Method and system for auditing and correcting cellular antenna coverage patterns

Abstract

A method for adjusting a base station antenna may include receiving measured data including signal strength data for a signal received from the base station and location data from one or more user equipment, receiving planned radio coverage data, comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data, generating adjustment parameters based on a result of the comparison, and adjusting the antenna based on the adjustment parameters.

What is clamed is: 
     
         1 . A system for auditing a configuration of a cellular antenna of a base station, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, perform the following method:   receiving measured data including signal strength data for a signal received from the base station and location data from one or more user equipment;   receiving planned radio coverage data;   comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data; and   generating adjustment parameters based on a result of the comparison.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular antenna is a steerable antenna, and the non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon includes further instructions which, when executed by the processor, automatically adjust the steerable antenna based on the adjustment parameters. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one user equipment is a plurality of user equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data includes calculating a fit value and comparing the fit value to a threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon further includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following steps:
 adjusting the planned radio coverage data according to the adjustment parameters; and   comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data includes calculating a second fit value and comparing the second fit value to the threshold value, and
 wherein generating the adjustment parameters, adjusting the planned radio coverage data, and comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data are iterated until a match is determined.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the signal strength data includes Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), Reference Signal Code Power (RSCP), Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data comprises generating a planned grid including estimated signal strength values at latitude and longitude coordinates, and generating a measured data grid including measured signal strength values at latitude and longitude coordinates. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the adjustment parameters include a transmit power parameter, an azimuth boresight parameter, and a beamwidth parameter. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of user equipment are cellular communication devices, each of which has a software application for transmitting the measured signal strength data stored thereon. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the planned radio coverage data includes an identifier for the cellular antenna, a position of the cellular antenna, and a power level of the cellular antenna. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of user equipment are handheld devices. 
     
     
         13 . A method for adjusting an antenna of a cellular base station, the method comprising:
 receiving measured data including signal strength data for a signal received from the base station and location data from one or more user equipment;   receiving planned radio coverage data;   comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data;   generating adjustment parameters based on a result of the comparison; and   adjusting the antenna based on the adjustment parameters.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one user equipment is a plurality of user equipment, the antenna is a steerable antenna, and adjusting the antenna is performed automatically. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data includes calculating a fit value and comparing the fit value to a threshold value. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 adjusting the planned radio coverage data according to the adjustment parameters; and   comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data includes calculating a second fit value and comparing the second fit value to the threshold value, and wherein generating the adjustment parameters, adjusting the planned radio coverage data and comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data are iterated until a match is determined. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, perform the following method:
 receiving measured data including signal strength data for a signal received from the base station and location data from one or more user equipment;   receiving planned radio coverage data;   comparing the measured data with the planned radio coverage data; and   generating adjustment parameters based on a result of the comparison.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon further includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following steps:
 adjusting the planned radio coverage data according to the adjustment parameters; and   comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data includes calculating a second fit value and comparing the second fit value to the threshold value, and
 wherein generating the adjustment parameters, adjusting the planned radio coverage data, and comparing the adjusted planned radio coverage data to the measured data are iterated until a match is determined.