Open Architecture for Self-Organizing Networks

• US 20140068034A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Tapia, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 10,243,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A self-organizing network (SON) with an application programming interface (API) common to multiple SON tools is described herein. Through the API, a SON tool may receive one more performance indicators associated with network information. The SON tool may then generate an updated network configuration based at least in part on the one or more performance indicators and provide, though the API, the updated network configuration to configure one or more network components. The SON tool, and other SON tools, may be executed by an SON automation engine, the SON automation engine and the API enabling additional SON tools to be added to the SON.

Claims

1. One or more devices of a self-organizing network (SON), comprising:

one or more processors;

a consolidation engine which, when operated by the one or more processors, receives network information and determines one or more performance indicators associated with the network information;

a SON automation engine which, when operated by the one or more processors, executes SON tools and exposes to the SON tools an application programming interface (API) for SONs;

a SON portal which, when operated by the one or more processors, enables specification of at least one of the SON tools for execution by the SON automation engine;

the SON tools, each of which, when operated by the one or more processors, utilizes the API to receive the one or more performance indicators and performs at least one of;

generating an updated network configuration based at least in part on the one or more performance indicators and utilizing the API to provide the updated network configuration,

invoking, based at least in part on the one or more performance indicators and via the API, a SON component to perform an action,

passing, via the API, information associated with the one or more performance indicators to a SON component,

sending, via the API, a notification associated with the one or more performance indicators to a SON component, and

generating a report based at least in part on the one or more performance indicators; and

a parameter configurator which, when operated, receives the updated network configuration via the API and configures one or more network components.

2. The one or more devices of the SON of claim 1, further comprising a visualization tool to generate visualizations of network information based on the one or more performance indicators, the visualization tool utilizing the API to receive the one or more performance indicators from the consolidation engine.

3. The one or more devices of the SON of claim 1, further comprising one or more engineering tools available to the SON tools via the API, the engineering tools participating in generating the updated network configuration, invoking a SON component, passing the information, sending the notification, or generating the report.

4. The one or more devices of the SON of claim 1, wherein the SON tools include at least one of an automated report generating tool, a parameter consistency check tool, a real-time alert tool, a mobility evaluation tool, a coverage and interference management tool, a network outage tool, a network configuration tool, a load distribution tool, a spectrum carving tool, or a special events tool.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a self-organizing network (SON) tool, one more performance indicators associated with network information, the performance indicators received via an application programming interface (API) for SONs that is utilized by a plurality of SON tools; and

performing, by the SON tool, at least one action based at least in part on the one or more performance indicators, the at least one action being one of generating an updated network configuration, invoking, via the API, a SON component to perform an action, invoking, via the API, an engineering tool to perform an action, passing, via the API, information to a SON component, sending, via the API, a notification, or generating a report.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network information and the one or more network components are associated with one of a telecommunication network, a smart power grid, or a medical health system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the generating comprises invoking, via the API, one or more engineering tools to participate in the generating, invoking a SON component, passing the information, sending the notification, or generating the report.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising invoking the SON tool by one or more of a visualization tool, another SON tool, a consolidation engine, or a SON portal.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing, by the SON tool, the updated network configuration via the API to configure one or more network components.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the API offers one or more alerts and alarms that may be received by or invoked by the SON tool.

11. One or more computer storage devices having stored thereon a plurality of processor-executable modules associated with a self-organizing network (SON), the plurality of processor-executable modules comprising:

a consolidation engine which, when operated, receives network information and determines one or more performance indicators associated with the network information; and

a plurality of SON tools each of which, when operated, utilizes an application programming interface (API) for SONs that is shared by the SON tools to receive the one or more performance indicators and perform at least one action based at least in part on the one or more performance indicators, the at least one action being one of generating an updated network configuration, invoking, via the API, a SON component to perform an action, invoking, via the API, an engineering tool to perform an action, passing, via the API, information to a SON component, sending, via the API, a notification, or generating a report.

12. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, further comprising a SON automation engine which, when operated, executes at least one of the SON tools and exposes to the at least one of the SON tools the API for SONs.

13. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 12, further comprising a SON portal which, when operated, enables specification of at least one of the SON tools for execution by the SON automation engine.

14. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 13, wherein the SON portal provides social networking capabilities to enable users to collaborate on the generation of SON tools.

15. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 14, wherein the SON automation engine is configured to generate one or more SON tools based on user comments received by the SON portal.

16. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, wherein the consolidation engine receives network information from at least one of a trouble ticket system, radio traces, core network traces, an operations support system (OSS), a work order system, an alarm system, or one or more other network elements.

17. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, wherein the consolidation engine filters the network information and utilizes the filtered network information in determining the one or more performance indicators.

18. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, further comprising a visualization tool to generate visualizations of network information based on the one or more performance indicators, the visualization tool utilizing the API to receive the one or more performance indicators from the consolidation engine.

19. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 18, wherein the visualization tool triggers an SON automation engine to execute one of the SON tools via the API.

20. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 18, wherein the visualization tool provides the visualizations to a SON portal for display by the SON portal.

21. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, further comprising one or more engineering tools available to the SON tools via the API, the engineering tools participating in generating the updated network configuration.

22. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 21, wherein the engineering tools include at least one of a performance management tool, a radio frequency (RF) planning tool, an automatic frequency planning tool, a rehoming tool, or an automatic cell planning tool.

23. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, further comprising a parameter configurator which, when operated, receives the updated network configuration via the API and configures one or more network components.

24. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 23, wherein the one or more network components configured by the parameter configurator include at least one of an OSS, a work order system, a trouble ticket system, radio traces, core network traces, an alarm system or one or more other network elements.

25. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, wherein at least one of the SON tools extends the API and the performance indicators.

26. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, wherein the SON tools are configured to communicate with each other using the API.

27. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 11, wherein each of the SON tools is configured to perform the at least one action without respect to the performance indicators in response to triggering of that SON tool.