IP Library Granted Patent US 10,880,763
Granted Patent B1
US 10,880,763 · App. 16/797,950 · Granted Dec 29, 2020

Remote antenna coverage change event detection in mobile wireless networks

Inventors: Mario Vela (Knoxville, TN); David Brent Amos (Knoxville, TN); Michael Reed Hobson (Roanoke, VA); Kenneth Wotring (Aurora, WV); Zachary Wozich (Casco, ME); Michael S. Irizarry (Barrington Hills, IL); Narothum Saxena (Hoffman Estates, IL)
Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation
H04W24/04H04W16/24H04M1/72519H04M1/72522H04W84/045H04W88/02H04W88/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,880,763
App. No.
16/797,950
Granted
Dec 29, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A computer-automated maintaining a physical configuration of an antenna operating within radio access network (RAN) of a mobile wireless network is described. A feature subset of a covering set of features for the antenna is specified. A centroid is generated for the antenna, wherein the centroid comprises a current long-term values of the feature subset obtained by processing multiple data sets for the feature subset over a relatively long time period. An antenna change detection decision is rendered, wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision comprises first applying a current short-term values of the feature subset, which are representative of a current status of the antenna, to the centroid to render a current distance from centroid. In accordance with detecting an antenna change event during the applying, an antenna change event notification is issued that corresponds to the detected antenna change event.

Claims (49)

1. A method for maintaining a physical configuration of an antenna operating within radio access network (RAN) of a mobile wireless network, the method comprising:

specifying a feature subset of a covering set of features for the antenna;

generating, by a centroid calculator, a centroid for the antenna, wherein the centroid comprises a current long-term values of the feature subset obtained by processing multiple data sets for the feature subset over a relatively long time period;

rendering an antenna change detection decision, wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision comprises:

first applying, by an antenna coverage anomaly detection component, a current short-term values of the feature subset, which are representative of a current status of the antenna, to the centroid to render a current distance from centroid; and

issuing, by the antenna anomaly detection component in accordance with detecting an antenna change event during the applying, an antenna change event notification corresponding to the detected antenna change event.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

filtering data sets for an identified antenna at a grid element granularity,

wherein filtering is based upon a quantity of data sets generated for the identified antenna:

at a location falling within a geographical area of a grid element of interest, and

during a time period of interest.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the filtering comprises a quantity-based threshold filtering where data sets of the identified antenna are disregarded for a particular grid element if a quantity of data sets do not meet a threshold data set quantity for a specified time period.

4. The method claim 2 wherein the filtering comprises a highest quantity-based filtering where data sets of the identified antenna are disregarded for a particular grid element if a quantity of data sets are not a highest quantity for all antennas having data sets within the particular grid element for a specified time period.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, by a knowledge base in accordance with an actual carrying out of a maintenance operation, a result of the maintenance operation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feature subset comprises at least two features.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least two features comprise an average distance feature and an azimuth data feature.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the feature subset comprises two or more features taken from the group consisting of: OSI Layer 2 parameters and Layer 3 parameters.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision further comprises:

second applying, by the antenna coverage anomaly detection component, a centroid distance threshold to the current distance from centroid to render an initial antenna detection event decision.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision further comprises:

third applying, by the antenna coverage anomaly detection component, a historical feedback information to render a historically confirmed antenna detection event decision.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the historical feedback information is obtained across multiple distinct antenna installations.

12. A networked system including:

a network communications interface;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate carrying out a method for maintaining a physical configuration of an antenna operating within radio access network (RAN) of a mobile wireless network, the method comprising:

specifying a feature subset of a covering set of features for the antenna;

generating, by a centroid calculator, a centroid for the antenna, wherein the centroid comprises a current long-term values of the feature subset obtained by processing multiple data sets for the feature subset over a relatively long time period;

rendering an antenna change detection decision, wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision comprises:

first applying, by an antenna coverage anomaly detection component, a current short-term values of the feature subset, which are representative of a current status of the antenna, to the centroid to render a current distance from centroid; and

issuing, by the antenna anomaly detection component in accordance with detecting an antenna change event during the applying, an antenna change event notification corresponding to the detected antenna change event.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:

filtering data sets for an identified antenna at a grid element granularity,

wherein filtering is based upon a quantity of data sets generated for the identified antenna:

at a location falling within a geographical area of a grid element of interest, and

during a time period of interest.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the filtering comprises a quantity-based threshold filtering where data sets of the identified antenna are disregarded for a particular grid element if a quantity of data sets do not meet a threshold data set quantity for a specified time period.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the filtering comprises a highest quantity-based filtering where data sets of the identified antenna are disregarded for a particular grid element if a quantity of data sets are not a highest quantity for all antennas having data sets within the particular grid element for a specified time period.

16. The system of claim 12 further wherein the method further comprises:

storing, by a knowledge base in accordance with an actual carrying out of a maintenance operation, a result of the maintenance operation.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the feature subset comprises at least two features.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least two features comprise an average distance feature and an azimuth data feature.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the feature subset comprises two or more features taken from the group consisting of: OSI Layer 2 parameters and Layer 3 parameters.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision further comprises:

second applying, by the antenna coverage anomaly detection component, a centroid distance threshold to the current distance from centroid to render an initial antenna detection event decision.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the rendering an antenna change detection decision further comprises:

third applying, by the antenna coverage anomaly detection component, a historical feedback information to render a historically confirmed antenna detection event decision.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the historical feedback information is obtained across multiple distinct antenna installations.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: USCC WIRELESS HOLDINGS, LLC
To: ODYSSEY WEST, LLC
Reel/Frame 073362/0519 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: ODYSSEY WEST, LLC
To: T-MOBILE INNOVATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 073365/0391 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2025
From: UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION
To: USCC WIRELESS HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 072315/0805 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2020
From: VELA, MARIO; AMOS, DAVID BRENT; HOBSON, MICHAEL REED; WOTRING, KENNETH; WOZICH, ZACHARY; IRIZARRY, MICHAEL S.; SAXENA, NAROTHUM
To: UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051913/0690 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,443,865 US 12,556,466