Cellular Coverage Orchestrator for Inter-Frequency Tilt Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of cellular networks with multiple frequency layers, radio access technologies, and cell types poses challenges in maintaining adequate signal coverage, particularly with the introduction of new radio access technologies like 5G/NR, where radio frequency shaping becomes more difficult due to disparities in signal strength and coverage between different frequency bands and technologies.
Innovation Solution
A self-organizing network system that uses intelligence from network data and topology to auto-detect coverage disparities between cells operating on different frequency bands, adjusts antenna tilt to optimize signal coverage, and applies contextual optimization policies to improve coverage parity, enabling better performance and adaptation to network changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If remote electrical tilt device optimization is used to improve coverage, then signal coverage for a single cell is improved, but the system becomes more complex and requires manual intervention for each cell adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-organizing networks where the orchestrator automatically detects coverage disparities between cells and triggers remote electrical tilt device adjustments without manual network operator intervention. The automated coverage detection and optimization process allows the network to self-optimize coverage conditions by automatically identifying cells with poor coverage and adjusting their tilt parameters accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into a centralized coverage orchestrator that handles coverage detection, disparity analysis, and optimization coordination across multiple cells simultaneously. This consolidation replaces the traditional approach of manually managing each cell's coverage separately, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective coverage optimization.
2Reliability
If multiple cells are deployed in a coverage area to provide diverse coverage, then coverage reliability is improved, but coverage disparity and interference between cells increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors signal coverage conditions across multiple cells and uses this feedback to detect coverage disparities. When disparities are detected between co-located cells, the orchestrator automatically triggers adjustments to remote electrical tilt devices to balance coverage, thereby reducing interference while maintaining the benefits of multi-cell deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different optimization strategies to different cells based on their specific coverage conditions. The system identifies individual cells with poor coverage or excessive overlap and applies targeted adjustments to those specific cells rather than uniformly adjusting all cells, thereby reducing overall coverage disparity while preserving the diversity benefits of multiple cells.
3Adaptability or versatility
If 5G/NR radio access technology is deployed alongside LTE, then network capability is enhanced, but signal strength and coverage disparity between technologies increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coverage orchestrator is designed to universally manage coverage for multiple radio access technologies (LTE and 5G/NR) simultaneously. It detects and optimizes coverage disparities across different technologies using a unified approach, enabling the network to maintain coverage parity between legacy and new technologies while preserving the enhanced capability provided by 5G/NR deployment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution maximizes cellular network performance, enhances user experience, improves traffic load distribution, and facilitates effective carrier aggregation and 5G anchoring by automatically detecting and optimizing coverage disparities between existing and new radio access technologies.
Implementation Method 1
A transmission point, such as a cell tower, transmits signals
Implementation Method 2
a remote electrical tilt device is up tilted to assist with improvement of the identified poor coverage area
Data Source
AI summary
A method at a network node for compensating for inter-frequency coverage disparity between multiple cells operating across a coverage area of a wireless communications network. The method determines a disparity in signal coverage over the coverage area between a first cell and a second cell, wherein the first cell operates at a different frequency spectrum or frequency band from the second cell and wherein the network node determines the disparity in signal coverage by analyzing network data collected for the first and second cells. The method determines when the disparity in signal coverage meets a set criterion; and when the disparity in signal coverage meets the set criterion, adjusting coverage shape of one of the first cell and the second cell over the coverage area to reduce the disparity, wherein the adjusting of the coverage shape is performed by tilting signal coverage of the antenna at the transmission point.