Dynamic methods for improving a wireless network

• US 20070002759A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Marinelli, Luca, Srinivasan, Jayanthi, Diaz, Alvaro, Flanagan, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

In the method, system conditions may be monitored for at least a first time period within a periodic time interval, and network parameters for optimizing a wireless network may be determined. The determined network parameters may be implemented during a first time period within the at least one subsequent periodic time interval.

Claims

1. A method for improving performance in a wireless network, the method comprising:

monitoring system conditions for at least a first time period within a periodic time interval;

determining network parameters, to be utilized during a first time period within at least one subsequent periodic time interval based on the monitored system conditions; and

utilizing the determined network parameters during the first time period within the at least one subsequent periodic time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network parameters are implemented by a human network operator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each periodic time interval includes a plurality of time periods, and each of the plurality of time periods is individually monitored for a plurality of iterations of the periodic time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the periodic time interval is twenty-four hours.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the time period is at least one hour in length.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network parameters include at least one of attenuation, neighbor lists, inter-frequency handoff parameters, and antenna parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network parameters include at least one of radio frequency power levels, cell power level, pilot power fraction, antenna tilt, antenna beamwidth and antenna orientation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the system conditions include user traffic present in at least one cell within the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step determines network parameters for improving a capacity of the wireless network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step determines network parameters for improving at least one of coverage voice quality, data throughput, and overall cost of the wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step, the determining step, and the implementing step are performed iteratively.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time period encompasses the entire periodic time interval, the first time period within the subsequent periodic time interval encompasses the entire subsequent periodic time interval, and the each of the periodic time intervals differ in length.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent periodic time interval is greater in length than the periodic time interval.

14. A method for improving performance in a wireless network, the method comprising:

determining if there exists a need for dynamic improvement of a wireless network; and

dynamically improving network parameters, for use during a subsequent periodic time interval, based on system conditions monitored for at least a first time period within a previous periodic time interval if the determining step determines that dynamic improvement is needed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the dynamically improvement step further comprises:

monitoring system conditions for at least a first time period within a periodic time interval;

determining network parameters, to be utilized during a first time period within at least one subsequent periodic time interval based on the monitored system conditions; and

utilizing the determined network parameters during the first time period within the at least one subsequent periodic time interval.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the network parameters include at least one of attenuation, neighbor lists, inter-frequency handoff parameters, and antenna parameters.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first time period is at least a portion of one hour.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting further comprises:

detecting at least one of failure of a network element and addition of a network element;

analyzing current system conditions; and

determining if dynamic improvement is needed based on the analyzing step.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the network parameters include at least one of attenuation, neighbor lists, inter-frequency handoff parameters, radio frequency power levels, cell power level, pilot power fraction, antenna tilt, antenna beamwidth and antenna orientation.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the improving step improves at least one of capacity of the network, coverage of the network, voice quality, data throughput, and cost of operation, based on user traffic present in at least one cell within the wireless network.