000 
               
               
                 140 
                 GHz 
                   141-148.5 
                 7.500 
               
               
                 150/160 
                 GHz 
                 151.5-155.5 
                 12.50 
               
               
                   
                   
                 155.5-158.5 
               
               
                   
                   
                 158.5-164   
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Table 2 lists examples of FR1 bands in the 3GPP standard. We refer to the FR1 bands in the 3GPP standard, unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, 5.925-6.425 GHz and 6.425-7.125 GHz bands and any other spectrum band below 7 GHz as sub-7 GHz spectrum. The duplexing schemes used in the sub-7 GHz spectrum, among others, can be time division duplexing (TDD), frequency division duplexing (FDD), supplemental downlink (SDL) or supplemental uplink (SUL). 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Examples of FR1 bands in 3GPP 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 5G-RAN 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Frequency 
                 Uplink 
                 Downlink 
                 Duplex 
               
               
                 Band 
                 Frequency band 
                 Frequency band 
                 Mode 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 n1 
                 1920 MHz-1980 MHz 
                 2110 MHz-2170 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n3 
                 1710 MHz-1785 MHz 
                 1805 MHz-1880 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n7 
                 2500 MHz-2570 MHz 
                 2620 MHz-2690 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n8 
                 880 MHz-915 MHz 
                 925 MHz-960 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n20 
                 832 MHz-862 MHz 
                 791 MHz-821 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n28 
                 703 MHz-748 MHz 
                 758 MHz-803 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n41 
                 2496 MHz-2690 MHz 
                 2496 MHz-2690 MHz 
                 TDD 
               
               
                 n66 
                 1710 MHz-1780 MHz 
                 2110 MHz-2200 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n70 
                 1695 MHz-1710 MHz 
                 1995 MHz-2020 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n71 
                 663 MHz-698 MHz 
                 617 MHz-652 MHz 
                 FDD 
               
               
                 n77 
                 3300 MHz-4200 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 TDD 
               
               
                 n78 
                 3300 MHz-3800 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 TDD 
               
               
                 n79 
                 4400 MHz-5000 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 TDD 
               
               
                 n80 
                 1710 MHz-1785 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 SUL 
               
               
                 n81 
                 880 MHz-915 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 SUL 
               
               
                 n82 
                 832 MHz-862 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 SUL 
               
               
                 n83 
                 703 MHz-748 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 SUL 
               
               
                 n84 
                 1920 MHz-1980 MHz 
                 N/A 
                 SUL 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In addition to serving mobile devices, the next generation of wireless WAN systems using millimeter wave and sub-7 GHz spectrum is expected to provide high-speed (Gigabits per second) links to fixed wireless broadband routers installed in homes and commercial buildings. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to disclosed embodiments, a method of determining a preferred location and orientation of a wireless broadband router includes measuring by the wireless broadband router a first received downlink signal strength corresponding to a first location and orientation and transmitting by the wireless broadband router the first received downlink signal strength. The method includes receiving a first score responsive to the first downlink signal strength. The method includes measuring by the wireless broadband router a second received downlink signal strength corresponding to a second location and orientation and transmitting by the wireless broadband router the second received downlink signal strength. The method includes receiving a second score responsive to the second received downlink signal strength. The method includes receiving a preferred location and orientation information based on the scores. 
     According to other disclosed embodiments, a method of determining a preferred location and orientation of a wireless broadband router includes identifying by the wireless broadband router its first location and orientation and measuring by the wireless broadband router a first received downlink signal strength corresponding to the first location and orientation. The method includes transmitting by the wireless broadband router the first received downlink signal strength and the first location and orientation information. The method includes receiving a first score corresponding to the first location and orientation. The method includes moving the wireless broadband router to a second location and orientation and identifying the second location and orientation. The method includes measuring by the wireless broadband router a second received downlink signal strength corresponding to the second location and orientation and transmitting by the wireless broadband router the second received downlink signal strength and the second location and orientation information. The method includes receiving a second score corresponding to the second location and orientation. The method includes receiving a preferred location and orientation information based on the scores. 
     According to yet other disclosed embodiments, a method of determining a preferred location and orientation of a wireless broadband router includes receiving by a controller a first downlink signal strength measurement corresponding to a first location and orientation of the wireless broadband router. The method includes receiving by the controller a first uplink signal strength measurement corresponding to the first location and orientation of the wireless broadband router. The method includes receiving by the controller downlink and uplink traffic load information. The method includes determining a first score responsive to the first downlink and uplink signal strength measurements and the downlink and uplink traffic load information and transmitting the first score to the wireless broadband router. The method includes receiving by the controller a second downlink signal strength measurement corresponding to a second location and orientation of the wireless broadband router. The method includes receiving by the controller a second uplink signal strength measurement corresponding to the second location and orientation of the wireless broadband router. The method includes receiving by the controller downlink and uplink traffic load information. The method includes determining a second score responsive to the second downlink and uplink signal strength measurements and the downlink and uplink traffic load information. The method includes transmitting the second score to the wireless broadband router. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary wireless system according to disclosed embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a wireless broadband router according to disclosed embodiments. 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are flow diagrams of methods according to disclosed embodiments. 
         FIGS. 5A, 5B-8  illustrate locations and orientations of a wireless broadband router. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of a method according to disclosed embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a wireless system  100  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. The system  100  includes radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112  referred to as gNodeBs that wirelessly communicate with a wireless broadband router (WBR)  120  which may be installed inside or outside a residential or a commercial building. 
     According to some disclosed embodiments, each radio base station implements three sectors, B 0 , B 1  and B 2 . In other embodiments the radio base station may implement any suitable number of sectors (e.g., 2, 4, 5, 6). The radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112  are connected to a communication network  124 , which may be a Next Generation Core (NGC) network), via a switch or a router  128 . The network  124  is connected to the Internet  132 . The radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112  also communicate control messages with a controller  136 . 
     According to some disclosed embodiments, the controller  136  determines a preferred or optimum location and orientation of the WBR  120  based on information received from the WBR  120  and also from the base stations  104 ,  108 ,  112 . The controller  136  collects information about the WBR  120  which may be installed inside or outside a residential or a commercial building. The controller  136  may receive the information from the base stations  104 ,  108 , and  112  through one or more message exchanges. The received information may be analyzed in the context of the geographical location (thick trees, high-rise buildings, other base stations, potentially interfering WBRs in neighboring homes) of the premise where the WBR  120  is installed. The controller  136  may consider other information such as, for example, weather, foliage density, etc. and determine an optimal location and/or orientation of the WBR. 
     According to some disclosed embodiments, the controller  136  may be integrated into one or more of the radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112 . Although the controller  136  is shown remote from the radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112 , in some embodiments, the controller  136  may reside inside one or more of the radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112 . 
     According to disclosed embodiments, the wireless broadband router  120  provides high-speed access to communication devices inside the residential or commercial building. The communication devices may, for example, be smartphones, wearable devices, laptop computers, desktop computers, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) devices or any other communication devices. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , when the wireless broadband router  120  is facing North, it receives signals from sector B 2  of the radio base stations  104  as well as from the sector B 2  of the radio base station  108 . In both these wireless links, there is no direct path and the received signals follow a reflected non-line-of-sight (NLOS) path caused by a reflector which may be a building or any other object that reflects RF signals. When the wireless broadband router  120  is facing East, it receives reflected a NLOS signal from the sector B 0  of the radio base stations  112  and a direct signal from the sector B 1  of the radio base station  108 . When the wireless broadband router  120  is facing South, it receives a direct signal from the sector B 2  of the radio base station  112 . When the wireless broadband router  120  is facing West, it receives a direct signal from the sector B 0  of the radio base station  104  and a reflected NLOS signal from the sector B 1  of the radio base station  112 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the controller  136  exchanges control messages with the radio base stations  104 ,  108  and  112 . The controller  136  also exchanges control messages with the wireless broadband router  120  via one or more of the radio base stations. These control messages may, for example, include received signal strengths reports for the base stations/sectors/beams that the wireless broadband router  120  can measure, as well as commands for the wireless broadband router  120  to perform certain tasks. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates functions implemented by the wireless broadband router  120  according to some disclosed embodiments. The wireless broadband router  120  implements an antenna array  202  configured to transmit and receive signals. According to some embodiments, the antenna array  202  may include one or more antennas configured to operate in the millimeter wave bands and may include one or more antennas configured to operate in the sub-7 GHz bands. The wireless broadband router  120  also implements a transceiver  204  that transmits data and control signals to the radio base stations and receives data and control signals transmitted by the radio base stations. The wireless broadband router  120  also implements a receiver  208  for satellite based positioning such as a GPS receiver and antennas that are used to determine the location of the wireless broadband router  120 . The location information can be further refined by using other location methods such as cellular and Wi-Fi based location services. The wireless broadband router may also utilize various sensors such as a gyroscope  212 , an accelerometer  216 , and a compass  220 . The signals from these sensors are used to determine the orientation of the broadband router  120  and may serve to associate the performance of a wireless link with a specific orientation. Thus, the system may provide users with indications regarding possible movements in the orientation, which may be the cause for performance degradation. The capability to read orientation may also serve to guide users towards a direction in which the multi-radio base stations (multi-gNodeB system) can provide the highest reliability. Such orientation may be chosen such that multiple radio base stations may offer acceptable coverage, rather than being chosen such that one particular radio base station is received at a maximal signal level. The other functions implemented by the wireless broadband router  120  include baseband processing  224 , digital signal processing  228 , communications protocol processing, memory  232 , networking and routing functions  236 . The wireless broadband router may also include additional functionalities such as a display, a camera  240  and power over ethernet functionality  244 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a method of determining a preferred or optimum location and orientation of the wireless broadband router  120  according to some disclosed embodiments. In a step  304 , the wireless broadband router is powered ON (i.e., start), and in a step  308  the wireless broadband router  120  determines (i.e., identifies) and records or logs its current location and orientation. In a step  312 , the wireless broadband router  120  measures downlink received signal strengths for the radio base stations, sectors or beams that it can receive. In a step  316 , the wireless broadband router  120  associates or attaches to a radio base station and sends the measured signal strengths along with the location and orientation information to the controller  136 . 
     In a step  320 , the wireless broadband router  120  receives a score for the current location and orientation from the controller  136 , and in a step  324  communicates the score to a user. The score, also referred as a connectivity score, may be in a numerical format (e.g., a number between 1 and 100), or it may be in the form of a qualitative assessment (e.g., poor, fair, good, very good and excellent). The score is calculated based on, among others, measured downlink signal strengths. For example, the score may be communicated to a user via a display on the wireless broadband router  120  or an application running on a second device with a display such as a smartphone or a Tablet. 
     In a step  328 , the user is prompted to respond if there are more locations or orientations that are to be evaluated. Exemplary means for such prompting/communication to the user may be as described earlier, i.e., via a display on the wireless broadband router  120  or an application running on a second device with a display such as a smartphone or a Tablet. Exemplary means for the user to respond to such prompting may be via a keypad on the wireless broadband router  120 , or via a keypad application running on a second device with a display such as a smartphone or a tablet. If the user response indicates that more WBR locations or orientations are to be evaluated, in a step  332 , the user is instructed to move the wireless broadband router  120  to a new location or orientation, and is prompted to indicate when the move is done. Such prompting may be via a dialog box, wherein the user has an option to indicate that the move is complete. In some embodiments, the prompt may also indicate to the user how long the system will wait for the move to be made and indicated, before assuming that no further WBR locations/orientations are to be evaluated. In alternate embodiments, the WBR may autonomously detect the move to a new WBR location or orientation. In a step  333 , the WBR starts a timer waiting for the updated WBR location to be indicated, and evaluates if the timer expired in step  334 . If the timer expired, the flow moves to step  344 . If the timer did not expire, in a step  336 , if a new location or orientation is indicated or detected at the WBR, the flow returns to the step  312 . Thus, the process may be repeated for multiple locations and multiple orientations until the controller determines the best location and orientation (i.e. the location and the orientation with the best connectivity score) for the wireless broadband router  120 . In a step  344 , the controller recommends the best location and orientation for the wireless broadband router. According to some disclosed embodiments, a score may computed based not only on signal level but also on the number of gNodeB signals that may be picked up at a given orientation. In some disclosed embodiments, the computation for the determination of the best location and orientation may be performed by the wireless broadband router  120  instead of the controller  136 . 
     According to some disclosed embodiments, the foregoing steps may be repeated for a plurality of base stations and the resulting connectivity scores may be compared. Based on the comparison, one of the base stations may be selected. For example, the base station that provides the best connectivity score may be selected. In some embodiments, the downlink signal strength reported by the wireless broadband router  120 , in exemplary units of dbm (decibels per milliwatt), may be mapped to a qualitative connectivity score as in Table Y1. It is to be understood that signal strength measurements reported using units different from dbm may be mapped to dbm units allowing re-use of Table Y1. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                 TABLE Y1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Qualitative 
               
               
                   
                   
                 connectivity 
               
               
                   
                 Range of Reported downlink signal strength, dbm 
                 score 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 Reported downlink signal strength &gt;= −50 
                 Excellent 
               
               
                   
                 −50 &lt; Reported downlink signal strength &lt;= −60 
                 Very good 
               
               
                   
                 −60 &lt; Reported downlink signal strength &lt;= −70 
                 Good 
               
               
                   
                 −70 &lt; Reported downlink signal strength &lt;= −80 
                 Fair 
               
               
                   
                 −80 &lt; Reported downlink signal strength &lt;= −90 
                 Poor 
               
               
                   
                 Reported downlink signal strength &lt; −90 
                 Very poor 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In some embodiments, the downlink signal strength reported by the wireless broadband router  120 , in exemplary units of dbm, may be converted to numerical connectivity scores using a formula that yields larger scores for larger reported values. In some embodiments, the exemplary formula: 
       Numerical connectivity Score=100+(downlink signal strength,dbm) 
     may be used. The connectivity scores obtained for some exemplary values of reported measured downlink signal strength are shown in Table Y2. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE Y2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Reported downlink signal strength, dbm 
                 Numerical connectivity score 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 −50 
                 50 
               
               
                 −60 
                 40 
               
               
                 −70 
                 30 
               
               
                 −80 
                 20 
               
               
                 −90 
                 10 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In some embodiments, the controller may utilize both the downlink signal strength measurement reported by the wireless broadband router  120 , as well as uplink signal strengths measured by a base station when the wireless broadband router is connected to it, in order to calculate a connectivity score. In such embodiments, the qualitative or numerical connectivity scores may be arrived at as described earlier in this section, but with the “downlink signal strength measurement” replaced by a certain mathematical function of the downlink and uplink signal strength measurements, and denoted as a “joint downlink and uplink signal strength measurement”. Such an exemplary mathematical formula is shown below: 
       Joint downlink and uplink signal strength measurement,dbm= a *(downlink signal strength measurement,dbm)+ b *(downlink signal strength measurement,dbm), where ‘ a ’ and ‘ b ’ are real numbers.
 
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a method used by the controller  136  to determine a preferred or optimum location and orientation of the wireless broadband router  120 . The flow starts in a step  404 , and in a step  408  the controller  136  receives downlink signal strength measurements as well as the wireless broadband router location and orientation information from the wireless broadband router  120 . 
     According to some disclosed embodiments, a beam, a sector and a base station is selected to which the WBR  120  will attach. For this selection the controller composes a candidate set to choose from. In a step  412 , the controller  136  populates the candidate beams, candidate sectors and candidate base stations with all the beams, sectors and the base stations for which the WBR  120  has reported measurements from the current location. 
     In a step  416 , the controller  136  stores downlink signal strength measurements for the candidate base stations/sectors/beams and instructs radio base stations to measure the uplink signal strength for the candidate base stations/sectors/beams. In a step  420 , the controller receives the uplink signal strength measurements from the radio base stations and in step  424  associates downlink and uplink signal strength measurements with the current location and orientation of the wireless broadband router  120 . In a step  428 , the controller retrieves the downlink and uplink traffic load information for the candidate base stations/sectors/beams, and in a step  432  the controller uses this information along with downlink and uplink signal strength measurements to calculate connectivity scores for all the candidate base stations/sectors/beams. 
     In a step  436 , the controller sends the computed connectivity score to the wireless broadband router  120 . In a step  440 , if there are more locations/orientations, the flow moves to a step  444  in which the user is instructed to select a new location or orientation for the wireless broadband router and the flow returns to the step  408 . Thus, the process may be repeated for multiple locations and orientations until the controller  136  determines there are no more locations/orientations and recommends the best location and orientation for the wireless broadband router in a step  450 . 
     According to yet other disclosed embodiments, the connectivity scores may be determined solely from the downlink signal strengths. Thus, according to some embodiments, the connectivity scores may be calculated from measured downlink signal strength measurements as well as the wireless broadband router location and orientation information from the wireless broadband router (step  408 ). According to yet other disclosed embodiments, the connectivity scores may be calculated by the broadband router itself based on measured downlink signal strengths. 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates four different locations and orientations for the wireless broadband router  120  at customer or business premises. Upon reception of the connectivity scores from the controller  136 , the wireless broadband router  120  displays the connectivity scores on its display, and/or transmits the scores to a connected device, such as a tablet or a smartphone, which may be done via Bluetooth, WiFi, or any other connectivity means. Referring to  FIG. 5A , the connectivity scores are displayed for locations and/or orientations A, B, C and D. The connectivity scores can be displayed as numbers, letters, graphics or a combination of these. In other embodiments, the connectivity scores can be calculated locally in the wireless broadband router  120 . In yet other embodiments, the wireless broadband router  120  can alter the connectivity scores based on some local measurements or metrics. This final connectivity scores are then displayed on the display. 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates four different locations and one more orientations for a given location for the wireless broadband router  120  at customer or business premises. In this exemplary embodiment, WBR is of a circular shape and its orientation can be changed by rotation. For a given location, multiple connectivity scores are calculated. For example, for the WBR location A, three score A 1 , A 2  and A 3  are calculated. Upon reception of the connectivity scores from the controller  136 , the wireless broadband router  120  displays the connectivity scores on its display, and/or transmits the scores to a connected device, such as a tablet or a smartphone, which may be done via Bluetooth, WiFi, or any other connectivity means. Referring to  FIG. 5B , the connectivity scores are displayed for locations and/or orientations A, B, C and D. The connectivity scores can be displayed as numbers, letters, graphics or a combination of these. In other embodiments, the connectivity scores can be calculated locally in the wireless broadband router  120 . In yet other embodiments, the wireless broadband router  120  can alter the connectivity scores based on some local measurements or metrics. This final connectivity scores are then displayed on the display. 
     In another embodiment, an external device such as a smartphone, a Tablet, a laptop computer or a smart watch can be used to display the connectivity score.  FIG. 6  illustrates an example where an application  604  (referred to as Wireless Broadband Router Application (WBR App)) running on a smartphone  608  communicates with the wireless broadband router  120  at a customer or business premises. The smartphone  608  communicates with the wireless broadband router  120  using a wired data link such as USB or a wireless link such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Near Field Communications (NFC). Upon reception of the connectivity scores from the controller  136 , the wireless broadband router  120  forwards the scores to the WBR App  604  running on the smartphone  608 . The WBR App  604  then displays the connectivity scores as numbers, letters, graphics or a combination of these. In other embodiments, the connectivity scores can be calculated locally in the wireless broadband router  120 . In yet other embodiments, the wireless broadband router  120  can alter the final connectivity scores based on some local measurements or metrics. This final connectivity scores are then displayed on the display. 
     In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the WBR App  604  running on the smartphone  608  directly communicates with the controller  136  over the same 5G wireless broadband network  704  as used by the wireless broadband router  120 . In this example, the WBR App  604  running on a smartphone first associates itself with the wireless broadband router  120  at the customer premises using, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or NFC wireless link. In other embodiments, a code associated with the wireless broadband router  120  or a MAC address of the wireless broadband router  120  can be manually entered in the WBR App  604 . In other embodiments, the WBR App  604  instructs the user to scan a bar code on the wireless broadband router  120  to associate itself with the wireless broadband router  120 . After association, the WBR App  604  can request the connectivity scores for the desired wireless broadband router from the controller  136 . Upon reception of the connectivity scores from the controller, the WBR App  604  displays the connectivity scores as numbers, letters, graphics or a combination of these. In other embodiments, the connectivity scores can be calculated locally in the wireless broadband router. In yet other embodiments, the wireless broadband router can alter the final connectivity score based on some local measurements or metrics. This final connectivity score is then displayed for the user on the display. 
     In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the Wireless Broadband Router Application (WBR App)  604  running on the smartphone  608  communicates with the controller  136  over a separate network such as a 4G LTE wireless broadband network  708 , which is different from the 5G network  704  used by the wireless broadband router  120 . In this example, the WBR App  604  running on the smartphone  608  first associates itself with the wireless broadband router  120  at the customer premises using, for example, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or NFC wireless link. In other embodiments, a code associated with the wireless broadband router  120  or the MAC address of the wireless broadband router  120  can be manually entered in the WBR App  604 . In other embodiments, the WBR App  604  instructs the user to scan a bar code on the wireless broadband router  120  to associate itself with the wireless broadband router. After association, the WBR App  604  can request the connectivity scores for the desired wireless broadband router from the controller  136  over the 4G LTE network  708 . Upon reception of the connectivity scores from the controller  136 , the WBR App  604  displays the connectivity scores as numbers, letters, graphics or a combination of these. In other embodiments, the connectivity scores can be calculated locally in the wireless broadband router  120 . In yet other embodiments, the wireless broadband router  120  can alter the final connectivity scores based on some local measurements or metrics. This final connectivity score is then displayed on the display. 
     In yet another embodiment, the controller  136  utilizes the known geographical location of the premises where the wireless broadband router  120  is being mounted to compose location and orientation recommendations. After the user unpacks the wireless broadband router  120  out of the box and tries the first location on the premises, the wireless broadband router  120  measures the downlink RSSI from all sectors of all the base stations that are visible to the wireless broadband router  120  and sends the measured information, along with the current location and orientation of the wireless broadband router  120  to the controller  136 . The controller  136 , which is connected to the internet, has a much wider view of the network. Based on the location information received from the wireless broadband router  120 , the controller  136  creates a virtual map of the wireless broadband router  120  amidst the known locations of the network provider&#39;s base stations. In addition, the controller  136  factors in information such as location of other structures (including buildings, large thick trees etc.) that may block the line of sight to the premises and prepares an ordered list of suggested mounting locations. This list is communicated either through the display on the wireless broadband router  120  or through the WBR application  604 . The recommended mounting locations may, for example, be in the form of directions (e.g., try a window on the North-East side) or in the form of visual pointers on the WBR application  604 . 
       FIG. 9  is a flow diagram of a method according to disclosed embodiments. The flow starts in a step  904 , and in a step  908  the controller  136  receives measurement reports and location/orientation information from the broadband router  120 . As discussed before, according to some disclosed embodiments, the beam, the sector and the base station is selected to which the WBR  120  will attach. The controller  136  composes a candidate set to choose from. In a step  912 , the controller  136  populates the candidate beams, candidate sectors and candidate base stations with all the beams, sectors and the base stations for which the WBR  120  has reported measurements from the current location 
     In a step  916 , downlink signal strength measurements for the candidate base stations/sectors/beams are stored by the controller. In a step  920 , uplink signal strength for the candidate base stations/sectors/beams are measured by the controller  136 . In a step  924 , the controller associates the downlink and uplink signal strength measurements with the wireless broadband router location/orientation. In a step  928 , the controller determines if the location database for this wireless broadband router has already been looked up? If the location database for this wireless broadband router has already been looked up, the flow moves to a step  932  where based on the wireless broadband router location, a location service provider&#39;s base station in and round the location of the wireless broadband router is retrieved from the database at the controller and added to the list provided by the wireless broadband router. Otherwise, the flow moves to a step  936  where long-term downlink and uplink traffic load information for the candidate base stations/sectors/beams are retrieved from the database at the controller. 
     In a step  940 , connectivity scores for candidate base stations/sectors/beams are calculated by the controller  136 . In a step  944 , connectivity scores are sent by the controller  136  to the wireless broadband router  120 . In a step  948  a determination is made if there are more locations/orientations. If there are more locations/orientations, in a step  952  the user is instructed to select a new location or orientation for the wireless broadband router and the flow returns to the step  908 . Otherwise, in a step  956  recommendations for best location and orientation for the wireless broadband router is made by the controller  136 . The flow ends in a step  956 . 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that, for simplicity and clarity, the full structure and operation of all systems suitable for use with the present disclosure are not being depicted or described herein. Instead, only so much of a system as is unique to the present disclosure or necessary for an understanding of the present disclosure is depicted and described. The remainder of the construction and operation of the disclosed systems may conform to any of the various current implementations and practices known in the art. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that, unless specifically indicated or required by the sequence of operations, certain steps in the processes described above may be omitted, performed concurrently or sequentially, or performed in a different order. Further, no component, element, or process should be considered essential to any specific claimed embodiment, and each of the components, elements, or processes can be combined in still other embodiments. 
     It is important to note that while the disclosure includes a description in the context of a fully functional system, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least portions of the mechanism of the present disclosure are capable of being distributed in the form of instructions contained within a machine-usable, computer-usable, or computer-readable medium in any of a variety of forms, and that the present disclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of instruction or signal bearing medium or storage medium utilized to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of machine usable/readable or computer usable/readable mediums include: nonvolatile, hard-coded type mediums such as read only memories (ROMs) or erasable, electrically programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), and user-recordable type mediums such as floppy disks, hard disk drives and compact disk read only memories (CD-ROMs) or digital versatile disks (DVDs).