Automated microwave network planner
AssigneeTelecom Transport Management Inc.
InventorsAlan Denis MacDonald, Philip Godrick Wystan Woods
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microwave network planner tool (40). The network planner tool (40) allows a user to set parameters for a network design, and to assign weighted values to multiple components of the design of the network. Weighting may be biased to proximity and/or site factors. Executing the tool provides an optimized network designed to constraints defined by the user. For example, if the designer wishes to reduce network cost, the designer may set constraints to the number of links allowed, and may increase the weighting on a selection of preferred location (e.g., a tower with favorable lease conditions).
Claims16
A computer-implemented method of designing a network including a plurality of wirelessly linked sites, comprising:
- receiving information about network design constraints of the network, including fiber hub information about a fiber hub, the fiber hub information including a location;
- accessing site information about a plurality of sites near the location;
- receiving assigned preferences to factors associated with the plurality of sites;
- creating a score for each of the plurality of sites based upon the assigned preferences;
- and
- creating a network of linked sites utilizing the scores for the plurality of sites.
A computer-implemented method of designing a microwave network including a plurality of wirelessly linked sites, comprising:
- receiving fiber hub information about a fiber hub for the network, the fiber hub information including:
- a location of the fiber hub;
- frequency, distance, and capacity requirements for forming a link the fiber hub;
- a number of links for the fiber hub;
- a number of tiers for the network;
- a number of links at each tier of the network;
- and
- frequency, distance, and capacity requirements for forming a link with a respective site at each of the tiers;
- accessing site information about a plurality of sites near the location;
- for the fiber hub:
- (a) creating a working set of sites from the site information by evaluating the sites to determine if they meet the frequency, distance, and capacity requirements of the fiber hub;
- (b) receiving assigned preferences to factors associated with the plurality of sites;
- (c) creating a score for each of the plurality of sites in the working set based upon the assigned preferences;
- (d) in an iterative process selected in order based upon the score of each of the sites in the working set, evaluating a site for forming a link with the fiber hub based upon meeting location requirements based upon at least one of (1) topography between the fiber hub and the site and (2) blockage or interference between the fiber hub and the site;
- (e) if the location requirements are met, committing a link between the site and the fiber hub;
- and
- (f) repeating acts (d) and (e) until the number of committed links equals the number of links for the fiber hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.