Method and arrangement for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system

• US 8,233,906 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos Se)
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Nientiedt, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/990,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20090253436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/446, 4554561-4565
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method for determination of a radio coverage and a method for positional determination of a mobile terminal in a multi-cellular mobile radio system in which the actual received field strength for several or all base stations is measured at a number of measuring points in differing locations. The measured values for the actual received field strengths are entered in a databank as actual local values. Interpolated values are calculated from the actual received field strengths for virtual measuring points lying between the measuring points and the base stations and entered in the databank. Substitute values for the received field strengths are calculated for geographical positions at which neither measured nor interpolated values for the received field strengths are available, the substitute values being calculated from the relevant transmitter power, the distance from the relevant base station to said geographical point and a propagation model and entered in the databank.

Claims

1. A method for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations positioned at a respective base station location, the method comprising:

measuring actual reception field strength of the base stations at the base station location for each of the base stations; and

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database,

wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each measurement being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the actual reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

interpolating interpolation values calculated from the actual reception field strengths via an interpolation method for the reception field strengths of the base stations for virtual measurement points located between actual measurement points and the at least one base station of the base stations;

providing the interpolated values to the database;

calculating substitute values for the reception field strength for geographical points, each of the substitute values being calculated based on a propagation model; and

providing the substitute values to the database.

3. A method for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations positioned at a respective base station location, the method comprising:

measuring actual reception field strength of the base stations at the base station location for each of the base stations;

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database;

wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each measurement being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

interpolating values calculated from the actual reception field strengths via an interpolation method for the reception field strengths of at least one of the base stations for virtual measurement points located between actual measurement points and the at least one base station of the base stations and entering the interpolated values in the database; and

calculating substitute values for the reception field strength for geographical points at which neither measured nor interpolated values are available for the reception field strengths, each of the substitute values being calculated based on;

respective transmission power of one of the base stations, range to the respective base station from one of the geographical points, and a propagation model, and entering the substitute values in the database.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein actual values are used for selection and/or for correction of the propagation model, used for calculation of the field strength values, and/or propagation model parameters.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein actual values are used for selection and/or for correction of the interpolation method used.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the virtual measurement points are arranged on straight connecting lines between the actual measurement points.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein special topographical features are taken into account for the propagation model and/or the interpolation method.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a field strength matrix is formed from the actual measured values, interpolated values, and the substitute values for the reception field strengths stored in the database.

9. A method for finding a position of a mobile terminal in a multicell mobile radio system, comprising:

determining the radio coverage of the multicell mobile radio system by;

measuring the actual reception field strength of a plurality of the base stations at each of the base station locations,

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database,

wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each case being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

detecting by the mobile terminal the reception field strengths of a plurality of the receivable base stations; and

comparing the reception field strengths that have been detected by the mobile terminal with the determined radio coverage, the position of the mobile terminal being where a measurement point determined from one of the measured values best matches the reception field strength values detected by the mobile terminal.

10. An arrangement for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations and a plurality of actual measurement points, comprising:

a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations measuring an actual reception field strength, each of the base stations alternately measuring the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

a memory device for storing a plurality of reception field strength values;

an evaluation device comprising a detection device that detects actual values for the reception field strength of the base stations at the actual measurement points, and

wherein the detection device stores the actual values for the reception field strength of the base stations at the actual measurement points in the memory device,

wherein the evaluation device interpolates virtual measured values formed from the actual measured values for virtual measurement points located between the measurement points,

wherein the evaluation device calculates substitute values for the reception field strength at geographic points based on;

transmission power of the base stations,

respective range from the virtual measurement points to the base stations, and

a propagation model, and

wherein the evaluation device enters the actual measured values, the virtual measured values, the substitute values, and location details about the respective measurement points associated with them in the memory device.

11. The arrangement of claim 10 wherein the evaluation device interpolates virtual measured values formed from the actual measured values for virtual measurement points located between the measurement points by using a linear interpolation method.

12. A method for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations positioned at a respective base station location, the method comprising:

measuring actual reception field strength of the base stations at the base station location for each of the base stations;

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database, wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each measurement being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

interpolating interpolation values calculated from the actual reception field strengths via an interpolation method for the reception field strengths of the base stations for virtual measurement points located between actual measurement points and the at least one base station of the base stations;

providing the interpolated values to the database;

calculating substitute values for the reception field strength for geographical points, each of the substitute values being calculated based on a propagation model;

providing the substitute values to the database; and

wherein if any of the interpolated values are for geographical locations in which any of the substitute values are available, the substitute value for that geographical location is deleted and the interpolated value is used.

13. A method for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations positioned at a respective base station location, the method comprising:

measuring actual reception field strength of the base stations at the base station location for each of the base stations;

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database, wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each measurement being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

interpolating interpolation values calculated from the actual reception field strengths via an interpolation method for the reception field strengths of the base stations for virtual measurement points located between actual measurement points and the at least one base station of the base stations;

providing the interpolated values to the database;

calculating substitute values for the reception field strength for geographical points, each of the substitute values being calculated based on a propagation model; and

providing the substitute values to the database; and

wherein if any actual reception field strength values are for geographical locations in which any of the substitute values are available, the substitute value for that geographical location is deleted and the actual reception field strength value is used.

14. A method for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations positioned at a respective base station location, the method comprising:

measuring actual reception field strength of the base stations at the base station location for each of the base stations;

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database, wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each measurement being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

interpolating interpolation values calculated from the actual reception field strengths via an interpolation method for the reception field strengths of the base stations for virtual measurement points located between actual measurement points and the at least one base station of the base stations;

providing the interpolated values to the database;

calculating substitute values for the reception field strength for geographical points, each of the substitute values being calculated based on a propagation model;

providing the substitute values to the database; and

storing at least one of coordinate details and location identification for each of the interpolated values, substitute values and the actual values.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising associating at least one of coordinate details and location identification for each of the interpolated values, substitute values and the actual values in the database such that a specific location is identifiable for each of the interpolated values, the substitute values and the actual values.

16. A method for determination of the radio coverage in a multicell mobile radio system having a plurality of base stations, each of the base stations positioned at a respective base station location, the method comprising:

measuring actual reception field strength of the base stations at the base station location for each of the base stations;

entering the measured values of the actual reception field strengths as actual values on a position-related basis in a database, wherein the measurements of the actual reception field strengths are carried out by the base stations with one of the base stations in each measurement being used alternately as a measurement device for measurement of the reception field strength of at least one of the other base stations;

interpolating interpolation values calculated from the actual reception field strengths via an interpolation method for the reception field strengths of the base stations for virtual measurement points located between actual measurement points and the at least one base station of the base stations;

providing the interpolated values to the database;

calculating substitute values for the reception field strength for geographical points, each of the substitute values being calculated based on a propagation model;

providing the substitute values to the database; and

storing at least one of coordinate details and location identification for the interpolated values and associating the at least one of coordinate details and location identification for the interpolated values.