Dynamic mobile parameter optimization

• US 6,141,565 A
• Filed: 11/13/1997
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metawave Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Crawford, Thomas R., Feuerstein, Martin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/970,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.1, 455/403, 455/422, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/453, 455/524, 455/560, 455/561, 455/562, 370/230, 370/232, 370/234, 370/329, 370/341, 370/349, 370/468
• US Class Current: 455/560
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/042 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for continuously providing network parameters to various network elements in a cellular PCs or other wireless communication network in order to optimize operation of the network are disclosed. According to one embodiment, network parameters are provided based on predicted or historical network conditions. In another embodiment, network parameters are provided based on monitored network conditions. A database of network parameters optimized for particular network conditions is provided which may be updated with parameters optimized in real-time.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically providing wireless communication network parameters to network elements wherein the network parameters provided are optimized with respect to particular network conditions, said system comprising:

means for determining a network condition;

means for selecting a network parameter optimized with respect to said determined network condition, wherein said selecting means comprises means for retrievably storing a plurality of network parameters optimized for various communication conditions in said wireless communication network, wherein ones of said stored network parameters are identified with particular ones of said communication conditions, and wherein identification of said stored network parameters with said particular ones of said communication conditions is utilized with said determined network condition is utilized with said identifying means to select said optimized network parameter; and

means for communicating with a plurality of network elements so as to provide said selected network parameter to said selected ones of said plurality of network elements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said storing means comprises:

means for associating ones of said stored network parameters with said selected ones of said plurality of network elements, wherein said associating means is utilized with said communicating means to provide said optimized network parameter to said selected ones of said plurality of network elements.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said storing means comprises:

means for retrievably storing a message associated with at least one of said stored network parameters, wherein said message is provided to a party to a wireless communication affected by a use of said associated stored network parameter.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for providing a message associated with said selected network parameter to a party to a wireless communication affected by a use of said selected network parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said network condition is a preestablished time.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said selected network parameter is optimized according to predicted network utilization associated with said time.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said selected network parameter is optimized according to historical network utilization associated with said time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said network condition is a substantially real-time measurement of network utilization.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein said measurement of network utilization is a measurement of utilization of a particular network resource.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said particular network resource is a predefined portion of said network.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said particular network resource is a cell and said wireless communication network is a cellular communication network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said particular network resource is a sector of a cell and said wireless communication network is a cellular communication network.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said particular network resource is an antenna beam.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said network condition is a real-time monitored communication attribute.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a signal to noise ratio.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a measurement of interference.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a position of a mobile unit operating within said wireless communication network.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a signal level.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a bit error rate.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a frame error rate.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a measurement of voice quality.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a data throughput.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a dropped call rate.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a call origination success rate.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a call termination success rate.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein said monitored communication attribute is a directional flow of communication traffic within at least a portion of said wireless communication network.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said selected network parameter includes a network parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a threshold value for operation of a particular aspect of at least one network element of said selected ones of said plurality of network elements;

timing window information for operation of a particular aspect of at least one network element of said selected ones of said plurality of network elements;

a neighbor list for operation of a particular aspect of at least one network element of said selected ones of said plurality of network elements; and

an antenna beam list for operation of a particular aspect of at least one network element of said selected ones of said plurality of network elements.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein said selected network parameter includes a network parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a transmit power level;

a receive sensitivity;

a communication threshold setting;

a communication operating range; and

a grade of service metric.

41. The method of claim 18, wherein said at least one selected network parameter is an antenna beam list for operation of a particular aspect of said at least one network element.

29. A method for dynamically providing network parameters to network elements wherein the network parameters provided are optimized with respect to particular network conditions, said method comprising the steps of:

determining that operation of said cellular network with respect to at least one network element of said plurality of network elements is a candidate for optimization;

selecting at least one network parameter to precipitate said optimized operation of said network with respect to said at least one network element; and

providing said at least one selected network parameter to selected ones of said plurality of network elements, wherein said provided network parameter is accepted into an operating protocol of at least one network element of said selected ones of said plurality of network elements and thereby causes an in-service alteration of operation to said at least one network element.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

retrievably storing a plurality of network parameters optimized for various communication conditions in said network; and

identifying ones of said stored network parameters with particular ones of said communication conditions, wherein identification with a particular communication condition is utilized by said selecting step in determining that said at least one network parameter will precipitate said optimized operation of said network.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of:

associating ones of said stored network parameters with particular ones of said plurality of network elements, wherein said association with a particular network element is utilized by said providing step in providing said at least one selected network parameter to said at least one network element.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of:

retrievably storing a message associated with said at least one selected network parameter, wherein said message is provided to a party to a communication affected by said alternation of operation to said at least one network element.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring said plurality of network elements, wherein said monitoring step provides information regarding a substantially real-time network condition;

formulating at least one network parameter in response to said network condition to provide optimized network operation with respect to said substantially real-time network condition.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said selected at least one network parameter includes said formulated at least one network parameter.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of:

retrievably storing said formulated at least one network parameter; and

identifying said stored formulated at least one network parameter with said substantially real-time network condition, wherein identification with said substantially real-time network condition is utilized by said selecting step in determining that said at least one network parameter will precipitate said optimized operation of said network.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of:

associating said stored formulated at least one network parameter with particular ones of said plurality of network elements, wherein said association with a particular network element may be utilized by said providing step in providing said at least one selected network parameter to said at least one network element.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein said selecting step comprises the steps of:

determining if a previously optimized network parameter corresponding to said optimization of said network operation with respect to said at least one network element is available;

identifying said previously optimized network parameter for selection by said selecting step if said previously optimized network parameter is determined to be available; and

formulating at least one said network parameter corresponding to said optimization of said network operation with respect to said at least one network element if said previously optimized network parameter is determined not to be available.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one selected network parameter is a threshold value for operation of a particular aspect of said at least one network element.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one selected network parameter is timing window information for operation of a particular aspect of said at least one network element.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one selected network parameter is a neighbor list for operation of a particular aspect of said at least one network element.

42. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one selected network parameter is an antenna beam gain/attention adjustment.

43. The method of claim 29, wherein said at least one selected network parameter is an antenna structure uptilt/downtilt adjustment.

44. The method of claim 29, wherein said determining step utilizes a preestablished time in determining that operation of said network may be optimized.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said determining step utilizes a predicted network load in determining that operation of said network may be optimized.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said determining step utilizes a historical network load in determining that operation of said network may be optimized.

47. The method of claim 29, wherein said determining step utilizes a measurement of network utilization in determining that operation of said network may be optimized.

48. The method of claim 29, wherein said determining step utilizes a monitored communication attribute in determining that operation of said network may be optimized.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said monitored communication attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a signal to noise ratio;

a measurement of interference;

a position of a mobile unit operating within said network; and

a directional flow of communication traffic within at least a portion of said network.

50. A system for continuously providing optimized network parameters to network elements, wherein said optimized network parameters are optimized to provide desired network behavior consonant with a prevailing condition, said system comprising:

means for interfacing with a plurality of network elements, said interfacing means including an input interface providing real-time information with respect to said prevailing condition, said interfacing means also including an output interface to ones of said plurality of network elements;

means for retrievably storing a plurality of network parameter sets optimized for various prevailing conditions;

means for retrieving a network parameter set from said stored plurality of network parameter sets, said retrieving means operable as a function of said real-time information provided by said input interface to retrieve a particular network parameter set suitable to precipitate said desired network behavior; and

means operable with said interfacing means for providing at least a portion of said retrieved network parameter set to at least a first selected network element of said plurality of network elements, wherein operation of said first selected network element is adjusted to at least in part achieve said desired network behavior.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said storing means comprises:

means for associating parameters of said stored network parameter sets with particular ones of said plurality of network elements.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said first selected network element is selected as a function of said association with parameters of said retrieved network parameter set.

53. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

means operable with said interfacing means for providing at least a portion of said retrieved network parameter set to at least a second selected network element of said plurality of network elements, wherein said associating means is utilized with said first and second mentioned providing means to provide said parameters associated with said first selected network element to said first selected network element and to provide said parameters associated with said second selected network element to said second selected network element.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said portion of said retrieved network parameter set provided to said first network element and said portion of said retrieved network parameter set provided to said second network element are not identical.

55. The system of claim 50, wherein ones of said stored network parameter sets include a message, wherein said message is provided to a party to a communication affected by a use of said associated stored network parameter.

56. The system of claim 50, further comprising:

means for optimizing network parameter sets in response to said prevailing condition, said optimized network parameter sets precipitating predetermined adjustment of said cellular network when at least a portion of said optimized network parameter set is provided to said first selected network element.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein said storing means comprises:

means for updating said stored a plurality of network parameter sets to include said optimized network parameter sets.

58. The system of claim 50, wherein said prevailing condition is a preestablished time.

59. The system of claim 50, wherein said prevailing condition is selected from the group consisting of:

utilization of said network;

utilization of at least one cell of said network;

utilization of at least one sector of said network; and

utilization of at least one antenna beam of said network.

60. The system of claim 50, wherein said prevailing condition is a communication attribute.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein said communication attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

a signal to noise ratio within at least a portion of said network;

a carrier to interference ratio within at least a portion of said network;

an interference level within at least a portion of said network;

a receive signal strength;

a position of a mobile unit operating within said network; and

a directional flow of communication traffic within at least a portion of said network.

62. A system for continuously updating communication network parameters for use by various network components, wherein said updated network parameters are optimized to provide desired network behavior consonant with a monitored network condition, said system comprising:

means for interfacing with a plurality of network components, said interfacing means including an input interface providing substantially real-time information with respect to said monitored condition, said interfacing means also including an output interface to ones of said plurality of network components;

means for retrievably storing a plurality of network parameter sets optimized for various network conditions;

means for determining if said storing means includes a previously optimized network parameter set corresponding to said monitored network condition suitable to precipitate said desired network behavior;

means for identifying said previously optimized network parameter set as a selected network parameter set if said storing means is determined to include said previously optimized network parameter set;

means for optimizing at least one said network parameter corresponding to said monitored network condition if said storing means is determined not to include said previously optimized network parameter set, said optimized network parameter being suitable to precipitate said desired network behavior, wherein said optimized network parameter is included in a selected network parameter set; and

means for storing a network parameter set including said optimized network parameter with said plurality of network parameter sets;

means operable with said interfacing means for providing at least a portion of said selected network parameter set to at least a first selected network component of said plurality of network components, wherein said provided network parameter portion is accepted into an operating protocol of said first selected network component and thereby causes an in-service alteration of operation to said first selected network component.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein said provided portion of said selected network parameter set includes a network parameter selected from the group consisting of:

a threshold value for operation of a particular aspect of said first selected network component;

timing window information for operation of a particular aspect of said first selected network component;

a neighbor list for operation of a particular aspect of said first selected network component;

an antenna beam list for operation of a particular aspect of said first selected network component;

an antenna beam gain/attenuation adjustment;

an antenna beam uptilt/downtilt adjustment;

a transmit power;

a receive sensitivity; and

a grade of service metric.

64. The system of claim 62, wherein said monitored network condition is selected from the group consisting of:

a signal to noise ratio within at least a portion of said communication network;

a carrier to interference ratio within at least a portion of said communication network;

an interference level within at least a portion of said communication network;

a receive signal strength;

a position of a mobile unit operating within said communication network;

a directional flow of communication traffic within at least a portion of said communication network; and

a load serviced by at least a portion of said communication network.

65. The system of claim 62, further comprising:

means for associating at least one parameter of said stored network parameter sets with particular ones of said plurality of network components, wherein said associating means is utilized with said providing means to provide at least one parameter associated with said first selected network component to said first selected network component.

66. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

means operable with said interfacing means for providing at least a portion of said selected network parameter set to at least a second selected network component of said plurality of network components.

67. A system for dynamically providing wireless communication network parameters to network elements wherein the network parameters provided are optimized with respect to particular network conditions, said system comprising:

means for determining a network condition;

means for selecting a network parameter optimized with respect to said determined network condition, wherein said selecting means comprises means for optimizing said network parameters in response to said determined network condition to provide desired wireless communication network behavior with respect to said determined network condition and means for retrievable storing a plurality of said optimized network parameters for various corresponding network conditions; and

means for communicating with a plurality of network elements so as to provide said selected network parameter to said selected ones of said plurality of network elements.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein said selecting means further comprises:

means for determining if previously optimized network parameters corresponding to said determined network condition are stored in said storing means;

means for temporarily disabling said optimizing means with respect to said determined network condition if said previously optimized network parameters are determined to correspond to said determined network condition;

means for retrieving said stored optimized network parameters for provision to said network elements by said providing means if said previously optimized network parameters are determined to correspond to said determined network condition; and

means for updating said previously stored optimizing network parameters to include said network parameters optimized in response to said determined network condition if said previously optimized network parameters are determined not to correspond to said determined network condition.