US-20260129468-A1 - AUTOMATIC DETECTION AND REPORTING FOR DEPLOYABLE CELL SITES

US20260129468A1US 20260129468 A1US20260129468 A1US 20260129468A1US-20260129468-A1

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, accessing device usage data that can be generated when end user devices connect with the network; and analyzing the device usage data according to identification information of the deployable cell site, which enables determining or estimating a location of the deployable cell site. In one embodiment, this analysis can be based on device usage reports and network performance data. A performance report and/or location map can be generated for an area associated with the deployable cell site. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Inventors

Jason Young
Muhammed Abughrara

Assignees

AT&T MOBILITY II LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . A device operated by a first entity, the device comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: detecting that the deployable cell site has become active on a network that is operated by the first entity without receiving a notification from the deployable cell site; analyzing device-usage reports and network-performance data associated with the deployable cell site to determine one or more performance trends; predicting, based on the one or more performance trends, a future network condition related to the deployable cell site, and determining a corresponding operational action; and generating a report that includes the predicted network condition and the corresponding operational action.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the detecting that the deployable cell site has become active on the network is based on periodic monitoring of the network according to identification information for the deployable cell site.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the periodic monitoring comprises searching for sessions established by radios associated with the deployable cell site.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the determining the one or more performance trends is based at least in part on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data collected from end user devices communicating with the deployable cell site.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the determining the one or more performance trends further comprises comparing one or more performance metrics of the deployable cell site to one or more corresponding performance metrics of one or more fixed cell sites within the network.
6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the report includes a visual comparison of the deployable cell site and the one or more fixed cell sites.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the determining the one or more performance trends is based on device usage data that comprises measurements of signal quality made by end user devices.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the predicting the future network condition related to the deployable cell site includes estimating a duration of the deployable cell site's active state at a current location of the deployable cell site.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the report includes location information for the deployable cell site, said location being determined by the analyzing the device-usage reports and the network performance data.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the device-usage reports includes determining a coverage area associated with the deployable cell site based on respective locations of a plurality of end user devices.
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the coverage area is represented as a polygon on a location map, and the report includes the polygon along with a confidence value indicating accuracy of the calculated coverage area.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding operational action includes activating one or more self-optimization features of the deployable cell site.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding operational action includes transmitting a notification to an administrator or a predefined group of recipients upon detecting an anomaly in the deployable cell site's performance or status.
14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding operational action includes determining adjustments to access levels for different groups of end users connecting to the deployable cell site.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the determining the adjustments to access levels includes enabling cellular services for a first group of user devices and disabling cellular services for a second group of user devices.
16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding operational action includes prioritizing emergency responder devices over non-emergency responder devices with respect to access to the deployable cell site.
17 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a machine-learning model is configured to refine predictions of future network conditions and determine corresponding operational actions over time based on historical data.
18 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the report to end user devices or other systems accessible to the first entity.
19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: detecting that the deployable cell site has become active on a network that is operated by the first entity without receiving a notification from the deployable cell site; analyzing device-usage reports and network-performance data associated with the deployable cell site to determine one or more performance trends; predicting, based on the one or more performance trends, a future network condition related to the deployable cell site, and determining a corresponding operational action; and generating a report that includes the predicted network condition and the corresponding operational action.
20 . A method, comprising: detecting, by a processing system that comprises a processor, that the deployable cell site has become active on a network that is operated by the first entity without receiving a notification from the deployable cell site; analyzing, by the processing system, device-usage reports and network-performance data associated with the deployable cell site to determine one or more performance trends; automatically adjusting one or more network configurations for the deployable cell site in response to the one or more performance trends; and generating, by the processing system, a report that includes data associated with the network configurations and the performance trends.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/973,777 filed on Oct. 26, 2022. All sections of the aforementioned application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject disclosure relates to automatic detection and reporting for deployable cell sites. BACKGROUND A deployable cell site is a non-permanent, non-fixed network asset, which can be placed into service by communication service providers in a short period of time. Deployable cell sites are sometimes used to provide temporary coverage to an area of a communication network, such as where a disaster has struck. The deployable cell sites may be activated in a short period of time. Rapid and unpredictable activation of deployable cell sites, particularly where the deployable cell sites are under the control of third parties other than the communication service provider, can place a strain on the communication service provider's network management systems. This strain can occur during initial deployment, as well as at and after the time that the deployable cell site is deactivated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of a communications network in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a system functioning within the communication network of FIG. 1 in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 2B is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of information generated by a system functioning within the communication network of FIG. 1 in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 2C is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of information generated by a system functioning within the communication network of FIG. 1 in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 2D is a graphical illustration of data associated with an example, non-limiting embodiment of a system functioning within the communication network of FIG. 1 in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 2E depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a virtualized communication network in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a computing environment in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a mobile network platform in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a communication device in accordance with various aspects described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrative embodiments of automated detection and/or reporting of performance and configuration for deployable cell sites. The deployable cell sites can be of various types such as a Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD), Cell on Wheels (COW), Cell on Light Truck (COLT) or other deployable cell sites that can be transported to a location of need and support network services, including operating as a radio base station for the area in which it has been deployed. The deployable cell sites can be owned and/or operated by various entities including first responder entities on the FirstNet network. Other owners and/or operators of the deployable cell sites can include third parties that are different entities from one or more communication service providers (e.g., a building owner that is facilitating services to its building, a venue owner that is increasing service capability at its venue, a contractor that is brought in to provide service (or increase service) to a particular area, and so forth) and/or a communication service provider(s) that utilizes deployable cell site(s) to temporarily provide service or increase service to a particular area(s). In one or more embodiments, a detection or determination can be made (e.g., by a network server) as to when a deployable cell site(s) is activated (or otherwise providing or facilitating communication services to end user devices), and a location for the active deployable cell site(s) can then be discerned, estimated or otherwise determined. In one or more embodiments, configuration settings can be validated for the deployable cell site(s). In one or more embodiments, performance KPIs can be obtained and provided to particular recipients, such as a fixed group of email recipients. In one embodiment, the performance KPIs can be provided for as long as the deployable cell site is powered up and active. In other embodiment