Self-optimizing networks for fixed wireless access

• US 8,385,900 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reverb Networks
• Inventors: Trigui, Hafedh
• Primary Examiner(s): Zewdu, Meless N
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLIVER, GERALD L
• Application Number:
  US12/634,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20110136478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/422.1, 455/513, 455/134, 455/135, 455/161.3, 455/226.2, 455/226.3, 455/517, 455/522, 455/524, 455/525, 455/67.11, 455/69, 455/73, 455/562.1, 455/101, 455/423, 455/67.13, 370/331, 370/332, 370/334, 370/338, 370/339
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0491 using two or more sectors, i.e. sector diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention relates to a method of modifying communication parameters of a wireless network, the wireless network having at least two antennas, and each of the antennas providing coverage to at least one sector. The method including obtaining measurement data for at least two sectors of the wireless network, determining, from the obtained measurement data, if a signal strength indicator of one or more sectors of the at least two sectors is at or below a target value, determining, if the one or more sectors is at or below the target value, a communication parameter to be applied to the wireless network such that the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is above the target value, and modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method of modifying communication parameters of a wireless network, the wireless network having at least two antennas, and each of the antennas providing coverage to at least one sector, the method comprising:

obtaining measurement data for at least two sectors of the wireless network;

determining, from the obtained measurement data, whether a signal strength indicator of one or more sectors of the at least two sectors is at or below a target value;

determining, when the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is at or below the target value, a communication parameter to be applied to the wireless network such that the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is above the target value; and

modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network, and

the one or more sectors each having one or more modifiable vertexes,

said determining the communication parameter includes;

determining which of the one or more vertexes of the one or more sectors to modify;

evaluating a cost function associated with the one or more vertexes determined to be modified; and

determining the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network includes modifying antenna tilt, antenna gain, antenna beamwidth, or antenna azimuth direction of one or more of the at least two antennas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network includes modifying a transmit power of one or more basestations of the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes uplink carrier to interference plus noise ratio and/or uplink received signal strength indicator for a subscriber in one of the at least two sectors of the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes downlink carrier to interference plus noise ratio and/or uplink received signal strength indicator for a subscriber in one of the at least two sectors of the wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target value includes a basestation received signal strength indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said evaluating the cost function for optimizing the wireless network includes:

receiving carrier to interference plus noise ratio for a subscriber in one of the at least two sectors;

determining the one of the at least two sectors throughput based on the received carrier to interference plus noise ratio for the subscriber in the one of the at least two sectors;

receiving a scheduler type and a number of subscribers for the one of the at least two sectors; and

determining an average sector throughput and a minimum user throughput for the at least one of the at least two sectors.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network modify antenna tilt, antenna gain, antenna beamwidth, or antenna azimuth direction of one or more of the at least two antennas such that the determined average sector throughput and the minimum user throughput for the at least one of the at least two sectors converges with a average sector throughput and minimum user throughput for an adjacent sector to the at least one of the at least two sectors;

or

wherein the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network modify a transmit power of one or more basestations of the wireless network such that the determined average sector throughput and the minimum user throughput for the at least one of the at least two sectors converges with a average sector throughput and minimum user throughput for an adjacent sector to the at least one of the at least two sectors.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is fixed.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program stored thereon that when executed causes a computer to perform a method of modifying communication parameters of a wireless network, the wireless network having at least two antennas, and each of the antennas providing coverage to at least one sector, the method comprising:

obtaining measurement data from at least two sectors of the wireless network;

determining, from the obtained measurement data, whether a signal strength indicator of one or more sectors of the at least two sectors is at or below a target value;

determining, when the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is at or below the target value, a communication parameter to be applied to the wireless network such that the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is above the target value; and

modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network, and

the one or more sectors each having one or more modifiable vertexes

said determining the communication parameter includes;

determining which of the one or more vertexes of the one or more sectors to modify;

evaluating a cost function associated with the one or more vertexes determined to be modified; and

determining the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network includes modifying antenna tilt, antenna gain, antenna beamwidth, or antenna azimuth direction of one or more of the at least two antennas.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said modifying the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network includes modifying a transmit power of one or more basestations of the wireless network.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the measurement data includes uplink carrier to interference plus noise ratio and/or uplink received signal strength indicator for a subscriber in one of the at least two sectors of the wireless network.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the measurement data includes downlink carrier to interference plus noise ratio and/or uplink received signal strength indicator for a subscriber in one of the at least two sectors of the wireless network.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the target value includes a basestation received signal strength indicator.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein said evaluating the cost function for optimizing the wireless network includes:

receiving carrier to interference plus noise ratio for a subscriber in one of the at least two sectors;

determining the one of the at least two sectors throughput based on the received carrier to interference plus noise ratio for the subscriber in the one of the at least two sectors;

receiving a scheduler type and a number of subscribers for the one of the at least two sectors; and

determining an average sector throughput and a minimum user throughput for the at least one of the at least two sectors.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network modify antenna tilt, antenna gain, antenna beamwidth, or antenna azimuth direction of one or more of the at least two antennas such that the determined average sector throughput and the minimum user throughput for the at least one of the at least two sectors converges with a average sector throughput and minimum user throughput for an adjacent sector to the at least one of the at least two sectors;

or

wherein the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network modify a transmit power of one or more basestations of the wireless network such that the determined average sector throughput and the minimum user throughput for the at least one of the at least two sectors converges with a average sector throughput and minimum user throughput for an adjacent sector to the at least one of the at least two sectors.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the wireless network is fixed.

17. A system, comprising:

a server interface configured to modify communication parameters of a wireless network having at least two antennas, and each of the antennas providing coverage to at least one sector, said server interface is configured to

obtain measurement data for at least two sectors of the wireless network,

determine from the obtained measurement data, whether a signal strength indicator of one or more sectors of the at least two sectors is at or below a target value,

determine, when the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is at or below the target value, a communication parameter to be applied to the wireless network such that the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is above the target value, and

modify the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network, and

the one or more sectors each having one or more modifiable vertexes,

said determine the communication parameter includes;

determine which of the one or more vertexes of the one or more sectors to modify;

evaluating a cost function associated with the one or more vertexes determined to be modified; and

determine the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless network is fixed.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a server interface configured to

modify communication parameters of a wireless network, the wireless network having at least two antennas, and each of the antennas providing coverage to at least one sector,

obtain measurement data for at least two sectors of the wireless network,

determine from the obtained measurement data, whether a signal strength indicator of one or more sectors of the at least two sectors is at or below a target value,

determine, when the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is at or below the target value, a communication parameter to be applied to the wireless network such that the signal strength indicator of the one or more sectors is above the target value, and

modify the communication parameters of the wireless network such that the determined communication parameter is applied to the wireless network, and

the one or more sectors each having one or more modifiable vertexes,

said determine the communication parameter includes;

determine which of the one or more vertexes of the one or more sectors to modify;

evaluate a cost function associated with the one or more vertexes determined to be modified;

determine the communication parameters to be applied to the wireless network based on the cost function evaluated to optimize the wireless network.

22. The server interface of claim 18, wherein the wireless network is fixed.