FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention generally relates to system and methods for monitoring wireless networks and more particularly to determining performance of different wireless networks.
BACKGROUND
Wireless sniffers are packet analyzers specifically created for capturing data on wireless networks. Wireless sniffer tools have many uses in commercial IT environments. Their ability to monitor, intercept, and decode data as it is in transit makes them useful for diagnosing and investigating network problems; monitoring network usage, activity, and security; discovering network misuse, vulnerabilities, malware, and attack attempts; filtering network traffic and identifying configuration issues and network bottlenecks.
Various sniffer probes/products are available in the market such as Airpcap from Riverbed for Wi-Fi sniffing and Zigbee sniffer from Freescale and Silabs. Riverbed AirPcap are Pcap adapters that offer an easy way to capture and analyze 802.11 wireless traffic. AirPcap is used for troubleshooting and testing new wireless products at the 802.11 level. Similarly, Zigbee sniffers are used for packet analysis of Zigbee protocol. However, these products are capable of receiving data from only one protocol.
Thus, a product and a process is required that is capable of not only receiving wireless packets from multiple protocols at the same time but also determining the performance parameters of the multiple protocols.

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Exemplary embodiments of the invention disclose a method and system for determining one or more performance attributes for a plurality of wireless technologies. According to an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed method and system receives wireless data packets of a plurality of wireless technologies simultaneously. According to an embodiment, the wireless data packets of a plurality of wireless technologies are received simultaneously by a single device. One or more performance attributes of the plurality of wireless technologies are determined by analyzing the received wireless packets from the plurality of wireless technologies wherein each performance attribute is associated with a location.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed method and system simultaneously presents a visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless technologies by displaying the one or more performance attributes associated with the plurality of wireless technologies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 illustrates a system for determining performance attributes for a plurality of wireless technologies, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of a process for determining performance attributes for a plurality of wireless technologies, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.
According to embodiments of the invention, a system and method for determining one or more performance attributes for a plurality of wireless networks is disclosed.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 for determining one or more performance attributes for a plurality of wireless networks, according to an embodiment of the invention.
The disclosed system 100 may include a detector module 102, a processing module 104 and an output module 106.

The detector module 102 may detect and identify one or more wireless networks. The detector module may include a single device to receive wireless data packets of a plurality of wireless networks simultaneously. According to an embodiment, the device may be a receiver or a transceiver. According to an embodiment, the plurality of wireless networks may include networks such as, but not limitedto, BluetoothpWi-Fi, ZigbeerWtAN and Wi-MAX:
The processing module 104 may generate corresponding performance parameters for the plurality of wireless networks by analyzing the received wireless packets from the plurality of wireless networks. The processing module may include a processor for generating performance parameters for the plurality of wireless networks. According to an embodiment, the performance parameters of the plurality of wireless networks include frequency spectrum, speed, signal strength, power, noise and interference. The processing module 104 may be coupled to the output module 106.
According to an embodiment, the processing module may simultaneously present a visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless networks. According to an embodiment, the visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless networks may be a graphical representation. According to another embodiment, the visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless networks may be a numerical representation. According to an exemplary embodiment, the processing module may display on the output module the one or more performance attributes associated with the plurality of wireless networks.
An output module 106 may include a display device. According to one embodiment, the display device may be any display such as, but not limited to, Cathode ray tube display (CRT),

Light-emitting diode display (LED), Electroluminescent display (ELD), Plasma display panel (PDP) etc. According to another embodiment, the display may include a graphical user interface (GUI).
'According to an embodiment, the system-may rank-the plurality of wireless networks based on
the relative performance of the plurality of wireless networks.
According to an embodiment, the system 100 may include a power source module to provide operating power for the detector module, processing module and output module.
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the process 200 for determining one or more performance attributes for a plurality of wireless technologies, according to an embodiment of the invention.
At step 202, the wireless data packets of a plurality of wireless technologies are received. According to an embodiment, the wireless data packets of the plurality of wireless technologies are received simultaneously by a single device. The wireless data packets may correspond to a plurality of wireless technologies such as, but not limited to, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, WLAN and Wi-MAX.
At step 204, one or more performance attributes of the plurality of wireless technologies are determined by analyzing the received wireless packets from the plurality "of wireless technologies. According to an embodiment, each performance attribute may be associated with a location. According to an embodiment, the performance attributes of the plurality of wireless technologies may include performance attributes such as, but not limited to, frequency spectrum, speed, signal strength, power, noise and interference.

At step 206, a visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless technologies is simultaneously presented by displaying the one or more performance attributes associated with the plurality of wireless technologies. According to an embodiment, the visual representation of a relative pert'ormance of lhe plurality of wireless technologie THIS ISa graphical representation. According to another embodiment, the visual representation may be on a graphical user interface.
In the drawings and specification there has been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts, as well as in the substitution of equivalents, are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Throughout the various contexts described in this disclosure, the embodiments of the invention further encompass computer apparatus, computing systems and machine-readable media configured to carry out the foregoing systems and methods. In addition to an embodiment consisting of specifically designed integrated circuits or other electronics, the present invention may be conveniently implemented using a conventional general purpose or a specialized digital computer or microprocessor programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the computer art.
Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the software art. The invention may also be implemented by the preparation of application specific integrated

circuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component circuits, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

We Claim:
1. A method for determining one or more performance attributes for a plurality of wireless
technologies, the method comprising:
receiving wireless data packets of a plurality of wireless technologies simultaneously; and
determining one or more performance attributes of the plurality of wireless technologies by analyzing the received wireless packets from the plurality of wireless technologies, wherein each performance attribute is associated with a location.
2. The method as claimed in claim I, further comprising simultaneously presenting a visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless technologies by displaying the one or more performance attributes associated with the plurality of wireless technologies.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless technologies include bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, WLAN, Wi-MAX or other wireless technology.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the performance attributes of the plurality of wireless technologies include speed, signal strength, power, noise and interference.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless data packets of a plurality of wireless technologies are received simultaneously by a single device.
6. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising ranking the; plurality of wireless technologies based on the relative performance of the plurality of wireless technologies.
7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless technologies is a graphical representation.
8. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the visual representation of a relative performance of the plurality of wireless technologies is on a graphical user interface.
9. A system for determining one or more performance parameters for a plurality of wireless networks, the system comprising:
a'detector module configured to detect and identify one or more wireless networks;
a processing module configured to generate corresponding performance parameters for the plurality of wireless networks; and
an output module coupled to the processing module for outputting the performance parameters.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a power source module configured to provide operating power for the detector module, processing module and output module.