Network management apparatus and method of selecting base station for software update

• US 20070021116A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bing-Huan Lee, Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Communication Technologies, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kurata, Ryosuke, Okita, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/428
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A network management apparatus inputs a plurality of work dates and time periods to update software in a base station. The apparatus obtains an n-week average of the numbers of connection calls during each of the input time periods for each day of the week, based on statistical information about connection with a wireless terminal in each base station. The apparatus obtains an m-month average of the numbers of connection calls during each of the input time periods for each date, based on the statistical information. The apparatus calculates, for each of the time periods for a work date, an average or a weighted average of the n-week average and the m-month average to obtain a degree of impact upon a communication service. A processing section selects a work date and a time period having the minimum degree of impact and updates the software.

Claims

1. A network management apparatus in a wireless communication network, which comprises a wireless base station for performing communication between a wireless terminal and a wired communication network and, the network management apparatus for managing a network, the network management apparatus comprising:

a storage section stored in advance number of calls of connection with the wireless terminal in the wireless base station in association with a date, a day of the week, and a time period; and

a processing section for selecting a date and a time period when software is updated in the wireless base station,

wherein the processing section

inputs a plurality of work dates and time periods when the software is updated in the wireless base station,

obtains an n-week average of the numbers of connection calls occurring during each input time period for each day of the week, based on the number of connection calls stored in the storage section, where n is a predetermined integer,

obtains an m-month average of the numbers of connection calls occurring during each input time period for each stored date, based on the number of connection calls stored in the storage section, where m is a predetermined integer,

calculates an average or a weighted average of the n-week average corresponding to each time period and the day of the week of each input work date and the m-month average corresponding to each time period and each input work date to obtain a degree of impact representing an impact caused by software update upon a communication service,

selects a work date and a time period with the minimum degree of impact or with a degree of impact equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold, and

updates the software installed in the wireless base station during the selected time period on the selected work date.

2. A network management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storage section stored in advance neighbor identifiers for identifying wireless base stations adjacent to the wireless base station in association with an apparatus identifier for identifying the wireless base station, and

the processing section

obtains the degree of impact for each of a plurality of wireless base stations for which software is to be updated and selects a work date and a time period corresponding to the minimum degree of impact, and

identifies a wireless base station adjacent to each wireless base station by referring to the storage section and adjusts the selected work date and time period of the adjacent wireless base station so as not to be the same as those of the wireless base station.

3. A network management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

if the same work date and the same time period are selected for the adjacent wireless base station, the processing section compares the degree of impact between the wireless base station and the adjacent wireless base station and selects again, for the wireless base station having a lower degree of impact, a work date and a time period corresponding to the next lowest degree of impact or to a degree of impact equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold.

4. A network management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing section obtains the degree of impact based on an expression:

degree-of-impact={(n×

n-week average)+(m×

m-month average)}/(n+m)

where, n and m are predetermined integers.

5. A network management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing section obtains the degree of impact based on an expression:

degree-of-impact={(a×

n×

n-week average)+(b×

m×

m-month average)}/(n+m)

where, a and b are predetermined weighting factors.

6. A network management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing section transmits software and an update request used for update according to the selected work date and time period to the wireless base station and updates the software installed in the wireless base station to the transmitted software.

7. A network management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a day-of-week call table storing an n-week average corresponding to a day of the week and a time period;

a daily call table storing an m-month average corresponding to a date and a time period;

an impact table storing a degree of impact corresponding to a work date and a time period; and

an adjustment table storing a work date and a time period corresponding to an identifier of a wireless base station,

wherein the processing section

stores the obtained n-week average in the day-of-week call table for each day of the week and time period,

stores the obtained m-month average in the daily call table for each date and time period,

stores the obtained degree of impact in the impact table for each work date and time period, and

stores the selected work date and time period in the adjustment table in association with an identifier of the wireless base station.

8. A method of selecting a wireless base station to update software installed in the wireless base station at a selected time period on a selected date, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting a plurality of work dates and time periods when the software of the wireless base station is updated;

obtaining an n-week average of the numbers of connection calls occurring during each of the input time periods for each day of the week, based on the number of calls of connection with a wireless terminal in the wireless base station, corresponding to each date, day of the week, and time period, where n is a predetermined integer;

obtaining an m-month average of the numbers of connection calls occurring during each of the input time periods for each date, based on the number of connection calls, where m is a predetermined integer;

calculating an average or a weighted average of the n-week average corresponding to each time period and the day of the week of each input work date and the m-month average corresponding to each time period and each input work date to obtain a degree of impact representing an impact caused by software update upon a communication service; and

selecting a work date and a time period having the minimum degree of impact.