Coordination of capacity and coverage optimization of self-organizing networks

• US 9,999,023 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Chou, Joey
• Primary Examiner(s): Alia, Curtis A
• Application Number:
  US14/765,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0486 taking channel rank into account
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/12 Arrangements providing for calling or supervisory signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/184 with heterogeneous receivers, e.g. layered multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03 Shaping networks in transmitter or receiver, e.g. adaptive shaping networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0037 Inter-user or inter-terminal allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• 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 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/165 : for reducing network power consumption H04W36/18 - H04W36/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 : for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 : using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 : Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 : based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 : Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/543 : based on requested quality, e.g. QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 : based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 : Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 : Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• 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: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a self-optimizing network (SON) coordination module that includes a conflict detection module configured to receive operational information from at least one capacity and coverage optimization (CCO) module and at least one of an energy savings management (ESM) and/or a cell outage compensation (COC) module, wherein the at least one CCO module and the at least one of the ESM module and/or the COC module are associated with at least one eNodeB (eNB) in communication with the conflict detection module. The conflict detection module is configured to determine a conflict between operational information of the CCO module and at least one of the ESM module and/or the COC module. The SON coordination module also includes a conflict resolution module configured to resolve a conflict between the operational information of the CCO module and at least one of the ESM module and/or the COC module based on, at least in part, one or more conflict resolution rules.

Claims

1. A self-organizing network (SON) coordination apparatus, comprising:

a conflict detection circuit to receive first operational information from a capacity and coverage optimization (CCO) circuit and to receive second operational information from an energy savings management (ESM) or a cell outage compensation (COC) circuit, wherein the CCO circuit and the ESM circuit or the COC circuit are associated with an eNodeB (eNB), the eNB to communicate with the conflict detection circuit;

the conflict detection circuit to determine a conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit; and

a conflict resolution circuit to resolve a conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit;

wherein the first operational information of the CCO circuit comprises a status indicator.

2. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the status indicator is to indicate that the CCO circuit is in an active state or a passive state, the active state associated with performance of an SON operation, the passive state associated with completion of an SON operation.

3. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CCO circuit is to maximize the coverage area of a cell covered by the eNB and maximize the number of User Equipments (UEs) within a cell covered by the eNB based on, at least in part, downlink transmit power, antenna tilt or antenna azimuth of the cell.

4. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the COC circuit is to compensate for an outage of a cell covered by the eNB.

5. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ESM circuit is to expand coverage of a cell associated with the eNB to compensate for a neighboring cell in an energy saving state.

6. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conflict resolution circuit to resolve the conflict based on, at least in part, one or more conflict resolution rules.

7. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 6, wherein the conflict resolution rules are based on, at least in part, a priority of functions associated with the CCO circuit and the COC circuit or the ESM circuit.

8. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conflict detection circuit or the conflict resolution circuit are associated with a network manager (NM) system, the NM system to communicate with the eNB.

9. The SON coordination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conflict detection circuit or the conflict resolution circuit are associated with an element manager (EM) system, the EM system to communicate with the eNB.

10. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor result in the following operations for self-organizing network (SON) coordination, the operations comprising:

receiving first operational information from a capacity and coverage optimization (CCO) circuit and receiving second operational information from an energy savings management (ESM) or a cell outage compensation (COC) circuit, wherein the CCO circuit and the ESM circuit or the COC circuit are associated with eNodeB (eNB);

determining a conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit; and

resolving a conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit based on, at least in part, one or more conflict resolution rules or a functional state of the CCO circuit, ESM circuit or COC circuit;

wherein the received first operational information comprises a status indicator.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the status indicator is to indicate that the CCO circuit is in an active state or a passive state, the active state associated with performance of an SON operation, the passive state associated with completion of an SON operation.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising the operations of maximizing, by the CCO circuit, a coverage area of a cell covered by the eNB and maximizing the number of User Equipments (UEs) within a cell covered by the eNB based on, at least in part, downlink transmit power, antenna tilt or antenna azimuth of the cell.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising the operation of compensating, by the COC circuit, for an outage of a cell covered by the eNB.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising the operation of controlling, by the ESM circuit, to expand coverage of a cell associated with the eNB to compensate for a neighboring cell in an energy saving state.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the conflict resolution rules are based on, at least in part, a priority of functions associated with the CCO circuit and the COC circuit or the ESM circuit.

16. An eNodeB (eNB) apparatus, comprising:

a capacity and coverage optimization (CCO) circuit to maximize the coverage area of a cell covered by the eNB and maximize the number of User Equipments (UEs) within the cell covered by the eNB based on, at least in part, downlink transmit power, antenna tilt or antenna azimuth of the cell; and

one of;

an energy savings management (ESM) circuit to control an energy saving state of a cell covered by the eNB;

or

a cell outage compensation (COC) circuit to compensate for an outage of a cell covered by the eNB;

wherein the CCO circuit is to transmit first operational information to a network manager (NM) and the ESM circuit or the COC circuit is to transmit second operational information to the NM, the NM to communicate with the eNB;

wherein the first operational information of the CCO circuit comprises a status indicator.

17. The eNB apparatus of claim 16, wherein the NM is to determine a conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit and to resolve the conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit, based on, at least in part, one or more conflict resolution rules.

18. The eNB apparatus of claim 17, wherein the status indicator indicates whether the CCO circuit is in an active state or a passive state, the active state associated with performance of an SON operation, the passive state associated with completion of an SON operation.

19. The eNB apparatus of claim 16, wherein the conflict resolution rules are based on, at least in part, a priority of functions associated with the CCO circuit and the COC circuit or the ESM circuit.

20. The eNB apparatus of claim 16, wherein the eNB apparatus is included in an eNB system, the eNB system further comprising an antenna.

21. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor result in the following operations for eNodeB (eNB) conflict resolution, the operations comprising:

maximizing the coverage area of a cell covered by the eNB and maximizing the number of User Equipments (UEs) within the cell covered by the eNB, by a capacity and coverage optimization (CCO) circuit, based on, at least in part, downlink transmit power, antenna tilt or antenna azimuth of the cell;

controlling, by an energy savings management (ESM) circuit, an energy saving state of a cell covered by the eNB;

compensating, by a cell outage compensation (COC) circuit, for an outage of a cell covered by the eNB;

transmitting first operational information associated with the CCO circuit to a network manager (NM), the NM to communicate with the eNB; and

transmitting second operational information associated with the ESM circuit or the COC circuit to the NM;

wherein the first operational information of the CCO circuit comprises a status indicator.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the NM is to determine a conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit and to resolve the conflict between the first operational information of the CCO circuit and the second operational information of the ESM circuit or the COC circuit, based on, at least in part, one or more conflict resolution rules.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the status indicator indicates whether the CCO circuit is in an active state or a passive state, the active state associated with performance of an SON operation, the passive state associated with completion of an SON operation.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the conflict resolution rules are based on, at least in part, a priority of functions associated with the CCO circuit, and the COC circuit or the ESM circuit.