Coverage adjustment in E-UTRA networks

• US 9,154,978 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chou, Joey, Mena, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US14/634,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0013 Rate matching, e.g. puncturing or repetition of code symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 : based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 : Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 : where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 : controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 : Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and techniques for coverage adjustment in evolved universal terrain radio access networks (E-UTRANs) are described. In some embodiments, a network management (NM) apparatus may receive data representative of first and second radio link failure (RLF) reports including information related to respective disconnections of first and second user equipment (UEs) from an E-UTRAN. The NM apparatus may identify a hole in a coverage area of the E-UTRAN based at least in part on the first and second RLF reports, and may perform an automated coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) action to reconfigure cell resources of the E-UTRAN based on the identified hole. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A network management (NM) apparatus comprising:

receiver circuitry to;

receive data representative of a first radio link failure (RLF) report, the first RLF report including information related to a disconnection of a first user equipment (UE) from an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), and

receive data representative of a second RLF report, the second RLF report including information related to a disconnection of a second UE from the E-UTRAN;

coverage analysis circuitry to identify a hole in a coverage area of the E-UTRAN based at least in part on the first and second RLF reports; and

in response to identification of the hole, initiate area-based minimization of drive test (MDT) protocols on two or more evolved nodeBs (eNBs) each associated with a cell whose coverage area overlaps with the identified hole.

2. The NM apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information related to the disconnection of the first UE from the E-UTRAN includes a reference signal received power (RSRP) value, a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) value, an identifier of a cell to which the first UE was connected prior to the disconnection of the first UE from the E-UTRAN, location information, or a time stamp representative of a time of disconnection.

3. The NM apparatus of claim 1, wherein receive data representative of a first RLF report includes receive data representative of a first RLF report from a first eNB serving the first UE upon reconnection of the first UE to the E-UTRAN.

4. The NM apparatus of claim 3, wherein receive data representative of a second RLF report includes receive data representative of a second RLF report from a second eNB serving the second UE upon reconnection of the second UE to the E-UTRAN, and wherein the first and second eNBs are a common eNB.

5. The NM apparatus of claim 3, wherein receive data representative of a second RLF report includes receive data representative of a second RLF report from a second eNB serving the second UE upon reconnection of the second UE to the E-UTRAN, and wherein the first and second eNBs are different eNBs.

6. The NM apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coverage analysis circuitry is further to:

identify a size or a location of the hole based at least in part on data generated by the MDT protocols.

7. An evolved nodeB (eNB) comprising:

service provision circuitry to provide a service of an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) to a user equipment (UE) located within a coverage cell of the eNB;

receiver circuitry to receive, from the UE, a radio link failure (RLF) report including information related to a previous disconnection of the UE from the E-UTRAN;

transmitter circuitry to transmit data representative of the RLF report to a coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) component of a network management (NM) apparatus of the E-UTRAN for use in identifying a hole in a coverage area of the E-UTRAN; and

second receiver circuitry to, after the transmitter circuitry transmits data representative of the RLF report to the CCO component of the NM apparatus of the E-UTRAN, receive an area-based minimization of drive test (MDT) query from the NM apparatus, wherein the NM apparatus issues the query in response to the data representative of the RLF report.

8. The eNB of claim 7, wherein the transmitter circuitry is further to transmit the data over an interface-N (Itf-N).

9. The eNB of claim 7, wherein the UE generates the RLF report upon the previous disconnection of the UE from the E-UTRAN.

10. The eNB of claim 7, wherein the information related to the previous disconnection of the UE from the E-UTRAN includes one or more of a reference signal received power (RSRP) value, a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) value, an identifier of the coverage cell, location information, and a time stamp representative of a time of disconnection.

11. The eNB of claim 7, wherein the NM apparatus is to receive data generated by MDT protocols from one or more eNBs to identify a size or a location of the hole.

12. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processing devices of a network management (NM) apparatus, cause the NM apparatus to:

receive first data representative of a disconnection of a first user equipment (UE) from an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN);

receive second data representative of a disconnection of a second UE, different from the first UE, from the E-UTRAN;

identify a hole in a coverage area of the E-UTRAN based at least in part on the first and second data; and

in response to identification of the hole, initiate area-based minimization of drive test (MDT) protocols on two or more evolved nodeBs (eNBs) each associated with a cell whose coverage area overlaps with the identified hole.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the first data includes a reference signal received power (RSRP) value, a reference signal received quality (RSRQ) value, an identifier of a cell to which the first UE was connected prior to the disconnection of the first UE from the E-UTRAN, location information, or a time stamp representative of a time of disconnection.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, further having instructions there on that, in response to execution by the one or more processing devices of the NM apparatus, cause the NM apparatus to cause the adjustment of one or more cells of the E-UTRAN to provide additional service to the hole.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein adjust one or more cells of the E-UTRAN to provide additional service to the hole includes reshape one or more cells by adjusting one or more corresponding antennas.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein adjust one or more cells of the E-UTRAN to provide additional service to the hole includes make one or more cells larger to cover at least a portion of the hole.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, further having instructions thereon that, in response to execution by the one or more processing devices of the NM apparatus, cause the NM apparatus to:

identify a size or a location of the hole based at least in part on data generated by the MDT protocols.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the first data is a first radio link failure (RLF) report.

19. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processing devices of an evolved nodeB (eNB) of an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), cause the eNB to:

receive, from a user equipment (UE) located within a nominal coverage cell of the eNB, a radio link failure (RLF) report including information related to a previous disconnection of the UE from the E-UTRAN;

transmit data representative of the RLF report to a coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) component of a network management (NM) apparatus of the E-UTRAN for use in identifying a hole in a coverage area of the E-UTRAN; and

after the transmission of data representative of the RLF report to the CCO component of the NM apparatus of the E-UTRAN, receive an area-based minimization of drive test (MDT) query from the NM apparatus, wherein the NM apparatus issues the query in response to the data representative of the RLF report.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein transmit data representative of the RLF report to the CCO component includes transmit data representative of the RLF report to the CCO component over an interface-N (Itf-N).

21. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the UE generates the RLF report upon the previous disconnection of the UE from the E-UTRAN.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the NM apparatus is to receive data generated by MDT protocols from one or more eNBs to identify a size or a location of the hole.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, further having instructions thereon that, in response to execution by the one or more processing devices of the eNB, cause the eNB to:

adjust a service parameter of the coverage cell in accordance with an instruction from the NM apparatus, wherein the NM apparatus issues the instruction in response to data generated by the MDT protocols.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 23, wherein adjust the service parameter of the coverage cell served by the eNB in accordance with the instruction includes reshape the coverage cell.

25. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the hole is identified by the NM apparatus based at least in part on data representative of performance of a service provided by the E-UTRAN within one or more coverage cells served by one or more other eNBs.