Methods and apparatus for planning and managing a communications network

An automated method for planning and managing the performance of a communication network comprising the steps of:

• forming a propagation forecast output in real-time in a propagation forecast means, said propagation forecast output modeling a plurality of communications-link locations meeting a plurality of predetermined performance parameters, said propagation forecast means having a plurality of stored meteorological forecast inputs, a plurality of predetermined network performance parameters and a plurality of programmed propagation algorithms;
• said propagation forecast means transmits said propagation forecast output to a plurality of planning algorithms of a network planning means;
• forming a traffic forecast output in a traffic forecasting means from a plurality of communications requirements inputs, said traffic forecast output modeling a second plurality of communications-link locations meeting said plurality of predetermined performance parameters, said traffic forecast means having a traffic database and a predicted traffic database, said predicted traffic database, having a plurality of programmed traffic forecast algorithms;
• said traffic forecast means transmits said traffic forecast output to said plurality of planning algorithms;
• said network planning means forming a network output plan and combining said network output plan with a link reliability output to generate a baseline network model, said baseline network model having a means responsive to a plurality of real-time meteorological measurements, a plurality of radio traffic measurements and a plurality of network change inputs from said model correction means;
• forming a dynamic network model in real-time from said baseline network model, said network planning means having said plurality of planning algorithms and a means to calculate adjustments to said dynamic network model;
• continuously updating a propagation database of the propagation forecast means with said plurality of real-time meteorological measurements, said propagation forecast means automatically transmitting an adjusted propagation forecast to said plurality of planning algorithms;
• continuously updating said traffic database and said predicted traffic database of the traffic forecast means with said plurality of radio traffic measurements, said traffic forecast means automatically transmitting an adjusted traffic forecast to said plurality of planning algorithms;
• realigning said network by said network planning means calculating a plurality of model adjustments, said network planning means being responsive to both said adjusted traffic forecast and said adjusted propagation forecast;
• continuously comparing said dynamic network model, said adjusted traffic forecast, said adjusted propagation forecast and said plurality of predetermined network performance parameters in an artificial intelligence program of said model correction means;
• adjusting in a coefficient adjustment means a plurality of propagation coefficients of said propagation forecast algorithms, a plurality of traffic coefficients of said traffic forecast algorithms and a plurality of planning coefficients of said planning algorithms of the network planning means;
• and
• said model correction means generating a plurality of reconfiguration instructions based on said plurality of real-time meteorological measurements, said plurality of traffic measurements, said adjusted propagation forecast, said adjusted traffic forecast and said predetermined network performance parameters to the operators of said network.

An automated communications network planner for converting meteorological data and traffic data into a dynamic network model on a network terminal display means, said dynamic network model meeting a plurality of predetermined performance parameters of a communications network, comprising:

• said communications network;
• means for determining a propagation forecast in real-time from a plurality of stored meteorological forecast inputs, said propagation forecast means, having a propagation database and a plurality of propagation algorithms, being coupled to a network planning means;
• means for determining a traffic forecast in real-time from a plurality of traffic data inputs, said traffic forecast means, having a traffic database, a predicted traffic database and a plurality of traffic algorithms, being coupled to said network planning means;
• a plurality of planning algorithms of said network planning means receives a propagation output from said propagation forecast means and a traffic forecast output from said traffic forecast means;
• said network planning means generates said dynamic network model;
• a means for determining model corrections, controlling said network planning means, continuously updates said propagation database with a plurality of real-time meteorological measurements, said propagation forecast means automatically transmitting an adjusted propagation forecast to said plurality of planning algorithms of the network planning means;
• said model correction means continuously updates said traffic database with a plurality of radio traffic measurements, said traffic forecast means automatically transmitting an adjusted traffic forecast to said plurality of planning algorithms of the network planning means;
• said network planning means, having a means for calculating a plurality of model adjustments;
• said model correction means, having an artificial intelligence program, continuously compares said dynamic network model and said predetermined performance parameters;
• a coefficient adjustment means adjusts a plurality of propagation coefficients of said propagation traffic algorithms, a plurality of traffic coefficients of said traffic algorithms and a plurality of planning coefficients of said planning algorithms;
• and
• said artificial intelligence program continuously compares said plurality of real-time meteorological measurements, said plurality of radio traffic measurements, said adjusted propagation forecast, said adjusted traffic forecast and said predetermined network performance parameters to generate a plurality of network reconfiguration instructions for display on said display means.