Method to guide the placement of new small cell

• US 9,585,031 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Kadel, Gerhard, Arnold, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US14/648,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 455/449
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method to guide the placement of new small cell, wherein a small cell is a radio cell station with much smaller coverage area than a macro cell, having one or more existing wireless cells, one or more mobile devices of known location and application use and context, a processor and database system, a new small cell, a device for guiding the user in the placement of the new small cell, includes the steps: the location dependant measured network characteristics and location dependant contextual data needs of the mobile device are recorded and stored in the database system over time; and the contents of the database system are used to determine the likely future location specific network needs, such that this information together with the characteristics of the new small cell are used to determine the placement co-ordinates of the new small cell, and use the placement co-ordinates to guide a user in the placement of the new small cell, with the device for guiding the user.

Claims

1. A method to guide a placement of a new small cell, comprising:

recording and storing, in a database system over time, location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device;

determining, by a processor, likely future location-specific network needs based on the recorded and stored location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device;

using, by the processor, the determined likely future location-specific network needs and characteristics of the new small cell in;

a) determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device, reflecting application usage,

(b) determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell,

(c) characterizing the new small cell with respect to capacity, bandwidth, power and latency,

(d) comparing the location-dependent data needs of the mobile device with the availability of existing network resources to determine location-dependent contextual needs, and

(e) comparing the characteristics of the new small cell with the location-dependent contextual needs, and determining placement coordinates of the new small cell based on possible location sites; and

using, by a device for guiding the user in the placement of the new small cell, the placement coordinates to guide a user in the placement of the new small cell;

wherein the new small cell is a radio cell station with smaller coverage area than a macro cell;

wherein accurate placement of the new small cell is facilitated by using location estimation techniques, and testing and calibrating the new small cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device further comprises determining location-specific network needs of the mobile device across a usage area in the context of applications executed on the mobile device;

wherein determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell further comprises measuring network characteristics across the usage area; and

wherein the method further comprises;

establishing, based on the location-specific network needs of the mobile device across a usage area and the measured network characteristics across the usage area, a mapping showing how well location-specific contextual application needs are met by existing network resources.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the determining of the location-specific network needs of the mobile device across the usage area is performed iteratively.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a location of the mobile device is determined by using data collected by the mobile device or network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stored location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device include one or more of the following fields:

name of applications, protocol type, bandwidth, packets lost, latency of transmission, Quality of Service (QoS), Quality of Experience (QoE), received signal strength and direction, connected cell, and contextual usage information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device are first recorded and stored offline and later uploaded to the database system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device includes an orientation sensor.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the Area of Potential Influence of the planned placement of the new small cell is determined according to one or more of the following:

a network operator or used flagging to the database system that the new small cell is to be installed at a location; and

based on collected data over time, the data base system proposing a location where the new small cell is to be placed.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the device visually or audibly guiding the user includes one or more of the following:

using building mapping data and plotting a desired location on a map;

using wireless fingerprint information to guide the user using text or audio commands;

detecting other connected devices near the desired location and form an association with the other connected devices.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, after determining a current location of the mobile device, determining whether the current location of the mobile device is in an Area of Potential Influence of a planned placement of the new small cell.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device visually or audibly guides the user in the placement of the new small cell.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the new small cell is a pico cell, a residential femto cell, or a WiFi access point.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon for determining placement of a new small cell, the processor-executable instructions, when executed, facilitating performance of the following:

determining likely future location-specific network needs based on stored location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device;

using the determined likely future location-specific network needs and characteristics of the new small cell in;

a) determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device, reflecting application usage,

(b) determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell,

(c) characterizing the new small cell with respect to capacity, bandwidth, power and latency,

(d) comparing the location-dependent data needs of the mobile device with the availability of existing network resources to determine location-dependent contextual needs, and

(e) comparing the characteristics of the new small cell with the location-dependent contextual needs, and determining placement coordinates of the new small cell based on possible location sites

wherein the new small cell is a radio cell station with smaller coverage area than a macro cell;

wherein accurate placement of the new small cell is facilitated by using location estimation techniques, and testing and calibrating the new small cell.

14. A method to guide a placement of a new small cell, comprising:

recording and storing, in a database system over time, location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device;

determining, by a processor, likely future location-specific network needs based on the recorded and stored location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device;

using, by the processor, the determined likely future location-specific network needs and characteristics of the new small cell in;

a) determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device, reflecting application usage,

(b) determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell,

(c) characterizing the new small cell with respect to capacity, bandwidth, power and latency,

(d) comparing the location-dependent data needs of the mobile device with the availability of existing network resources to determine location-dependent contextual needs, and

(e) comparing the characteristics of the new small cell with the location-dependent contextual needs, and determining placement coordinates of the new small cell based on possible location sites; and

using, by a device for guiding the user in the placement of the new small cell, the placement coordinates to guide a user in the placement of the new small cell;

wherein the new small cell is a radio cell station with smaller coverage area than a macro cell;

wherein determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device further comprises determining location-specific network needs of the mobile device across a usage area in the context of applications executed on the mobile device;

wherein determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell further comprises measuring network characteristics across the usage area; and

wherein the method further comprises;

establishing, based on the location-specific network needs of the mobile device across a usage area and the measured network characteristics across the usage area, a mapping showing how well location-specific contextual application needs are met by existing network resources.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon for determining placement of a new small cell, the processor-executable instructions, when executed, facilitating performance of the following:

determining likely future location-specific network needs based on stored location-dependent measured network characteristics and location-dependent contextual data needs of the mobile device;

using the determined likely future location-specific network needs and characteristics of the new small cell in;

a) determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device, reflecting application usage,

(b) determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell,

(c) characterizing the new small cell with respect to capacity, bandwidth, power and latency,

(d) comparing the location-dependent data needs of the mobile device with the availability of existing network resources to determine location-dependent contextual needs, and

(e) comparing the characteristics of the new small cell with the location-dependent contextual needs, and determining placement coordinates of the new small cell based on possible location sites

wherein the new small cell is a radio cell station with smaller coverage area than a macro cell;

wherein determining and characterizing of location-dependent data needs of a mobile device further comprises determining location-specific network needs of the mobile device across a usage area in the context of applications executed on the mobile device;

wherein determining availability of existing network resources at a specific location or across an area of potential influence of the new small cell further comprises measuring network characteristics across the usage area; and

wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further facilitate;

establishing, based on the location-specific network needs of the mobile device across a usage area and the measured network characteristics across the usage area, a mapping showing how well location-specific contextual application needs are met by existing network resources.