Method and apparatus for processing data

Abstract

A method of processing data for at least one wireless communication network and a data processing system for implementing such a method are provided. The method comprises determining geolocation information for data segments received at a plurality of distributed components of a data processing system, the data segments being received from at least one network element of the wireless communication network, and forwarding the data segments to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of processing data for at least one wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 determining geolocation information for data segments received at a plurality of distributed components of a data processing system, the data segments being received from at least one network element of the wireless communication network; and   forwarding the data segments to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises forwarding the data segments to backend processing resources further based on at least one of:
 an anticipated volume of data for individual geographical regions; and   a processing capacity of backend processing resources.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 allocating predefined geographical regions to backend processing resources;   identifying to which predefined geographical regions the data segments relate based at least partly on their respective geolocation information; and   forwarding the data segments to the backend processing resources to which the predefined geographical regions to which they relate have been allocated.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method comprises:
 assigning an index value to each predefined geographical region;   associating backend processing resources with the index values assigned to the predefined geographical regions allocated thereto;   determining geolocation information for the data segments;   identifying to which predefined geographical regions received data segments relate based at least partly on their respective geolocation information; and   forwarding the data segments to backend processing resources associated with the index values of their respective identified predefined geographical regions.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method comprises allocating backend processing resources to predefined geographical regions based at least partly on at least one of:
 an anticipated volume of data for individual geographical regions; and   a processing capacity of backend processing resources.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method comprises:
 defining geographical regions of substantially equal size; and   allocating backend processing resources to the predefined geographical regions to take into account variations in anticipated volumes of traffic between geographical regions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method comprises:
 defining geographical regions to achieve a substantially uniform anticipated volume of traffic within each geographical region; and   allocating backend processing resources to the predefined geographical regions to achieve a substantially even allocation of geographical regions to backend processing resources.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data segments forwarded to the backend processing resources comprises at least one of:
 session connection setup information;   session closedown information;   identification of radio links involved in session;   measured radio propagation delay;   radio bearer or bearers involved during session;   type of session;   measurement reports;   received signal code power; and   subscriber information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises, at the backend processing resources:
 pre-processing received data to enable efficient storage and access of the received data; and   storing the pre-processed data for subsequent processing to generate statistical data for the wireless communication network.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises, at the backend processing resources, performing near-real-time processing of the stored, pre-processed data in response to requests from client applications. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 receiving at a plurality of distributed components of a data processing system from at least one network element of the wireless communication network;   extracting a subset of the received data;   determining geolocation information for data segments within the extracted subset of the data; and   forwarding the data segments within the extracted subset of the data to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information,   
       wherein the method further comprises, at the backend processing resources:
 receiving at the backend processing resources data segments from the plurality of distributed components of the processing system; and 
 processing the received extracted data segments to generate statistical data for the wireless communication network. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data received at the plurality of distributed components of the data processing system comprises raw communication session data for all communication sessions of the respective network elements. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises, at the plurality of distributed components of the data processing system, storing the received raw communication session data. 
     
     
         14 . A data processing system for processing data from at least one wireless communication network; the data processing system comprising at least one allocation component arranged to:
 determine geolocation information for data segments received at a plurality of distributed components of a data processing system, the data segments being received from at least one network element of the wireless communication network; and   forward the data segments to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information.   
     
     
         15 . An allocation component of a data processing system for processing data from at least one wireless communication network; the allocation component being arranged to:
 determine geolocation information for data segments received at a plurality of distributed components of a data processing system, the data segments being received from at least one network element of the wireless communication network; and   forward the data segments to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information.   
     
     
         16 . A distributed component of a data processing system for processing data from at least one wireless communication network; the distributed component of the data processing system being arranged to:
 receive data from at least one network element of the wireless communication network;   determine geolocation information for data segments within the received data; and   forward data segments within the received data to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer program product having computer program code stored thereon for programming a data processing module to perform a method of processing data for at least one wireless communication network, the computer program code being arranged to:
 determine geolocation information for data segments received at a plurality of distributed components of a data processing system, the data segments being received from at least one network element of the wireless communication network; and   forward the data segments to backend processing resources based at least partly on their respective geolocation information.