Self-optimizing network (SON) system for mobile networks

• US 9,392,471 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions UK Limted (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Viavi Solutions UK Limted (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Howard John, Stanciuc, Mihai, Padfield, David Charles, Trybulec, Robert Edward, Randall, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Ashish K
• Application Number:
  US14/808,619
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/149 for prediction of maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00837 Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A device receives subscriber records for mobile devices associated with a mobile network, and receives performance data associated with the mobile network in near real time. The performance data includes one or more of performance management statistics, call trace data associated with the subscriber records, and geolocated subscriber records for the mobile devices. The device stores the geolocated subscriber records with other types of data in an asynchronous manner, and receives configuration data associated with the mobile network and indicating a topology of the mobile network. The device identifies, based on at least one of the topology and the performance data, a desired topology of the mobile network. The desired topology is predicted to achieve at least one of improved network performance or alignment with a network design policy.

Claims

1. A method for automated neighbor relation determination, comprising:

receiving, by a device, performance data associated with a mobile network in near real time,

the performance data including one or more of;

frequency of use information identifying a frequency of use of neighbor cells for handovers by the mobile network,

a success associated with a neighbor cell relationship,

release causes for calls associated with the mobile network,

subscriber records for a plurality of mobile devices associated with the mobile network, or

geolocated subscriber records for the plurality of mobile devices associated with the mobile network;

receiving, by the device, configuration data associated with the mobile network,

the configuration data indicating a topology of the mobile network; and

identifying, by the device and based on at least one of the topology or the performance data, a desired topology of the mobile network,

the desired topology being predicted to achieve at least one of improved network performance or alignment with a network design policy,

the desired topology including a neighbor cell relation list and a parameter set,

the neighbor cell relation list being divided into two or more different portions and different methods being used to construct the different portions,

a first portion of the neighbor cell relation list including information associated with neighbor cells that are expected to be used frequently, and being based on one or more of the frequency of use information or a degree of overlap between the neighbor cells, and

a second portion of the neighbor cell relation list being based on an analysis of the subscriber records for the plurality of mobile devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, based on at least one of the performance data or the configuration data, an inferred topology of the mobile network,

the inferred topology being different than the topology of the mobile network.

3. The method of claim 1, where:

a third portion of the neighbor cell relation list is based on an analysis of the release causes for calls associated with the mobile network, and includes information identifying neighbor cells that prevent degradation of the mobile network due to dropped calls, and

a fourth portion of the neighbor cell relation list includes information associated with inter-frequency or inter-radio access technology neighbor cells, and is based on an analysis of the geolocated subscriber records for the plurality of mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 1,

where the performance data includes call completion codes, and

where the method further comprises:

updating a whitelist of neighbor cells and a blacklist of neighbor cells based on the call completion codes,

the whitelist of neighbor cells including a list of neighbor cells that are not to be removed from the neighbor cell relation list, and

the blacklist of neighbor cells including a list of neighbor cells that are not to be added to the neighbor cell relation list.

5. The method of claim 1,

where the frequency of use information includes a number of attempts to add the neighbor cells to the neighbor cell relation list, and

where the method further comprises:

determining whether the frequency of use information, associated with neighbor cells, satisfies a threshold; and

including the information associated with the neighbor cells in the first portion of the neighbor cell relation list when the frequency of use information, associated with the neighbor cells, satisfies the threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a set of measurement reports with information identifying neighbor cells that are not included in the neighbor cell relation list;

identifying neighbor cell candidates that are provided in a greatest number in the set of measurement reports; and

including information identifying the neighbor cell candidates in the second portion of the neighbor cell relation list.

7. The method of claim 1, where the first portion and the second portion of the neighbor cell relation list include information identifying neighbor cells with different radio frequencies or different radio access technologies.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a user interface than includes information associated with the first portion and the second portion of the neighbor cell relation list; and

providing the user interface for display.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, performance data associated with a mobile network in near real time,

the performance data including one or more of;

performance management statistics,

call trace data associated with subscriber records for a plurality of mobile devices associated with the mobile network, or

geolocated subscriber records for the plurality of mobile devices associated with the mobile network;

receiving, by the device, configuration data associated with the mobile network,

the configuration data indicating a topology of the mobile network;

determining, by the device, an assumed state of the mobile network based on the performance data;

determining, by the device, an apparent state of the mobile network based on the configuration data; and

identifying, by the device, an issue in the mobile network based on the assumed state of the mobile network and the apparent state of the mobile network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying, based on at least one of the performance data or the configuration data, an inferred topology of the mobile network,

the inferred topology being different than the topology of the mobile network.

11. The method of claim 9, where the performance data further includes one or more of:

a throughput associated with the mobile network,

dropped calls associated with the mobile network, or

a quality of service (QoS) associated with the mobile network.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining one or more changes to the mobile network to correct the issue in the mobile network; and

causing, by the device, the mobile network to implement the one or more changes in order to correct the issue in the mobile network.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating the configuration data based on the one or more changes; and

storing the updated configuration data.

14. The method of claim 12, where identifying the issue in the mobile network comprises:

comparing the assumed state of the mobile network and the apparent state of the mobile network; and

identifying the issue in the mobile network when the assumed state of the mobile network and the apparent state of the mobile network do not match.

15. The method of claim 12, where the one or more changes to the mobile network include one or more network parameters to be implemented by the mobile network.

16. The method of claim 12, where the issue includes at least one of:

a timer problem associated with the mobile network,

a performance degradation of the mobile network, or

a mismatch with a policy associated with the mobile network.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining that the one or more changes to the mobile network cause a conflict with other changes to the mobile network; and

revising the one or more changes or rescheduling implementation of the one or more changes to prevent the conflict with the other changes to the mobile network.

18. A device, comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive performance data associated with a mobile network in near real time,

the performance data including one or more of;

performance management statistics,

call trace data associated with subscriber records for a plurality of mobile devices associated with the mobile network, or

geolocated subscriber records for the plurality of mobile devices associated with the mobile network;

receive configuration data associated with the mobile network,

the configuration data indicating a topology of the mobile network;

determine an assumed state of the mobile network based on the performance data;

determine an apparent state of the mobile network based on the configuration data; and

identify, an issue in the mobile network based on the assumed state of the mobile network and the apparent state of the mobile network.

19. The device of claim 18, where the one or more processors are further configured to:

identify, based on at least one of the performance data and the configuration data, an inferred topology of the mobile network,

the inferred topology being different than the topology of the mobile network.

20. The device of claim 18, where the performance data further includes one or more of:

a throughput associated with the mobile network,

dropped calls associated with the mobile network, or

a quality of service (QoS) associated with the mobile network.