BRPI0419165B1 - Process for planning a communications network and computer readable storage media - Google Patents

Description

(54) Title: PROCESS FOR PLANNING A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, AND, LEGIBLE STORAGE MEANS BY COMPUTER (51) lnt.CI .: H04W 16/18 (73) Holder (s): TELECOM ITALIA S.P.A.

(72) Inventor (s): INDRO FRANCALANCI; MASSIMILIANO PANIC (85) Date of the Beginning of the National Stage: 05/09/2007

1/23 “PROCESS FOR PLANNING A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, AND,

LEGIBLE STORAGE MEDIA BY COMPUTER ”

Field of the invention [0001] The present invention relates to techniques for producing communications networks, such as networks comprising a plurality of cells arranged over a given territory or area.

[0002] The invention was developed with specific attention to its possible application to mobile radio networks. The invention can be applied, with a particular advantage, to third generation mobile networks, for example, according to the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) standard, which uses a radio interface based on the CDMA (Multiple Access technique) by Code Division).

[0003] In any case, the reference to this particular field of application should not be understood in a biting sense for the scope of the invention.

Description of the Prior Art [0004] Mobile telecommunications networks are usually arranged according to a cellular structure and comprise a plurability of cells, each defined as the set of points (pixel) of territory served by the radio-electric signal radiated from an antenna. Among the known cellular networks, the networks that use the CDMA technique have the peculiarity that the same frequency band (or “channel”) can be reused in several cells. Therefore, the transition from a mobile terminal from one cell to another contiguous cell (called control transfer) can be managed using the same frequency, according to a mechanism called smooth control transfer. This mechanism provides that, in particular areas, called transfer areas of smooth control or macro-diversity, the mobile terminal is able to decode the signals and, therefore, exchange information with many antennas and,

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2/23 consequently, with many Base Radio Stations (BRS).

[0005] Obviously, the location of macro-diversity areas, and their measurement, are highly important factors for the correct measurement operation of the cell device: a mobile terminal in macro-diversity, in fact, uses resources from all stations base radio with which it is simultaneously connected, therefore, more resources than are actually needed to enable communication.

[0006] An additional peculiarity of UMTS networks is that these networks are adapted to provide a plurality of different services, such as, for example, telephony, fax, video-telephony, Internet access, data transfer continuously and so on. onwards. Each of these services generally has characteristics in terms of speed (number of bits per second) and traffic (quantity, symmetrical or asymmetrical) that are specific to the service under examination.

[0007] The cell measurement should, therefore, take into account together the characteristics of each service and the possible associations of the services on a unitary radio bearer, as provided in accordance with the CDMA access technique.

[0008] Like any mobile cellular radio system, the UMTS network also provides irradiation control channels common throughout the cell area. These channels contain system information, which is necessary for the radio device (receivers).

[0009] Due to its peculiarities, planning UMTS networks is a complex activity, requiring approaches that are substantially different from those used until now for known cellular networks, such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) or IS95 (Provisional Standard ).

[00010] In general, the planning action aims to identify, as results or outputs, in view of the real network development, the

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3/23 positioning of radio stations within the area under examination and also allowing the determination of the set of radio cell parameters (for example, antenna incbnation, maximum gain direction azimuth, radio power etc.) and the allocation of resources spectrum assigned to the operator (for example, radio bearers). These outputs are determined by the planning process in accordance with the planning objectives, such as, for example:

- minimum value of the territory covered by the service, within an area under planning;

- maximizing the traffic to be managed among that provided within the area under planning.

[00011] For this purpose, several planning techniques for UMTS networks are known; according to the approach below, these techniques can be grouped into two different families: “statistical” and “deterministic” methods.

[00012] The statistical methods are based mainly on a Montecarlo approach (see, on this, the 3GPP specification TR 25.942 v3.0.0 2001-06 - “RF System Scenarios - Release 1999”).

[00013] The term “Montecarlo simulation” is usually used to highlight a static simulation composed of a set of statistically independent snapshots. After having fixed the scenario that is being studied, each snapshot consists of the release of a stochastic process generated starting from different user distributions in the area being examined. At the end of each snapshot, the network performance indicators are provided as results, and the procedure ends with a statistical analysis of the various performance indicators provided by each snapshot.

[00014] The number of snapshots must, of course, be sufficient to guarantee statistical stability for the planning results. Is

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4/23 very specific methodology, particularly adapted to examine the performance of a UMTS network that is not geographically wide, but because of its intrinsic “slowness” due to the statistical convergence of the results, it cannot be extended to the analysis of UMTS networks related to areas geographic areas that can be compared with those of a nation such as Italy.

[00015] While maintaining the characteristics of a static analysis, deterministic methods systematically take into account all the pixels of a territory over which the network will be planned. Unlike Montecarlo statistical methods, these methods use, as input data, a single distribution of users and are performed in a single simulation without the need for statistical aggregations of the results. These methods are clearly more suitable for planning mobile UMTS networks related to very large geographical areas, even if the planning result generally has lower levels of adherence to the reality it involves.

[00016] Among the steps included in a method for planning a communications network of the type described here, whether of the statistical or deterministic type, the so-called “capacity check” on the downlink, that is, from the cell to the terminal, it is particularly important. The check in question involves computational control, so that the measurement of radio station power amplifiers is sufficient to manage the expected traffic in the area under planning.

[00017] In networks based on CDMA or WCDMA type access techniques, such as UMTS, and in network scenarios characterized by low or medium traffic values, the uplink is the one usually having the biggest problems when planning (limiting uplink) ); in fact, the corresponding relatively low traffic values do not involve particular capacity problems on the downlink.

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5/23 [00018] In network scenarios characterized by high and / or unbalanced traffic values between the two links (uplink and downlink), the downlink involves major problems (limiting downlink). In fact, the downlink power, to be shared between all terminals to be served, consists of the maximum power that can be supplied by the generic radio station; this involves, when the traffic increases, a decrease in the area where it is possible to guarantee the service.

[00019] The capacity check, in short, is a way to check if the radio station has enough power to support the traffic provided. The maximum power that can be supplied by each radio station, in fact, is a resource shared between all terminals connected to the station itself.

[00020] Planning methods are known that perform the "capacity check" on the downlink, such as, for example, the method re-made in EP-A-1 335 616. According to this method, the capacity check on the downlink is reopened downstream from the determination of the service area on the uplink (set of pixels of the area under planning in which a generic terminal that can be found on the pixel is capable of establishing a connection with a radio station) that assumes the service area on the uplink as input. The capacity check on the downlink is intended as vabdation, on the downlink, of the result obtained, in terms of the service area, of the reworked planning on the uplink.

[00021] This vabdation, that is, the capacity check, is reset by computation, for each radio station and for each communication managed by the radio station on the uplink, the power necessary to guarantee this communication ensuring a level of quality

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6/23 predetermined (target signal-to-noise ratio), taking into account the interference generated by nearby radio stations that, in a CDMA or W-CDMA access system, operate, as known to someone skilled in the art , on the same frequency channel.

[00022] The generic radio station agrees with the capacity check on the downlink (positive response) if the total power needed to manage all traffic channels (terminals served) together with the power associated with the common control channels (for example, example, the Common Pilot Channel (CPICH), the Supplementary Channel (SCH) etc.) is less than or at least equal to the maximum power that can be dispatched by the radio station (usually a fraction of the estimated power of the radio station amplifier ), otherwise the capacity check provides a negative answer.

[00023] If any radio station, within the area under planning, does not agree with the capacity check, the process provides a return to the assumptions made when starting the planning process, or in general, within any of the stages, and the repetition of one or more process steps (recycling). This is done until agreement is reached with the capacity check for all radio stations that can be found within the area under planning.

[00024] This known arrangement essentially involves three main limits.

[00025] Firstly, the computation of capacity checking downstream of the determination of the service area on the uplink performs acceptable results only when there are traffic scenarios with a bumpers uplink, while, in traffic scenarios with a bmitter downlink, this approach performs incorrect results. Under situations in which the downlink is biting, in fact, a correct planning approach would first suggest computing the area of

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7/23 service on the downlink.

[00026] Secondly, the possible negative response of the capacity check would be contrary to the results obtained in the previous planning steps (for example, the service area on the uplink), making it necessary to perform these steps again until a positive response is obtained by capacity check on the downlink. [00027] Furthermore, in relation to a correct determination of the planning process output parameters, it is important to take into account some parameters associated with the radio station, such as, for example, the minimum power (Pmin) that can be dispatched by the radio station, for a single connection on the downlink, the maximum power (Pmax) that can be dispatched by the radio station, always for each unit connection on the downlink and the sum of the powers dispatched by the radio station ( Ρτοτ), which must be such as not to exceed the maximum power that can be dispatched by the radio station itself.

[00028] In particular, the maximum power value per traffic channel is used to restore a better load balance by placing a limit on the maximum power that can be used to manage a single connection (as occurs, for example, for remote terminals from the radio station).

[00029] The prior art does not reapply hypotheses related to the variation [Pmin, Pmax] of the dispatchable power by individual connection.

[00030] Thus, the capacity check, while agreeing with the condition regarding the maximum power that can be dispatched by the radio station (Ρτοτ), can give a wrong answer, particularly an overly optimistic answer; this above all when, for example, there are terminals that need high power on the downlink (for example, terminals that are remote from the radio station and / or terminals with other requirements for service quality). This implies that the parameters of

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8/23 planning operation output computed in this way may contain areas and terminals that cannot be reached by the actual service, even if the capacity check provides a positive response.

[00031] A CDMA or W-CDMA network plan should provide as an output a service area that takes into account, simultaneously within the same computing stage, the quality of service requirements associated with both links (uplink and link downward). [00032] This area will usually be composed, for a generic service supported by the network under planning, of all pixels of the area under planning that simultaneously satisfy three basic requirements:

- they belong to the service area on the uplink;

- the radio station associates a power level, included in the variation [Pmin, Pmax], to each terminal that can be found on the pixel;

- the serving radio station agrees to the capacity check (that is, its service capacity).

Purpose and summary of the invention [00033] From the previous description about the current situation, it is clear that there is a need to have arrangements available that are able to re-establish, in a more satisfactory way, the planning of a communications network. In particular in relation to the three main limits that were previously mentioned to negotiate with the prior art.

[00034] The purpose of the present invention is to satisfy the above need. [00035] According to the present invention, this objective is achieved due to a process that has the characteristics included in the following claims. The present invention also deals with a corresponding planning system, a network designed with the above process or system, in addition to a computer program product that can be loaded into the memory of at least one processor and comprises portions

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9/23 of the software code to perform the above process, when the product runs on at least one processor. As used herein, the reference to that computer program product is intended to be equivalent to the reference to the readable means by a processor containing instructions for controlling a processor system in order to coordinate the realization of the process according to the invention. The reference to “at least one processor” is aimed at highlighting the possibility that the present invention will be implemented in a distributed and / or modular way. The claims are an integral part of the technical teaching provided here with respect to the invention.

[00036] A preferred reuse mode of the invention allows to plan a communications network comprising a set of user terminals (UE) to which the communications services are provided through a set of the service areas identified by the cells that have respective stations associated cell servers, each station having certain output transmission power and service capacity, where the cells are divided into pixels and where the user terminals (UE) communicate with the mentioned cells on the respective up links and down links. The services have respective associated service quality levels on the uplink and downlink links, while each of the server stations has respective power limits related to the maximum power Ρτοτ that can be dispatched by the radio station globally towards all terminals served (UE) and the power that can be dispatched for each individual connection towards an individual terminal that must be included between Pmin and Pmax. The preferred embodiment of the invention described here comprises the steps of determining each of the service areas of the aforementioned set as the uplink / downlink joint service area composed of the set of pixels where the

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10/23 respective service is guaranteed by compliance with the quality requirements associated with both links (uplink and downlink) and verification of the agreement of the above limit with the maximum power that can be dispatched by the radio station both globally (Ptot) towards all terminals served (UE) and for each individual connection towards an individual terminal ([Pmin, Pmax]). [00037] In a particularly preferred mode, determining the uplink / downlink joint service area comprises:

- a first admission control sub-stage (Admission Control), in which a set of admission control pixels is determined, submitted to be served by the determined service capacity of the respective server station, and

- a second sub-stage of power control (Power Control), in which it is verified whether the above admission control pixels belong to the mentioned uplink / downlink joint service area.

[00038] In the currently preferred embodiment, in the first substep above, it is defined, depending on the distribution of the expected traffic and the domain of the pixels in which the server station signal can be decoded by the terminal (UE) when there is only terminal noise. , at least one sub-area of the above domain composed of admission control pixels in which a server station control channel has a signal level that is higher than all control signals related to all other server stations that belong to to the area under planning.

[00039] Always in the currently preferred embodiment, in the second sub-step above, the following is verified:

- in a first stage of verification on the uplink, depending on the input control pixels, if the power level of the terminal (UE) required for communication with the station

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11/23 server is less than, or equal to the maximum power level that can be dispatched by the terminal (UE); and

- in a second verification step on the downlink, depending on the aforementioned first verification step, if the power level of the server station falls within the maximum power that can be dispatched by the server station (Ρτοτ) globally towards all terminals served (UE) and by individual connection towards an individual terminal ([Pmin, Pmax]).

[00040] The arrangement described here exceeds the limits of the arrangements according to the prior art by introducing a definition of the uplink / downlink joint service area composed of the set of pixels that belong to the area under planning in which the generic terminal that is present on the pixel is able to establish and maintain a radio communication on both links (uplink and downlink). The uplink / downlink joint service area will, in general, be different for each service or family of services provided by the network under planning.

[00041] A preferred reopening mode of the arrangement described here provides the reopening of an interactive joining process that refers to the service area computation steps on the uplink and the capacity check on the downlink.

[00042] Operating in this way, the result of the planning process does not need any re-examination of the planning steps in response to negative responses from the capacity check, since the capacity check is a step inserted when determining the area of service. This avoids having to repeat the planning process steps and also contributes to the degree of reliability and correctness when determining the service area, in addition to the correspondence of the area under examination with the given definition: this in terms of guaranteeing simultaneous service on the two links

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12/23 and the correct use of radio station power resources in accordance with the maximum power limits that can be dispatched by the radio station, both globally towards all terminals served, and individually by connection.

[00043] The arrangement described here avoids computing the capacity check downstream of the determination of the service area on the uplink and, therefore, prevents the planning from carrying out acceptable results only when there are traffic scenarios with an upright biter. The arrangement described here, in fact, also produces correct results in traffic scenarios with a downlink link. A possible negative response of a capacity check step during the planning of the service area, being inserted in the step of determining the service area with uplink, does not invalidate the results obtained in the previous steps. This allows you to avoid having to reopen these steps again cyclically. [00044] Furthermore, the arrangement described here allows to correctly determine the planning process output parameters, and takes into account several parameters associated with the radio station, such as, for example, the minimum power (Pmin) that can be dispatched by radio station, by individual connection on the downlink and the maximum power (Pmax) that can be dispatched by the radio station, always by individual connection on the downlink.

Brief description of the drawings [00045] The invention will now be described, as a non-bitmap example, with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 schematically shows a system for planning communication networks that can be used with the invention; and

- figure 2 is a flow chart related to some processes that can be re-made in a system according to the invention.

Detailed Description of Invasion Rehabilitation Modes

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13/23 [00046] The following detailed description refers to the possible use of the invention within a deterministic type network planning process.

[00047] With reference to Fig. 1, a system for planning a network of mobile communications devices comprises, for example, a computerized workstation 50, of a known type, having a processing subsystem (basic module) 51, a display device (display) 52, an input device (keyboard) 55, a pointing device (mouse) 56 and a device for connecting to a local area network (network connection) 59. [00048] The workstation 50 is able to process groups of programs or modules and display the results on display 52, as will be described in detail below. This system additionally comprises a disk subsystem 60, of known type, connected via network connection 59 to workstation 50 and capable of storing reference databases, as will be described in detail below, with reference to the implementation of the method according to the invention. Of course, databases can also be stored, if their sizes are small, on the workstation's disk drive.

[00049] In the configuration described, the system is capable of allowing the planning of a network for mobile terminals, depending on modules implemented to carry out the method described here and with the help of databases stored in the disk subsystem 60.

[00050] In a deterministic type network planning process, the following steps are typically provided:

a) compute the electromagnetic covers: as known to someone skilled in the art, this step determines the sizes and characteristics of each cover, that is, the locus of points or pixels at which the radio signal is received within a certain radius (for example, 80km) from the device (antenna) that radiates;

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14/23

b) compute / deal with the distribution of traffic over the territory; also as in this case known to someone experienced in the technique, this step deals with the traffic offered for each service per unit area (pixel);

c) compute the domains; this step uses coverages as input, and therefore uses realistic propagation models for the area under examination; this step computes, within each coverage, the “cell domain, that is, the locus of points or pixels in which the radio signal can be decoded by a mobile terminal when there is only thermal noise. In the case taken as an example, domain computing is specific for UMTS networks and for the downlink and is performed by taking as a reference the family of services that have the loosest limits, that is, those services or families of services that it requires the lowest value of received power to be able to decode the radio signal. In particular, the domain of each cell is computed by checking each pixel of coverage if the radio signal is received with a power that exceeds the bmiar determined by the least restrictive service. The fact that the embodiment of the invention considered here is that of a UMTS network makes the parameter taken into account and the acronyms used in the description are those common in this sector of application: therefore, parameters and acronyms are well known by someone experienced in technique, a detailed description of the meaning of these parameters and acronyms is superfluous here;

d) compute the Best Service area of the pilot channel (CPICH). Also as in this case known to someone experienced in the technique, in this step, each pixel of territory belonging to the area under planning is uniquely assigned to a radio station. The radio station under examination, called the Best Pixel Server Cell, corresponds to the radio station whose signal field level relative to the CPICH (RSCP) channel is greater than all RSCP signals relative to all others.

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15/23 radio stations belonging to the area under planning (Best RSCP).

e) compute the uplink / downlink link service area. This stage of computing the service area, the up link / down link joint one is a particularly relevant aspect of the arrangement described here and comprises two sub-steps; a first computation sub-step, called “Admission Control! and a second substep of joint control, called "Power Control", on the two links, ascending and descending.

[00051] The first stage (Admission Control) explores information on the distribution of traffic along with those related to domains (it must be remembered that the term "domain" of cell means the locus of points or pixels in which the radio signal can be decoded by a mobile terminal when there is only thermal noise) and allows the measurement, within the area of Best CPICH Server relative to the area under planning, of the sub-area over which computations related to the Link Control Power Sub-step up / down link can be made.

[00052] The computation related to admission control is based on the uplink, and is typically performed, in a known way, using the equation called “Pole Capacity” (see, for example, document AC016 / CSE / MRM / DR / P / 091, entitled “STORMS Project Final Report”, developed under the STORMS project (Software tools for the optimization of resources in mobile systems) promoted by the European Union. With this equation, the loading factor of cell project ή is determined, that is, the relationship between the cell load that is provided to be accepted and the maximum load (also known as pole capacity ”), close to which the system is under unstable conditions. The area (subset of pixels of the Best CPICH Server related to the area under planning) determined by the computation processes of this sub-step is the domain of

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16/23 computation of the next sub-step and will be called here the “Admission Control area”.

[00053] As known, if the project load factor is equal to the minimum possible (ή = 1), the Admission Control area degenerates into the area of Best CPICH Server. A possible proposal from the computing domain of the Uplink / Downlink Junction Power Control sub-step will therefore be comprised of the Best CPICH Server area for radio stations belonging to the area under planning. The Uplink / Downlink Junction Power Control sub-step completes the computation of the Uplink / Downlink Junction service area. The objective of this stage is to determine the subset of pixels, belonging to the area under planning, in which it is possible to guarantee the service in relation to the expected traffic (terminal) (stage of “computing / evaluating the distribution of traffic over the territory”). This subset of pixels will be composed of all pixels that satisfy the previously expressed requirements to belong to the uplink / downlink joint service area. The computations included in this substep consist of two checks, the first carried out on the uplink and the second carried out on the downlink. The first check consists of computing the power required for each terminal, which can be found within the area determined in preceding sub-step, in order to communicate with the radio station serving the pixel, checking if this power is lower or, at most, equal to the maximum power that can be dispatched by the terminal (usually a fraction of the prorated power of the amplifier being present in the terminal). If the check provides a positive result, the pixel is inserted into the set of pixels served on the uplink, while, if the check provides a negative result, the pixel is inserted into the set of pixels that are not operating (grace period). The second check, carried out on the set of pixels served on the

Petition 870180020672, of 03/14/2018, p. 29/44 / 23 uplink, consists of computing the necessary power, for the radio station serving each pixel, to manage the expected traffic in the pixel and, in the next verification, if this power falls within the previously defined range [Pmin, Pmax] and whether the total power of each radio station is less, or at most equal to the maximum power that can be dispatched by the radio station.

[00054] In other words, this sub-step consists of all computations and checks adapted to determine whether each terminal, present within the planned area, is able to establish and maintain radio communication with a radio station within the area under planning.

[00055] The computation process related to the second sub-step of the step for “Compute the uplink / downlink joint service area”, is described below and involves, with reference to the rehabilitation mode to which this description applies. referred to, the parameters shown below.

SNR ^DL s target signal / noise ratio for the service s over the downlink;

Pmin minimum power that can be dispatched on each individual connection;

Pmax maximum power that can be dispatched on each individual connection;

SNR ^L1 s target signal / noise ratio for the service s on the uplink;

N _m , ns Number of active connections for service s on pixel (m, n);

Prued Thermal Noise Power;

Price (j) Total power transmitted by the base radio station j;

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18/23 pscH. p _nc have _the i channel transmitted over the SCH radio base station j;

pComCH. Power transmitted over common channels (excluding SCH) by station j;

Oj Orthogonality coefficient between scattering codes on the downlink for cell j;

Loss attenuation / m, n, j) of the pixel link (m, n) for cell j on the downlink;

X ' ^DL S Service Service Activity Factor on the downlink;

X ^_UL S Service Service Activity Factor s on the uplink;

P ^LI 'm nA Power transmitted by the generic mobile terminal present in the pixel (m, n), over service s;

P ^LI 'max Maximum power that can be dispatched from the terminal;

pi-iOT Maximum power that can be dispatched by the radio station j .;

Ρ’ιη, η, β Power transmitted by station j over the traffic channel dedicated to the generic mobile terminal being present in the pixel (m, n), over service s;

MD (m, n, Thr) Set of radio stations whose power value over CPICH (RSCP) channel in the pixel (m, n) is, at most, equal to Thr dB (Macro-diversity window) under the RSCP value the Best CPICH Server in the pixel (m, n);

φ] Set of pixels (m, n) belonging to the service area of cell j;

Dj Set of pixels (m, n) belonging to the Admission Control area of cell j (input computing domain);

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19/23

NÇerv Number of services managed by cell j; rtwp (J) Total power received by station j;

Needs Number of radio stations present in the area under planning.

[00056] With reference to Fig. 2, a step 100 initiates the powers associated with user terminals * (User Equipment or UE).

[00057] All terminal output powers are initialized to zero, for each pixel (m, n) belonging to the input computing domain and for each service.

pUE _ n ¹⁷ m, ns - ^v [00058] The set φ, is still initiated for each cell, establishing the same as the set Ωρ [00059] In a step 110, the initiation of cell powers is carried out.

[00060] The total output power of stations is started at a minimum value. This minimum value corresponds to the power dedicated to common channels, divided in terms relative to the SCH channel and the rest of the channels. The SCH channel is separated from the others to allow the computational point of view of its independence, during the spreading phase, of the spreading code tree on the downlink used for the other channels (both control channels and traffic).

[00061] The terms p ^ComCH je P ^SCH j can be expressed, for example, as a fraction of the power class of the radio station amplifier or as a fraction of the power dispatched over the radio station's CPICH channel.

[00062] For each station j:

p _req G) = p ^With c ^H j + P ^SCH j

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20/23 [00063] In a 120 step, the computation of the interference, to which the cells were subjected, is performed.

[00064] The total power, received over the entire CDMa or WCDMA band, is computed for each radio station as follows.

[00065] For each station j:

RTWP (j) = Ϊ (j) +

Plowed with:

ifj> = Σ nL ·

Σ

3 = 1 _p EU

ΙΓΠΒ.η, Β

-UL

Loss ^ / m, n, j) ^utD

Cra, n, s fcrtPbí [00066] When computing the interference, only those mobile terminals are taken into account, which transmit at a power less than, or at most equal to the maximum power that can be dispatched by the terminals themselves.

[00067] In a step 130, the new terminal powers are established. For each terminal, for each pixel (m, n) belonging to the input computing domain and depart each service, the necessary powers for the terminals, to satisfy the quality of service requirements (target signal / noise ratio or SNR) on the uplink are computed.

EU m, n, í5

Min snr £ _ + SNR ^

RTWP (j) Loss, n, j)

See MD (m, n, Thr) with THr a design parameter whose value is, for example, approximately 3dB.

[00068] At the end of this computation step, the sets φ] are performed so that the generic pixel (m, n) belonging to univocally belongs to the set φ], if and only if

SNR

UL + SNR

UL

RTWP (j) Loss ^ tm, n, j}

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21/23 [00069] In a step 140, the computation of the required downlink power for each connection is computed.

[00070] For each terminal, for each pixel (m, n) belonging to the input computing domain and for each service, the power necessary for the server stations to satisfy the service quality requirements (target signal-to-noise ratio) over the downlink is computed.

^ρ ί „·. = · H ¹ ~ (j) - Ef * - + + Pruüo · Loss _DL (m, n, j) + n, j)] and therefore /;

P ³

Ύ. [(1 - «,) 'P« _q (j) + · Pj ^sc “+ P, + n, j)]

_DL loss (m, n, j) +

Noise with ^M «rl le n, j) = 2 ^p r« / ^k >

K = 1

_DL loss (ni, n, j) _DL loss (™, n, k) γ ₌ -2 ³ 1 + SNR ° ^l (1 - to ₃ ) [00071] In a step 150, the establishment of new total cell powers is done.

[00072] The total powers are computed which are dispatched by radio stations by the accumulation of powers used to transmit common channels and traffic channels. The pixel raising a power that falls outside the range [Pmin, Pmax] is put out of operation (Interruption), that is, it is seen as not belonging to the service area.

[00073] For each radio station j:

CorciCH

Σ (πη, Εΐ) £ 4 ^ —LD x _s

N, m _r n, e

-jDL m, n, s

Depending on the value obtained, the following is established:

Petition 870180020672, of 03/14/2018, p. 34/44

22/23

req (j) £ P- ^j

TOT

Ρ-ΓΟΤ ^SÇ ^ * req (j)> ^ TOT [00074] In a step 160, the power stability check is performed for EU user terminals.

[00075] The computation is iterated with new powers computed in step 130 until, for each UE, for each pixel (m, n) and for each service s, such power value is obtained, requested by iteration n (P ™ APR , ^ (n), which:

IP ^ nw (n) - P ™ ^ (n-l) l <Toll_PW_UE with Toll_PW_UE equal to a predefined value (currently called the Power Control step on the uplink).

[00076] In a step 170, the stability check is performed for cell powers.

[00077] The computation is iterated with new powers computed in step 150 until a value of power raised by iteration n (P ⁿ soi (j)) is obtained so that:

IP% hi (j) - P ^nl soi 0) 1 <Toll_PW with Toll_PW equal to a predefined value (currently called Downlink Power Control step).

[00078] The uplink / downlink joint service area obtained in this way will not need any further examination of planning steps in response to negative responses from the capacity check avoiding recycling in the planning process steps. This area will be composed of the set of pixels in which the service is guaranteed by complying with the service quality requirements on both links (downward and upward) and the correct use of radio station power resources in accordance with the limits on maximum power which can be dispatched by the radio station both globally (Ρτοτ) to all

Petition 870180020672, of 03/14/2018, p. 35/44

23/23 terminals served, as for each individual connection (compliance with the power limits that can be dispatched for each individual connection [Pmin, Pmax].

[00079] It should be appreciated that, while leaving the principle of the invention unchanged, the parts and embodiments can change, even greatly, with respect to what has been described and shown, merely as a non-limiting example, without depart from the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

Petition 870180020672, of 03/14/2018, p. 36/44

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Claims (16)

1. Process for planning a communications network adapted to serve a set of user terminals (UE) to which communication services (s) are provided through a set of service areas identified through cells with respective associated server stations to the cell, each server station having a certain output transmission power and service capacity, where the cells are divided into pixels (m, n) and where the aforementioned user terminals (UE) are adapted to communicate within the mentioned cells on respective uplink and downlink, the aforementioned communication service (s) having respective associated service quality levels on the above uplink and downlink links, each of the aforementioned server stations having respective limits of power relative to the maximum power (Ρτοτ) that can be dispatched by each server station globally to all user terminals io served (UE) and the power ([Pmin, Pmax]) that can be dispatched by each server station through an individual connection towards an individual user terminal, the process comprising the step of: determine each of the service areas of the aforementioned set as uplink / downlink joint service areas made up of the pixel set in which the respective communication service is guaranteed by meeting the associated quality requirements on both the uplink and downlink links ; the process characterized by the fact that it also comprises the stage of: check the compliance with the mentioned power limits on the maximum power that can be dispatched by each respective server station simultaneously to all user terminals Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 8/15 2/8 served (UE), and the agreement with a previously defined range of minimum and maximum power limits ([Pmin, Pmax]) that can be distributed by each respective server station, through each individual connection towards a terminal individual user. 2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of determining the mentioned uplink / downlink joint service area comprises: a first sub-step of controlling admission (Admission Control), where a set of pixels of admission control is determined, submitted to be served by the determined service capacity of the respective server station, and a second sub-step of controlling the admission power (Power Control) which also includes verifying whether the aforementioned admission control pixels belong to the mentioned uplink / downlink joint service area. 3. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned first sub-step defines, depending on the expected traffic distribution and the pixel domain in which the signal from said server station can be decoded by a terminal (UE) when there is only thermal noise, at least a sub-area of the said domain composed of admission control pixels in which a control channel of the aforementioned server station has a signal level that is higher than all the control signals relative to all other server stations belonging to the area under planning. 4. Process according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the aforementioned second sub-step comprises: verify in a first step of verification on the uplink, depending on the input control pixels, if the power level of the terminal (UE) needed to communicate with the mentioned Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 9/15 3/8 server station is less than or equal to the maximum power level that can be dispatched by the terminal (UE); and verify in a second verification step on the downlink, depending on the aforementioned first verification step, whether the power level of the aforementioned server station falls within the maximum power that can be dispatched by the server station globally (Ρτοτ) to all terminals served (UE) and by individual connection towards an individual terminal ([Pmin, Pmax]). 5. Process according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that it comprises carrying out the first sub-step of controlling the admission by determining a cell loading factor (η) as a ratio between the cell loading that is provided to be accepted and the maximum load defined as the load close to which the system is under unstable conditions. 6. Process according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that it comprises, in the case of a UMTS network, the step of choosing, as mentioned sub-area, the area of Best CPICH Server of the mentioned UMTS network related to stations belonging to the area of service under planning. 7. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned second sub-step of jointly checking the power on the uplink and downlink links comprises a check on the uplink to compute the power required for each terminal (UE) being present in one of the aforementioned admission control pixels for communication with the server station and then verify that such power is less than, or at most equal to the maximum power that can be dispatched by the terminal, and i) if the above verification on the uplink provides a positive result, insert the related pixel in the set of pixels served on the uplink, and Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 10/15 4/8 ii) if the aforementioned uplink check provides a negative result, insert the related pixel in the set of pixels that are not operating. 8. Process according to claim 7, characterized in that the aforementioned second sub-step of jointly checking the power on uplink and downlink links comprises an additional verification, carried out on the mentioned set of pixels served on the uplink, comprising computing the power required for the station serving each pixel of the aforementioned set served on the uplink to manage the expected traffic on the pixel and verifying that this power is within a certain range [Pmin, Pmax] and that the total power of each server station is below or, at most, equal to the maximum power that can be dispatched by the server station itself. 9. Process according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of: initialize (100) the powers associated with user terminals of the aforementioned set, by initializing all output power of the terminals to zero for each pixel (m, n) belonging to a respective access control area and for each service; initialize (110), for each cell (j), a first set (Ôj) of pixels (m, n) belonging to the service area of the cell (j) by establishing the aforementioned first set (φ]) equal to a second set (Ω ^ of the pixels belonging to the mentioned cell access control area (j); initialize (120) the cell powers, setting the aforementioned output transmission powers to a minimum value corresponding to the power dedicated to common channels; determine (120), for each cell (j), the interference to which the Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 11/15 5/8 cells were submitted; establish (130) new power values associated with user terminals (UE) of the aforementioned set, determining, for each terminal and for each pixel (m, n) belonging to the aforementioned respective control area and for each service (s), the powers necessary for the terminals to satisfy the service quality requirements on the uplink, with the aforementioned first set (φ]) by designating the aforementioned first set (φ]) the pixels (m, n) of the said second set (Ω0 for which the aforementioned service quality requirements on the uplink are met; compute (140) the power required for each connection on the said downlink, determining for each pixel (m, n) belonging to the aforementioned respective access control area and for each service (s), the power required for the server serving the mentioned cell (j) to satisfy the service quality requirements on the downlink; establish (150) new total cell powers, accumulating the service powers used by the respective server station to serve the communication channels for the mentioned user terminals (UE); and establish as pixels out of service (m, n) that require such service power to stay out of a given minimum power range (Pmin) and maximum power (Pmax). 10. Process according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that it comprises, after the step of establishing (130) new power values associated with the user terminals (UE) of the mentioned set, the step of carrying out, for each server station ( j), a power stability test for user terminals (UE), by computing iteration with increasing power values associated with Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 12/15 6/8 users (UE) of the mentioned set until, for each user terminal (UE), for each pixel (m, n) and for each service s, a power value is obtained corresponding to an increase with respect to the iteration previous value less than a predefined threshold value on the uplink (Toll_PW_UE). 11. Process according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that it comprises, after the step of establishing (150) new total cell powers, the step of performing, for each server station, a power stability test of a cell ( j), by iterating the computation with increasing values of total cell power until, for each cell (j), a power value is obtained that corresponds to an increase with respect to the previous iteration less than a predefined threshold value in downlink (Toll_PW). 12. Process according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that the aforementioned step of initializing (120) the cell powers is carried out by setting the aforementioned respective output transmission powers to a minimum value corresponding to the power dedicated to common channels, divided in terms of a signaling channel (SCH) and the remaining cell channels. Process according to claim 9, characterized in that the aforementioned step of initializing (120) the cell powers is carried out by expressing the mentioned powers with a value chosen from the fraction of the amplifier power class of the relative server station and a fraction of the power dispatched over a common channel (CPICH) by the aforementioned server station. 14. Process according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that the mentioned step of determining (120), for each cell (j), the interference to which the cells were subjected to be performed by the establishment, for each serving station, the total power over the respective operational band (CDMA or W-CDMA). Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 13/15 7/8 15. Process according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that the mentioned step of determining (120), for each cell (j), the interference to which the cells were subjected comprises the steps of: establish, for the power that can be dispatched by the mentioned user terminals (UE) of the mentioned set, a maximum allowed value; and taking into account, with reference to the mentioned interference, only the user terminals (UE) of the mentioned set that transmit at a lower power, or, at most, equal to the mentioned maximum allowed value. 16. Computer-readable storage medium to reopen the process, as defined in claim 1, to plan a communications network adapted to serve a set of user terminals (UE) to which communication services (s) are provided via of a set of service areas identified through cells with respective server stations associated with the cell, each server station having a certain output transmission power and service capacity, where the cells are divided into pixels (m, n) and where those mentioned user terminals (UE) are adapted to communicate within the aforementioned cells on respective uplink and downlink links, the aforementioned communication service (s) having respective associated service quality levels on the mentioned uplink and downlink, each of the aforementioned server stations having respective power limits relative to the maximum power (Ρτοτ) which can be dispatched by each server station globally to all served user terminals (UE) and the power ([Pmin, Pmax]) which can be dispatched by each server station via an individual connection towards an individual user terminal , said computer-readable storage medium Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 14/15 8/8 comprising computer-readable instructions recorded on the same that, when read by a computer, make it perform the step of: determine each of the service areas of the aforementioned set as uplink / downlink joint service areas made up of the pixel set in which the respective communication service is guaranteed by meeting the associated quality requirements on both the uplink and downlink links ; the said computer-readable storage medium characterized by the fact that it also comprises computer-readable instructions recorded on the same that, when bdas by a computer, make it reopen the step of: verify the agreement with the mentioned power limits on the maximum power that can be dispatched by each respective server station simultaneously for all user terminals served (UE), and the agreement with a previously defined range of minimum and maximum power limits ( [Pmin, Pmax]) that can be distributed by each respective server station, through each individual connection towards an individual user terminal. Petition 870180059907, of 7/11/2018, p. 15/15 1/2