Cellular Network Health Checks Using Bitmap Change Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network health check systems struggle to efficiently identify and remediate issues in cellular service networks due to the complexity and dynamic nature of radio access and core networks, often leading to obscured problems that are difficult to detect and address.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the generation of bitmaps to indicate pass or fail results for health check tests, followed by a data integrity function to compare these bitmaps over time, allowing detection of network problems through checksums or hashes to identify discrepancies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional network health check methods are used, then network monitoring is performed, but network problems are difficult to detect and remediate due to complexity and dynamic nature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network health check results into bitmap representations, where each bit corresponds to a specific health check test. This segmentation transforms complex network state data into discrete, comparable units that can be efficiently monitored and analyzed over time, making subtle changes detectable despite network complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by generating bitmaps at multiple time points and executing data integrity functions on these bitmaps before actual problem detection is needed. This allows the system to establish baseline states and detect deviations proactively, enabling earlier remediation of network issues
2Measurement precision
If detailed health check tests are performed, then network status is monitored, but subtle changes are obscured by the complexity of the data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified copies of complex network health data in the form of bitmaps. Each bitmap is a compact representation that preserves the essential state information while eliminating extraneous complexity. These copies can be stored, compared, and analyzed efficiently without losing the ability to detect subtle changes through data integrity functions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from detailed textual or numerical health check results to binary bitmap parameters. This transformation enables more efficient storage, comparison, and analysis while maintaining the precision needed to detect subtle network state changes through cryptographic hash functions
3Reliability
If manual monitoring and analysis of health check results is performed, then network issues can be identified, but maintenance efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling automated comparison of bitmap states using data integrity functions. The system automatically detects discrepancies between bitmaps from different time points and triggers remediation processes without human intervention, significantly improving maintenance efficiency while maintaining reliable monitoring through systematic analysis
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed method may include (i) generating, at a first time, a first bitmap where each bit of the first bitmap indicates a pass or fail for a respective health check test in a series of health check tests testing a cellular service network, (ii) generating, at a second time, a second bitmap where each bit of the second bitmap indicates a pass or fail for a corresponding respective health check test in the same series of health check tests testing the cellular service network, and (iii) remediating a network problem indicated by detecting that a first result of a data integrity function executed on the first bitmap does not match a second result of the same data integrity function executed on the second bitmap.