[OLPC Networking] [Server-devel] RSSI value questions

[John Watlington]

On Apr 6, 2008, at 7:27 PM, Ryan Crawford Comeaux wrote:

> Michael -
>
> Do you think the patent you're referring to would be a significant  
> roadblock in implementing this system using wifi signal strength  
> measurements?  The few patents that I've seen (though I haven't  
> been actively searching) seem to be designed with a system that has  
> a "plurality of receiving stations with known locations" in mind,  
> which wouldn't affect things here, considering this would be a  
> system with purely unknown locations.
>
> To everyone reading -
>
> I agree that the XS isn't necessary, though it would allow for more  
> applications, security being one that was pointed out earlier.   
> Also, by attaching a GPS antenna to the server, an approximate GPS  
> location could be assigned to nodes within the network.

Determining the location of fixed access points in a school can be  
done once
(e.g. by a deployment team).   Precisely because of it's static  
server role, it
provides fixed position information for very cheap.    If GPS is  
available, it
should be attached to a mobile node (a laptop), not the server!

> I think my initial question regarding whether or not the hardware  
> is currently capable of implementing this system overall is a  
> definitive "Yes," so I should be completing my proposal this  
> evening.  I'll post it to the three mailing lists we've been having  
> this discussion on.  Please feel free to rip it to shreds, provide  
> constructive criticism, or wish me luck as you see fit :)
>
> - Crawford