A Method for Coverage Determination Using Predefined Paths

• US 20160353309A1
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bckstrm, Claes, O'Meara, Jimmy, Gunnarsson, Fredrik, Hagerman, Bo
• Granted Patent: US 10,070,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• 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 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to coverage monitoring and in particular it relates to determining radio coverage, e.g. for small cell deployment in a building. The disclosure relates to methods for coverage determination as well as to corresponding devices and computer programs. According to one aspect, the disclosure proposes a method, performed in a wireless device 10, of determining radio coverage. The method comprises obtaining S1 at least one path along which radio condition measurements are to be performed and performing S2 radio condition measurements along the at least one path. The method further comprises determining S3 position estimates, wherein at least some of the position estimates correspond to the radio condition measurements. The method further comprises determining S4a radio coverage using the radio condition measurements and corresponding position estimates and/or reporting S4b the radio condition measurements and the corresponding position estimates to a radio network node for determination of radio coverage in the radio network node.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method, performed in a wireless device, of determining radio coverage for at least one small cell base station, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one path along which radio condition measurements are to be performed;

performing radio condition measurements along the at least one path;

determining position estimates, wherein at least some of the position estimates correspond to the radio condition measurements; and

either determining radio coverage using the radio condition measurements and corresponding position estimates, or reporting the radio condition measurements and the corresponding position estimates to a radio network node for determination of radio coverage in the radio network node.

30. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, further comprising providing a graphical representation of the path in the wireless device.

31. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, further comprising determining suitable cell deployment using the determined coverage and at least one deployment criteria.

32. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 31, wherein the deployment criteria comprises at least one of:

an estimate of the inter-node distance;

an estimate of the shortest distance to a window;

a signal propagation model;

a dominance criterion.

33. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, further comprising receiving an indication to initiate determination of radio coverage.

34. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, wherein the obtaining at least one path comprises receiving information defining at least one path from a network node.

35. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, wherein the position estimates are determined by utilizing the at least one predefined path.

36. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, further comprising providing a graphical representation of the determined coverage.

37. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 29, wherein the radio condition measurements comprises at least one of:

Signal to Interference Ratio;

Radio Signal Strength;

Radio Signal Quality;

coding and modulation scheme.

38. The method of determining radio coverage of claim 33, wherein the indication to initiate determination is triggered by a Human Interface Device action in the wireless device.

39. A wireless device configured to determine radio coverage, the wireless device comprising:

a radio communication interface configured to communicate with a network node;

position estimation circuitry configured to estimate position estimates of the wireless device;

processing circuitry;

memory comprising instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the wireless device is operative to;

obtain at least one path along which radio condition measurements are to be performed;

perform, using the radio communication interface, radio condition measurements along the at least one path;

determine, using the position estimation circuitry, position estimates, wherein at least some of the position estimates correspond to the radio condition measurements; and

either determine radio coverage using the radio condition measurements and corresponding position estimates, or report, using the radio communication interface, the radio condition measurements and the corresponding position estimates to a radio network node for determination of radio coverage in the radio network node.

40. The wireless device of claim 39, wherein the instructions are such the wireless device is operative to receive an indication to initiate determination of radio coverage.

41. The wireless device of claim 39, wherein the instructions are such the wireless device is operative to determine suitable cell deployment using the determined coverage and at least one deployment criteria.

42. The wireless device of claim 39, wherein the instructions are such the wireless device is operative to receive information defining at least one path from a network node.

43. The wireless device of claim 39, wherein the instructions are such the wireless device is operative to determine position estimates utilizing the at least one predefined path.

44. The wireless device of claim 39, wherein the instructions are such the wireless device is operative to provide a graphical representation of the path in the wireless device.

45. A network node configured to determine radio coverage using a wireless device, the network node comprising:

a communication interface configured for communication with the wireless device;

processing circuitry;

memory comprising instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the network node is operative to;

send the wireless device information defining at least one path along which radio condition measurements are to be performed.

46. The network node of claim 45, wherein the instructions are such the network node is operative to:

receive radio condition measurements from the wireless device; and

determine radio coverage using the radio condition measurements and corresponding position estimates.

47. The network node of claim 46, wherein the instructions are such the network node is operative to determine suitable cell deployment using the determined coverage and at least one deployment criteria.