Estimating Cellular Site Locations in Roaming Networks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular network technologies fail to determine the location of cellular sites used by mobile devices when they roam onto a different network, hindering coverage planning and optimization.
Innovation Solution
A computerized method that collects and analyzes data metrics from user devices during roaming, filters them to identify the roaming carrier network, groups the data by cell, and estimates the location of cellular sites using signal source determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mobile devices roam onto a different network, then communication coverage is extended, but the ability to determine cellular site locations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses signal strength measurements from multiple mobile devices as an intermediary to indirectly determine cellular site locations. Instead of directly obtaining location data from the roaming network, the system collects signal metrics (RSRP, RSRQ) from user devices and uses these measurements to triangulate and estimate base station positions, thereby recovering location information that would otherwise be unavailable during roaming.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by collecting signal strength data from mobile devices and using it to continuously refine estimates of cellular site locations. The measured signal parameters are fed back into the location estimation algorithm, allowing the system to iteratively improve accuracy of base station positioning even while roaming on external networks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cellular site locations in roaming networks are unknown, then network interoperability is achieved, but coverage planning and optimization become impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary location estimation by collecting and analyzing signal strength data from mobile devices before formal coverage planning activities. By pre-establishing a database of estimated cellular site locations through passive measurement collection during roaming, the system prepares location information in advance, enabling subsequent coverage planning and optimization to proceed efficiently without requiring real-time network cooperation.
3Measurement precision
If data is collected from multiple user devices, then location estimation accuracy is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges data from multiple user devices by aggregating signal strength measurements (RSRP, RSRQ) and combining location estimates from different devices. The system consolidates these individual measurements into a unified location estimation for each cellular site, using the collective data to improve accuracy while managing processing complexity through centralized data fusion rather than individual device processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Solutions for estimating a cellular site location, for example in a roaming network, includes receiving data metrics from a plurality of user devices corresponding to communications using a roaming carrier network, wherein the data metrics are stored on the plurality of user devices during the communication using the roaming carrier network, and the data metrics are received using a home carrier network. The received data metrics is filtered to identify the roaming carrier network and the filtered data metrics group corresponding to a cell within the roaming carrier network. A source of a signal corresponding to the cell is determine and the location of the cellular site corresponding the source of the signal estimated.