System and method for radio frequency (rf) network design with data intake tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024365132-A1
Application number	US-202418767804-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2024
Priority date	Aug 19, 2020
Publication date	Oct 31, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, devices and processes are provided to improve the design and implementation of radio frequency (RF) communication networks. Specifically, these various embodiments improve the likelihood of a successful RF network design by identifying and preferentially utilizing RF transmission sites having a relatively high probability of being successfully incorporated into the RF network. These various embodiments provide a site qualification database that includes site data for a plurality of RF transmission sites. When so implemented, the site qualification database is utilized to analyze the site data and generate a plurality of site scores for the corresponding RF transmission site, which can then be utilized in an RF analysis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A radio frequency (RF) network design method, the RF network design method comprising:
providing a site data intake tool to a provider of RF transmission site data, the site data intake tool including a plurality of site data fields for receiving a plurality of site data elements, wherein the plurality of site data elements corresponds to a group of RF transmission sites; receiving the site data intake tool from the provider of RF transmission site data, the received site data intake tool including the plurality of site data elements; analyzing the plurality of site data elements to generate a plurality of site scores, wherein each site score corresponds to one of the RF transmission sites in the group of RF transmission sites; and generating an RF network design by performing an RF analysis based on the site score of each of the RF transmission sites to preferentially utilize RF transmission sites having a suitable site score.

2 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein the provider of RF transmission site data comprises at least one selected from the group of a transmission site vendor and a transmission site broker.

3 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein the site data fields include a field for at least one selected from the group of ownership data, regulatory data, tower structural data, transport data, and power data.

4 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein the providing a site data intake tool comprises providing a separate site data intake tool for transmission towers and rooftop transmission sites.

5 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein:
providing the site data intake tool to the provider of RF transmission site data comprises providing the site data tool to a plurality of providers of RF transmission site data, wherein each plurality of site data elements corresponds to one of a group of RF transmission sites available from a corresponding provider of RF transmission site data; receiving the site data intake tool comprises receiving the site data intake tool from each of the plurality of providers of RF transmission site data; and analyzing the plurality of site data elements comprises generating a site score for each RF transmission site in each group of RF transmission sites.

6 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein the site data intake tool validates site data elements entered by the provider of RF transmission site data by at least one selected from the group of enforcing predetermined data types on the site data elements and enforcing predetermined data ranges on the site data elements.

7 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the site data elements to generate the plurality of site scores comprises differentially weighing different data types in the site data elements for each of the plurality of RF transmission sites.

8 . The RF network design method of claim 7 , wherein differentially weighing different data types in the site data elements comprises applying a plurality of weighing factors to the plurality of site data elements, wherein each weighing factor corresponds to a relative importance of the corresponding site data field.

9 . The RF network design method of claim 1 , wherein preferentially utilizing RF transmission sites having a suitable site score comprises preferentially utilizing RF transmission sites having a site score beyond a first threshold value.

10 . A radio frequency (RF) network design system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the RF network design system performs operations in response to the processor executing instructions stored in the memory, the operations comprising:
providing a site data intake tool to a provider of RF transmission site data, the site data intake tool including a plurality of site data fields for receiving a plurality of site data elements, wherein the plurality of site data elements corresponds to a group of RF transmission sites; receiving the site data intake tool from the provider of RF transmission site data, the received site data intake tool including the plurality of site data elements; analyzing the plurality of site data elements to generate a plurality of site scores, wherein each site score corresponds to one of the RF transmission sites in the group of RF transmission sites; and generating, by the RF network design system, an RF network design by performing an RF analysis based on the site score of each of the RF transmission sites to preferentially utilize RF transmission sites having a suitable site score.

11 . The RF network design system of claim 10 , wherein the provider of RF transmission site data comprises at least one selected from the group of a transmission site vendor and a transmission site broker.

12 . The RF network design system of claim 10 , wherein the site data fields include a field for at least one selected from the group of ownership data, regulatory data, tower structural data, transport data, and power data.

13 . The RF network design system of claim 10 , wherein the analyzing the site data elements to generate the plurality of site scores comprises differentially weighing different data types in the site data elements for each of the plurality of RF transmission sites.

14 . The RF network design system of claim 13 , wherein differentially weighing different data types in the site data elements comprises applying a plurality of weighing factors to the plurality of site data elements, wherein each weighing factor corresponds to a relative importance of the corresponding site data field.

15 . The RF network design system of claim 10 , wherein preferentially utilizing RF transmission sites having a suitable site score comprises preferentially utilizing RF transmission sites having a site score beyond a first threshold value.

16 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor; a memory coupled to the processor; and a program residing in the memory and being executed by the processor, the program including:
a site data intake tool, the site data intake tool including a plurality of site data fields, the plurality of site data fields configured to receive a plurality of site data elements from a provider of radio frequency (RF) transmission site data, wherein the plurality of site data elements corresponds to a group of RF transmission sites for which the provider has access; and
a site viability program, the site viability program configured to analyze the received site data elements from the site data intake tool to generate a plurality of site scores, wherein each site score corresponds to one of the RF transmission sites in the group of RF transmission sites, the site viability program further configured generate an RF network design by performing an RF analysis based on the site score of each of the RF transmission sites to preferentially utilize RF transmission sites having a suitable site score.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the provider of RF transmission site data comprises at least one selected from the group of a transmission site vendor and a transmission site broker.

18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the site data fields include a field for at least one selected from the group of ownership data, regulatory data, tower structural data, transport data, and power data.

19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the site viability program is configured to analyze the site data elements to generate the plurality of site scores by differentially weighing diffe

Assignees

• Dish Wireless Llc

Inventors

• Stevens John
• Louie Amanda
• Crofford Jon
• Bailey Troy
• Mcgarey Mark
• Cole Brad
• Black Kevin
• Edwards Zane
• Frishman Michael

Classifications

• H04B17/382

  for resource allocation, admission control or handover · CPC title

• H04B17/336

  Signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] · CPC title

• H04L41/145 Primary

  involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04W24/04

  Arrangements for maintaining operational condition · CPC title