Automated cell parameter update in cellular networks

Abstract

The described technology is generally directed towards automated cell parameter updates in cellular networks. A network automation platform architecture is disclosed which includes elements configured to automatically analyze, recalculate, and deploy cell parameters such as PCI and RSI parameters, for cells of a cellular communication network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by network equipment comprising a processor, cell data comprising physical cell identifiers and root sequence indices for application to cells;   analyzing, by the network equipment, the cell data in order to identify a collision, the collision comprising:
 a same physical cell identifier assigned to neighbor cells of the cells, or 
 a same root sequence index assigned to the neighbor cells; and 
   communicating, by the network equipment, a replacement physical cell identifier or a replacement root sequence index in order to configure a neighbor cell of the neighbor cells to avoid the collision.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the network equipment, the replacement physical cell identifier or the replacement root sequence index for the neighbor cell of the neighbor cells, wherein the replacement physical cell identifier, or the replacement root sequence index, is determined to avoid the collision. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed periodically in order to periodically correct collisions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell data is received via an element management system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating the replacement physical cell identifier or the replacement root sequence index to the element management system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network equipment comprises network automation platform equipment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement physical cell identifier is a first replacement physical cell identifier, and further comprising:
 analyzing, by the network equipment, the cell data in order to identify a physical cell identifier confusion, the physical cell identifier confusion comprising a same physical cell identifier assigned to at least two cells of the cells; and   sending, by the network automation platform equipment, a second replacement physical cell identifier in order to configure the at least two cells to avoid the physical cell identifier confusion.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least two cells comprise at least two second cells that are both neighbors of a first cell of the cells. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining, by the network equipment, the second replacement physical cell identifier, wherein the second replacement physical cell identifier is determined to avoid the physical cell identifier confusion. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving cell data comprising physical cell identifiers for cells;   analyzing the physical cell identifiers in order to identify a physical cell identifier confusion, the physical cell identifier confusion comprising a same physical cell identifier assigned to a group of cells of the cells; and   sending a new physical cell identifier in order to configure a cell of the group of cells according to the new physical cell identifier in order to avoid the physical cell identifier confusion.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the group of cells comprises a group of second cells, which are neighbors of a first cell of the cells. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the new physical cell identifier for the cell of the group of cells. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving of the cell data and the analyzing of the physical cell identifiers is performed periodically. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein analyzing the cell data comprises analyzing a portion of a cell data update corresponding to a defined subgroup of the cells. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the defined subgroup of the cells is reconfigurably included or excluded for processing according to the operations. 
     
     
         16 . Network equipment, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving cell data comprising parameters assigned to cells; 
 analyzing the cell data in order to identify a collision, the collision comprising a same root sequence index assigned to neighbor cells of the cells; and 
 sending a replacement root sequence index in order to configure a neighbor cell of the neighbor cells according to a replacement root sequence index in order to avoid the collision. 
   
     
     
         17 . The network equipment of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the replacement root sequence index for the neighbor cell, and wherein the replacement root sequence index avoids the collision. 
     
     
         18 . The network equipment of  claim 16 , wherein the network equipment comprises an automation platform for a cellular network comprising the cells. 
     
     
         19 . The network equipment of  claim 16 , wherein the network equipment is in a first cluster which is coupled to a second cluster. 
     
     
         20 . The network equipment of  claim 19 , wherein functions of the first cluster and the second cluster are configurable via a self-organizing network.