Supporting coverage area modeling

1. A method comprising:

obtaining information on one or more positions stored for a communication node and at least one criterion that is met by the communication node;

selecting a-priori information on a coverage area size that is stored for communication nodes meeting the at least one criterion, wherein different a-priori information is stored for communication nodes meeting different criteria;

estimating a value of at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the one or more positions and the selected a-priori information, wherein a weight assigned to the selected a-priori information in estimating the value of the at least one parameter is inversely proportional to a number of one or more positions obtained; and

causing a storage of the value of the at least one parameter representing the coverage area of the communication node.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one criterion relates to at least one of

a type of air interface supported by the communication node;

a frequency range supported by the communication node;

a network operator operating the communication node;

a geographical area in which the communication node is located;

a time-of-day at which the communication node is currently operating; and

a time-of-year at which the communication node is currently operating.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein estimating the value of the at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the at least one position and the selected a-priori information comprises estimating a value of the at least one parameter based on the information on the at least one position and adjusting the value of the at least one parameter using the a-priori information.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the influence of the a-priori information in estimating the value of the at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the at least one position and the selected a-priori information is at least one of:

the lower, the higher the number of the at least one position on which information is obtained;

the lower, the higher a number of samples including an indication of a position that have been received for the communication node; and

the lower, the higher dynamics of received signal strength levels that are indicated in stored information for the communication node.

5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising preceding actions of:

extracting from a memory information indicating a size of a coverage area for each of a plurality of communication nodes; and

computing as a respective a-priori information a statistical value based on the information extracted for a plurality of communication nodes meeting a same at least one criterion.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein information indicating a size of a coverage area that is stored in the memory for a respective communication node is only considered for computing a-priori information if at least one of:

the information indicating a size of a coverage area is based on a predetermined number of positions for the communication node;

more than a predetermined number of samples including an indication of a position have been received for the communication node; and

stored information for the communication node comprises indications of received signal strength levels with predetermined dynamics.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the extracted information indicating a size of a coverage area for a respective communication node defines an ellipse and wherein computing a respective statistical value comprises:

computing for each of the plurality of communication nodes meeting the same at least one criterion a radius of a circular model based on the extracted information defining an ellipse; and

statistically combining the radii that have been determined for the plurality of communication nodes meeting the same at least one criterion.

8. A system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause at least one apparatus at least to perform:

obtain information on one or more positions stored for a communication node and at least one criterion that is met by the communication node;

select a-priori information on a coverage area size that is stored for communication nodes meeting the at least one criterion, wherein different a-priori information is stored for communication nodes meeting different criteria;

estimate a value of at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the one or more positions and the selected a-priori information, wherein a weight assigned to the selected a-priori information in estimating the value of the at least one parameter is inversely proportional to a number of one or more positions obtained; and

cause a storage of the value of the at least one parameter representing the coverage area of the communication node.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one criterion relates to at least one of

a type of air interface supported by the communication node;

a frequency range supported by the communication node;

a network operator operating the communication node;

a geographical area in which the communication node is located;

a time-of-day at which the communication node is currently operating; and

a time-of-year at which the communication node is currently operating.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein estimating the value of the at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the at least one position and the selected a-priori information comprises estimating a value of the at least one parameter based on the information on the at least one position and adjusting the value of the at least one parameter using the a-priori information.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the influence of the a-priori information in estimating the value of the at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the at least one position and the selected a-priori information is one of:

the lower, the higher the number of the at least one position on which information is obtained;

the lower, the higher a number of samples including an indication of a position that have been received for the communication node; and

the lower, the higher dynamics of received signal strength levels that are indicated in stored information for the communication node.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the at least one apparatus to perform:

extract from a memory information indicating a size of a coverage area for each of a plurality of communication nodes; and

compute as a respective a-priori information a statistical value based on the information extracted for a plurality of communication nodes meeting a same at least one criterion.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the at least one apparatus to only consider information indicating a size of a coverage area that is stored in the memory for a respective communication node for computing a-priori information if at least one of:

the information indicating a size of a coverage area is based on a predetermined number of positions for the communication node;

more than a predetermined number of samples including an indication of a position have been received for the communication node; and

stored information for the communication node comprises indications of received signal strength levels with predetermined dynamics.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the extracted information indicating a size of a coverage area for a respective communication node defines an ellipse and wherein the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the at least one apparatus to compute a respective statistical value by:

computing for each of the plurality of communication nodes meeting the same at least one criterion a radius of a circular model based on the extracted information defining an ellipse; and

statistically combining the radii that have been determined for the plurality of communication nodes meeting the same at least one criterion.

15. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the system one of:

is an apparatus;

is a server;

is a component for a server;

comprises a plurality of apparatuses; and

comprises a plurality of servers.

16. A computer program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program code when executed by a processor causing at least one apparatus to perform the actions of the method of claim 1 .

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium in which computer program code is stored, the computer program code when executed by a processor causing at least one apparatus to perform the following:

obtain information on one or more positions stored for a communication node and at least one criterion that is met by the communication node;

select a-priori information on a coverage area size that is stored for communication nodes meeting the at least one criterion, wherein different a-priori information is stored for communication nodes meeting different criteria;

estimate a value of at least one parameter representing a coverage area of the communication node based on the obtained information on the one or more positions and the selected a-priori information, wherein a weight assigned to the selected a-priori information in estimating the value of the at least one parameter is inversely proportional to a number of one or more positions obtained; and

cause a storage of the value of the at least one parameter representing the coverage area of the communication node.