UAV Network Repair Automation for Radio Access Failures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Radio access networks experiencing failures require costly and time-consuming human intervention for repairs, which disrupt customer service.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for automated repair and replacement of network components, guided by a Service and Management Orchestration layer that includes AI/ML for failure analysis and drone control, enabling autonomous repair procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If human technicians are dispatched to repair network failures, then repair capability is ensured, but repair time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reliabilityVSAvoidrepair time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service through automated failure detection, diagnosis, and repair execution. The processing system automatically detects failures, determines failure locations and causes, selects appropriate repair procedures, and executes them without human intervention, allowing the network to repair itself rapidly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of human technicians physically traveling to failure locations with an automated information processing system that uses electronic data transmission and automated control to diagnose and repair failures remotely, eliminating the need for physical dispatch

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If human technicians are dispatched to repair network failures, then repair capability is ensured, but maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reliabilityVSAvoidmaintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If automated repair systems are implemented, then repair speed and cost efficiency improve, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverepair efficiencyVSAvoidautomation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated repair system is segmented into distinct functional modules: failure detection module, failure analysis module, procedure selection module, and repair execution module. Each module handles a specific aspect of the repair process, making the complex automation task manageable and maintainable through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The processing system acts as an intermediary between network failures and repair actions. It receives failure information from the network, processes this information through automated analysis, determines appropriate repair procedures, and executes them, serving as an intelligent mediator that simplifies the overall system architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If more human intervention is used for network repairs, then repair accuracy improves, but customer service disruption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailure diagnosis accuracyVSAvoidcustomer service disruption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The automated system enables continuous monitoring and immediate repair execution without the interruptions inherent in human dispatch processes. The system continuously detects failures, immediately analyzes them, and continuously executes repairs, maintaining uninterrupted useful action throughout the repair process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12526660B2Radio network automation using unmanned aerial vehicles

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system determines a location of a failure in a communication network and a cause of the failure. If the failure cannot be resolved using a recovery feature of the network, the processing system identifies a recovery procedure for resolving the failure, and dispatches an automated vehicle to the failure location; the vehicle is provided with instructions for performing the recovery procedure, which may include replacement of a hardware component of the network. The operations also include determining whether the recovery procedure is successful; if the recovery procedure is not successful, the processing system obtains information via the vehicle regarding the failure, to facilitate human intervention to resolve the failure. Other embodiments are disclosed.