Patent Abstract:
A wireless access point servicing multiple clients can have access to sensors that can be used to determine which clients have users present and potentially who those users are. Using this information, the wireless access point can automatically adjust the wireless network as appropriate in order to provide the optimal system performance.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure is directed to wireless access points and, more particularly, wireless access points changing a parameter based on whether a wireless device is being used. 
         [0003]    Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many modern electronics can be connected to wireless local area networks (WLAN). 
         [0005]    Wireless access points are the central connection point for a WLAN. The wireless access point uses radio waves to allow a variety of wireless devices to communicate to each other. The wireless access point may also provide connection to a wired network. A very large number of computers, electronics devices, appliances, and everyday items now come with wireless capabilities and will connect to a wireless access point. 
         [0006]    Wireless access points are most often based on IEEE 802.11 standards, commonly referred to as Wi-Fi. Wireless access points communicate with connected wireless devices, commonly called clients, using a number of different parameters for the communication signals, such as RF frequency/channel. Wi-Fi devices are capable of communications in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Within the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are a number of different channels, each having a bandwidth of about 20 MHz, and channels can be bonded to increase the bandwidth. 
         [0007]    Each wireless device that is connected to an access point will generally have an optimum channel for communication with the access point. Many different factors affect which channel is optimum for each device, such as the location of the device, the interference present, the wireless transceiver, RF front end and antenna configuration contained within the wireless device, and how many other access points are in the area. Any given WLAN may have several different wireless devices connected to a single access point at any given time, each potentially having a different channel at which their communications with the access point are optimum. 
         [0008]    Access points could be configured to automatically change the channel they are communicating on if a connected wireless device is not responding with acknowledgements and/or the desired throughput is not being achieved. However, when the access point changes the channel to increase the communication signal with a first wireless device, it could result in a decreased communication signal with another wireless device. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0009]    According to one embodiment, the access point may be servicing multiple clients and may adjust the wireless network to provide the best performance based on the clients that have a user(s) present. This may be accomplished by first sensing for the presence of users near particular wireless devices, getting user location information from personal devices carried or worn by users, and/or in the case of a wireless set-top box, determining if the connected TV is powered on; and then second, changing the access point channel to one that produces the best performance for those clients with users present. This process can be dynamic as users move to different clients. 
         [0010]    According to one embodiment, in the case where there are multiple clients with a user(s) present, the particular users may be identified and/or the number of users at each client may be counted, and this info may be used to assign a priority to the clients. The wireless network can then be adjusted to provide the best performance to the higher priority client(s). This process can be dynamic as users move to different clients. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram schematic of the wireless access point  24  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing a further embodiment according to the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is yet an additional flow chart showing a further embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of one embodiment using a set top box system in a user&#39;s home. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a wireless network  20  having a number of wireless devices  22  connected to each other. The wireless network  20  includes a wireless access point  24  that sends and receives signals with the wireless devices  22 , and acts as a central connection point for all connected devices. The wireless access point  24  is also connected with one or more wireless sensors  26 , which are used to detect whether a user is within a determined proximity of one of the wireless devices  22 . 
         [0018]    The access point  24  may be connected to a larger network, such as the Internet, or may provide local access only. Individual wireless devices  22  and sensors  26  use transceivers  28  to communicate with the wireless access point  24 , sending signals back and forth. Through the wireless access point  24 , wireless devices  22  and sensors  26  are also able communicate with each other. 
         [0019]    The wireless devices  22  can be any number of different devices. For example, they may include tablets, smartphones, laptop computers, desktop computers, audio/video devices such as set-top boxes, televisions, home appliances or any other device capable of wireless connectivity. Many modern homes or offices have extensive networks, connecting dozens of different items and allowing central control of any number of devices. There may be many wireless devices within a particular network, for examples as shown in  FIG. 1  there may be a first wireless device, such as smartphone  22 , a second wireless device such as portable computer  22 , a third wireless device such as display screen  22  and so forth. 
         [0020]    Various wireless sensors  26  may also be connected to the network  20 . These sensors could include microphones, video cameras, motion sensors, light sensors, or any other device capable of receiving input about an aspect of the environment the network  20  is located in. In some embodiments, the sensors  26  may be integrated with the wireless devices  22 . For example, many computers and televisions now have integrated microphones and video cameras. Other embodiments may include sensors  26  that detect if a wireless device  22  is on or off For example, a sensor  26  may be a switch or controller built into a television that provides information to the network  20  regarding whether the television is currently turned on or off. 
         [0021]    Each of the sensors  26  is configured to detect whether one or more wireless devices  22  are currently being used. Generally, each sensor  26  will be located close to and correspond with one or more wireless devices  22 . If a sensor  26  detects that a person is near the sensor, the access point  24  will interpret this detection to mean that one or more of the correspondiNng wireless devices  22  is being used. As will be discussed below with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the wireless access point  24  will adjust its parameters in response to the signals from the sensors  26 . For example, if the microphone sensor  26  indicates that a corresponding computer wireless device  22  is currently being used, the wireless access point may adjust its parameters to provide a stronger communication connection between the access point  24  and the computer wireless device  22 . 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the sensor  26  will be stationary, such as a mounted video camera or microphone, and correspond to nearby stationary wireless devices  22 , such as a television or set-top box. The sensors  26  detect the presence of a user in a number of different ways, depending on the sensor  26  being used. For example, a microphone sensor  26  will be able to pick up noises, such as human voices or sounds coming from a television or radio, that tend to indicate that a person is in the area. If a microphone sensor  26  that corresponds to a computer wireless device  22  is picking up voices or other noises, the sensor  26  will send a signal to the access point  24  indicating that the corresponding computer wireless device  22  is being used. For stationary sensors  26  and stationary wireless devices  26 , the access point  24  will assume that a user in the presence of the sensor  26  is also using the corresponding wireless device  22  adjacent to the sensor  26 . 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, each of the sensors  26  is a stand-alone sensor which has the capability of sensing whether a human is present. There are numerous types of sensors which can sense the presence of a person. These include motion sensors, microphones, acoustic sensors, infrared sensors, air pressure sensors, cameras that have facial recognition to identify a particular person, or other types of sensors which recognize the local presence of a person and, in many cases, the specific identity of that person. In one embodiment, the sensors are positioned adjacent to a stationary wireless device  22 . For example, some wireless devices  22  may be a desktop computer which is generally a stationary device. Other wireless devices may be a set-top box, a cable receiver, or other stationary computer devices. 
         [0024]    In other embodiments, the sensor  26  could be mobile, and therefore correspond to different wireless devices  22  depending on the current location of the sensor  26 . For example, the sensor  26  may be located within a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or other similar mobile wireless device. The sensor  26  in such a device could be a GPS module, which detects the location of the wireless device. In other implementations, the sensor  26  could determine the strength of a signal coming from the access point  24 , and estimate a location based on the signal strength. In such an embodiment, a user may first be requested to walk around the environment the network  20  is contained in, so that the strength of the signal at various locations can be determined and stored in a database. Preferably, the database would be connected to the access point  24 , which would compare the current signal strength of a sensor  26  to the list of known signal strengths to approximate the location of the sensor  26 . Once the location of the sensor  26  is determined, the access point  24  may look up nearby wireless devices  22  in order to determine which wireless devices are currently being used. 
         [0025]    In some instances, the sensor  26  will be within the wireless device itself as shown in the two embodiments of  FIG. 1 , one in which the wireless device  22  is a smartphone and the other in which the wireless device  22  is a portable computer. In each of these, there is a sensor which indicates the physical location of that device. Most smartphones, as well as portable computers, have GPS functionality. In addition, they also have motion sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and other sensors for movement. Accordingly, the GPS sensor which is located within these devices can be used as a location device. As will be appreciated, GPS sensors often do not work indoors and, therefore, other types of location sensors may be used to supplement the GPS sensor, such as tracking the movement of the most recent GPS reading, such as some type of distance calculation after a GPS signal is lost or by measuring the access point signal strength and/or transmit time to the local wireless device  22 . 
         [0026]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is the user who has the priority, not the particular wireless device. The desire is therefore to identify the particular user of the wireless device  22 , not just the wireless device. For example, if a person with a high priority is recognized as working with the portable computer  22  shown in  FIG. 1 , then this wireless device  22  is given higher access to the access point  24 . Smartphones, portable computers, desktop computers and most computing devices contain cameras and sufficient processing power to identify a particular person. This can be done by using the built in camera of the device as the sensor  26  to image the face of the person using the device and then perform facial recognition to match a database of users stored either in the memory  32  of the access device  24 , memory in a networked device, or a memory of that computing device itself. Facial recognition software and matching to a set of images stored in a database are well known in the art. Accordingly, when a particular person is using a wireless device  22 , that particular device  22  can use its own camera associated with that device  22  to obtain an image of its user and then the software can recognize the identity of the particular user and then, depending on the identity of that user, modify parameters on access point  24  that affect the performance of wireless device  22 . In one example, a parent in a home may rate themselves as the highest priority and therefore any wireless device  22  they are using, whether computer, desktop or laptop; smartphone, etc., will be given the highest priority by the access point  24 . Later on, if a second person uses the same wireless device  22 , whether it is a portable computer, desktop computer or smartphone, the camera can recognize that a different user is presently using that device and modify the priority to the access point  24  to that of the new user. It is appreciated that most smartphones are personal to a single individual and therefore, in one embodiment, the smartphone itself, having been linked long term to a particular user, can provide an indication as to the priority to the access point  24  of any person making use of that particular smartphone as the wireless device  22 . Alternatively, the smartphone, while in use, can use its camera to take a picture of the current user and, processing that person&#39;s identity using facial recognition or other technique, can set the priority for that smartphone as a wireless device  22  in order to establish its priority with respect to the access point  24 . 
         [0027]    Of course, wireless devices  22  and the sensor  26 , whether stand alone or as a part of the wireless device, have many techniques for identifying the current user, such as a fingerprint, iris signature comparison, voice recognition and the like and any techniques or sensors  26  that can be used to identify a particular user of the wireless device  22  can be used. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of the wireless access point  24 . The wireless access point  24  includes a controller  30 , memory  32 , power source  34 , and transmitter/receiver  36 . In some embodiments the wireless access point may also have a wired connection  38 , which may connect the access point  24  to a broader network, such as the Internet. 
         [0029]    The controller  30  can be any integrated circuit capable of executing basic program functions. Preferably, the controller  30  is a microprocessor or microcontroller. The controller  30  is coupled to the memory module  32 , which may be any suitable memory such as RAM, ROM, FLASH or other similar memory types. The power source  34  is coupled to the controller  30 , and to any other components within the access point  24  that may require power. These additional power connections are not shown for clarity. The transmitter/receiver  36  may be a single integrated transceiver, or may be separate transmitter and receiver modules. The transmitter/receiver  36  is used by the access point  24  to communicate with the additional devices connected to the network  20 , such as the wireless devices  22  and the sensors  26 . 
         [0030]    The access point  24 , and connected wireless devices  22  and sensors  26 , are generally connected through a standard Wi-Fi signal, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n or 802.11ac. However, in other embodiments they may use alternative communication standards such as Bluetooth or ZigBee. The access point  24  has a number of different parameters that can be altered to improve or decrease communication signals with connected devices. For example, under the Wi-Fi standard, the access point  24  may communicate over 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, and will have several different channels to communicate over each of these frequency bands. Different wireless devices  22  will often have different parameters that result in an optimum communication signal with the access point  24 . For example, a first wireless device may have the strongest signal when the access point  24  is set to communicate at 2.4 GHz, on channel 4. A second wireless device may have the strongest signal when the access point  24  is set to communicate at 2.4 GHz on channel 11. And a third wireless device may have the strongest signal when the access point  24  is set to communicate at 5 GHz on channel 132. 
         [0031]    The controller  30  is configured to execute steps stored in the memory  32  in order to adjust the communication parameters of the access point  24  to settings associated with the wireless device  22  that is currently being used.  FIG. 3  shows one embodiment for determining how to adjust the communication parameters of the access point  24 . At  100 , the sensor  26  scans to detect if any users are in the proximity of the sensor. This may be accomplished by any of the methods described above, such as detecting motion, detecting noises, or detecting people via a video camera. The controller  30  of the access point  24  receives results of the scan from the sensor  26 , and determines if the scan has detected a user at  102 . If a user is not present at the sensor  26  when the scan occurs, the access point parameters will not be adjusted. If a user is present at the sensor  26 , the controller  30  will assume that the corresponding wireless device  22  is currently being used. If a user is present, the access point adjusts a parameter to increase communications with the wireless device  22  that is currently being used at  104 . Generally, this will involve changing a WLAN channel, or changing the frequency range the access point is communicating at. In some embodiments, the controller  30  will compare the wireless device  22  being used to a database of wireless device settings stored in the memory  32  and set the access point parameters to a known channel or frequency contained in the database. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  shows a second method of adjusting the parameters of the access point  24 . A first sensor, associated with a first wireless device, is scanned for the presence of users at  110 . A second sensor, associated with a second wireless device, is also scanned for the presence of users at  112 . The controller  30  then compares the users detected to a database of known users to determine if any users are known. This can be accomplished by any known method such as facial recognition software, voice recognition software, or by tracking if personal devices such as a smartphone that are only associated with a single user are present. The controller  30  then determines, at  114 , if the first sensor has any priority users, which may include a parent of a household. If the first sensor has a priority user, the controller then determines if the second sensor also has a priority user at  116 . If the second sensor does not have a priority user, the access point is adjusted to increase communications with the first wireless device associated with the first sensor at  124 . If the second sensor also has a priority user, the controller  30  determines at  120  if the first or second priority user is higher priority, and adjusts the access point parameters to increase communications with the device that is being used by the higher priority user. 
         [0033]    If the first sensor does not have a priority user, the controller  30  determines at  118  if the second sensor has a priority user. If the second sensor has a priority user, then at  126  the access point is adjusted to increase communications with the second wireless device associated with the second sensor. If the second sensor does not have a priority user, the controller  30  determines at  122  which sensor has more users, and adjusts the access point to increase communications with the wireless device associated with the sensor that has more users. 
         [0034]    There are a number of techniques by which the wireless communication with a particular wireless device can be improved. In the embodiment in which the access point  24  is a standard wireless transmitter that creates a wireless network, it may have the capability to grant increased airtime/channel access to one or more of the wireless devices. In many wireless networks, it is common to have access point  24   24  attempting to communicate with many wireless devices  22  at any one time. If one of these devices is known to have a higher priority, it can provide increased data throughput to that particular device in the event the accumulative data throughput desired by all of the wireless devices exceeds the standard data throughput capabilities of that particular access point  24 . 
         [0035]    In addition, the access point  24  can determine the strength of the signal as one data point to assist in selecting a transmission frequency. If the wireless device  22  is physically close to the access point  24 , it might be preferred to use the 5 GHz frequency transmission rather than the 2.4 GHz frequency. On the other hand, based on local conditions, such as noise, other devices in the vicinity, it might be preferred to use the 2.4 GHz signal. Accordingly, the access point  24  will determine the priority of the user, along with the signal delivery strength of communication to and from the wireless device  24  and if the 5 GHz frequency provides a more reliable link for communication, it can switch to this frequency for communication when the device is close. On the other hand, when the same devices moves to a new location in the house, the access point  24  may recognize that 5 GHz is not the preferred frequency for transmission, accordingly, the access point  24 , recognizing that the particular wireless device  22  is being used by a high-priority user, will send a query signal regarding switching to the lower frequency of 2.4 GHz. If the lower frequency signal of 2.4 GHz is acceptable to the high-priority wireless device  22  and also provides a more reliable connection, then the access point  24  will change to the lower frequency for communication to the high-priority wireless device  22 , because at its new location the lower frequency provides a better communication channel. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of adjusting the parameters of the access point  24  according to the priority of users sensed at a first and second sensor  26   a  and  26   b,  respectively. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , at step  130 , the sensor  26   a  scans for a user adjacent to the first sensor. As a result of the scan, the first sensor  26   a  will determine whether there are any users at the first sensor  26   a  and, therefore, adjacent to the first wireless device  22 . The sensor  26   a  may find zero, one, two, three, or any number of users near the first sensor. The system will then compare the identity of the users located at the first sensor with users stored in a database at step  132 . The database contains the number of expected users for a particular system, as well as their priority and relationship to each other. This comparison will therefore provide an indication as to whether or not there are one or more high-priority users adjacent to the first sensor  26   a,  and if so, the relative priority between them. 
         [0038]    At the next step,  134 , a scan is made for users at the second sensor  26   b.  As in the first scan at step  130 , the sensor determines the number, if any, of the users adjacent to the second sensor  26   b  and, for a plurality of users, the identity of each. At step  136 , the identity of the users at the second sensor  26   b  is compared to the known users as stored in the database. The databases used in steps  132  and  136  contain attributes of the particular user. These attributes may, for example, be the type of devices they use, the rank of their priority importance relative to other users, the access they are to be provided to various components in the system, and other information. 
         [0039]    At step  138 , the system compares the users at the second sensor  26   b  with the users at the first sensor  26   a,  to determine the location of the highest priority users. If the highest priority users are at the first sensor, the access point is set, in step  140 , to improve the communication at the first wireless device. This improvement may be done to the detriment of the quality communications for the second wireless device that may be adjacent to the second sensor  26   b.  On the other hand, if the higher priority users are adjacent to the second sensor  26   b,  then the access point is set to improve the communication devices located adjacent to the second sensor, at step  142 . 
         [0040]    The control logic for selecting which type of communication channel to use may be located in any acceptable control device. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the system and control logic that is part of the system is within the access point  24 , which includes a memory, a microprocessor, control logic, a database of potential users for that particular network, and other specific hardware circuits in order to implement the system, as explained herein. Alternatively, the control logic can be in a device that is other than the access point itself For example, the control logic for the system could be in a set-top box, a computer server, or some other location, and it can be coupled to the access point via an appropriate connection, either wired or wireless, to form the full system. The wireless access point may therefore communicate with the control logic that determines the access point configuration and provide data to it, and the control logic, located in a different device, such as a set-top box, will perform the steps to determine the configuration to be used by the wireless access point  24 , and then output control signals to the wireless access point  24  in order to configure it. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  provides one example of a specific context that includes a set-top box in a user&#39;s home. In this particular example, a set-top box  24   a  is the wireless access point. It provides wireless communication between a client device # 1  and a client device # 2 , both of which permit viewing of the video channel from the set-top box. For client # 1 ,  22   a,  operation on channel 149/80 may create the best experience for viewing. On the other hand, transmission and operation on channel 36/80 may create the best viewing experience and most reliable communication for client # 2 ,  22   b.  The sensor  26   a,  which is adjacent to client # 1 ,  22   a,  will recognize that the user is adjacent to that client device, and will broadcast to client # 1  using the most reliable channel—in this example, 149/80. In many instances, the user will have two or more viewing screens inside a single home, and the user may leave the room that contains the viewing screen  22   a,  which is client # 1 , and walk into the room in which the viewing screen  22   b  is present, which is client # 2 . Therefore, the sensor  26   b  that is associated with client device # 2  will recognize that the user has entered that room and will begin to communicate with client # 2  using the most reliable channel for that client—in this case channel 36/80. The set-top box  24   a  will therefore switch from transmitting on channel 149/80 to transmit on channel 36/80. In most instances, client # 1  and client # 2  will be able to receive the signal on both transmission channels; namely, both client # 1  and client # 2  can receive the signal transmitted on channel 149/80 and also the signal transmitted on channel 36/80. However, the system as described herein recognizes that the more reliable communication which gives the best signal operation for client # 1  is a first channel, while the more reliable one for client # 2  is a second channel. Therefore the system will recognize, using the appropriate sensors  26 , the location of the user, and the set-top box will broadcast on the channel which will provide the best communication for the viewing device  22   a  or  22   b  which is most adjacent to the user. 
         [0042]    Another benefit, in the case when the user moves between the two rooms, they might turn the TV off but leave the wireless set-top box on, which would mean it would still be streaming video content, and hence wasting wireless transmission time, so it would be good for the controller to recognize that the user has left the room, and command the set-top box to turn off or go into standby mode. 
         [0043]    The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments. 
         [0044]    These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7