Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Emergency or alarm communication
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-22
2001-01-09
Hunter, Daniel S. (Department: 2749)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Emergency or alarm communication
C455S404200, C455S422100, C455S423000, C455S449000, C455S450000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173168
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the mobile radio communications field and, in particular, to a method and system for recovering from cell outages in a mobile radio communications network.
2. Description of Related Art
From time to time, the radio coverage for one or more cells in a cellular network has to be restored. For example, a cell can be made inoperative because of a software or hardware failure in a base station or transceiver unit that creates and defines that cell. As such, in order to minimize the negative impact on network traffic due to these inoperative cells, it is an important network objective to restore service in these cells in an optimum manner.
Typical network switching systems where such cell outages occur are in mobile services switching centers (MSCs) or radio network controllers (RNCs). Currently, only a relatively small number of these switching systems can control up to a few hundred cells at a time, which essentially has limited the negative impact of the inoperative cells, and thus, the extent of the recovery required. However, as vendors are now producing much higher-capacity switches (e.g., capable of controlling several hundred cells/transceivers), the problem of how to optimally restore service for the potentially much larger numbers of inoperative cells poses a more difficult design challenge.
A number of existing and planned network cell recovery techniques are optimized for greater coverage. In other words, during the initial recovery phase, only one or a few channels are brought into service in each cell. During the next phase, more channels are restored in each cell, and so on, until the cell recovery operation is complete. As such, this gradual recovery approach works adequately during low traffic periods (e.g., at night). However, this gradual recovery technique is much less effective during periods of high traffic, or when a number of the cells differ in terms of traffic demand and/or general importance.
Other existing and planned network cell recovery techniques are based on prioritization of the cells. In other words, some (e.g., higher priority) cells are restored more or less completely, and then the lower priority cells are restored. This priority recovery technique is less effective during low traffic periods (typically when most cell recovery operations are scheduled). For example, there is little point in restoring 40 channels per cell during the night (low traffic period). This shortcoming of the priority recovery technique becomes more evident, if for example, an emergency call cannot be processed in a lower priority cell which has not yet been restored. Essentially, the existing and planned network cell recovery techniques afford less network availability than operators require. However, as described in detail below, the present invention successfully resolves these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a method and system are provided for more effectively restoring cells in a radio communications network, whereby the current traffic conditions are taken into account. The present invention can be implemented in a number of ways. For example, if a network operator desires to prioritize recovery on a cell-by-cell basis, the order of prioritization can be overlaid on the inventive method (e.g., for all “priority 1” cells, the present method will be used to select a cell recovery order). Alternatively, the inventive method can be overlaid on an operator's order of prioritization (e.g., for all cells that are classified most urgent according to the inventive method, the operator's priorities will be used to select the cell recovery order). As another example, if a hierarchical (overlaid/underlaid) cell structure is in use, the underlaid cells can be selected for recovery during the initial recovery operation (e.g., for a speedier recovery). Also, a recovery order sequence can be used to select certain cells from within the group of underlaid cells. As such, in accordance with the present invention, the radio network's recovery can be optimized by taking into account the actual traffic requirements in the network, or in the node and/or cells involved.
An important technical advantage of the present invention is that network cell recovery can be optimized, because the actual traffic conditions in the network are taken into account.
Another important technical advantage of the present invention is that network recovery speed can be increased over conventional techniques.
Still another important technical advantage of the present invention is that service availability as perceived by the end user during different traffic conditions, can be maximized.
Yet another important technical advantage of the present invention is that loss of traffic is minimized, which in turn, minimizes revenue losses for operators.
Still another important technical advantage of the present invention is that the recovery of certain channels to handle more important services (e.g., emergency calls) can be prioritized.
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Redmondino G et al., “An expert system for radio mobile network monitoring”, vol. 3 of 3; pp. 1885-1889; Iee International Conference on Communications '93, Geneve, May 23-26, 1993.*
Hunter Daniel S.
Jenkens & Gilchrist
N Meliss Zewdu
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
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