Method for enhancing the reliability of a wireless telecommunications system
First Claim
1. In a wireless telecommunications system including a plurality of sites, each site having at least one base station for providing wireless telecommunication service to mobile subscribers, a method for determining operational status of the base station comprises the steps of:
- grouping cell sites in a cell site cluster to determine operational status of a base station disposed in each cell site;
initializing each base station in each cell site with a primary diagnostic protocol, and a supplemental diagnostic protocol;
base stations in the cell cluster exchanging operational status data with each other in accordance with the primary diagnostic protocol;
determining that the supplemental diagnostic protocol should be implemented; and
executing the supplemental diagnostic protocol.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining the operational status of base stations deployed in a cellular telecommunications system comprises continually sharing operational status data with adjacent base stations in accordance with a primary diagnostic protocol. Upon non-receipt of an operational status message, a supplemental diagnostic protocol is executed to identify a malfunctioning base station. The failed status of an identified malfunctioning base station is extended to a mobile switching center over an established data interface. In some circumstances, the mobile switching center extends radio allocation information to a functional base station so that the functional base station may perform temporary administrative services for the adjacent failed base station until permanent repairs can be made.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. In a wireless telecommunications system including a plurality of sites, each site having at least one base station for providing wireless telecommunication service to mobile subscribers, a method for determining operational status of the base station comprises the steps of:
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grouping cell sites in a cell site cluster to determine operational status of a base station disposed in each cell site; initializing each base station in each cell site with a primary diagnostic protocol, and a supplemental diagnostic protocol; base stations in the cell cluster exchanging operational status data with each other in accordance with the primary diagnostic protocol; determining that the supplemental diagnostic protocol should be implemented; and executing the supplemental diagnostic protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a cellular telecommunications system comprising a plurality of cell sites, each cell site including at least one base station, a method for providing telecommunications services to mobile subscribers comprises the steps of:
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grouping cell sites in a cell site cluster to determine operational status of base stations disposed in the cell sites; initializing each base station in each cell site with a diagnostic protocol wherein the diagnostic protocol allows base stations to exchange operational status information; using the diagnostic protocol to identify malfunctioning base stations; extending malfunctioning base station data determined by the diagnostic protocol to a mobile switching center; receiving administrative data from the mobile switching center in response to extending the malfunctioning base station data; and administering call set up functions for at least one failed base station using the administrative data received from the mobile switching center. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A base station disposed in a cellular telecommunications system comprises:
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an interface means for interconnecting the base station to other base stations; a primary diagnostic protocol for enabling exchange of operational status data among base stations; a supplemental diagnostic protocol for identifying failed base stations; and controller means for implementing the primary diagnostic protocol and the supplemental diagnostic protocol. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification