Operator assisted tool and method for frequency plan revision within a cellular telephone system

• US 6,049,717 A
• Filed: 02/02/1998
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Dufour, Daniel, Briere, Sylvain, Guimont, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kibreab, Senai
• Application Number:
  US09/017,299
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 455/62, 455/63, 455/67.1, 455/446, 455/447, 455/448, 455/449, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Utilizing a three pass processing procedure, a frequency plan revision proposal is defined, verified, implemented and confirmed by a network operator. In a first pass (evaluation), interference and bit error rate measurements are evaluated and used to create one or more proposals. These proposals are evaluated to confirm compatibility with the current cell configuration, coordination with previous proposals, and assignment of frequencies. In a second pass (pre-update verification), more measurements are evaluated to confirm the first pass proposals. A single proposal for each selected cell is then chosen for implementation in a network update. In a third pass (post-update verification), the measurements are again evaluated to verify, following the update, that the implementation of the proposal had a positive effect on the network.

Claims

1. A method for making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for a cellular communications network, comprising the steps of:

making radio environment statistics measurements concerning the network;

evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell;

making downlink interference measurements;

repeating the radio environment statistics measurements;

evaluating the retune proposal in view of the downlink interference measurements and repeated radio environment statistics measurements to select a single retune proposal per cell for implementation;

implementing the selected retune proposal to effectuate a retune of the network;

repeating the downlink interference measurements;

again repeating the radio environment statistics measurements;

evaluating the implemented retune proposal in view of the repeated downlink interference measurements and again repeated radio environment statistics measurements to confirm efficacy of implemented retune proposal to reduce network interference; and

rolling back of the implemented retune proposal in the event network interference is not satisfactorily reduced.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the steps of:

determining whether each retune proposal is compatible with a current cell configuration for that at least one cell; and

rejecting any retune proposal which is incompatible.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need for an analog control channel, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the step of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes a frequency for supporting that analog control channel.

4. The method as in claim 2 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need for a digital control channel, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the step of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes a frequency for supporting that digital control channel.

5. The method as in claim 2 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need to support certain modes of operation, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the step of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes enough frequencies for supporting traffic channel requirements of the certain modes of operation.

6. The method as in claim 2 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need for a control channel and by a need to support certain modes of operation, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the steps of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes a frequency for supporting the needed control channel; and

confirming that the retune proposal includes enough frequencies for supporting traffic channel requirements of the certain modes of operation.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein the control channel comprises at least one of an analog control channel and a digital control channel.

8. The method as in claim 6 wherein the certain modes of operation comprises at least one of an analog voice traffic, a digital voice traffic, and data traffic.

9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the step of:

assigning frequencies from each retune proposal to transceivers in the at least one cell.

10. The method as in claim 9 wherein the step of assigning comprises the steps of:

first assigning frequencies for control channels in the retune proposal to control channel ones of the transceivers; and

next assigning frequencies for traffic channels in the retune proposal to traffic channel ones of the transceivers.

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the steps of:

determining whether there would be any adverse effect on the network if the retune proposal should be implemented; and

rejecting any retune proposal which adversely affects.

12. The method as in claim 11 wherein the step of determining whether there would be any adverse effect on the network if the retune proposal should be implemented comprises the step of:

identifying whether a current retune proposal conflicts with any previously approved retune proposals.

13. The method as in claim 12 wherein the step of identifying is satisfied if:

a frequency in the current retune proposal to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the current retune proposal matches a frequency to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the previously approved retune proposal; and

a distance between the cell of the current retune proposal and the cell of the previously approved retune proposal is less than a certain threshold distance.

14. The method as in claim 13 wherein the frequency in the current retune proposal is assigned to a transceiver in the cell of the current retune proposal.

15. The method as in claim 12 wherein the step of identifying is satisfied if:

a frequency in the current retune proposal to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the current retune proposal is adjacent a frequency to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the previously approved retune proposal; and

a distance between the cell of the current retune proposal and the cell of the previously approved retune proposal is less than a certain threshold distance.

16. The method as in claim 15 wherein the frequency in the current retune proposal is assigned to a transceiver in the cell of the current retune proposal.

17. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the steps of:

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain selected frequencies of the at least one cell to be deleted; and

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain candidate frequencies to be assigned to the at least one cell in place of the selected frequencies to be deleted.

18. The method as in claim 17 wherein:

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain selected frequencies are unacceptably interfered; and

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain candidate frequencies are either un-interfered or less interfered than the certain selected frequencies.

19. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating the retune proposal in view of the downlink interference measurements and repeated radio environment statistics measurements to select a single retune proposal per cell for implementation comprises the steps of:

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify certain ones of the at least one retune proposal for the at least one cell as being undesirable;

utilizing the repeated downlink interference measurements to identify certain other ones of the at least one retune proposal for the at least one cell as being undesirable; and

eliminating the identified certain ones and certain other ones of the at least one retune proposal to select the single retune proposal per cell.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the plural steps of utilizing each identify the undesirable retune proposals as those certain ones of the at least one retune proposal and those certain other ones of the at least one retune proposal whose radio environment statistics measurements and downlink interference measurements, respectively, indicate unacceptable levels of interference.

21. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating the implemented retune proposal in view of the repeated downlink interference measurements and again repeated radio environment statistics measurements to confirm efficacy of implemented retune proposal to reduce network interference comprises the steps of:

utilizing the again repeated radio environment statistics measurements to identify whether the implemented retune proposal effectuated a reduction in interference at the cell; and

utilizing the repeated downlink interference measurements to identify whether the implemented retune proposal effectuated a reduction in interference at the cell.

22. A frequency planning tool for a cellular communications network, comprising:

means for collecting radio environment statistics measurements and downlink interference measurements within each cell of a cellular communications network; and

a frequency reallocation editor comprising a graphical user interface for allowing a user to;

analyze data resulting from the processing of collected radio environment statistics measurements and downlink interference measurements;

define using the data at least one retune proposal for consideration per cell for implementation in making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for the cellular communications network;

select a single retune proposal per cell for implementation in making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for the cellular communications network;

schedule implementation of the selected single retune proposal as a revision of the frequency plan;

evaluate using the data the efficacy of the revised frequency plan; and

implement a roll-back of the revision to the frequency plan if the efficacy is unsatisfactory.

23. The frequency planning tool as in claim 22 wherein the frequency reallocation editor comprises:

a frequency set display functionality for allowing the user to graphically manage the frequency plan.

24. The frequency planning tool as in claim 23 wherein the frequency set display functionality supports at least one of:

user graphical creation of a frequency set;

user graphical selection of a hyperband;

user graphical sector specification;

user graphical specification of a number of frequency groups per sector;

user graphical definition of a frequency content for each sub-frequency group; and

user graphical specification of a certain frequency within a sub-frequency group as a control channel frequency.

25. The frequency planning tool as in claim 22 wherein the frequency reallocation editor comprises:

a graphical cell display functionality for allowing a user to graphically view frequency reallocation activity in the cellular communications network with respect to frequency plan revisions.

26. The frequency planning tool as in claim 25 wherein the graphical cell display functionality supports at least one of:

graphical presentation of cells of interest to the user overlaid on a service area geographic map; and

visual discrimination of data comprising status, value and item related information concerning network operation.

27. The frequency planning tool as in claim 25 wherein the graphical cell display functionality supports at least one of the following display options:

a global display option wherein data of interest to the user is presented for all cells in one or more selected mobile switching centers; and

an impact display option wherein data of interest to the user is presented for all cells implicated by a certain selected frequency reallocation activity in the cellular communications network with respect to a frequency plan revision.

28. The frequency planning tool as in claim 22 wherein the frequency reallocation editor comprises:

a report generation functionality for graphically presenting data of interest to the user frequency reallocation activity in the cellular communications network with respect to a frequency plan revision.

29. The frequency planning tool as in claim 28 wherein the report generation functionality supports at least one of the following report options:

a bar chart reporting data of interest;

a line chart reporting data of interest; and

a trend chart reporting trends in the data of interest.

30. A method for making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for a cellular communications network, comprising the steps of:

making radio environment statistics measurements concerning the network;

evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell;

evaluating each retune proposal, wherein the step of evaluating each retune proposal further comprises the steps of;

determining whether each retune proposal is compatible with a current cell configuration for that at least one cell; and

rejecting any retune proposal which is incompatible; and

revising the frequency plan assignment in accordance with a selected one of the compatible retune proposals.

31. The method as in claim 30 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need for an analog control channel, and a need for a digital control channel, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the steps of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes a frequency for supporting that analog control channel; and

confirming that the retune proposal includes a frequency for supporting that digital control channel.

32. The method as in claim 30 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need to support certain modes of operation, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the step of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes enough frequencies for supporting traffic channel requirements of the certain modes of operation.

33. The method as in claim 30 wherein the current cell configuration is defined in part by a need for a control channel and by a need to support certain modes of operation, and wherein the step of determining compatibility comprises the steps of:

confirming that the retune proposal includes a frequency for supporting the needed control channel; and

confirming that the retune proposal includes enough frequencies for supporting traffic channel requirements of the certain modes of operation.

34. The method as in claim 33 wherein the control channel comprises at least one of an analog control channel and a digital control channel.

35. The method as in claim 33 wherein the certain modes of operation comprises at least one of an analog voice traffic, a digital voice traffic, and data traffic.

36. The method as in claim 30 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the steps of:

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain selected frequencies of the at least one cell to be deleted; and

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain candidate frequencies to be assigned to the at least one cell in place of the selected frequencies to be deleted.

37. The method as in claim 36 wherein:

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain selected frequencies are unacceptably interfered; and

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain candidate frequencies are either un-interfered or less interfered than the certain selected frequencies.

38. A method for making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for a cellular communications network, comprising the steps of:

making radio environment statistics measurements concerning the network;

evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell;

evaluating each retune proposal, wherein the step of 10 evaluating each retune proposal further comprises the steps of;

ensuring that a sufficient number of frequencies are included within each retune proposal to be assigned to each transceiver within the at least one cell; and

revising the frequency plan assignment in accordance with a selected one of the retune proposals having a sufficient number of frequencies.

39. The method as in claim 38 wherein the step of ensuring sufficiency comprises the step of:

assigning frequencies from each retune proposal to transceivers in the at least one cell.

40. The method as in claim 39 wherein the step of assigning comprises the steps of:

first assigning frequencies for control channels in the retune proposal to control channel ones of the transceivers; and

next assigning frequencies for traffic channels in the retune proposal to traffic channel ones of the transceivers.

41. The method as in claim 38 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the steps of:

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain selected frequencies of the at least one cell to be deleted; and

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain candidate frequencies to be assigned to the at least one cell in place of the selected frequencies to be deleted.

42. The method as in claim 41 wherein:

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain selected frequencies are unacceptably interfered; and

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain candidate frequencies are either un-interfered or less interfered than the certain selected frequencies.

43. A method for making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for a cellular communications network, comprising the steps of:

making radio environment statistics measurements concerning the network;

evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell; and

evaluating each retune proposal, wherein the step of evaluating each retune proposal further comprises the steps of;

determining whether there would be any adverse effect on the network if the retune proposal should be implemented; and

rejecting any retune proposal which adversely affects; and

revising the frequency plan assignment in accordance with a selected one of the retune proposals that was not rejected.

44. The method as in claim 43 wherein the step of determining whether there would be any adverse effect on the network if the retune proposal should be implemented comprises the step of:

identifying whether a current retune proposal conflicts with any previously approved retune proposals.

45. The method as in claim 44 wherein the step of identifying is satisfied if:

a frequency in the current retune proposal to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the current retune proposal matches a frequency to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the previously approved retune proposal; and

a distance between the cell of the current retune proposal and the cell of the previously approved retune proposal is less than a certain threshold distance.

46. The method as in claim 44 wherein the step of identifying is satisfied if:

a frequency in the current retune proposal to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the current retune proposal is adjacent a frequency to be dropped or added with respect to the cell of the previously approved retune proposal; and

a distance between the cell of the current retune proposal and the cell of the previously approved retune proposal is less than a certain threshold distance.

47. The method as in claim 43 wherein the step of evaluating the radio environment statistics measurements to define at least one retune proposal for at least one cell comprises the steps of:

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain selected frequencies of the at least one cell to be deleted; and

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify for the retune proposal certain candidate frequencies to be assigned to the at least one cell in place of the selected frequencies to be deleted.

48. The method as in claim 47 wherein:

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain selected frequencies are unacceptably interfered; and

the radio environment statistics measurements indicate that the certain candidate frequencies are either un-interfered or less interfered than the certain selected frequencies.

49. A method for making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for a cellular communications network, comprising the steps of:

defining at least one retune proposal for at least one cell;

making downlink interference measurements;

making radio environment statistics measurements;

evaluating the retune proposal in view of the downlink interference measurements and radio environment statistics measurements to select a single retune proposal per cell for implementation; and

implementing the selected single retune proposal per cell to effectuate a retune of the network.

50. The method as in claim 49 wherein the step of evaluating the retune proposal in view of the downlink interference measurements and radio environment statistics measurements to select a single retune proposal per cell for implementation comprises the steps of:

utilizing the radio environment statistics measurements to identify certain ones of the at least one retune proposal for the at least one cell as being undesirable;

utilizing the repeated downlink interference measurements to identify certain other ones of the at least one retune proposal for the at least one cell as being undesirable; and

eliminating the identified certain ones and certain other ones of the at least one retune proposal to select the single retune proposal per cell.

51. The method as in claim 50 wherein the plural steps of utilizing each identify the undesirable retune proposals as those certain ones of the at least one retune proposal and those certain other ones of the at least one retune proposal whose radio environment statistics measurements and downlink interference measurements, respectively, indicate unacceptable levels of interference.

52. A method for making a revision to a frequency plan assignment for a cellular communications network, comprising the steps of:

defining at least one retune proposal for at least one cell;

selecting a single retune proposal per cell for implementation;

implementing the selected single retune proposal per cell to effectuate a retune of the network

making downlink interference measurements;

making radio environment statistics measurements; and

evaluating the implemented retune proposal in view of the downlink interference measurements and radio environment statistics measurements to confirm efficacy of implemented proposal to reduce network interference.

53. The method as in claim 52 wherein the step of evaluating the implemented retune proposal in view of the downlink interference measurements and radio environment statistics measurements to confirm efficacy of implemented retune proposal to reduce network interference comprises the steps of:

utilizing the again repeated radio environment statistics measurements to identify whether the implemented retune proposal effectuated a reduction in interference at the cell; and

utilizing the repeated downlink interference measurements to identify whether the implemented retune proposal effectuated a reduction in interference at the cell.

54. The method as in claim 52 further comprising the step of:

rolling back of the implemented retune proposal in the event network interference is not satisfactorily reduced.

55. A method of qualifying a candidate retune proposal for application to a certain cell, comprising the steps of:

rejecting the candidate retune proposal in the event that a number of analog control channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is insufficient for a number of analog control channel transceivers in a configuration for that certain cell;

rejecting the candidate retune proposal in the event that a number of digital control channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is insufficient for a number of digital control channel transceivers in a configuration for that certain cell;

rejecting the candidate retune proposal in the event that a number of traffic channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is insufficient for a number of traffic channel transceivers in a configuration for that certain cell.

56. The method as in claim 55 wherein the step of rejecting the candidate retune proposal in the event that a number of traffic channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is insufficient for a number of traffic channel transceivers in a configuration for that certain cell comprises the steps of:

determining whether a sufficient number of analog traffic channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is sufficient for a number of analog traffic channel transceivers in the configuration for that certain cell;

determining whether a sufficient number of digital traffic channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is sufficient for a number of digital traffic channel transceivers in the configuration for that certain cell; and

determining whether a sufficient number of dual mode analog/digital traffic channel frequencies in the candidate retune proposal is sufficient to make up for any determined deficiencies in the numbers of analog traffic channel frequencies and digital traffic channel frequencies for the analog and digital traffic channel transceivers, respectively.

57. The method of claim 55 further comprising the step of assigning a plurality of frequencies for the candidate retune proposal to transceivers in the certain cell, wherein the step of assigning comprises the steps of:

assigning an analog control channel frequency in the retune proposal to any analog control channel transceiver present in the cell configuration;

assigning a digital control channel frequency in the retune proposal to any digital control channel transceiver present in the cell configuration;

assigning digital traffic channel frequencies to any digital traffic channel transceivers in the cell configuration;

assigning dual mode traffic channel frequencies to any remaining unassigned digital traffic transceivers;

assigning analog traffic channel frequencies to any analog traffic channel transceivers in the cell configuration;

assigning dual mode traffic channel frequencies to any remaining unassigned analog traffic transceivers.

58. A method of validating a candidate retune proposal for application to a certain cell, comprising the steps of:

comparing a candidate retune proposal with a previously approved retune proposal to determine if a frequency in the candidate retune proposal is the same as or adjacent to a frequency in the previously approved retune proposal;

calculating the distance between the certain cell of the candidate retune proposal and a cell of the previously approved retune proposal having a same or adjacent frequency;

warning a user if the calculated distance is less than a predetermined threshold; and

approving the candidate retune proposal if the calculated distance is greater than a predetermined threshold.