Traffic management system for use in mobile communications network

• US 6,285,875 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Alajoki, Ilpo, Varsila, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/981,250
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/432, 455/435, 455/436, 455/453, 455/456, 455/67.1, 455/439, 455/446
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A traffic management system reads TT files obtained from mobile services switching centers, and processes information included in the records of the files, and on the basis of the information procedures a hierarchical graphic representation on a map display. The highest level represents the operator'"'"'s entire service area, and the lowest level a cell. On each level, traffic intensity is displayed with grades of color, i.e., the more traffic the stronger the color. The display is updated automatically as the MSC provides the TT data. The system monitors traffic load in the cells. If the traffic load in any of the cells exceeds a preset level, the system automatically transmits a command to the MSC to change the logic size of the cell or add a TRX unit, if such is available.

Claims

1. A call traffic management system for a cellular mobile communication network, in which a Mobile Services Switching Center generates, after each call, a TT record (Toll Ticket) at least containing information whether the call succeeded or failed and a cell identifier indicating which cell the call is associated with, and combines TT records produced over a specific time interval into a TT file, whereby at said intervals a new TT file will be generated for further processing, characterized in that the management system

is connected to the MSC for reading the TT file and for transferring TT file to the management system as soon as the file has been produced, and for giving commands to the switching center,

contains counting means for counting the number of calls made in each cell of the network,

comprises a graphic user interface by means of which a hierarchical representation of the number of calls can be shown in which the highest level depicts the operator'"'"'s entire mobile communication network, and the lowest level depicts a cell.

2. A management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the management system comprises means for automatically giving a command concerning the capacity of the cell to the MSC when load in any cell exceeds a preset value.

3. A management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the counting means distinguish a cell identifier field in every record of the TT file, and calculate for each cell the sum of cell identifiers, and that the sum represents the number of calls carried out in the cell.

4. A management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the hierarchical graphic representation comprises, as a basis, a geographical map in different scales, and the number of calls in a specific area is shown with grades of color so that as the number of calls in the area increases the color intensifies.

5. A management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the user may select on the display any level of the group of levels, comprising the entire network, MSC areas, location areas and cells.

6. A management system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the means for giving commands concerning the cell capacity comprise

congestion calculation means that calculate, for each cell, the ratio of failed channel requests to all channel requests,

comparison means for comparing said ratio to a preset threshold value,

means for giving the command as the ratio exceeds the threshold value.

7. A management system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the command includes a request to increase the cell capacity by changing handover criteria.

8. A management system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the command includes a request to add an additional transceiver unit TRX for use in the cell.

9. A management system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it utilizes information obtained from the TT file for calculating various kinds of statistics.

10. A method for managing call traffic in a mobile communication network comprising one or more mobile services switching centers MSC, base stations and their controllers which communicate with the MSCs, mobile subscribers communicating with the base stations for transmitting and receiving information, the method comprising the steps of

generating, at predetermined intervals, from the MSCs for the operator, a TT file which comprises at least fields that contain at least a number A, number B, route information, charging data, such as begin and end time and pulses of the call, cell ID and a congested calls data,

transferring predetermined fields to the traffic management system for further processing,

summing the cell ID fields of each cell in a database to represent the number of calls in the cell in question during a specific time interval,

displaying the number of calls as a hierarchical representation in which the highest level depicts the operator'"'"'s entire mobile communication network, and the lowest level depicts a cell.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, characterized further by giving a command concerning the capacity of the cell automatically to the MSC when the load in any cell exceeds a preset value.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that traffic intensity is represented on a display unit in a graphic form so that a map display shows the operator'"'"'s entire area of operation.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, characterized by displaying a hierarchical representation of traffic intensity in a cell, location area or MSC area, or several MSC areas.

14. A method of managing call traffic in a mobile communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

generating at intervals, for an operator, at least one TT (toll ticket) file which includes at least one number, a cell identification, and indicates whether a call has succeeded or failed;

determining a number of calls in a cell; and

displaying a heirarchical representation of the number calls can be shown in which the highest level depicts the operator'"'"'s entire mobile communication network, and a lower level depicts a cell.