Network coverage hole detection

• US 9,265,076 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Andreas, Chou, Joey, Pinheiro, Ana Lucia
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US14/255,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20150031308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0686 Hybrid systems, i.e. switching and simultaneous transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 : in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 : in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• 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 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• 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: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A technology for a user equipment (UE) that is operable to connect to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) cell in a cellular network. Logged minimization of drive test (MDT) measurements can be recorded at the UE at a selected rate when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode in a first LTE cell in a cellular network. A change in a UE state of the RRC idle mode can be identified. The Logged MDT measurements can stop being recorded at the UE when the UE state changes from a camped normally UE state to another UE state of the RRC idle mode. The Logged MDT measurements can resume being recorded when the UE state changes to the camped normally UE state of the RRC idle mode.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) operable to connect to a third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) cell in a cellular network, having computer circuitry configured to:

record, at the UE, logged minimization of drive test (MDT) measurements at a selected rate when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode in a first LTE cell in a cellular network;

communicate the Logged MDT measurements to a communications network to enable the communications network to derive spatial information about cell boundaries in the communications network;

identify a change in a UE state of the RRC idle mode;

stop recording the Logged MDT measurements at the UE when the UE state changes from a camped normally UE state to another UE state of the RRC idle mode; and

resume recording of the Logged MDT measurements when the UE state changes to the camped normally UE state of the RRC idle mode.

2. The computer circuitry of claim 1, wherein the MDT measurements are used to determine an LTE coverage hole in the cellular network.

3. The computer circuitry of claim 2, further configured to collect the MDT measurements for a coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) self-organizing network (SON) function to identify the LTE coverage hole in the cellular network.

4. The computer circuitry of claim 1, wherein the MDT measurement includes reference signal received power (RSRP) information, reference signal received quality (RSRQ) information, cell identification (ID) information, location information, or time stamp information for an inter-radio access technology (RAT) handover.

5. The computer circuitry of claim 1, wherein the UE state changes from the camped normally UE state to another UE state at an inter-radio access technology (RAT) handover from the 3GPP LTE cell to a different RAT.

6. The computer circuitry of claim 1, further configured to stop recording the MDT measurements at the UE when the UE state changes from the camped normally UE state to an any cell selection UE state or a camped on any cell UE state.

7. The computer circuitry of claim 6, further configured to stop recording the MDT measurements at the UE when the UE enters a non-LTE cell, wherein the non-LTE cell is a cell in a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) or a cell in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) radio access network (GERAN).

8. The computer circuitry of claim 1, wherein the UE includes an antenna, a camera, a touch sensitive display screen, a speaker, a microphone, a graphics processor, an application processor, internal memory, or a non-volatile memory port.

9. A method to record minimization of drive test (MDT) measurements at a user equipment (UE) in a cellular network, comprising:

recording, at the UE, logged minimization of drive test (MDT) measurements at a selected rate when the UE is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode in a first third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) cell in a cellular network;

identifying a change in a UE state of the RRC idle mode;

cease recording the Logged MDT measurements at the UE when the UE state changes from a camped normally UE state to another UE state of the RRC idle mode;

connecting the UE to another LTE cell in the cellular network; and

resuming recording of the MDT measurements when the UE state changes to the camped normally UE state of the RRC idle mode when the UE is connected to the other LTE cell,

wherein the ceasing recording of the Logged MDT measurements and the resuming of the Logged MDT measurements is used by the cellular network to derive spatial information about cell boundaries in a communications network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising associating each state change recorded by the UE with a location stamp.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the location stamp includes global navigation satellite system (GNSS) information or radio frequency (RF) fingerprint information.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the UE, a UE information request radio resource control (RRC) message from an evolved Node B (eNode B) requesting the recorded MDT measurements; and

sending, to the eNode B, a UE information response RRC message that includes the recorded MDT measurements.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected rate to record Logged MDT measurements is a continuous, a semi-continuous, or a periodic rate.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected rate to record Logged MDT measurements is a single measurement when the UE state changes from a camped normally UE state to an other UE state of the RRC idle mode and a single measurement when the UE state changes from the other UE state to the camped normally UE state of the RRC idle mode.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the change in the UE state occurs during an inter radio access technology (RAT) cell reselection by the UE.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving, at the UE, a logged measurement configuration radio resource control (RRC) message from an evolved node B (eNode B).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the logged measurement configuration RRC message includes coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) self-organizing network (SON) control information.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, at the UE, an inter radio access technology (RAT) cell reselection detection radio resource control (RRC) message from an evolved node B (eNode B); and

changing the UE state from the camped normally UE state of the RRC idle mode to the other UE state of the RRC idle mode based on the reselection detection RRC message.

19. A user equipment (UE) for use in a communications network, the UE comprising:

a cell reselection module for detecting cell re-selection events; and

a logging module for storing a logged minimization of drive test (MDT) record when selected cell re-selection events are detected by the cell re-selection module, the logging module further configured to;

store a first Logged MDT record at the UE when the cell re-selection module detects a first cell re-selection event; and

store a second Logged MDT record at the UE when the cell re-selection module detects a second cell re-selection event, wherein the first Logged MDT record and the second Logged MDT record are used to identify cell boundaries in the communications network.

20. The UE of claim 19, wherein the first cell re-selection event is the UE moving from an third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) cell to a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) cell and the second cell re-selection event is the UE moving from the UMTS cell to an other LTE cell.

21. The UE of claim 19, wherein the first cell re-selection event is the UE moving from an LTE cell to a coverage hole and the second cell re-selection event is the UE moving from the coverage hole to an other LTE cell.

22. The UE of claim 21, further configured to collect the MDT measurements for a coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) self-organizing network (SON) function to identify the LTE coverage hole in the cellular network.

23. The UE of claim 21, wherein the coverage hole is an area where a pilot signal strength is below a selected threshold value for the UE to access the cellular network.

24. The UE of claim 19, further comprising:

a receiver module for receiving a UE information request from an evolved Node B (eNode B) requesting the Logged MDT record; and

a transmitting module for sending a UE information response that includes the Logged MDT record to the eNode B.