U.S. patent application number 13/350757 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-10 for system and method for automatic detection of utran topology.
This patent application is currently assigned to TEKTRONIX, INC.. Invention is credited to Kamat Ashwini, Seshu Dommaraju, QiQuan Xu.
Application Number | 20120113136 13/350757 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39591848 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120113136 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Xu; QiQuan ; et al. |
May 10, 2012 |
System and Method for Automatic Detection of UTRAN Topology
Abstract
System and method for automatically detecting nodes, components
and interfaces in a network. A preferred embodiment comprises
detecting nodes in a network, wherein the nodes are coupled to a
network controller, comprises identifying ports for the network
controller, capturing messages received by the network controller
at the ports, parsing the messages to identify a node address
parameter, wherein the node address parameter uniquely identifies
the node to the network controller, and if the node address
parameter has not been previously identified, adding a new entry to
a node database.
Inventors: |
Xu; QiQuan; (Coppell,
TX) ; Ashwini; Kamat; (Plano, TX) ; Dommaraju;
Seshu; (Plano, TX) |
Assignee: |
TEKTRONIX, INC.
Beaverton
OR
|
Family ID: |
39591848 |
Appl. No.: |
13/350757 |
Filed: |
January 14, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12043109 |
Mar 5, 2008 |
8139503 |
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13350757 |
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60909287 |
Mar 30, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/619 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 24/02 20130101;
H04L 41/0213 20130101; H04L 43/12 20130101; H04L 41/22 20130101;
H04L 41/12 20130101; H04W 92/12 20130101; H04W 24/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/619 |
International
Class: |
G09G 5/00 20060101
G09G005/00 |
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. A method for positioning network nodes on a display,
comprising: determining a display position for a central node;
calculating a maximum radius, wherein the maximum radius
corresponds to a distance between the central node and a farthest
point on the display; calculating a first radius, wherein the first
radius corresponds to the maximum radius modified by a first scale
factor; and positioning one or more network nodes on a first
circular region of the display, wherein the first circular region
corresponds to a circle positioned at the first radius from the
central node.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the positioning step further
comprises: selecting locations for a first group of the network
nodes on the first circular region, wherein the first group of the
network nodes are separated by a first angular interval.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: selecting locations
for a second group of the network nodes on the first circular
region, wherein the second group of the network nodes are separated
by a second angular interval.
20. The method of claim 17, further comprising: determining a
maximum number of network nodes that can be displayed on the first
circular region; and when the maximum number of network nodes are
positioned on the first circular region, then positioning a
remaining group of network nodes on a second circular region of the
display, wherein the second circular region corresponds to a circle
positioned at a second radius from the central node, wherein the
second radius corresponds to the first radius modified by a second
scale factor.
21. The method of claim 17, further comprising: displaying the
central node and the network nodes; and displaying an interface
connection drawn between each of the network nodes and the central
node.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/909,287, filed on Mar. 30, 2007, entitled System
and Method for Automatic Detection of UTRAN Topology, which
application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a system and
method for identifying elements of a network and, more
particularly, to a system and method for automatically detecting
and plotting Node Bs attached to a Radio Network Controller (RNC)
in a UTRAN network.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a
third-generation (3G) mobile phone technology standardized first by
the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and now
by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). UMTS carries both
circuit switched (CS) and packet switched (PS) traffic using
Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) as its air
interface. The description of the network components and protocols
used in UMTS are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art
and are available to the public from 3GPP, ETSI, and other sources.
The UMTS network architecture consists of three domains: Core
Network (CN), UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), and
User Equipment (UE).
[0004] The Core Network provides switching and routing for user
traffic and provides network management functions. The Core Network
architecture is based on the GSM network with GPRS. The UTRAN
provides the air interface access to subscribers' UE. Base stations
in the UTRAN arc referred as Node-Bs, and the control equipment for
the Node-Bs is called a Radio Network Controller (RNC). The UMTS
User Equipment communicates via the WCDMA air interface to the
Node-Bs. The UE may be attached to either the PS domain or CS
domain or both. The UE is capable of simultaneously using PS
services and CS services.
[0005] UMTS defines several interfaces and protocols for exchanging
data between network components to set up voice and data calls to
the UE. Each call comprises numerous messages that pass across
various interfaces. In order to fully analyze a call, all of the
messages for the call must be collected and correlated. One
disadvantage of the prior art is that there can be numerous nodes
in a UMTS network and that each of these network nodes must be
known in order to accurately monitor the network.
[0006] A second disadvantage of the prior art is that the network
nodes are continually changing as components, such as Node Bs, are
added, moved, upgraded, serviced or deleted. Accordingly, the
service provider must manually update a network configuration map
each time such a change takes place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] These and other problems arc generally solved or
circumvented, and technical advantages are generally achieved, by
embodiments of the present invention in which monitoring equipment
captures messages at a network node and identifies new network
components from address parameters in the captured messages. The
network components are then displayed on a network map to a
user.
[0008] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a
method for detecting nodes in a network, wherein the nodes are
coupled to a network controller, comprises identifying ports for
the network controller, capturing messages received by the network
controller at the ports, parsing the messages to identify a node
address parameter, wherein the node address parameter uniquely
identifies a node to the network controller, and if the node
address parameter has not been previously identified, adding a new
entry to a node database. The entry to the node database includes
the node address parameter and logical channel information. The
node may be a UMTS Node B and the network controller may be a UMTS
Radio Network Controller (RNC). The node address parameter may be a
Transport Layer Address (TLA) associated with a UMTS Node B. The
TLA is carried by a message selected from the group consisting of:
Radio Link Setup Response, Radio Link Reconfiguration Preparation,
and Radio Link Reconfiguration Commit messages.
[0009] In one embodiment, the messages are captured by monitoring
equipment that is coupled to a UMTS Radio Network Controller (RNC).
A new entry is added to a node database by a central monitoring
server coupled to the monitoring equipment. The captured messages
may be sent from the monitoring equipment to the central monitoring
server as a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap, for
example. A multithread process is used to receive and queue the
SNMP trap in a first thread of the multithread process and to
process the SNMP traps in a second thread of the multithread
process. A new UMTS tub interface is associated with each new Node
B that is detected.
[0010] In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention, a method for positioning network nodes on a display,
comprises determining a display position for a central node,
calculating a maximum radius, wherein the maximum radius
corresponds to a distance between the central node and a farthest
point on the display, calculating a first radius, wherein the first
radius corresponds to the maximum radius modified by a first scale
factor, and positioning one or more network nodes on a first
circular region of the display, wherein the first circular region
corresponds to a circle positioned at the first radius from the
central node. Positioning the network nodes includes selecting
locations for a first group of the network nodes on the first
circular region, wherein the first group of the network nodes are
separated by a first angular interval. Locations for a second group
of the network nodes are selected on the first circular region,
wherein the second group of the network nodes are separated by a
second angular interval. A maximum number of network nodes that can
be displayed on the first circular region is determined. When the
maximum number of network nodes are positioned on the first
circular region, a remaining group of network nodes are positioned
on a second circular region of the display, wherein the second
circular region corresponds to a circle positioned at a second
radius from the central node. The second radius corresponds to the
first radius modified by a second scale factor. In one embodiment,
the central node, the network nodes, and an interface connection
drawn between each of the network nodes and the central node are
displayed to the user on the network map.
[0011] The present invention automatically detects nodes,
interfaces and components of a large network. The present invention
also provides the capability to display network components to a
user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following
descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in
which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of components of a
monitoring system for a UMTS network according to embodiments of
the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for displaying a map of
network nodes according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a method for placing network nodes on
a display map according to one embodiment of the invention; and
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates a mapping of network nodes according to
one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The present invention provides many applicable inventive
concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific
contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely
illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do
not limit the scope of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a UMTS network comprising
Node Bs 101 and Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) 102. Node Bs 101
communicate with RNCs 102 via lub interfaces 103. RNCs 102
communicate with each other via Iur interface 104. Node B 101 is in
communication with User Equipment (UE) 105 via air interface Uu
106. Whenever UEs 105 make or receive a call, signaling messages
are exchanged between Node Bs 101 and RNCs 102 over lub interfaces
103 and between RNCs 102 over Iur interface 104. Collectively, RNCs
102 and Node Bs 101 make up the UTRAN portion of the UMTS network.
Mobile Switching Center (MSC)/Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) 107
represent the Core Network in UMTS. luCS/luPS interface 108
represents the interfaces for circuit-switched and packet-switched
traffic routed between Core Network 107 and RNC 102.
[0019] Monitors or probes 109 are non-intrusively coupled to RNCs
102 to capture substantially all of the protocol messages traveling
to and from RNCs 102. Monitoring equipment 109 identifies the
messages belonging to each voice or data call and correlates those
messages into one record per call. Monitors 109 are coupled to
central server 110 and to workstation 111, which allows an operator
to access network information. collected by monitors 109.
[0020] The monitoring equipment, including monitors 109 and server
110, needs to know the configuration of the UMTS network in order
to properly correlate and display network information to users at
workstation 111. The UTRAN network may be very large. As many as
two hundred Node Bs can be handled by a single RNC. The UTRAN
configuration changes as Node Bs are added, moved, upgraded,
serviced, or deleted. it can be challenging for a service provider
to manually enter and update the UTRAN network configuration into
the monitoring equipment in a timely manner. To ensure that the
monitoring equipment is aware of the Node Bs 101 that are connected
to the UTRAN, server 110 runs an auto-detection application for the
UTRAN network to detect NodeBs and related lub/Iur interfaces along
with the logical links associated with them. The user only needs to
identify an RNC 102 along with its port information. The end result
of the auto-detection application is the detection of the entire
UTRAN network, which may be displayed on a network map and/or
stored in database 112 at server 111.
[0021] For each physical device, the user configures the
auto-detection algorithm by providing the type of device, TX port,
RX port, and monitoring equipment. The user configures a RNC on the
network map by providing the following information: monitoring
equipment, list of physical devices, vendor information, release
version information, decode tree used for parsing, and other
display related information.
[0022] A monitor will auto-detect NodeBs 100 using the traffic
observed at the ports specified for an RNC. A Transport Layer
Address (TLA) uniquely identifies each Node B. The UTRAN messages
that contain a TLA are the Radio Link Setup Response, Radio Link
Reconfiguration Preparation, and Radio Link Reconfiguration Commit
messages. The TLA, which is unique per RNC, along with its logical
channel information is used to keep track of detected Node Bs and
the interface links associated with each Node B. Whenever a unique
TLA is discovered in the network, monitor 109 will send this
information back to server 110 in the form of a Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) trap.
[0023] An auto-detection process running on server 110 will receive
this SNMP trap and queue it. Due to the high rate of traps expected
from monitors 109 when the UTRAN network is first being detected
the server process is multi-threaded, in one embodiment, with one
thread receiving and queuing the traps and the other thread
processing the traps. This processing includes creating the
elements hierarchically in database 112 according to the
information in the trap. In one embodiment, a Node B entry is
created first, then a corresponding lub interface, link group, and
logical link are created. In auto-detect mode, the data from
monitor 109 is always considered to be most accurate and,
therefore, the server database will be overwritten by the
information from the monitor. Once database 112 has the required
information, a map spotter algorithm is used to draw the Node Bs
and the lub interfaces on a network map. The cells associated with
each NodeB, though not visible on the network map directly, are
stored database 112 and can be displayed on demand.
[0024] A process on server 110 downloads the unique identifiers of
all the auto-detected elements to monitor 109, which will be used
for further processing. The server detects duplicate SNMP traps for
the same Node B by comparing the TLA information stored in database
112. These duplicate traps will not be processed, but the trap
information may be logged for debugging.
[0025] Iur interfaces between RNCs may be detected using a similar
algorithm. Each RNC has a unique identifier such as the RNC Id
and/or the Pointcode. The identifier for Iur links is the
identifier for the Remote RNC. The lub and Iur interfaces as well
as the channel information for the logical links may also be
displayed on the network map.
[0026] Using the RNC data entered by the user and the Node B, lub
interface, and Iur interface data gathered by the auto-detection
application, the monitoring system can display a network map to the
user. The network map may be, for example, a graphical user
interface (GUI) that illustrates an RNC and the associated
interfaces and Node Bs. The GUI network map provides the user with
a visual representation of the UTRAN and allows the user to access
detailed configuration or operational status information about
network elements.
[0027] Because there may be two hundred or more Node Bs associated
with a single RNC, a map spotter application is used to select
where the Node Bs should be placed on the network map. The map
spotter application finds spare space on the network map so that
the display is usable and organized and has minimal clutter. The
map spotter application places a Node B or RNC node on the network
map after the auto-detection application finds a new lub or Iur
interface. The following example uses Node Bs as an example to
demonstrate the basic algorithm of the map spotter application.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 2, area 200 is the area of the network
map that will be displayed, for example, on workstation 111. The
initial inputs to the map spotter application are the map size and
the position for RNC 201. Other parameters, such as a map name, may
also be provided or required. it will be understood that RNC 201
can be positioned anywhere on display area 200 including the center
of the area or any off-center position.
[0029] Once the map size and the location of RNC node 201 has been
established, the map spotter application must place the Node Bs on
display area 200. The Node Bs may be placed anywhere on map 200,
but to improve the final layout the Node Bs will be positioned on
circles, such as circles 202-205, that are centered around RNC 201.
The Node Bs will be placed on the circles.
[0030] The map spotter application must determine where to position
the circles on drawing area 200. First the map spotter application
will determine a maximum radius of circles 202 by calculating the
distances between RNC 201 and the four corners 21-24 of map 200.
The longest distance 20 (i.e. from RNC 201 to the farthest corner
21) is the maximum radius of possible drawing circles. For example,
circle 205 having a radius 20 (from RNC 201 to corner 21) will
intersect drawing area 200 only at corner 21. Therefore, any Node
Bs plotted on a circle with a radius greater than radius 20 of
circle 25 will not appear on map display area 200.
[0031] The map spotter application selects an inner circle 202 with
a radius less than radius 20 on which to begin placing the Node Bs
for display. The radius 25 of innermost circle 202 is configurable
and, in one embodiment, is measured in terms of percentage of
maximum radius 20. For example, radius 25 will typically be set as
20% to 80% of the length of radius 20, and a default value of 40%
may be used.
[0032] If needed, additional circles 203 and 204 may be used to
position Node Bs on display area 200. In one embodiment, the
distance between adjacent circles is constant and configurable
based on display capabilities of workstation 111. For example, the
distance between adjacent circles 202 and 203 may be adjusted
between 20 to 100 pixels and 40 pixels may be used as a default
setting. Once the locations of circles 202-204 are established, the
map spotter application will place the Node Bs on the circles.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 3, inner circle 302 is positioned in map
display area 300 around RNC 301. The map spotter application
determines where to position the Node Bs by dividing circle 302
into equal parts. Since radius 30 is fixed for circle 302, the
positions where the Node Bs will be placed are identified either
using x-y coordinates (x, y) or polar coordinates (radius, angle).
The first Node B 303 is plotted, using polar coordinates, at
(radius, 0), where "radius" is the radius 30 of circle 302. For the
first round of plotting Node Bs on the circle, the map spotter
application uses Pi/2 radian (i.e. 90 degrees) as the first
interval or step between nodes. The second Node B 304 is drawn at
(radius, Pi/2). Similarly, the third and fourth Node Bs 305 and
306, arc drawn at (radius, Pi) and (radius, 3Pi/2),
respectively.
[0034] These coordinates can be plotted as (radius,
angle+(n*step)), where "radius" is the radius of circle 302,
"angle" is the initial angle of point 303, and "step" is the
interval between points. In the example above, "angle" is equal to
zero and "step" is Pi/2 radian. The points can also be plotted as
x-y coordinates, wherein the first point 303 is:
x=radius*cos(angle);y=radius*sin(angle).
The second node 304 is be drawn at:
x=radius*cos(angle+step);y=radius*sin(angle+step).
The third node 305 is be drawn at:
x=radius*cos(angle+2*step);y=radius*sin(angle+2*step).
Nodes are placed on the remainder of circle 302 in a similar
manner. When the value of (angle+step) equals or exceeds 2Pi
radians (or 360 degrees), then the value of "step" is reset it to
the half of the previous value. For example, in the first round
described above, "step" was Pi/2 radian or 90 degrees. In the
second round, "step" will be Pi/4 or 45 degrees, and "angle" will
have the same value as "step." Accordingly, the first node (307) in
the second round of placing Node Bs will be at:
x=radius*cos(angle)=radius*cos(Pi/4);
y=radius*sin(angle)=radius*sin(Pi/4).
The next interval would be at:
x=radius*cos(angle+step)=radius*cos(Pi/4+Pi/4);
y=radius*sin(angle+step)=radius*sin(Pi/4+Pi/4),
which was already used in the first round as point 304, so that
point is skipped in the second round. The remaining unused
locations on circle 302 are placed in a similar manner until
"angle+step" is greater than 2Pi radian or 360 degrees.
[0035] A third and subsequent round of nodes may be placed on
circle 302 using the same technique as described above and by
reducing the angle and step by half with each round. As noted
above, the map spotter application skips any position that has was
used in a previous round. The map spotter application will stop
placing Node Bs on circle 302 when it becomes too crowded. The map
spotter application may determine that a circle is too crowded, for
example, when icons representing Node Bs on map 300 would be placed
on top of existing icons.
[0036] When one circle is full and has no more room for Node Bs,
the map spotter application will move to the next circle and begin
the same process of plotting nodes on that circle. The process will
continue until all the circles that can be displayed on map area
300 have been filled. If the last available circle is used up and
the map spotter application still has nodes to draw, the
application may continue drawing another round of nodes on each
circle until all Node Bs are plotted without regard to how close
the icons are placed.
[0037] Referring back to FIG. 2, it will be understood that not all
positions on the circles are useable. Some areas on the circles,
such as on circles 203 and 204, fall outside the map display area
200 and, therefore, will not be used. If the map spotter
application determines that a point (x, y) falls outside of map
area 200, then that point will be skipped and the next point on the
circle will be evaluated.
[0038] FIG. 4 illustrates map 400 in which two-hundred Node Bs have
been plotted around RNC 401. The two innermost circles, 402 and
403, have been completely filled with Node Bs. However, circles
404-406 do not entirely fit within the area of map 400 and,
therefore, some areas on those circles have not been used. It will
be understood that, in addition to Node Bs, any other network
component, such as an RNC, MSC, SGSN, or UE, may be added to map
400 using the process described herein for display to a user.
[0039] Although the present invention and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is
not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the
process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means,
methods and steps described in the specification. As one of
ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the
disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines,
manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps,
presently existing or later to be developed, that perform
substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same
result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be
utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the
appended claims are intended to include within their scope such
processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means,
methods, or steps.
* * * * *