Three-dimensional network coverage modeling for UAVs

• US 10,431,103 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Murphy, Sean Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D
• Application Number:
  US15/484,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20180293897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A coverage model is generated to forecast network coverage robustness for vertically layered 3-dimensional sections of airspace above an area. Network configuration data for multiple base stations of a wireless communication network located in an area are received. Environmental data that includes information on natural and manmade features in the area are received. The airspace above the area into a plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections is segregated. A coverage model is generated based at least on the network configuration data and the environmental data for predicting network coverage of the wireless communication network in the 3-dimensional sections in the airspace above the area.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory having instructions stored therein, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

receiving network configuration data for multiple base stations of a wireless communication network that are located in an area;

receiving environmental data that includes information on natural and manmade features in the area;

segregating an airspace above the area into a plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections; and

generating a coverage model based at least on the network configuration data and the environmental data, the coverage model for predicting network coverage of the wireless communication network in the 3-dimensional sections in the airspace above the area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the acts further comprise:

receiving a request for a predicted signal robustness value that measures network coverage in a particular location within a specific 3-dimensional section above the area from a device, the particular location being defined by a longitude value, a latitude value, and an altitude value;

computing the predicted network signal robustness value for the particular location using the coverage model; and

sending the predicted network signal robustness value to the device that initiated the request.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the predicted signal robustness value is a network signal strength value or network signal quality value, wherein the network signal strength value measures received signal strength indicator (RSSI), reference signal received power (RSRP), or received channel power indicator (RCPI), and signal quality measures energy to interface ratio (ECIO), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the acts further comprise:

receiving a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a computing device of a UAV operator that, the wireless communication network communicatively links the UAV to a ground-based control device;

applying the coverage model to determine corresponding network coverage provided by the wireless communication network along the flight path that traverses the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections;

modifying the flight path for diverting the UAV to another region or another 3-dimensional section to avoid a region of a 3-dimensional section with a predicted network signal robustness value that is below a predetermined minimum signal robustness threshold; and

sending the flight path that is modified to the computing device of the UAV operator.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the acts further comprise sending a notification to the computing device of the UAV operator indicating that the flight path is acceptable in response to determining that all signal robustness values of the corresponding network coverage along the flight path is at or exceed the predetermined minimum signal robustness threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the acts further comprise:

receiving updates to at least one of the network configuration data or the environmental data that affects one or more base stations of the wireless communication network located in the area; and

generating an updated coverage model based on the at least one of the network configuration data or the environmental data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the acts further comprise:

receiving one or more measured signal robustness values for at least one location in the airspace above the area or signal robustness values measured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) along a flight path that traverses multiple 3-dimensional sections in the airspace above the area; and

generating an updated coverage model based on the one or more measured signal robustness values for at least one location or signal robustness values measured by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) along the flight path.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the network configuration data includes one or more of site location, antenna height, antenna type, antenna orientation, antenna down tilt angle, radio frequency (RF) band, RF power output, or data transmission rate for the multiple base stations, wherein the environmental data includes information on one or more of natural obstacles, manmade structures, terrain contours, or vegetation/biomass distribution.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the generating includes applying a machine learning algorithm to training data that includes the network configuration data, the environmental data, and measured signal robustness values at various locations in the airspace of the area to generate the coverage model.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a 3-dimensional section of the plurality of 3-dimensional sections is horizontally bounded by ground level signal boundaries of a network cell or multiple network cells.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein vertical heights for multiple vertical layers of 3-dimensional sections are established based on multiple factors that affect radio signal propagation in the area, the multiple factors including at least one of distribution of manmade structures in an area, atmospheric conditions in the area, or natural terrain features in the area.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that upon execution cause one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving network configuration data for multiple base stations of a wireless communication network that are located in an area;

receiving environmental data that includes information on natural and manmade features in the area;

segregating an airspace above the area into a plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections, wherein vertical heights of the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections being established based on multiple factors that affect radio signal propagation in the area, the multiple factors including at least one of distribution of manmade structures in an area, atmospheric conditions in the area, or natural terrain features in the area; and

generating a coverage model based at least on the network configuration data, the environmental data, the coverage model for predicting network coverage of the wireless communication network in the 3-dimensional sections in the airspace above the area.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the acts further comprise:

receiving a request for a predicted signal robustness value that measures network coverage in a particular location within a specific 3-dimensional section above the area from a device, the particular location being defined by a longitude value, a latitude value, and an altitude value;

computing the predicted network signal robustness value for the particular location using the coverage model; and

sending the predicted network signal robustness value to the device that initiated the request.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the acts further comprise:

receiving a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a computing device of a UAV operator that, the wireless communication network communicatively links the UAV to a ground-based control device;

applying the coverage model to determine corresponding network coverage provided by the wireless communication network along the flight path that traverses the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections;

modifying the flight path for diverting the UAV to another region or another 3-dimensional section to avoid a region of a 3-dimensional section with a predicted network signal robustness value that is below a predetermined minimum signal robustness threshold; and

sending the flight path that is modified to the computing device of the UAV operator.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the acts further comprise sending a notification to the computing device of the UAV operator indicating that the flight path is acceptable in response to determining that all signal robustness values of the corresponding network coverage along the flight path is at or exceed the predetermined minimum signal robustness threshold.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the network configuration data includes one or more of site location, antenna height, antenna type, antenna orientation, antenna down tilt angle, radio frequency (RF) band, RF power output, or data transmission rate for the multiple base stations, wherein the environmental data includes information on one or more of natural obstacles, manmade structures, terrain contours, or vegetation/biomass distribution.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the generating includes applying a machine learning algorithm to training data that includes the network configuration data, the environmental data, boundary locations of the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections, and measured signal robustness values at various locations in the airspace of the area to generate the coverage model.

18. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at one or more computing devices, network configuration data for multiple base stations of a wireless communication network that are located in an area, the network configuration data including one or more of site location, antenna height, antenna type, antenna orientation, antenna down tilt angle, radio frequency (RF) band, RF power output, or data transmission rate for the multiple base stations;

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, environmental data that includes information on one or more of natural obstacles, manmade structures, terrain contours, or vegetation/biomass distribution;

segregating, at the one or more computing devices, an airspace above the area into a plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections, wherein vertical heights of the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections being established based on multiple factors that affect radio signal propagation in the area, the multiple factors including at least one of distribution of manmade structures in an area, atmospheric conditions in the area, or natural terrain features in the area;

applying, at the one or more computing devices, a machine learning algorithm to training data that includes the network configuration data, the environmental data, boundary locations of the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections, and measured signal robustness values at various locations in the airspace of the area to generate a coverage model, the coverage model for predicting network coverage of the wireless communication network in the 3-dimensional sections in the airspace above the area;

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, a request for a predicted signal robustness value that measures network coverage in a particular location within a specific 3-dimensional section above the area from a device, the particular location being defined by a longitude value, a latitude value, and an altitude value;

computing, at the one or more computing devices, the predicted network signal robustness value for the particular location using the coverage model; and

sending, at the one or more computing devices, the predicted network signal robustness value to the device that initiated the request.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a computing device of a UAV operator that, the wireless communication network communicatively links the UAV to a ground-based control device;

applying, at the one or more computing devices, the coverage model to determine corresponding network coverage provided by the wireless communication network along the flight path that traverses the plurality of vertically layered 3-dimensional sections;

modifying, at the one or more computing devices, the flight path for diverting the UAV to another region or another 3-dimensional section to avoid a region of a 3-dimensional section with a predicted network signal robustness value that is below a predetermined minimum signal robustness threshold; and

sending, from the one or more computing devices, the flight path that is modified to the computing device of the UAV operator.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising;

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, one or more measured signal robustness values for at least one location in the airspace above the area or signal robustness values measured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) along a flight path that traverses multiple 3-dimensional sections in the airspace above the area; and

generating, at the one or more computing devices, an updated coverage model based on the one or more measured signal robustness values for at least one location or signal robustness values measured by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) along the flight path.