Distributed RAN information collection, consolidation and RAN-analytics

• US 9,204,329 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Movik Networks, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyle, Charles W., Hutchins, John, Abou-Assali, Tarek, Vutukuru, Mythili, Spinney, Keith, Rana, Nitin, Bonthu, Gopal K., Kovvali, Surya Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASTANEYRA, RICARDO H
• Application Number:
  US13/858,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20130258865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/241, 370/311, 370/389, 370/250, 370/312, 370/465, 370/236, 370/474, 370/254, 370/230, 370/432, 370/310.2, 370/310, 370/338, 370/410, 370/392, 370/346, 370/235, 709/247, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Control Plane and User plane packet data are collected within the Radio Access Network using a plurality of network devices. Consolidation and summarization of this information is then performed to present a unified picture of RAN through abstract APIs to management and analytics applications. The invention identifies methods of retaining the collected network data, such as control and application protocol headers at the collection points, and consolidation and exporting this network data to management/reporting/analytics application using application driven rules for consolidation and summarization. Real-time statistical analysis tools, which may be used to predict failure and degradation trends and proactively control the underlying causes, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An enhanced Radio Access Network (RAN), comprising:

a plurality of data collection nodes, each disposed so as to intercept communications between adjacent components disposed in said RAN, wherein said communications comprise multiple protocols from multiple logical interfaces, and wherein the data collection nodes correlate and consolidate information received in the intercepted communications by associating control plane sessions and the corresponding user plane sessions; and

one or more analysis and reporting nodes (ARNs), in communication with each of said data collection nodes, wherein said ARNs transmit requests for information to said data collection nodes, wherein said requests comprises a set of attributes of interest, a data reduction method, and a format in which said information should be delivered to said ARN, and where said data reduction method comprises analysis and consolidation algorithms to be performed by said data collection nodes on the attributes of interest,

wherein said data collection nodes continuously intercept communications and store said communications in one or more first files and said data reduction method is performed on said one or more first files by said data collection node to create one or more second files, and

wherein said second files are stored in said data collection node and said request from said ARN further comprises a second data reduction method to be used for previously generated second files, such that newly created third files and previously stored second files are delivered to said ARNs.

2. The enhanced RAN of claim 1, wherein said attributes of interest are selected from the group consisting of RAN network analytics, RAN user analytics, RAN device analytics, site/publisher analytics, and mobile application analytics.

3. A method of collecting analytics about a Radio Access Network (RAN), comprising:

disposing a plurality of data collection nodes in said RAN, where each is configured to intercept communications between adjacent components in said RAN and to correlate and consolidate information received in the intercepted communications by associating control plane sessions and the corresponding user plane sessions;

collecting said communications in one or more first files in said data collection nodes, wherein said collected communications comprise multiple protocols from multiple logical interfaces;

transmitting a request for information to said data collection nodes, wherein said request comprises a set of attributes of interest, a data reduction method and a format in which said information should be delivered to an analysis and reporting node (ARN), where said data reduction method comprises analysis and consolidation algorithms to be performed by said data collection nodes on the attributes of interest;

consolidating said first files into second files, using said data reduction method;

storing said second files in said data collection node;

transmitting said second files from said data collection node to said ARN in said requested format;

receiving a second request for information from said ARN, said request comprising a second set of attributes of interest, a second data reduction method, and a second format in which said information should be delivered to said ARN;

applying said second data reduction method to said second files to create third files;

consolidating said first files into second files using said second data reduction method; and

transmitting said second files and said third files from said data collection node to said ARN in said requested second format.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said requests are generated using an application programming interface (API).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said first files are automatically consolidated into second files using a data reduction method previously received from said ARN.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said consolidating is performed to save storage space in said data collection nodes.

7. The method of claim 3, comprising supplementing said second files with imported data from external devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said external devices comprise service plane devices.