A METHOD TO GUIDE THE PLACEMENT OF NEW SMALL CELL

• US 20150327082A1
• Filed: 11/21/2013
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: KADEL, Gerhard, ARNOLD, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,585,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method to guide the placement of new small cell, wherein a small cell is a radio cell station with much smaller coverage area than a macro cell, having one or more existing wireless cells, one or more mobile devices of known location and application use and context, a processor and database system, a new small cell, a device for guiding the user in the placement of the new small cell, includes the steps: the location dependant measured network characteristics and location dependant contextual data needs of the mobile device are recorded and stored in the database system over time; and the contents of the database system are used to determine the likely future location specific network needs, such that this information together with the characteristics of the new small cell are used to determine the placement co-ordinates of the new small cell, and use the placement co-ordinates to guide a user in the placement of the new small cell, with the device for guiding the user

Claims

1. :

A method to guide the placement of new small cell, wherein a small cell is a radio cell station with much smaller coverage area than a macro cell, using one or more existing wireless cells, one or more mobile devices of known location and application use and context, a processor and database system, a new small cell, a device for guiding the user in the placement of the new small cell, comprising the steps;

recording and storing in the database system over time the location dependant measured network characteristics, and location dependant contextual data needs of the mobile device;

using the contents of the database system to determine the likely future location specific network needs, such that this information together with the characteristics of the new small cell are used in;

a) determining and characterizing of the location dependent data needs of a mobile device, reflecting application usage,

(b) determining the availability of existing network resources at a specific location, or across an area, especially the area of potential influence of the new cell,

(c) characterizing the new cell in terms of at least its capacity, bandwidth, power and latency,

(d) comparing (a) and (b) to determine the location dependent contextual needs,

(e) comparing (c) and (d) and computing the result to determine the placement coordinates of the new small in view of possible location sites,

and using the placement co-ordinates to guide a user in the placement of the new small cell, with the device for guiding the user.

2. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the placement location is determined

a) by determining the location specific network needs of the mobile device which are used across an area in the context of applications which are executed by a user on the mobile device,

b) by measuring the network characteristics across this area

wherein information a) and b) are used to establish a mapping showing how well location specific contextual application needs are met by existing network resources, and therefore where a new cell with defined characteristics can be best placed.

4. :

The method according to claim 2, wherein the determining of the location specific needs of the mobile device which are used across an area is done iteratively, especially after placement of a new cell.

5. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein a location of the mobile device is determined by using data collected by the mobile device or network, to determine the users location, the mobile device collects measurements and passes them to the database system, or

GPS (Global Position System) is used on the mobile device, or

SiRFusion product range from CSR is used, to enable the location of the mobile device to be computed by fusing the output data together with a number of different geo-location technologies, including triangulation or GPS.

6. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the application, and associated data needs are stored in the database system, comprising one or more of the following fields;

name of applications, protocol type, Bandwidth, IP-Packets lost, latency of transmission, QoS (Quality of Service), QoE (Quality of Experience), received signal strength and direction, connected cell and contextual usage information.

7. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein in case no or little network connection is given the location dependant measured network characteristics, and location dependant contextual data needs of the mobile device are recorded and stored offline, and are uploaded to the database system when a better connection is available.

8. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the device for guiding includes an orientation sensor, which assist with the collection or position of small cell information.

9. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein after determining a location of the mobile device, determining if the current location is deemed to be an Area of Potential Influence of the planned placement of a new small cell, if the users current location is within the Area of Potential Influence, then the method proceeds to determine the location of a small cell.

10. :

The method according to the proceedings claim 8, wherein the Area of Potential Influence of the planned placement of the new small cell is be determined according to one or more of the following steps;

Network operators or user flags to the database system that they wish to install a small cell at a location where the small cell is to be placed;

based on the collected data over a time the database system proposes a location where the small cell is to be placed.

11. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein the device for guiding the user guides the user to the location using visual, audible or other means.

12. :

The method according to the proceedings claim 10, wherein the Guidance of user can be achieved using one or more of the following approaches including

use building mapping data if available and plot desired location on map and direct user,

use wireless fingerprint information to guide user using text/audio based commands,

detect presence of other connected devices near the desired location and form an association with them which.

13. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein after location of the new small cell accurate placement is supervised, by using triangulation or other location estimation techniques and testing and calibrating the cell, and preferably providing a status update to the user.

14. :

The method according to claim 1, wherein any radio cell with much smaller coverage area than macro cells, including public “

pico cells”

, residential femto cells, or Wifi access points define a small cell

15. :

System comprising a database system characterized to implement the method according to claim 1.

3. (canceled)