Determining a multi-module dependent parameter at a telecommunication node

• US 20030088867A1
• Filed: 11/02/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sandberg, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Facile changing and updating of a first module (101) of a platform (100) is achieved despite the fact that a parameter required for execution of the first module depends both upon which version of the first module (101) and which version of a second module (102) is included in the platform. Reconfiguration of the platform occasioned by the changing and/or updating of the first module is facilitated by having both the first module and a second module maintain respective pre-revision parameter arrays (111, 112) for the multi-module dependent parameter. The pre-revision parameter arrays comprises sets of parameter candidate values for plural combinations of versions of the first module and versions of the second module. When one of the first module and the second module is to become a revised module by replacement with a new version (e.g., the new version of the revised module), a revised parameter array (111′) is also provided for the revised module. After reconfiguration, one of the parameter candidate values in the third set of parameter candidate values is selected as qualifying as an appropriate parameter value for use in conjunction with the modules of the platform. In an example implementation, one of the first module and the second module can be a hardware module while the other of the first module and the second module is a software module. Moreover, one example environment of implementation is a telecommunications platform, such as (for example) a node of a radio access network (RAN).

Claims

1. A method of reconfiguring a telecommunications platform having both a first module and a second module, the method comprising:

replacing at least a portion of an old version of the first module of the platform with a new version of the first module;

providing, along with the new version of the first module, an array of values for a parameter, an appropriate one of the values for the parameter being required in conjunction with execution of at least one of the first module and the second module, the array including, for each of plural potential versions of the second module, a parameter candidate value for use as the appropriate parameter value dependent upon a combined implementation at the platform of (1) the new version of the first module; and

(2) a corresponding one of the potential versions of the second module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining which of the parameter candidate values in the array qualifies for the appropriate parameter to be utilized in conjunction with execution of the at least one of the first module and the second module.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising including the array in the new version of the first module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the array is a matrix having a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension being conceptualized as having one or more rows and the second dimension being conceptualized as having one or more columns, there being at least two rows or two columns, with one of the first dimension and the second dimension corresponding to one or more versions of the first module and another of the first dimension and the second dimension corresponding to one or more versions of the second module, each matrix position formed at the intersection of a column and row having a corresponding parameter candidate value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first module and the second module is a hardware module and another of the first module and the second module is a software module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications platform is a node of a radio access network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications platform is a base station node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a filter parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the filter parameter either:

(1) identifies which of plural filters are to be utilized;

or (2) includes numbers to be utilized with or by a particular filter.

10. A method of reconfiguring a telecommunications platform having both a first module and a second module, the method comprising:

maintaining a pre-revision parameter array for the first module, the pre-revision parameter array for the first module comprising a first set of parameter candidate values for plural combinations of versions of the first module and versions of the second module;

maintaining a pre-revision parameter array for the second module, the pre-revision parameter array for the second module comprising a second set of parameter candidate values for plural combinations of versions of the first module and versions of the second module;

determining, from one of the first set of parameter candidate values and the second set of parameter values, an appropriate parameter value for use in conjunction with execution of at least one of the first module and the second module;

replacing at least a portion of a revised module with a new version of the revised module, the revised module being one of the first module and the second module;

providing, along with the new version of the revised module, a revised parameter array for the revised module, the revised parameter array comprising a third set of parameter candidate values for plural version combinations of the first module and the second module;

determining which of the parameter candidate values in the third set of parameter candidate values qualifies as an appropriate parameter value for use in conjunction with the execution of at least one of the modules of the platform.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising including the revised parameter array in the new version of the revised module.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the revised parameter array is a matrix having a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension being conceptualized as having one or more rows and the second dimension being conceptualized as having one or more columns, there being at least two rows or two columns, with one of the first dimension and the second dimension corresponding to one or more versions of the first module and another of the first dimension and the second dimension corresponding to one or more versions of the second module, each matrix position formed at the intersection of a column and row having a corresponding parameter candidate value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein one of the first module and the second module is a hardware module and another of the first module and the second module is a software module.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications platform is a node of a radio access network.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications platform is a base station node.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter is a filter parameter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the filter parameter either:

(1) identifies which of plural filters are to be utilized;

or (2) includes numbers to be utilized with or by a particular filter.

18. A telecommunications platform comprising:

a new version of a first module;

a second module;

an array of values for a parameter, an appropriate one of the values for the parameter being required in conjunction with execution of at least one of the first module and the second module, the array including, for each of plural potential versions of the second module, a parameter candidate value for use as the appropriate parameter value dependent upon a combined implementation at the platform of (1) the new version of the first module; and

(2) a corresponding one of the potential versions of the second module.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one of the first module and the second module determines which of the parameter candidate values in the array qualifies for the appropriate parameter to be utilized in conjunction with execution of the at least one of the first module and the second module.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the array is included in the new version of the first module.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the array is a matrix having a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension being conceptualized as having one or more rows and the second dimension being conceptualized as having one or more columns, there being at least two rows or two columns, with one of the first dimension and the second dimension corresponding to one or more versions of the first module and another of the first dimension and the second dimension corresponding to one or more versions of the second module, each matrix position formed at the intersection of a column and row having a corresponding parameter candidate value.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein one of the first module and the second module is a hardware module and another of the first module and the second module is a software module.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the telecommunications platform is a node of a radio access network.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the telecommunications platform is a base station node.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the parameter is a filter parameter.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the filter parameter either:

(1) identifies which of plural filters are to be utilized;

or (2) includes numbers to be utilized with or by a particular filter.