Method of configuring cells in a network using neighborhoods and method of dynamically configuring cells in a network using neighborhoods

• US 20070225029A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Abusch-Magder, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,374,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/525
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 of the wireless resources

Abstract

In a method of configuring a cell for operation in a wireless communication network, a determinable neighborhood of cells within the network is used for cell configuration. In the method, a neighborhood of cells is selected for the given cell to be configured. Data is acquired from cells of the selected neighborhood, and configuration settings for the given cell are determined based on the acquired data.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a cell for operation in a wireless communication network with a determinable neighborhood of cells within the network, comprising:

selecting a neighborhood of cells for the given cell to be configured,

acquiring data from the selected neighborhood, and

determining configuration settings for the given cell based on the acquired data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising inputting the acquired data into an auto-configuration algorithm that determines the settings for initial operation and automatically sets the configuration settings in the given cell as an output from the algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquired data from the neighborhood of cells includes one or more of pseudorandom sequence codes, allocation of frequencies for communication, transmit power level, antenna orientation, maximum data rate, maximum number of users, maximum power per user, minimum power per user and pilot power fraction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes:

measuring reverse link interference values at the given cell for mobiles owned by or in communication with another cell, wherein the another cell may or may not be part of the same neighborhood as the given cell,

comparing the reverse link interference values at the given cell to a threshold, and

selecting cells whose reverse link interference value exceeds the threshold as cells of the neighborhood of the given cell.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the measured reverse link measurements are actual measurements of reverse link interference at the cell or predicted measurements based on simulation of the network.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold is based on a multiple of the linear mean of interference power at the given cell.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes:

measuring path loss between the given cell and one or more points in the vicinity of another cell,

determining a score for other cells based on the path loss of the points in their vicinity, and

selecting cells based on their score as cells of the neighborhood.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes:

determining a score for other cells based as a function of the geographic distance of the other cells from the given cell, and

selecting cells based on their score as cells of the neighborhood.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting further includes ranking a given number of cells that are closest to the given cell based on a chosen ranking criterion, the closest X cells being selected as belonging to the neighborhood.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the value of X is variable based on the structure of the network to be simulated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes selecting one of a plurality of selectable neighborhoods as a function of a correlation coefficient, a value of which is indicative of the quality of the neighborhood.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting further includes selecting the neighborhood as a function of configuration costs in addition to the correlation coefficient.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting further includes:

performing one of a simulation and a measurement for each neighborhood to determine a first parameter for each neighborhood,

performing one of a simulation and a measurement of one of the entire network or a larger neighborhood to determine a second parameter,

determining a correlation coefficient between the first and second parameters, a value of the correlation coefficient indicative of the quality of the neighborhood for cell configuration, and

selecting the neighborhood with the highest absolute value of its coefficient as the neighborhood to be used for configuring the given cell.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second parameters are the same measured or simulated parameter, the first parameter measured or simulated on a local, neighborhood scale, the second parameter measured or simulated on a global network scale or larger neighborhood scale.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of a given neighborhood differs for a given setting or parameter to be configured in the given cell.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the data further includes the given cell acquiring the data from a data server.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a neighborhood further includes a data server in communication with the given cell and the network selecting the neighborhood and communicating same to the given cell.

18. A method of configuring a cell for operation in a wireless communication network with a determinable neighborhood of cells within the network, comprising:

selecting a neighborhood of cells for the given cell to be configured based on a particular parameter to be configured for the given cell,

acquiring data from cells of the selected neighborhood that is related to the particular parameter to be configured for the given cell, and

configuring the given cell based on the acquired data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the particular parameter to be configured and the acquired data from the neighborhood cells includes one or more of pseudorandom sequence codes, allocation of frequencies for communication, transmit power level, antenna orientation, maximum data rate, maximum number of users, maximum power per user, minimum power per user and pilot power fraction.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising allocating bandwidth for communication of the data between the neighborhood cells and the given cell.

21. A method of dynamically configuring a cell during operation in a wireless communication network with a determinable neighborhood of cells within the network, comprising:

selecting a neighborhood of cells for the given cell to be configured,

acquiring data from cells of the selected neighborhood, and

adjusting one or more configuration settings of the given cell based on the acquired data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein acquiring data from cells of the selected neighborhood includes exchanging information between the neighborhood cells and the given cell to acquire the given data needed for configuration.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the given cell queries the neighborhood cells for specified data related to conditions of the network and the cells of the neighborhood perform given measurements to acquire the requested data for transmission to the given cell.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the conditions of the network to be measured are related to operating conditions and environmental conditions of the network including one or more of user distribution, call volume, radio frequency propagation conditions, connection time, user mobility characteristics and time of day.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising acquiring data from sources other than the cells of the neighborhood.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes:

measuring reverse link interference values at the given cell for mobiles owned by or in communication with another cell, wherein the another cell may or may not be part of the same neighborhood as the given cell,

comparing the reverse link interference values at the given cell to a threshold, and

selecting cells whose reverse link interference value exceeds the threshold as cells of the neighborhood of the given cell.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the measured reverse link measurements are actual measurements of reverse link interference at the cell or predicted measurements based on simulation of the network.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the threshold is based on a multiple of the linear mean of interference power at the given cell.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes:

measuring path loss between the given cell and one or more points in the vicinity of another cell,

determining a score for other cells based on the path loss of the points in their vicinity, and

selecting cells based on their score as cells of the neighborhood.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes:

determining a score for other cells based as a function of the geographic distance of the other cells from the given cell, and

selecting cells based on their score as cells of the neighborhood.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein selecting further includes ranking a given number of cells that are closest to the given cell based on a chosen ranking criterion, the closest X cells selected as belonging to the neighborhood.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the value of X is variable based on the structure of the network to be simulated.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting the neighborhood further includes selecting one of a plurality of selectable neighborhoods as a function of a correlation coefficient, a value of which is indicative of the quality of the neighborhood.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein selecting further includes selecting the neighborhood as a function of configuration costs in addition to the correlation coefficient.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein selecting further includes:

performing one of a simulation and a measurement for each neighborhood to determine a first parameter for each neighborhood,

performing one of a simulation and a measurement of one of the entire network or a larger neighborhood to determine a second parameter,

determining a correlation coefficient between the first and second parameters, a value of the correlation coefficient indicative of the quality of the neighborhood for cell configuration, and

selecting the neighborhood with the highest absolute value of its coefficient as the neighborhood to be used for dynamically configuring the given cell.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first and second parameters are the same measured or simulated parameter, the first parameter measured or simulated on a local, neighborhood scale, the second parameter measured or simulated on a global network scale or larger neighborhood scale.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting one or more configuration settings of the given cell includes changing one or more settings related to the given cell'"'"'s transmit power level, antenna orientation, maximum data rate, maximum number of users, maximum power per user, minimum power per user and pilot power fraction.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein selection of a given neighborhood differs for a given configuration setting or parameter to be adjusted in the given cell.

39. The method of claim 21, further comprising inputting the acquired data into an auto-configuration algorithm that determines the adjustments to the configuration settings and automatically adjusts the configuration settings in the given cell as an output from the algorithm.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein acquiring the data further includes the given cell acquiring the data from a data server.

41. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting a neighborhood further includes a data server in communication with the given cell and the network selecting the neighborhood and communicating same to the given cell.

42. A method of dynamically configuring a cell during operation in a wireless communication network with a determinable neighborhood of cells within the network, comprising:

selecting a neighborhood of cells for the given cell to be configured, wherein the selection of the given neighborhood is based on a particular parameter to be configured for the given cell,

acquiring data from cells of the selected neighborhood that is related to the particular parameter to be configured for the given cell, and

adjusting the particular parameter of the given cell based on the acquired data.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the particular parameter to be configured and the acquired data from the neighborhood cells include one or more of transmit power level, antenna orientation, maximum data rate, maximum number of users, maximum power per user, minimum power per user and pilot power fraction.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising allocating bandwidth for communication of the data between the neighborhood cells and the given cell.