Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
  • H04L41/06—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
  • H04L41/0604—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time
  • H04L41/0622—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time based on time
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W28/00—Network traffic management; Network resource management
  • H04W28/16—Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
  • H04W28/18—Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Definitions

• the present invention relates to mobile telecommunication systems.
• the present in- vention relates to a novel and improved method • and system for reporting network parameters.
• CRRM Common Radio Resource Management
• RAT radio access technology
• QoS Quality of Service
• the algorithms of the CRRM for the target cell selection and auto-tuning are based on the input parameters read from the respective interfaces . These parameters represent the status information of the different cells.
• Parameters can, for ' example, be the total load, RTLoad (RT, Real Time) , SIR (Signal to Interference Ratio) and NRT Delay (NRT, Non Real-Time) .
• RTLoad Real Time
• SIR Signal to Interference Ratio
• NRT Delay NRT, Non Real-Time
• RNC Radio Network Controllers
• the scope of the TS 125 423 V4.1.0 (2001-06) document is to specify the radio network layer signalling procedures of the control plane between Radio Network Controllers (RNC) in Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) .
• RNC Radio Network Controllers
• UTRAN Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network
• One of the aspects considered at the standard is how the reporting of a dedicated measurement shall be performed between a Serving RNC (SRNC) and a Drift-RNC (DRNC) .
• SRNC Serving RNC
• DRNC Drift-RNC
• the different measurement reporting methods proposed at the standard can be grouped in two categories : the measured entity value no-dependent methods and the dependent ones.
• the first category includes the 'on- demand' and 'periodic' strategies, which are defined at the standard as:
• the DRNC shall report the measurement result immediately.
• the DRNC shall periodically initiate the Dedicated Measurement Report procedure for this measurement, with the requested report periodicity.
• the methods belonging to the second category, the measured entity value dependent ones are labelled as 'Event A', 'Event B', ..., until 'Event F' .
• the 'Event C and the 'Event D' strategies are described in more detail in the following.
• the DRNC shall initiate the Dedicated Measurement Reporting procedure when the measured entity rises by an amount greater than the requested threshold (Mc) within the requested time (Tc) . After having reported this type of event, the next C event reporting for the same measurement cannot be initiated before the rising time has elapsed since the previous event reporting. - If the Report Characteristics IE is set to 'Event D', the DRNC shall initiate the
• Dedicated Measurement Reporting procedure when the measured entity falls by an amount greater than the requested threshold (Md) within the requested time (Td) .
• Md requested threshold
• Td requested time
• the periodic strategy is typically the chosen one because of its simplicity. It is obvious that a low period would assure a good decision or subsequent action, but at the same time could saturate the processing capacity of the entity which receives the re- ports, like for example in a star configuration with a large number of entities connected to a unique one. On the other hand, a high period would reduce the number of messages to be processed by the receiving entity but the decision would be less reliable.
• Figure 1 illustrates a situation where event C and event D strategies are combined. If the entity to be reported is changing very slowly, no reports will be sent by using the event C and event D simultaneously, as it can be seen from Figure 1. In the situation showed in the figure it is observed that the slope of the entity between t 0 - t ⁇ is always less than that defined by the parameters (Mc,Tc) with which the performance of the event C is specified.
• any of the measurement reporting strategies suggested in the standards can also be used to exchange information between entities, none of them is so efficient as the proposed one in the present invention. The reason is that they are based on the absolute value of the input parameter or how fast the parameter to be reported is varying, that is, in the observed slope.
• the present invention describes a flexible reporting method, system and data network entity for interchanging information between different entities of a data network.
• the data network comprises one or more data network parameters to be reported between different entities.
• the present invention optimises and reduces the needed information exchange between network enti- ties through the interfaces which connect them.
• the main property of the method of the • present invention is its flexibility because it is able to change the reporting rate depending on the value of the input parameter in each instant of time. That is, it sends more reports or less reports depending on if the parameter to be reported is changing quickly or slowly, respectively.
• the main idea of the present invention is that reports of a data network parameter are based on the relative change of the data network parameter value with respect to the previously reported data network parameter value .
• MinTBR Minimum Time Between Reports
• MaxTBR Maximum Time Between Reports The 'Threshold' allows us to fix the desired sensibility of the method. If a low value is selected, the algorithm will inform us about light changes in the input data but the reporting rate will be higher. On the other hand, if a large value is allowed, only significant changes will be noticed, although in this case the number of needed measurement reports will be lower.
• the 'MinTBR ' represents the time interval after the last reported value in which no reports are allowed. That is, if an increase/decrease of the input data over/under the fixed threshold occurs between '0' and 'MinTBR' seconds after the last reported value, the report is not sent .
• the 'MaxTBR' represents the maximum time that the entity to be informed can be without knowing the current status of the parameter to be reported. That is, if no report is initiated between 'MinTBR' and 'MaxTBR', a mandatory one will be sent at MaxTBR. This control parameter does two tasks : not only it guarantees a minimum reporting rate between entities but also serves to check that everything is going well.
• data network parameter values are filtered before reporting them.
• the filtering is done e.g. an Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) of Finite Impulse , Response (FIR) filter.
• IIR Infinite Impulse Response
• FIR Finite Impulse , Response
• the data network is a wireless communication network.
• the reported wireless network parameter values are reported, e.g. with a radio resource controller of the wireless communication network.
• the reported wireless network parameter values are received, e.g. with a radio resource management node of the wireless communication network.
• the wireless communication network is the UTRAN, the IP-RAN, the GSM, the GPRS or the EDGE.
• the present invention has several advantages over the prior-art solutions.
• the reporting rate is continuously and automatically optimised according to the current value of the parameter to be reported.
• the key of the adaptive method described in the present invention to implement the event based reporting method is that it has a memory.
• the decision to trigger a measurement report is based on which is the difference, in each instant of time, between the value of the parameter to be reported and the last reported value. In doing so, the following advantages are obtained:
• Optimum performance the receiving entity is well informed about what is the status of the network without an excessive increment of the reporting rate .
• Fig 1 illustrates an example where event C and event D strategies are used in accordance with the ETSI TS 125 423 V4.1.0 (2001-06)
• Fig 2 illustrates an example where event C and event D strategies are used where time TI value is increased, in accordance with the ETSI TS 125 423 V4.1.0 (2001-06)
• Fig 3 illustrates an example where event C, event D and' periodic strategies are simultaneously used in accordance with the ETSI TS 125 423 V4.1.0 (2001-06)"
• Fig 4 ' is a block diagram illustrating of the event based reporting method in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig 5 illustrates the principle of the event based reporting method in accordance with the present invention
• Fig 6 is an embodiment of the system in accordance with the present invention
• Fig 7 is an embodiment of the system in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig 8a illustrates the evolution of t the mean rate of call generation used in the simulations
• Fig 8b illustrates the load of a cell during a day within the simulations
• Fig 9 illustrates an example of simulation results of event C, event D and periodic strategies versus the event based method in accordance with the present invention
• Fig 10 illustrates an example of simulation results of the event C, event D and periodic strategies versus the event based method in accordance with the present invention
• Fig 11 illustrates an example of simulation results of the event C, event D and periodic strategies versus the event based method in accordance with the present invention
• Fig 12 illustrates an example of simulation results of the event C, event D and periodic strate- gies versus the event based method in accordance with the present invention
• Fig 13 illustrates an example of simulation results of the event based method in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig 14 illustrates an example of simulation results of the event based method in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating of the event based reporting method.
• Figure 4 comprises a Base Station (BTS) and one or more entities to be reported.
• the entity to be reported is the Real Time load (RTload) .
• Samples of the entity are input to the BTS e.g. one sample per each SACHH frame.
• FIR of IIR low pass filter
• an adaptive strategy is then applied to produce the load reports sequence to be sent to radio resource management, e.g. to the Common Radio Resource Management (CRRM) .
• CRRM Common Radio Resource Management
• Figure 4 represents a filter feature FM previous to the adaptive strategy RRC, filtering is not obligatory.
• the adaptive strategy mentioned means the same as the event based reporting method in the description.
• the adaptive strategy RRC receives in Figure 4 three input parameters :
• MaxTBR Maximum Time Between Reports
• MinTBR Minimum Time Between Reports - Threshold.
• the 'Threshold' allows us to fix which is the desired sensibility of the event based reporting method. If a low value is selected, the algorithm will inform us about light changes in the input data, but the reporting rate will be higher. On the other hand, if a large value is allowed, only significant changes will be noticed, although in this case the number of needed measurement reports will be lower.
• the 'MinTBR' represents the time interval after the last reported value in which no reports are allowed. That is, if, an increase/decrease of the input data over/under the fixed threshold occurs between ' 0 ' and 'MinTBR' seconds after the last reported value, the report is not sent. This delay parameter has been defined 1 in order to introduce a degree of freedom to control an excessive number of measurement reports between the network entities.
• the 'MaxTBR' represents the maximum time that the entity to be informed can be without knowing the current status of the parameter to be reported. That is, if no report is initiated between 'MinTBR' and 'MaxTBR', a mandatory one will be sent at 'MaxTBR'.
• This control parameter does two tasks: not only it guarantees a minimum reporting rate between entities, but also serves to check that everything is going well. For example, if no reports are received neither between 'MinTBR' and 'MaxTBR' nor after 'MaxTBR', it is sure that a technical problem has occurred (e.g. the connection may have been lost) . Notice also that when the parameter 'MinTBR' is equal to 'MaxTBR', the event based reporting method works like a periodic reporting rate (no random reports are allowed) .
• Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary situation in order to describe the present invention.
• the x-axis describes elapsed time and the y-axis measured entity during this time..
• the 'Threshold' value compares a current input data value to the previously reported value.
• a report is sent, a timer is set. The first report is always sent to initialise the process. The second report is sent after the timer reaches the 'MaxTBR' value since the measured entity was always included between the allowed upper and lower limits ( ⁇ Threshold) during the whole time interval MinTBR ⁇ t ⁇ MaxTBR.
• the third report is sent because the threshold is reached after 'MinTBR' has elapsed but before 'MaxTBR' .
• the fourth report is again sent at 'MaxTBR' .
• the fifth report is sent at 'MinTBR' because, although during the interval 0 ⁇ t ⁇ MinTBR the measured entity reached a value greater than the threshold, no report is allowed until 'MinTBR' has elapsed.
• FIG. 6 represents a simplified system in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 6 repre- sents a general IP-RAN architecture and network elements that are essential in the present invention.
• the system comprises IPv6 network IP and two base stations IP-BTS.
• User equipment UE is in connection with either or both of the base stations IP-BTS .
• the IPv6 network comprises one or more routers that are interconnected with each other via an interface Iur.
• Radio Resource Management (RRM) is connected to one of the routers.
• Base stations IP-BTS comprise also a Radio Resource Controller (RRC) for reporting one or more network pa- rameter values to the RRM.
• RRC Radio Resource Controller
• FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a system in accordance with the present invention.
• the system comprises a core network CN, three radio access networks (UTRAN, IP-RAN, BSS) and user equipment UE.
• the UTRAN comprises a Radio Network Controller (RNC) which is' responsible for managing radio resources.
• RNC Radio Network Controller
• Equivalent components of the IP-RAN and BSS are Inter- net Protocol Transceiver Station (IP-BTS) and Base Station Controller (BSC) .
• the RNC, IP-BTS and BSS comprise a first interface IF1 for receiving data network parameter information and a second interface IF2 for reporting one or more data network parameter values according to a reporting scheme.
• the reporting scheme is based on the relative change of a data network' parameter value with respect to the previously reported data network parameter value.
• the RNC, IP-BTS and BSS comprise also means for determining DM a threshold value TH for each data network parameter to. be reported, the' threshold value TH representing allowable deviation in a data network parameter value to be reported with respect to the previously reported data network parameter value, means for determining DM a minimum time interval MIN representing the time interval after the previous data network parameter report within which no reports are allowed to be sent and means for determining DM a maximum time interval MAX representing the time interval after the previous data network parameter report after which a report is sent if any report has not been sent within the maximum time interval MAX.
• the RNC, IP-BTS and BSS comprise a timer TI ... Tn for each data network parameter to be reported, the timer Tl...Tn being started after the previous data parameter report, means for rejecting RM the report if a data network parameter to be reported changes more than the threshold value TH, and the timer Tl...Tn value is less than the minimum time interval MIN, means for reporting SM the current data network parameter value when a data network parameter to be reported changes more than the threshold value TH, and the value of the timer TI ... Tn exceeds the minimum time interval MIN and the value of the timer TI...Tn is less than the maximum time interval MAX and means for restarting RE the timer Tl...Tn.
• the RNC, IP-BTS and BSS comprise also means for reporting SM the current data network parameter value when no report has been sent after the previous data network parameter report and when the timer Tl...Tn reaches the maximum time interval MAX and means for filtering FM data network parameter values received with the first interface IF1 before reporting data network parameter values through the second interface IF2.
• the aforementioned means are in a preferred embodiment arranged in a radio resource controller RRC. Furthermore, the aforementioned means are implemented in a preferred embodiment with software and/or hardware components .
• Figures 8a and 8b illustrate simulation sce- narios during the simulations.
• Figure 8a illustrates the evolution of the mean rate of call generation used in the simulations.
• Figure 8b illustrates the load of a cell during a day.
• Figures 9 - 12 illustrate simulation results of the combined event C, event D and periodic strategies versus the event based reporting method disclosed in the present invention.
• Total Number of Reports in a Day The first one is a way to measure the reporting rate required by the different reporting strategies, while the second one informs about the number of times that the corresponding reporting method would have to have reported but it did not do it. In the simulation, it was counted the total number of times that the load, after a report and be- fore the next one, rose/fell an amount greater/lower than the specific trigger threshold respect to the last reported value.
• Simulations were made by varying 'Period' (for the 'Event C + Event D + Periodic' strategy) or 'MaxTBR' (for the event based reporting method) , depending on the case for different values of 'Tc' , 'Td' and 'MinTBR' .
• the trigger threshold was fixed to 10%.
• the explanation of the observed performance for the 'Event C + Event D + Periodic' strategy is the following. For a fixed and low value of 'TC and 'Td' , if the period or distance between periodic reports is increased ( Figure 9) , the total number of reports dur- ing a day decreases.
• the observed performance for the event based reporting method is the following.
• the reason of such an important reduction is that both the slow and fast changes can be controlled simultaneously.
• the first ones introducing a report at 'MaxTBR' , and then resetting the trigger condition hereafter, if the load during the time interval 'MinTBR' ⁇ t ⁇ 'MaxTBR' after the last report was always included between the upper and lower trigger thresholds.
• the second ones, the fast changes, are the only ones that may cause an increment in the number of NonReported Alarms, just when they take place during the interval 0 ⁇ t ⁇ 'MinTBR' .
• Figures 11 and 12 illustrate the effect of the threshold value.
• 'Threshold' has the value of 20%.
• the threshold affects both the Total Number of Reports ( Figure 11) and the Total Number of NonReported Alarms ( Figure 12) .
• a higher threshold will diminish the magnitude of both quality factors, while a lower thresh- old will have the opposite effect.
• the present invention describes a new and powerful strategy for reporting through the respective interfaces the needed parameters .
• the new strategy would imply to change the philosophy used so far by including a new format of reporting of event triggered type, it has been shown that its performance is superior to the reporting methods suggested by the ETSI standard TS 125 423 V4.1.0 (2001-06).
• the main property of the event based reporting method is its flexibility and adaptability because it is able to change the reporting rate depending on the status of the network. That is, it sends more reports or less reports depending on if the status (the load for example) of the network is changing quickly or slowly, respectively.

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