Small cell planning tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706411-B2
Application number	US-201514946679-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for managing deployment of small cells in a wireless telecommunications network. A wireless telecommunications service provider obtains geolocated traffic data associated with the geographic coverage area of its network. The provider utilizes a planning tool to apply a clustering algorithm to the traffic data and identify areas of high traffic density as candidate locations. The planning tool may evaluate the candidate locations against the existing coverage and capacity of the wireless telecommunications network, and may identify solutions for the particular issues identified at the candidate location. The candidate locations, evaluation scores, and identified solutions may be output for display as a map or table, and the tool may automate various aspects of evaluating, recommending, and implementing identified solutions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
obtaining geolocated traffic data corresponding to a geographic coverage area associated with a cellular network;
identifying a cluster within the geolocated traffic data, the cluster corresponding to a region of high traffic density within the geographic coverage area;
identifying a subset of cells providing coverage within the region, wherein identifying the subset is based at least in part on a predicted coverage forecast for each cell within a set of cells associated with the geographic coverage area;
calculating an aggregate score for the cluster, the aggregate score based at least in part on the predicted coverage forecast of each cell within the subset;
obtaining measured coverage data for the region;
determining, based at least in part on the measured coverage data, a solution type for the cluster; and
outputting the cluster, the aggregate score, and the solution type.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein outputting the cluster comprises transmitting instructions to cause a client computing device to display a map of the region corresponding to the cluster.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the map of the region includes at least a portion of the subset of cells providing coverage within the region.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the map of the region includes at least a portion of the geolocated traffic data.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising calculating a proximity score for the cluster, wherein the aggregate score is further based at least in part on the proximity score, and wherein calculating the proximity score comprises:
determining, for each cell within the subset of cells, a respective distance between a location of the cell and the region;
identifying a nearest cell within the subset of cells, wherein the nearest cell is the cell having the smallest distance; and
calculating a score based at least in part on the distance between the nearest cell and the region.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the proximity score corresponds to one of a cell center, an intermediate area, or a cell edge.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising calculating an offload potential for the cluster, wherein the aggregate score is further based at least in part on the offload potential, and wherein calculating the offload potential comprises:
obtaining a respective capacity forecast for each cell within the subset of cells;
determining, for each cell within the subset of cells, a respective offload potential, the offload potential for the cell comprising a percentage of cell site traffic that is offloadable in the region; and
aggregating the respective offload potentials of each cell within the subset of cells to determine the offload potential for the cluster.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining a solution type for the cluster comprises:
calculating, for each cell within the subset of cells, a difference between the predicted coverage forecast for the cell and a respective portion of the measured coverage data corresponding to the cell;
aggregating the differences for each cell to produce a difference between predicted and measured coverage for the region;
identifying a solution category for the cluster based at least in part on the difference between predicted and measured coverage, wherein the solution category comprises one of an indoor category or an outdoor category; and
identifying a solution type, wherein the solution type corresponds to the solution category.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining a solution type for the cluster comprises:
comparing the measured coverage data for the region to a threshold;
determining a site type for the cluster, the site type based at least in part on comparing the measured coverage data to the threshold, wherein the site type comprises at least one of a coverage type or a capacity type; and
identifying a solution type, wherein the solution type corresponds to the site type.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solution type includes at least one of a small cell, a distributed antenna system, a cell split, a microcell, or a picocell.

11. A computer-implemented system comprising:
one or more data stores for storing:
computer-executable instructions,
geolocated traffic data corresponding to a geographic coverage area associated with a cellular network,
a respective predicted coverage forecast for each cell within a set of cells associated with the geographic coverage area, and
measured coverage data corresponding to the geographic coverage area;

a computing device in communication with the one or more data stores that, when executing the computer-executable instructions, is configured to:
identify a first cluster within the geolocated traffic data, the first cluster corresponding to a first region of high traffic density within the geographic coverage area;
identify a first subset of cells providing coverage within the first region, based at least in part on the predicted coverage forecast for each cell within the set of cells;
calculate a first aggregate score for the first cluster based at least in part on the predictive coverage forecast for each cell within the first subset of cells;
analyze the measured coverage data corresponding to the geographic coverage area to identify measured coverage data for the first region;
determine, based at least in part on the measured coverage data for the first region, a first solution type for the first cluster; and
output the first cluster, the first aggregate score, and the first solution type.

12. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the computing device configured to output the first cluster is configured to transmit instructions that cause a client computing device to display a map of the first region.

13. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
identify a second cluster within the geolocated traffic data, the second geographic cluster corresponding to a second region of high traffic density within the geographic service area;
identify a second subset of cells providing coverage within the second region, based at least in part on the predicted coverage forecast for each cell within the set of cells;
calculate a second aggregate score for the second cluster based at least in part on the predictive coverage forecast for each cell within the second subset of cells; and
determine that the first aggregate score is greater than the second aggregate score,
wherein output of the first geographic cluster, the first aggregate score, and the first solution type is responsive to the determination that the first aggregate score is greater than the second aggregate score.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first region overlaps the second region.

15. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the computing device is further configured to output the second cluster and the second aggregate score.

16. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
analyze the measured coverage data for corresponding to the geographic coverage area to identify measured coverage data for the second region;
determine, based at least in part on the measured coverage data for the second region, a second solution type for the second cluster; and
output the second geographic cluster, the second aggregate score, and the second solution type.

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Goswami Dibyendu Kumar
• Chorney Christopher Peter
• Silveira Anthony J

Classifications

• H04W16/18 Primary

  Network planning tools · CPC title

• H04W16/04 Primary

  Traffic adaptive resource partitioning · CPC title

• H04W24/08

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title

• H04W84/045

  using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B · CPC title