US 9,854,408 B2 · Deploying cell on drone or droneap to mitigate radio capacity and coverage issues

Abstract

Embodiments herein describe a system that includes an autonomous vehicle (referred to herein as a drone) which is controlled by a self-organizing network (SON) to expand the capabilities of a cellular network in real time. In one embodiment, the SON monitors the cellular network and identifies congestion or capacity issues where the cell towers covering the geographic region may be unable to satisfy the large number of requests for data by the users in the region. Once a congestion or capacity issue is detected, the SON determines whether dispatching a drone access point (AP) may improve or resolve the issue. In one example, the drone AP is an autonomous vehicle that includes a radio that permits the drone to serve as a mobile cell site for the cellular network.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

identifying, using a self-organizing network (SON), a performance issue at a geographic region within a cellular network comprising one or more fixed cell sites;
configuring, using the SON, a drone access point (AP) to function as a mobile cell site for the cellular network, wherein the drone AP comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and wherein configuring the drone AP comprises:
generating radio parameters for a radio attached to the drone AP;
and
adjusting radio parameters of at least one the fixed cell sites covering the geographic region to compensate for adding the drone AP to the cellular network;
determining a desired location of the drone AP in the cellular network, wherein a coverage area of the drone AP when at the desired location includes at least a portion of the geographic region;
and
dispatching the drone AP to the desired location.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Deploying cell on drone or droneap to mitigate radio capacity and coverage issues

Life of this patent

Deploying cell on drone or droneap to mitigate radio capacity and coverage issues

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20