BASE STATION AND METHOD FOR REMOTE MANAGEMENT IN A CELLULAR COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20120329511A1
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Keisu, Torbjorn
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/524
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a base station and a method for Operation and Maintenance, OaM, communication in a communication system. The base station comprises a first interface configured to communicate with a core network, including OaM communication, and a second interface configured for OaM communication. The second interface is arranged to communicate wirelessly with the core network via another base station. The base station and the method facilitates troubleshooting remote management problems in OaM communication .

Claims

1. A base station for a cellular communication network, the base station comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with a core network, including Operation and Maintenance, OaM, communication;

a second interface configured for OaM communication, wherein the second interface is arranged to communicate wirelessly with the core network via another base station.

2. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the second interface is arranged to communicate via radio with said another base station, wherein said another base station is part of the same cellular communication network (Y) as the base station and wherein said another base station has a radio coverage area (x) being overlaid a user equipment device, UE, arranged to communicate with to the base station.

3. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the second interface is arranged to communicate via radio with said another base station and wherein said another base station is part of another cellular communication network (X) than the base station, said another base station having a radio coverage area (x) overlaid the second interface.

4. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the second interface comprises a user equipment device, UE, for wireless communication with said another base station.

5. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the second interface is arranged to connect with a user equipment device, UE, external to the base station for wireless communication with said another base station via the user equipment device.

6. The base station according to claim 5, wherein the second interface comprises a port for receiving and communicating with the user equipment device, UE.

7. The base station according to claim 6, wherein the port comprises a power source for the user equipment device.

8. The base station according to claim 5, wherein the second interface is arranged to connect wirelessly with the user equipment device.

9. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the second interface is configured for communication with said another base station over a Uu interface of said another base station.

10. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the base station is arranged to detect OaM communication problems of the first interface and is arranged to switch OaM communication to the second interface in such case.

11. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the base station is arranged to download configuration parameters via the second interface for setting up OaM communication via the first interface.

12. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the second interface is arranged to communicate with control circuitry for controlling the user equipment device, UE, to operate as a modem.

13. A method for Operation and Maintenance, OaM, communication in a base station comprised in a cellular communication network, said base station comprising a first interface configured to communicate with a core network, including OaM communication, wherein the method comprises:

establishing contact with the core network via a second interface configured for OaM communication, wherein the second interface is arranged to communicate with the core network wirelessly via another base station.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

detecting loss of communication via the first interface, and establishing contact with an OaM server via said another base station for supplying one or more of the following data to the OaM server;

Subscriber Identification Module, SIM, data, Global Positioning System, GPS, position, Radio Base Station, RBS, identity.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

troubleshooting the loss of communication via the first interface.

establishing contact with the OaM server via the first interface,

performing OaM communication via the first interface.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

downloading from the OaM server via the second interface to the base station, configuration data as a result of the troubleshooting of the loss of communication via the first interface.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of :

establishing contact with an OaM server via said another base station for supplying one or more of the following data to the OaM server;

SIM data, GPS position,

downloading initial configuration data to the base station,

establishing contact with the OaM server via the first interface using the downloaded configuration data,

performing installation procedures via the first interface.