Self-Organizing Network Topology Enhancement via Segmentation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current self-organizing network (SON) systems are limited in improving network performance for both radio access and backhaul networks due to lack of comprehensive network topology information, including usage, configuration, geographical distribution, Quality of Service (QoS) indicators, and subscriber information, which prevents optimal network resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

The SON system collects and enhances network topology information by identifying physical and virtual links, usage patterns, and geographical data to improve network configuration, fault detection, and resource allocation, allowing for dynamic reconfiguration of network parameters to enhance performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the SON system collects and enhances comprehensive network topology information including usage, configuration, geographical distribution, QoS indicators, and subscriber information, then network performance and resource utilization are optimized, but system complexity and information processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork performanceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments network topology information into multiple categories including physical topology, usage information, configuration information, geographical distribution, QoS indicators, and subscriber information. This segmentation allows the SON system to process and manage comprehensive network data in organized modules, resolving the contradiction between collecting complete information and managing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a network information database as an intermediary component that stores and manages enhanced network topology information. This database acts as a mediator between various network elements and the SON system, centralizing information processing and reducing the complexity burden on individual system components while enabling comprehensive network performance optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the SON system identifies physical and virtual links along with usage patterns and geographical data, then network configuration and resource allocation are improved, but information collection and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork configurationVSAvoidinformation collection requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple types of network information including physical topology, virtual links, usage patterns, and geographical data into a unified enhanced network topology information structure. This consolidation improves network configuration adaptability by providing a comprehensive view while reducing redundant information collection efforts through centralized processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary information collection and enhancement processes that gather comprehensive network topology data before SON operations commence. By pre-processing and organizing network information including usage patterns and geographical data, the system reduces real-time information processing requirements and enables faster adaptive network configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the SON system processes enhanced network topology information to optimize resource utilization, then network efficiency improves, but processor and storage resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork efficiencyVSAvoidprocessor and storage resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality optimization by processing enhanced network topology information at distributed network elements rather than centralizing all processing. Each network element processes relevant local information and contributes to overall network optimization, improving network efficiency while distributing computational and storage resource consumption across the network infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3163936B1Enhancing network topology information for a self-organizing network
Publication Date: 2019.03.06 VIAVI SOLUTIONS UK LTD
  • EP3163936B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3163936B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3163936B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

A device may obtain network topology information that identifies a set of nodes of a network and one or more physical links between nodes of the set of nodes. The set of nodes may include one or more base stations, one or more mobile devices, and one or more network resources. The device may determine enhancement information based on location information identifying a location of one or more of the set of nodes, and subscriber information identifying one or more subscribers associated with one or more of the set of nodes. The device may determine network performance information based on the enhancement information. The network performance information may identify an impairment in performance of the set of nodes, and may identify a modification to a network parameter to improve performance of the set of nodes. The device may provide the network performance information to cause a change in the network.