Coverage adjustment in E-UTRA networks

• US 9,794,809 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chou, Joey, Mena, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US15/356,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20170070900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0013 Rate matching, e.g. puncturing or repetition of code symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 : based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 : Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 : Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 : where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 : controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• 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 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 : Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and techniques for coverage adjustment in evolved universal terrain radio access networks (E-UTRANs) are described. In some embodiments, a network management (NM) apparatus may receive data representative of first and second radio link failure (RLF) reports including information related to respective disconnections of first and second user equipment (UEs) from an E-UTRAN. The NM apparatus may identify a hole in a coverage area of the E-UTRAN based at least in part on the first and second RLF reports, and may perform an automated coverage and capacity optimization (CCO) action to reconfigure cell resources of the E-UTRAN based on the identified hole. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having program code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes a Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO) component to:

detect service-deficiency for a coverage area based on service performance data collected from a plurality of evolved nodeBs (eNBs), wherein the coverage area is service-deficient when the coverage area has insufficient signal strength to provide threshold connectivity to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, and wherein at least some of the service performance data is provided to the plurality of eNBs by one or more user equipment (UEs);

correlate the service performance data with a same user session of a UE of the one or more UEs, a same geographic area, or environmental information; and

send an instruction to an eNB of the plurality of eNBs based on the correlation, wherein the instruction is to instruct the eNB to adapt an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) cell provided by the eNB to increase signal strength in the service-deficient coverage area to provide the threshold connectivity to the LTE network.

2. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1, wherein the instruction is to instruct the eNB to increase a size of the E-UTRAN cell to extend the E-UTRAN cell into the service-deficient coverage area.

3. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 2, wherein the service-deficient coverage area is located between the E-UTRAN cell and another E-UTRAN cell provided by another eNB.

4. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1, wherein the instruction is to instruct the eNB to increase or decrease capacity of the E-UTRAN cell based on a number of UEs within the E-UTRAN cell.

5. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 4, wherein the service-deficient coverage area is the E-UTRAN cell.

6. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1, wherein the program code, when executed, further causes the CCO component to:

control transmission of a second instruction to initiate performance of one or more minimization of drive tests (MDTs) by one or more eNBs of the plurality of eNBs associated with the detected service-deficient coverage area;

control receipt, from the one or more eNBs, of MDT data that is based on results of the one or more MDTs; and

correlate the MDT data with the service performance data and the same user session of the UE of the one or more UEs, the same geographic area, or the environmental information.

7. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 6, wherein the service performance data comprises one or more of a number of active UEs in a given area, internet protocol (IP) throughput, upload or download physical resource block (PRB) usage, packet delay, drop rate, loss rate, the environmental information, and one or more radio link failure (RLF) reports including RLF data, wherein the RLF data comprises one or more of reference signal received power (RSRP) measurements, reference signal received quality (RSRQ) measurements, or radio resource control (RRC) failure events, and wherein the RSRP measurements include location information or the RSRQ measurements include location information.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7, wherein, to correlate the MDT data with the service performance data, the program code, when executed, further causes the CCO component to:

correlate the MDT data with the RLF data and one or more of a number of active UEs in a given area, IP throughput, upload or download PRB usage, packet delay, drop rate, loss rate, or environmental information.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory computer readable media and the one or more processors are implemented in a network management (NM) apparatus.

10. An apparatus to be implemented as a Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO) component, wherein the apparatus is implemented in a network management (NM) computer device, the apparatus comprising:

processor circuitry to;

detect, based on service performance data of a plurality of evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) cells provided by a plurality of evolved nodeBs (eNBs), an area with a decrease of available resources for connectivity to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network,

identify, based on the detected area, a set of eNBs of a plurality of eNBs to perform one or more minimization of drive tests (MDTs), and

determine a coverage area to be adapted based on results of the one or more MDTs; and

communications circuitry coupled with the processor circuitry, the communications circuitry is to;

receive, from the plurality of eNBs, the service performance data,

transmit, to the set of eNBs, a first instruction to perform the one or more MDTs,

receive, from the set of eNBs, the results of the one or more MDTs, and

transmit, to at least one eNB of the set of eNBs, a second instruction to adapt an E-UTRAN cell provided by the eNB to increase resources for connectivity to the LTE network in the determined coverage area.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, when the determined coverage area is located between the E-UTRAN cell and another E-UTRAN cell provided by another eNB, the second instruction is to instruct the at least one eNB to increase a size of the E-UTRAN cell to extend the E-UTRAN cell into the determined coverage area.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, when the determined coverage area is the E-UTRAN cell, the second instruction is to instruct the at least one eNB to increase or decrease capacity of the E-UTRAN cell based on a number of UEs within the E-UTRAN cell.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the communications circuitry and the processor circuitry are implemented in a network management (NM) apparatus.

14. An apparatus to be implemented in an evolved nodeB (eNB), the apparatus comprising:

communications circuitry to;

obtain, from a network management (NM) apparatus, a first instruction to perform one or more minimization of drive tests (MDTs), wherein the first instruction is based on a detected service-deficiency for a coverage area, wherein the coverage area is service-deficient when the coverage area has insufficient signal strength to provide threshold connectivity to a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network,

send, to the NM apparatus, results of the one or more MDTs, and

obtain, from the NM apparatus, a second instruction to adapt an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) cell provided by the eNB; and

processor circuitry to;

initiate performance of the one or more MDTs indicated by the first instruction,

identify MDT results based on the one or more MDTs, and

adapt the E-UTRAN cell provided by the eNB based on the second instruction, wherein adaptation of the E-UTRAN cell is to increase signal strength in the service-deficient coverage area to provide the threshold connectivity to the LTE network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the communications circuitry is to:

send, to a network management (NM) apparatus, service performance data of the E-UTRAN cell provided by the eNB, wherein at least some of the service performance data is provided to the eNB by one or more user equipment (UEs), and

wherein detection of the service-deficient coverage area is based on service performance data collected from a plurality of eNBs.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein to adapt the E-UTRAN cell, the processor circuitry is to:

control alignment of one or more antennas of the eNB;

or

control power output to the one or more antennas.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein to initiate performance of the one or more MDTs, the processor circuitry is to:

instruct the communications circuitry to transmit, to one or more UEs, a third instruction to initiate one or more UE measurement collection processes or one or more UE data logging processes in accordance with the one or more MDTs; and

initiate one or more eNB measurement collection processes or one or more eNB data logging processes in accordance with the one or more MDTs.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein to identify the MDT results based on the one or more MDTs, the processor circuitry is to:

determine the MDT results based on the one or more UE measurement collection processes, the one or more UE data logging processes, the one or more eNB measurement collection processes, and the one or more eNB data logging processes.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein service performance data comprises one or more of a number of active UEs in a given area, internet protocol (IP) throughput, upload or download physical resource block (PRB) usage, packet delay, drop rate, loss rate, environmental information, and one or more radio link failure (RLF) reports including RLF data, wherein the RLF data comprises one or more of reference signal received power (RSRP) measurements, reference signal received quality (RSRQ) measurements, or radio resource control (RRC) failure events, and wherein the RSRP measurements include location information or the RSRQ measurements include location information.