Closed-loop optimization of a wireless network using an autonomous vehicle

• US 9,363,690 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Singh, Baljit, Suthar, OM Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Fang, Pakee
• Application Number:
  US14/854,534
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/20 for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments herein use a real-time closed-loop system to optimize a wireless network. The system includes a drone controlled by a self-organizing network (SON) to retrieve RF data corresponding to the wireless network. In one embodiment, the SON provides the drone with a predetermined path through the coverage area of the wireless network. As the drone traverses the path, a RF scanner mounted on the drone collects RF data. The drone transmits this data to the SON which processes the RF data to identify problems in the wireless network (e.g., cell tower interference). The SON generates one or more actions for correcting the identified problem and transmits these actions to a wireless network controller. Once the wireless network controller performs the action, the SON instructs the drone to re-traverse the portion of the path to determine if the problem has been resolved.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a path to a drone;

receiving, at a self-organizing network (SON), RF data measured by the drone while traversing the path;

upon determining a problem in a wireless network based on the received RF data, transmitting an action to change a parameter of a wireless network;

after transmitting the action to change the parameter, instructing the drone via the SON to measure updated RF data at a location on the path corresponding to the problem;

evaluating the updated RF data at the SON to determine whether the problem was resolved;

transmitting a scanner profile from the SON to the drone, the scanner profile identifying one or more frequencies to be scanned by the drone to generate the RF data; and

transmitting an attenuation profile from the SON to the drone, the attenuation profile providing parameters for processing the RF data based on environmental conditions along the path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is transmitted from the SON to a network controller configured to adjust the parameter of the wireless network, wherein the network controller is communicatively coupled to a cell tower generating the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the parameter of the wireless network is at least one of a signal strength of the cell tower and an orientation of an antenna in the cell tower.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining the problem was resolved based on the updated RF data, transmitting an instruction to save the changed parameter of the wireless network; and

instructing the drone to move to a new location along the path.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining the problem was not resolved based on the updated RF data,

reverting the changed parameter to an updated value;

transmitting a request for intervention by a human operator to resolve the problem; and

instructing the drone to move to a new location along the path.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before transmitting the action to change the parameter, determining that the problem is of a type that can be resolved using the SON without requiring human intervention.

7. A self-organizing network (SON), comprising:

a drone controller configured to transmit a path to a drone; and

an optimization module configured to;

receive RF data measured by the drone while traversing the path,

upon determining a problem in a wireless network based on the received RF data, transmit an action to change a parameter of the wireless network;

instruct the drone via the drone controller to measure updated RF data at a location on the path corresponding to the problem;

evaluate the updated RF data to determine whether the problem was resolved;

transmit a scanner profile to the drone, the scanner profile identifying one or more frequencies to be scanned by the drone to generate the RF data; and

transmit an attenuation profile to the drone, the attenuation profile providing parameters for processing the RF data based on environmental conditions along the path.

8. The SON of claim 7, wherein the action is transmitted from the SON to a network controller configured to adjust the parameter of the wireless network, wherein the network controller is communicatively coupled to a cell tower generating the wireless network.

9. The SON of claim 8, wherein the parameter of the wireless network is at least one of a signal strength of the cell tower and an orientation of an antenna in the cell tower.

10. The SON of claim 7, wherein the optimization module is configured to:

upon determining the problem was resolved based on the updated RF data, transmit an instruction to save the changed parameter of the wireless network; and

wherein the drone controller is configured to instruct the drone to move to a new location along the path.

11. The SON of claim 7, wherein the optimization module is configured to:

upon determining the problem was not resolved based on the updated RF data, revert the changed parameter to an updated value; and

transmit a request for intervention by a human operator to resolve the problem; and

wherein the drone controller is configured to instruct the drone to move to a new location along the path.

12. The SON of claim 7, wherein the optimization module is configured to:

before transmitting the action to change the parameter, determine that the problem is of a type that can be resolved using the SON without requiring human intervention.

13. A communication system, comprising:

an autonomous vehicle (AV);

a wireless network comprising a plurality of cell towers controllable by a network controller to establish a wireless network;

a SON configured to;

transmit a path to the AV to traverse in the wireless network;

receive RF data measured by the AV while traversing the path;

upon determining a problem in the wireless network based on the received RF data, transmit an action to the network controller to change a parameter of the wireless network;

instruct the AV to measure updated RF data at a location on the path corresponding to the problem;

evaluate the updated RF data at the SON to determine whether the problem was resolved;

transmit a scanner profile to the AV, the scanner profile identifying one or more frequencies to be scanned by the AV to generate the RF data; and

transmit an attenuation profile to the AV, the attenuation profile providing parameters for processing the RF data based on environmental conditions along the path.

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the parameter of the wireless network is at least one of a signal strength of the cell tower and an orientation of an antenna in the cell tower.

15. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the SON is configured to:

instruct the AV to re-traverse the portion of the path to measure updated RF data after determining the network controller has changed the parameter of the wireless network.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the SON is configured to:

upon determining the problem was resolved based on the updated RF data, transmit an instruction to the network controller to save the changed parameter of the wireless network; and

instruct the AV to move to a new location along the path.

17. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the SON is configured to:

before transmitting the action to change the parameter, determining that the problem is of a type that can be resolved using the SON without requiring human intervention.

18. A self-organizing network (SON), comprising:

a drone controller configured to transmit a path to a drone; and

an optimization module configured to;

receive RF data measured by the drone while traversing the path,

upon determining a problem in a wireless network based on the received RF data, transmit an action to change a parameter of the wireless network;

instruct the drone via the drone controller to measure updated RF data at a location on the path corresponding to the problem;

evaluate the updated RF data to determine whether the problem was resolved;

upon determining the problem was not resolved based on the updated RF data, revert the changed parameter to an updated value;

transmit a request for intervention by a human operator to resolve the problem; and

wherein the drone controller is configured to instruct the drone to move to a new location along the path.