METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING NETWORK PERFORMANCES

• US 20100309799A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Europe Ltd (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Brunner, Marcus, Nunzi, Giorgio
• Granted Patent: US 9,210,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

A method for optimizing network performances, wherein the network includes one or more network nodes (1), performance parameters of the network nodes (1) being controlled by element of dedicated optimization modules (3), wherein each optimization module (3) monitors at least one performance parameter of the network node (1) to which the optimization module (3) is associated and generates a change request for the current value of the performance parameter on the basis of preset rules, is characterized in that the change requests generated by different optimization modules (3) of the network node (1) are forwarded to a shared controlling element (2), wherein the shared controlling element (2) enforces a coordination of the received change requests on the basis of a configurable algorithm. Furthermore, a corresponding system is disclosed.

Claims

1. Method for optimizing network performances,

wherein the network comprises one or more network nodes (1), performance parameters of said network nodes (1) being controlled by means of dedicated optimization modules (3),

wherein each optimization module (3) monitors at least one performance parameter of the network node (1) to which said optimization module (3) is associated and generates a change request for the current value of said performance parameter on the basis of preset rules,

characterized in that said change requests generated by different optimization modules (3) of said network node (1) are forwarded to a shared controlling element (2), wherein said shared controlling element (2) enforces a coordination of the received change requests on the basis of a configurable algorithm.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling element (2) resolves conflicts of change requests received concurrently from different optimization modules (3) of a network node (1).

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein optimization goals that define a trade-off between different optimization modules (3) are passed to said controlling element (2) and are taken into account in the coordination process.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling element (2), according to the employed algorithm, generates the average of the change requests received from the optimization modules (3).

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said algorithm includes a routine for performing a weighting of the change requests, wherein the average is generated on the basis of the weighted change requests.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein cost functions for the performance parameter under control are passed to said controlling element (2) and are considered in the coordination process.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein change requests received from one or more of said optimization modules (3) are selectively blocked by said controlling element (2).

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling element (2) outputs a new configuration value for the performance parameter under control.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling element (2) is located between the optimization modules (3) and the access to the resources (7) of the controlled network node (1).

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the output of said controlling element (2) is used for performing an update of the value of the controlled performance parameter in the resources (7) of said network node (1).

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling element (2) alters the timing in which changes of a performance parameter are enforced.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the interaction flow between the involved entities is performed by using tuples containing the performance parameter and the configuration value of said performance parameter.

13. Method according to claim 1, wherein each change request is associated to the requesting optimization module (3).

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the association of a change request to the respective requesting entity is performed by means of the name of the requesting optimization module (3) and/or by means of an identifier associated to the requesting optimization module (3).

15. Method according to claim 1, wherein the performance parameters being controlled include the power of the pilot channel of base stations, the bandwidth of guard channels in the context of handovers and/or the received signal threshold for network induced handovers.

16. System for optimizing network performances, in particular for carrying out a method according to claim 1, the system comprising dedicated optimization modules (3) for controlling performance parameters of network nodes (1) of the network, wherein each optimization module (3) is configured to monitor at least one performance parameter of the network node (1) to which said optimization module (3) is associated and to generate change requests for the current value of said performance parameter on the basis of preset rules,

characterized in that the system further comprises a shared controlling element (2) to which said change requests generated by different optimization modules (3) of said network node (1) are forwarded, wherein said shared controlling element (2) is configured to enforce a coordination of the received change requests on the basis of a configurable algorithm.

17. System according to claim 16, wherein said controlling element (2) is configured as to resolve conflicts of concurrently received change requests from different optimization modules (3) of a network node (1).

18. System according to claim 16, wherein said controlling element (2) is configured as to receive cost functions for the performance parameter under control which are considered in the coordination process.

19. System according to claim 16, wherein said controlling element (2) is enabled to selectively block change requests received from one or more of said optimization modules (3).

20. System according to claim 16, wherein said controlling element (2) is enabled to overwrite configuration values received from said optimization modules (3) in the context of change requests.

21. System according to claim 16, wherein said controlling element (2) outputs a new configuration value for the performance parameter under control.

22. System according to claim 16, wherein said controlling element (2) is located between the optimization modules (3) and the access to the resources (7) of the controlled network node (1).

23. System according to claim 16, wherein a unique point of control of the coordination process performed by said controlling element (2) is provided.