Method for determining base station locations, and device for applying the method

• US 5,787,350 A
• Filed: 03/11/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Noordhuis, Jacob, Buckers, Robertus Johannes Leonardus, van der Vorm, Teun
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/605,219
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33.1, 455/56.1, 455/33.4, 455/53.1, 455/226.4, 455/422, 455/423, 455/446, 455/447, 455/524, 455/507, 455/525, 455/67.1, 455/443, 379/59, 379/60
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

Known methods for determining base station locations are based on human choice of that location which has the lowest degree of coverage (i.e. locally too little or no field strength present of neighboring base stations). The method according to the invention involves automated determination of base station locations by calculating, for each location, a number which is a function of a parameter associated with that location (telephone traffic, field strength, motor traffic) and of parameters belonging to adjoining locations, and by assigning a base station to the location having the most extreme number. Then the parameter associated with that location, and the parameters associated with adjoining locations are each adjusted on the basis of an adjustment function associated with the base station, and new numbers are calculated which are a function of the new, adjusted parameters, etc.

Claims

1. For use with a communications network encompassing a geographic area divided into a plurality of geographically adjoining subareas, a computer implemented method for determining particular ones of the subareas at which communications base stations are to be located, the computer having a processor and a memory, wherein the method, implemented through executable program instructions stored in the memory, comprises the steps of:

(a) calculating a plurality of subarea values, wherein for each different first one of the subareas a corresponding one of the subarea values is a function of first and second subarea parameters associated with the first one subarea and a second one of the subareas adjoining the first one subarea, respectively;

(b) determining, from amongst the plurality of subarea values, an extreme subarea value;

(c) assigning a communications base station to a third one of the subareas which has the extreme subarea value associated therewith, the base station having a predefined adjustment function associated therewith;

(d) varying, through the adjustment function, corresponding ones of the subarea parameters associated with the third one subarea and a fourth one of the subareas which adjoins the specific third one subarea; and

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) above, to assign additional ones of the base stations to corresponding ones of the subareas, until a predefined first stop condition occurs.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second subarea parameters represents a value of traffic volume to be handled by the first and second one subareas, respectively;

the extreme subarea value is a maximum value then existing amongst all of the plurality of subarea values; and

the adjustment function reduces the value of traffic volume to be handled by each of the third and fourth ones of the subareas by a corresponding predefined amount.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each one of the subareas has a further subarea parameter associated therewith so as to form a plurality of further subarea parameters and the method further comprises the steps, performed in response to an occurrence of the first stop condition, of:

(a) calculating a plurality of further subarea values, wherein for each different first one of the subareas a corresponding one of the further subarea values is a function of first and second further subarea parameters associated with the first one subarea and a second one of the subareas adjoining the first one subarea, respectively;

(b) determining, from amongst the plurality of further subarea values, an extreme further subarea value;

(c) assigning a communications base station to a third one of the subareas which has the extreme further subarea value associated therewith, the base station having a predefined further adjustment function associated therewith;

(d) varying, through the further adjustment function, corresponding ones of the further subarea parameters associated with the third one subarea and a fourth one of the subareas which adjoins the specific third one subarea; and

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) above, to assign additional ones of the base stations to corresponding ones of the subareas, until a predefined second stop condition occurs.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second further subarea parameters represents current field strength in the first and second one subareas, respectively;

the extreme further subarea value is a minimum value then existing amongst all of the plurality of further subarea values; and

the further adjustment function determines a maximum location-dependent field strength for each of the third and fourth further subareas in response to field strength to be generated by a base station assigned to the third one subarea and values of current field strength associated with the third and fourth ones of the subareas.

5. The method in claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

comparing all of the subarea values against a first predefined threshold value; and

terminating assignment of any said further base stations whenever a first percentage of a total number of subarea values is less than the first predefined threshold value so as to form the first stop condition; and

comparing all of the further subarea values against a second predefined threshold value and terminating assignment of said additional base stations whenever a second percentage of a total number of subarea values is less than the second predefined threshold value so as to form the second stop condition.

6. Apparatus for determining particular ones of a plurality of different geographically adjoining subareas, which collectively form an area encompassed by a communications network, at which communications base stations are to be located, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having executable program instructions stored therein;

wherein, in response to the instructions, the processor;

(a) calculates a plurality of subarea values, wherein for each different first one of the subareas a corresponding one of the subarea values is a function of first and second subarea parameters associated with the first one subarea and a second one of the subareas adjoining the first one subarea, respectively;

(b) determines, from amongst the plurality of subarea values, an extreme subarea value;

(c) assigns a communications base station to a third one of the subareas which has the extreme subarea value associated therewith, the base station having a predefined adjustment function associated therewith;

(d) varies, through the adjustment function, corresponding ones of the subarea parameters associated with the third one subarea and a fourth one of the subareas which adjoins the specific third one subarea; and

(e) repeats operations (a)-(d) above, to assign additional ones of the base stations to corresponding ones of the subareas, until a predefined first stop condition occurs.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of the first and second subarea parameters represents a value of traffic volume to be handled by the first and second one subareas, respectively;

the extreme subarea value is a maximum value then existing amongst all of the plurality of subarea values; and

the adjustment function reduces the value of traffic volume to be handled by each of the third and fourth ones of the subareas by a corresponding predefined amount.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each one of the subareas has a further subarea parameter associated therewith so as to form a plurality of further subarea parameters and the processor, in response to the stored instructions and an occurrence of the first stop condition:

(a) calculates a plurality of further subarea values, wherein for each different first one of the subareas a corresponding one of the further subarea values is a function of first and second further subarea parameters associated with the first one subarea and a second one of the subareas adjoining the first one subarea, respectively;

(b) determines, from amongst the plurality of further subarea values, an extreme further subarea value;

(c) assigns a communications base station to a third one of the subareas which has the extreme further subarea value associated therewith, the base station having a predefined further adjustment function associated therewith;

(d) varies, through the further adjustment function, corresponding ones of the further subarea parameters associated with the third one subarea and a fourth one of the subareas which adjoins the specific third one subarea; and

(e) repeats operations (a)-(d) above, to assign additional ones of the base stations to corresponding ones of the subareas, until a predefined second stop condition occurs.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of the first and second further subarea parameters represents current field strength in the first and second one subareas, respectively;

the extreme further subarea value is a minimum value then existing amongst all of the plurality of further subarea values; and

the further adjustment function determines a maximum location-dependent field strength for each of the third and fourth further subareas in response to field strength to be generated by a base station assigned to the third one subarea and values of current field strength associated with the third and fourth ones of the subareas.

10. The apparatus in claim 9 wherein the processor, in response to the stored instructions:

compares all of the subarea values against a first predefined threshold value; and

terminating assignment of any said further base stations whenever a first percentage of a total number of subarea values is less than the first predefined threshold value so as to form the first stop condition; and

compares all of the further subarea values against a second predefined threshold value and terminating assignment of said additional base stations whenever a second percentage of a total number of subarea values is less than the second predefined threshold value so as to form the second stop condition.