Mobile cellular networks

• US 9,445,280 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oceus Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oceus Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Uelk, Joseph L., Hill, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US14/869,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20160095001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/561
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Multiple mobile cellular network (MCN) communication systems can be networked together to form a network of MCN communication systems (NOM). Each MCN communication system within the NOM can operate as an independent cellular network to provide communications between user equipment within a covered area. The MCN can be managed by a network management control center (NMCC). The NMCC can be configured generate coverage maps of the NOM and NMC system coverage areas.

Claims

1. A management system for a plurality of mobile cellular networks comprising:

a network management control center (NMCC) configured to manage one or more mobile cellular network (MCN) communication systems, the NMCC comprising;

a mapping module configured to;

generate a first coverage map corresponding to a first coverage area of a first MCN communication system of the one or more MCN communication systems based, at least in part, on data received from the first MCN communication system, wherein the first MCN communication system is configured to generate a cellular network for the first coverage area; and

generate a second coverage map corresponding to a second coverage area of a second MCN communication system of the one or more MCN communication systems based, at least in part, on data received from the second MCN communication system, wherein the second MCN communication system is configured to generate a cellular network for the second coverage area;

generate an updated coverage map corresponding to a third coverage area based, at least in part, on updated data received from the first MCN communication system, wherein the updated data is indicative of a change in location of the first MCN communication system, and

a user interface module configured to provide instructions to display at least the updated coverage map generated by the mapping module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping module is further configured to:

generate an aggregate coverage map corresponding to the first coverage area and the second coverage area; and

generate an updated aggregate coverage map based, at least in part, on updated data received from at least one of the first MCN communication system or the second MCN communication system, wherein the updated data is indicative of a change in location of at least one of the first MCN communication system or the second MCN communication system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm module configured to receive and manage alarm data for the one or more MCN management devices, wherein the alarm module is configured to aggregate alarm data from the first MCN communication system and the second MCN communication system and output instructions to display the aggregated alarm data on a user interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping module if further configured to determine whether to generate the updated coverage map based, at least in part, on whether the change in location of the first MCN communication system satisfies a threshold.

5. A method for generating and updating a coverage map for one or more mobile cellular network (MCN) communication systems, the method comprising:

receiving, by a network management control center (NMCC), data from a first MCN communication system, wherein the first MCN communication system is located at a first location and is configured to generate a cellular network for a first coverage area;

generating a first coverage map corresponding to the first coverage area based, at least in part, on the data received from the first MCN communication system;

receiving data from a second MCN communication system, wherein the second MCN communication system is located at a second location and is configured to generate a cellular network for a second coverage area;

generating a second coverage map corresponding to the second coverage area based, at least in part, on the data received from the second MCN communication system;

receiving updated data from the first MCN communication system;

generating an updated coverage map corresponding to a third coverage area based, at least in part, on the updated data received from the first MCN communication system, wherein the updated data is indicative of the first MCN communication system being located at a third location; and

providing instructions to display at least the updated coverage map.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating an aggregate coverage map corresponding to the first coverage area and the second coverage area; and

generating an updated aggregate coverage map based, at least in part, on updated data received from at least one of the first MCN communication system or the second MCN communication system, wherein the updated data is indicative of a change in location of at least one of the first MCN communication system or the second MCN communication system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the updated aggregate coverage map updates at least one of the position of the first coverage area or the position of the third coverage area.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first coverage area overlaps with the third coverage area.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the updated data from the first MCN communication system includes at least one of updated network data or updated positional data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the updated network data is indicative of the second location of the first MCN communication system.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the updated positional data is indicative of the second location of the first MCN communication system.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining whether to generate the updated coverage map based, at least in part, on whether the updated data satisfies a threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the threshold can be time-based.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the threshold can be based on a magnitude of changes to positional data.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to:

receive data from a first MCN communication system, wherein the first MCN communication system is located at a first location and is configured to generate a cellular network for a first coverage area;

generate a first coverage map corresponding to the first coverage area based, at least in part, on the data received from the first MCN communication system;

receive data from a second MCN communication system, wherein the second MCN communication system is located at a first location and is configured to generate a cellular network for a second coverage area;

generate a second coverage map corresponding to the second coverage area based, at least in part, on the data received from the second MCN communication system;

receive updated data from the first MCN communication system;

generate an updated coverage map corresponding to a second coverage area based, at least in part, on the updated data received from the first MCN communication system, wherein the updated data is indicative of the first MCN communication system being located at a third location; and

provide instructions to display at least the updated coverage map.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to:

generate an aggregate coverage map corresponding to the first coverage area and the second coverage area; and

generate an updated aggregate coverage map based, at least in part, on updated data received from at least one of the first MCN communication system or the second MCN communication system, wherein the updated data is indicative of a change in location of at least one of the first MCN communication system or the second MCN communication system.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to:

receive and manage alarm data for the one or more MCN management devices;

aggregate alarm data from the first MCN communication system and the second MCN communication system; and

output instructions to display the aggregated alarm data on a user interface.