TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to communications, and more particularly to communication methods and related devices and nodes supporting wireless communications.

BACKGROUND

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a communication network with a network node 120 coupled to a core network 130 and to multiple communication devices 110 (also referred to herein as a user equipment (“UE”)). In some examples, the communication network is a 5 ^th generation (“5G”) network and the network node 120 is a 5G base station (“gNB”). The network node 120 can include or be coupled to an access point (“AP”) (e.g., an antenna, transceiver, or router) that communicates signals to one or more of the UEs 110. In additional or alternative examples, the network node 120 can include or be coupled to multiple APs, which can be referred to a multiple-input-multiple- output (“Ml MO”) system.

5G technology may increase the number of access points around the world. In some examples, each access point is served by antennas, which can be on top of a cell tower. A cell tower can reach heights of several hundred feet and can require specialized climbers to be maintained.

In some examples, the low latency and high bandwidth of 5G allows remotely driving robots (e.g., drones, cars, and spiderbots).

FIGS. 2-3 illustrate an example of antennas 240 on a cell tower 250. In these examples, each antenna 240 is coupled to a bar 252 extending from the cell tower 250 by a pair of connectors 254a-b.

Connector 254a can be adjusted to calibrate a vertical tilt (e.g., down towards the ground or up towards the sky) of its respective antenna 240. Connector 254b can be adjusted to calibrate a horizontal tilt (e.g., to the left or the right relative to the bar 252) of its respective antenna 240. In some examples, the antenna is calibrated to face a specific direction. At the time of installation, the horizontal tilt can be measured by putting a compass on the back of the antenna 240 while the vertical tilt can be measured by an inclinometer.

Each set of antennas 240 (which can also be referred to as cells) are served by one or more radio base stations (“RBS”) 260. The RBS 260 can be exposed to various weather conditions and, therefore, can be sealed using various mechanical mechanisms (e.g., multiple screws) that may not be robot friendly. In some examples, the RBS 260 can be sealed with a security mechanism (e.g., a lock). In additional or alternative examples, the RGS 260 can include a box with a hinged cover that may be rotated to expose the contents of the box. In some examples, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the RBS 260 can be coupled to the bar 252. In additional or alternative examples, the RBS 260 can be positioned at various different locations associated with the cell tower 250.

The RBS 260 and antennas 240 are designed to allow for human access and maintenance. In some examples, additional human operated tools are required to access and maintain the RBS 260 and antennas 240. For example, the RBS 260 can include a small form-factor pluggable (“SFP”) or a gigabit small form-factor pluggable (“XFP”) optical module, which may need to be replaced after a certain amount of time (depending, for example, on weather conditions, usage, and internal temperature) and may be difficult to replace without special tools.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments, a method of operating a drone for maintaining a communications network is provided. The method includes causing a first arm of the drone to be coupled to a cell tower of the communications network or a network entity coupled to the cell tower. The method further includes, subsequent to the first arm being coupled to the cell tower or the network entity, performing maintenance on the network entity.

According to other embodiments, an access point of a communications network is provided. The access point includes a transceiver, a network interface, and a coupling component. The transceiver is configured to communicate with a communication device of the communications network. The network interface is configured to communicate with a network node regarding the communication device. The coupling component is configured to couple with a portion of a drone and to respond to pressure by the drone by adjusting a direction of the transceiver.

According to other embodiments, a network node of a communications network is provided. The network node includes an enclosure and an enclosure controller. The enclosure includes a network interface configured to communicate with another network node. The enclosure controller is configured to, responsive to receipt of a signal from a drone coupled to the enclosure, open the enclosure.

According to other embodiments, a drone, computer program, and/or computer program product is provided for performing one of the above methods.

There currently exist certain challenges with maintaining antennas and network nodes of a communications network. In some examples, adjusting a tilt of an antenna and/or replacing components of a network node can be expensive and dangerous.

Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges and may provide one or more of the following technical advantages: a reduced risk of climber accidents; reduced time and cost for network maintenance; and improved reliability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate certain non-limiting embodiments of inventive concepts. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a communications network;

FIGS. 2-3 are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a network entity (e.g., an antenna or a network node) attached to a cell tower;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a drone for adjusting a tilt of an antenna according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIGS. 5A-B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an antenna with a coupling mechanism according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIGS. 6A-B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of coupling mechanisms of a drone for coupling to an antenna according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIGS. 7-8 are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a drone attaching to an antenna according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIGS. 9A-B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a network node with an enclosure according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIGS. 10-13 are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of a drone performing maintenance on a network node; FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a radio access network (“RAN”) node (e.g., a base station eNB/gNB) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an access point (e.g., an antenna, transceiver, router, etc.) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a communication device (“UE”) according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a drone according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIGS. 18-19 are flow charts illustrating examples of operations of a drone according to some embodiments of inventive concepts;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of a user equipment in accordance with some embodiments; and

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a network node in accordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art, in which examples of embodiments of inventive concepts are shown. Inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of present inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. It should also be noted that these embodiments are not mutually exclusive. Components from one embodiment may be tacitly assumed to be present/used in another embodiment.

In some examples, weather (e.g., wind) can shift an antenna (e.g., adjust its horizontal/vertical tilt) such that the antenna is no longer facing a desired direction. Currently, the financial and social costs of antenna maintenance results in the rare calibration of the antennas. Adjusting the antennas can require a human operator to climb the respective cell tower and manually move the antenna.

In some examples, components (e.g., optical modules) included in an RBS may need to be replaced after failure or after a predetermined amount of time to avoid an expected failure. Extraction of some optical modules (e.g., SFP and XFP optical modules) can be difficult in a controlled environment and even more so when the RBS is installed at a position along a cell tower.

The financial cost of maintenance of cellular communication devices (e.g., 4 ^th generation (“4G”) radio devices) is extremely high. Moreover, maintenance can be dangerous (e.g., in the United States, between 2003 and 2011, 50 climbers died while performing maintenance at cell towers).

Various embodiments described herein can reduce the financial and social costs of network maintenance by using drones. In some embodiments, a drone is used to adjust the horizontal and/or vertical tilt of antennas. In some examples, a drone can adjust the horizontal and/or vertical tilt of an antenna at the time of installation of the antenna. In additional or alternative examples, a drone can adjust the horizontal and/or vertical tilt of an antenna in response to the antenna being out of calibration (e.g., due to wind). In additional or alternative embodiments, a drone can be used to access (e.g., open) an RBS on a cell tower. In some examples, a drone is used to replace components (e.g., optical modules) in an RBS on a cell tower.

In some embodiments, network hardware (e.g., antennas and RBSs) can be configured to be robot-friendly. In additional or alternative embodiments, drones can be configured with specialized tools that allow the drone to perform maintenance on network hardware that is designed for human maintenance.

In some embodiments, the low latency and high bandwidth capabilities of 5G networks can allow remote operators to manually operate the drones from a remote site to perform maintenance. In additional or alternative embodiments, the drones can autonomously perform the maintenance.

Although the innovations herein are generally described in regards to the use of drones to perform maintenance on network devices located on a cell tower, the innovations may be used in other situations in which human maintenance is expensive and/or dangerous. A drone can be equipped with a variety of sensors and tools that enable the drone to perform a variety of different inspections and activities. The mobility of the drone can allow an inspection of almost any facility, regardless of its design or location.

In some examples, the use of drones to perform maintenance on network devices located on a cell tower can reduce the risk of climber accidents as the use of drones to act on networks reduces the need for humans to climb cell towers or even reach the cell to maintain. In additional or alternative examples, use of a drone can be a way to check whether structures meet certain environmental and safety requirements.

In additional or alternative examples, the use of drones to perform maintenance on network devices located on a cell tower can reduce the time and cost for network maintenance. In some examples a single or flock of drones can cheaply and quickly self-maintain a network by automatically identifying and resolving problems in the network.

In additional or alternative examples, the use of drones to perform maintenance on network devices located on a cell tower can improve facility reliability. For example, the drone can reach network devices and operate on them even if a cell tower structure is not safe for humans (e.g., due to weather conditions).

In some embodiments, after a strong storm, an antenna on top of a cell tower may stop working properly. A maintenance team can receive a notification of the antenna no longer working properly and the maintenance team can send a first drone to inspect the antenna. In some examples, the drone is remotely controlled by leveraging a 5G network and the drone can include a double camera that allows the operators to have a clear and three-dimensional (“3D”) view of the scene.

When the drone reaches the cell tower, the operator can remotely control the drone to the damaged antenna. The dual camera can capture images and/or a video of the antenna that shows one of the connectors (e.g., connector 254a) is not at a correct position (e.g., causing the antenna to have an incorrect vertical/horizontal tilt).

After the diagnosis, the maintenance team can decide to fix the antenna positioning by using another (or the same) drone configured (e.g., with specific tools) to fix the antenna positioning.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a drone 470 configured to fix a vertical tilt of an antenna 240. In this example, the drone 470 is configured with a hydraulic component 472 that is capable of adjusting the connection 254a to calibrate the vertical tilt of the antenna 240. The hydraulic component 472 includes a first arm 474a including a coupling mechanism for coupling to the bar 252 and a second arm 474b including a coupling mechanism for coupling to the antenna 240. In this example, the coupling mechanism of the first arm 474a includes a hydraulic clamp that clamps onto the bar 252. The coupling mechanism of the second arm 474b includes a claw shaped portion sized to fit the around the antenna 240.

The coupling mechanisms illustrated in FIG. 4 are only examples and other implementations are possible. For example, FIGS. 5A-B and 6A-B illustrate additional examples of the coupling mechanism that can be used to couple a drone to the antenna 240.

In some embodiments, an antenna may be configured with a coupling component to allow the drone to couple to the antenna. For example, in FIGS. 5A-B, the antenna 240 can include a coupling component 580 with an opening configured to allow a portion of an arm 574b associated with a drone to pass through the opening. In additional or alternative examples, the antenna can include a coupling component with any suitable shape and/or locking mechanism (e.g., a magnetic or friction based locking mechanism).

In additional or alternative embodiments, an arm of a drone may be configured with a coupling component to allow the drone to couple to the antenna. For example, in FIGS. 6A-B, arm 674b of a drone can include a hydraulic clamp for closing around the antenna 240. In additional or alternative examples, an arm of a drone can include a coupling component with any suitable shape and/or locking mechanism (e.g., a magnetic or friction based).

In some embodiments, the drone can provide feedback that allows an operator to feel and/or view the drone movements such that the operator is able to attach the drone to a location on a cell tower. FIGS. 7-8 illustrate an example of a drone 470 attaching to a cell tower by first controlling arm 474b to couple to the antenna 240 and then controlling arm 474a to couple to bar 252. In alternative examples, the drone 470 can first couple to the bar 252 and then couple to the antenna 240.

In some embodiments, once the drone 470 is attached to the cell tower, the drone can enter a different state (e.g., a state in which a flying element of the drone is turned off). The drone 470 can include an inclinometer for measuring a vertical tilt of the antenna 240. The drone 470 can then calibrate the vertical tilt by using the hydraulic component 472 to adjust the connecter 254a. In some examples, the hydraulic component 472 expands the angle between the first arm 474a and the second arm 474b, which causes connector 254a to expand and tilt the antenna 240 towards the ground. In other examples, the hydraulic component 472 reduces the angle between the first arm 474a and the second arm 474b, which causes connector 254a to contract and tilt the antenna 240 towards the sky.

Although FIGS. 4-8 illustrate an example of a drone attaching to an antenna from above, other implementations are possible. In some examples, the drone may include a hydraulic component that extends radially from the drone and couples to the side of the antenna. In some embodiments, a drone is able to perform a similar process to adjust a horizontal tilt by coupling to a side of an antenna and adjusting the connector associated with horizontal tilt. In additional or alternative embodiments, a drone is able to inspect an antenna and perform the above process to calibrate a tilt of the antenna autonomously.

In some embodiments, a network operator may detect that a component (e.g., an optical connector) of a network node (e.g., a radio base station) is not working properly (e.g., as a result of high temperatures). A maintenance team can decide to send a drone to open the network node and another (or the same) drone to substitute the component. In some examples, the drone may attach to the cell tower in a similar way as described above in regards to FIGS. 7-8, but with the network node instead of the antenna. In additional or alternative examples, the drone may not include the hydraulic component and instead include a coupling component for coupling to a portion of the network node or a portion of the cell tower near the network node.

In some examples, the network node can be sealed, and the drone may open the network node before replacing the component. In some embodiments, the drone is configured with a tool to open a cover on the network node. For example, the drone may be configured with a tool for removing screws locking the cover and a tool for lifting the cover and/or holding the cover. In additional or alternative embodiments, the network node is configured with an automated opening that can be activated by the drone or remotely by a network operator. In some examples, a swing door system can be used in which an electric motor moves a door (e.g., a front panel) to reveal the components in the network node. FIGS. 9A-B illustrate an example of a network node 960 configured with a panel 962 that can be moved to provide access to components 964 of the network node 960. FIG. 9A illustrates the network node 960 in an open state in which a telescopic piston 966 is extended and holds the panel 962 open. FIG. 9B illustrates the network node 960 in a closed state in which the telescopic piston 966 is contracted to hold the panel 962 closed. In some examples, a case of the network node includes a motorized and/or magnetic closure that can open in response to receipt of a signal provided by the drone. In additional or alternative examples, in case of missing power, the drone can provide the required power (e.g., via an external connector or a wireless charger). In additional or alternative examples, the drone can physically open the panel in case of the network node malfunctioning.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a drone 470 with a tool 1074a for performing maintenance on a network node 260. In this example, the drone 470 uses a first arm 474b to couple to a cell tower 1050. A second arm 474a can include the tool 1074a and be positioned to open the network node 260 and/or replace a component of the network node 260. Different cell towers can have different shapes. Although FIG. 10 illustrates a drone 470 performing maintenance on a network node 260 attached to cell tower 1050, the drone 470 can perform maintenance on a network node attached to any suitable cell tower including cell tower 250 in FIG. 2 (in which the drone 470 may attach to the bar 252 or the network node 260).

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a drone 470 configured to wirelessly communicate with a network node 260 to cause the network node 260 to open.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a drone 470 with a first arm 474a having a tool 1274a (e.g., a device for removing screws from a lid of an enclosure) for opening the enclosure of the network node 260. In this example, the drone 470 has a second arm 474b coupled to the network node 260. The first arm 474a may also have a tool for performing maintenance inside the network node 260; the drone 470 may have a third arm (not illustrated) with a tool for performing maintenance inside the network node 260; or another drone (not illustrated) may perform maintenance inside the network node 260 once the drone 470 opens the network node 260. In other examples, the drone 470 may have the second arm 474b couple to a portion of the cell tower on which the network node 260 is located.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a drone 470 performing maintenance on an opened network node 260. In this example, a first arm 474a of the drone 470 includes a tool 1374a for removing optical modules of the network node 260.

In some embodiments, the drone that opened the network node (or a separate drone) can replace a component in the network node. In some examples, the drone is configured with a robotic gripper for removing components such as optical modules.

For example, the drone may include a robotic gripper that may press an optical connector on its top and bottom to extract connected fibers. The robotic gripper can include a basic fiber gripper (e.g., useful for frontal extraction), an angled fiber gripper (e.g., useful for vertical extraction), or a lateral fiber gripper (e.g., useful for horizontal extraction). In additional or alternative examples, the drone is configured to hold a specialized tool for removing a component.

In additional or alternative embodiments, after removing the component, the drone can install a new component (e.g., connect a new optical module and reconnect the fibers). In some examples, the drone is configured with a separate arm (not illustrated) for holding and installing the new component.

In some embodiments, to enable low latency and high bandwidth slices, edge computing can be used in which 5G core functions and/or controlling applications are moved close to the drone area to implement the required slice service level agreement. In some examples, in a large scale, a team of drones, each equipped with a different and specific tool, can reach and repair damaged antennas/radio-units. Each of the drones can be connected to a drone operator that can be positioned under the cell tower or remotely (e.g., in a remote office). In additional or alternative examples, it is possible to establish the proper slice type between the drone and the drone operator.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a radio access network (“RAN”) node 1400 (also referred to as a network node, base station, eNodeB/eNB, gNodeB/gNB, etc.) of a RAN configured to provide cellular communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts. (RAN node 1400 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to network node 2010A, 2010B of FIG. 20, network node 2200 of FIG. 22, all of which should be considered interchangeable in the examples and embodiments described herein and be within the intended scope of this disclosure, unless otherwise noted.) As shown, the RAN node 1400 may include transceiver circuitry 1401 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to access point 2200 of FIG. 22, portions of RF transceiver circuitry 2212, and radio front end circuitry 2218 of FIG. 22) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with mobile terminals. The RAN node 1400 may also include network interface circuitry 1407 (also referred to as a network interface, e.g., corresponding to portions of communication interface 2206 of FIG. 22) configured to provide communications with other nodes (e.g., with other base stations) of the RAN and/or core network. The RAN node 1400 may also include an enclosure controller 1409 configured to open and/or close an enclosure associated with the RAN node 1400. The RAN node 1400 may also include processing circuitry 1403 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 2202 of FIG. 22) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 1405 (also referred to as memory, e.g., corresponding to memory 2204 of FIG. 22) coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 1405 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 1403 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 1403 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitry is not required.

As discussed herein, operations of the RAN node 1400 may be performed by processing circuitry 1403, network interface 1407, and/or transceiver 1401. For example, processing circuitry 1403 may control transceiver 1401 to transmit downlink communications through transceiver 1401 over a radio interface to one or more mobile terminals and/or to receive uplink communications through transceiver 1401 from one or more mobile terminals over a radio interface. Similarly, processing circuitry 1403 may control network interface 1407 to transmit communications through network interface 1407 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receive communications through network interface from one or more other network nodes. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory 1405, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 1403, processing circuitry 1403 performs respective operations. According to some embodiments, RAN node 1400 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.

According to some other embodiments, a network node may be implemented as a core network node without a transceiver. In such embodiments, transmission to a wireless communication device may be initiated by the network node so that transmission to the wireless communication device is provided through a network node including a transceiver (e.g., through a base station or RAN node). According to embodiments where the network node is a RAN node including a transceiver, initiating transmission may include transmitting through the transceiver.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating elements of an access point (“AP”) 1500 of a communication network configured to provide cellular communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts. (AP 1500 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to hub 2014 of FIG. 20, which should be considered interchangeable in the examples and embodiments described herein and be within the intended scope of this disclosure, unless otherwise noted). As shown, the AP 1500 may include transceiver circuitry 1501 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to portions of RF transceiver circuitry 2212 and radio front end circuitry 2218 of FIG. 22) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with mobile terminals. In some embodiments, the AP 1500 is a portion of a transceiver of a RAN node (e.g., transceiver 1401 of RAN node 1400 of FIG. 14). The AP 1500 may also include network interface circuitry 1507 configured to provide communications with other nodes of a network (e.g., a RAN node of the RAN). The AP 1500 may also include a processing circuitry 1503 (also referred to as a processor) coupled to the network interface circuitry, and memory circuitry 1505 (also referred to as memory) coupled to the processing circuitry 1503. The memory circuitry 1505 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 1503 causes the processing circuitry 1503 to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 1503 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitry is not required.

As discussed herein, operations of the AP 1500 may be performed by processing circuitry 1503 and/or network interface circuitry 1507. For example, processing circuitry 1503 may control transceiver 1501 to transmit downlink communications through transceiver 1501 over a radio interface to one or more mobile terminals and/or to receive uplink communications through transceiver 1501 from one or more mobile terminals over a radio interface. Similarly, processing circuitry 1503 may control network interface circuitry 1507 to transmit communications through network interface circuitry 1507 to one or more other network nodes and/or to receive communications through network interface circuitry from one or more other network nodes. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory 1505, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 1503, processing circuitry 1503 performs respective operations. According to some embodiments, AP 1500 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a communication device (“UE”) 1600 (also referred to as a mobile terminal, a mobile communication terminal, a wireless device, a wireless communication device, a wireless terminal, mobile device, a wireless communication terminal, user equipment, a user equipment node/terminal/device, etc.) configured to provide wireless communication according to embodiments of inventive concepts. (Communication device 1600 may be provided, for example, as discussed below with respect to wireless devices UE 2012A, UE 2012B, and wired or wireless devices UE 2012C, UE 2012D of FIG. 20, UE 2100 of FIG. 21, all of which should be considered interchangeable in the examples and embodiments described herein and be within the intended scope of this disclosure, unless otherwise noted.) As shown, communication device 1600 may include an antenna 1607 (e.g., corresponding to antenna 2122 of FIG. 21), and transceiver circuitry 1601 (also referred to as a transceiver, e.g., corresponding to communication interface 2112 of FIG. 21 having transmitter 2118 and receiver 2120) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with a base station(s) (e.g., corresponding to network node 2010A, 2010B of FIG. 20) of a radio access network. Communication device may also include processing circuitry 1603 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 2102 of FIG. 21) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 1605 coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 1605 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 1603 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 1603 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitry is not required. Communication device (UE) 1600 may also include an interface (such as a user interface) coupled with processing circuitry 1603, and/or communication device 1600 may be incorporated in a vehicle.

As discussed herein, operations of the UE 1600 may be performed by processing circuitry 1603 and/or transceiver circuitry 1601. For example, processing circuitry 1603 may control transceiver circuitry 1601 to transmit communications through transceiver circuitry 1601 over a radio interface to a radio access network node (also referred to as a base station) and/or to receive communications through transceiver circuitry 1601 from a RAN node over a radio interface. Moreover, modules may be stored in memory circuitry 1605, and these modules may provide instructions so that when instructions of a module are executed by processing circuitry 1603, processing circuitry 1603 performs respective operations. In some examples, the operations may include controlling a drone (e.g., drone 470 of FIGS. 4, 7-8, and 10 and drone 1700 of FIG. 17). According to some embodiments, a communication device UE 1600 and/or an element(s)/function(s) thereof may be embodied as a virtual node/nodes and/or a virtual machine/machines.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a drone 1700 (also referred to as a robot, a robotic device, a spiderbot, and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)) configured to perform maintenance on a cellular communication network. In some embodiments, the drone 1700 is an example of a communication device (e.g., communication device 1600). As shown, drone 1700 may include transceiver circuitry 1701 (also referred to as a transceiver e.g., corresponding to communication interface 2112 of FIG. 21 having transmitter 2118 and receiver 2120) including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink and downlink radio communications with a base station(s) (e.g., corresponding to network node 2010A, 2010B of FIG. 20, RAN node 1400 of FIG. 14, and network node 2200 of FIG. 22 also referred to as a RAN node) of a radio access network. The drone 1700 may also include processing circuitry 1703 (also referred to as a processor, e.g., corresponding to processing circuitry 2102 of FIG. 21) coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and memory circuitry 1705 coupled to the processing circuitry. The memory circuitry 1705 may include computer readable program code that when executed by the processing circuitry 1703 causes the processing circuitry to perform operations according to embodiments disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, processing circuitry 1703 may be defined to include memory so that separate memory circuitry is not required. The drone 1700 may also include a sensor 1707 (e.g., a camera, inclinometer, or a compass) and an arm controller 1709 (e.g., a controller of a hydraulic component) for performing maintenance on antennas (e.g., access point 1500) and/or network nodes (e.g., RAN node 1400). It is to be noted that the illustration of the drone 1700 of FIG. 17 is simplified and does not include all elements (e.g., first arm 474a and second arm 474b). Operations of drone 1700 (implemented using the structure of FIG. 17) will now be discussed with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 18-19 according to some embodiments of inventive concepts. For example, modules may be stored in memory 1705 of FIG. 17, and these modules may provide instructions so that when the instructions of a module are executed by respective processing circuitry 1703, processing circuitry 1703 performs respective operations of the flow charts.

FIGS. 18-19 illustrate examples of operations performed by a drone (e.g., drone 1700) for performing maintenance of a cellular network. In regards to FIG. 18, at block 1810, processing circuitry 1703 detects an issue with an antenna coupled to a cell tower. In some embodiments, the antenna is coupled to the cell tower via a connector that maintains a tilt of the antenna. In some examples, weather (e.g., wind) adjusts the connector and causes a change in the tilt of the antenna, which can cause the issue.

At block 1820, processing circuitry 1703 causes a first arm 474a of a drone to be coupled to the antenna, e.g., by sending a signal or command to arm controller 1709 to couple the first arm 474a of the drone to the antenna. At block 1830, processing circuitry 1703 causes a second arm 474b of the drone to be coupled to the cell tower, e.g., by sending a signal or command to arm controller 1709 to couple the second arm 474b of the drone to the cell tower.

At block 1840, processing circuitry 1703 determines a tilt of the antenna based on an output of a sensor 1707. At block 1850, processing circuitry 1703 calibrates the tilt of the antenna. In some embodiments, calibrating the tilt of the antenna includes, responsive to the first arm being coupled to the antenna and the second arm being coupled to the cell tower, modifying a length of the connector by causing an angle between the first arm 474a and the second arm 474b to be adjusted, e.g., by sending a signal or command to arm controller 1709 to move one or both of the first arm 474a and the second arm 474b. In additional or alternative embodiments, calibrating the tilt includes causing the angle between the first arm and the second arm to be adjusted based on the output of the sensor 1707.

In regards to FIG. 19, at block 1910, processing circuitry 1703 detects an issue with a network node coupled to a cell tower.

At block 1920, processing circuitry 1703 causes a first arm 474a of a drone to be coupled to the network node or cell tower, e.g., by sending a signal or command to arm controller 1709 to couple the first arm 474a of the drone to the network node or cell tower.

At block 1930, processing circuitry 1703 causes an enclosure of the network node to be opened. In some embodiments, the drone causes the enclosure to be opened by transmitting a signal to the network node. In additional or alternative embodiments, the drone provides power to an enclosure opening mechanism of the network node.

At block 1940, processing circuitry 1703 causes a component in the enclosure of the network node to be replaced. In some embodiments, causing the component to be replaced includes causing an optical module to be removed using a tool coupled to a second arm 474b (e.g., by the processing circuitry 1703 sending a signal or command to arm controller 1709 to control the second arm 474b) and, responsive to the optical module being removed, causing a new optical module to be installed using a third arm (not illustrated) (e.g., by the processing circuitry 1703 sending a signal or command to arm controller 1709 to control the third arm).

In some embodiments, at least one of coupling the first arm of the drone to the cell tower or the network entity and performing the maintenance on the network entity is performed autonomously in response to detecting the issue. In additional or alternative embodiments, at least one of coupling the first arm of the drone to the cell tower or the network entity and performing the maintenance on the network entity is performed based on the control signal received from a remote communication device.

Various operations from the flow charts of FIGS. 18-19 may be optional with respect to some embodiments of drones and related methods. For example, in some embodiments, operations of blocks 1810, 1830, and 1840 of FIG. 18 may be optional.

In other embodiments, operations of blocks 1910 and 1930 of FIG. 19 may be optional.

FIG. 20 shows an example of a communication system 2000 in accordance with some embodiments. In some examples, the network node 2010B and/or the hub 2014 is an example of an access point (e.g., access point 1500).

In the example, the communication system 2000 includes a telecommunication network 2002 that includes an access network 2004, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 2006, which includes one or more core network nodes 2008. The access network 2004 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 2010a and 2010b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 2010), or any other similar 3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 2010 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 2012a, 2012b, 2012c, and 2012d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 2012) to the core network 2006 over one or more wireless connections.

Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 2000 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and/or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 2000 may include and/or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and/or other similar type of system.

The UEs 2012 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 2010 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 2010 are arranged, capable, configured, and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 2012 and/or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 2002 to enable and/or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and/or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 2002.

In the depicted example, the core network 2006 connects the network nodes 2010 to one or more hosts, such as host 2016. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 2006 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 2008) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and/or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 2008. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and/or a User Plane Function (UPF).

The host 2016 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 2004 and/or the telecommunication network 2002, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 2016 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio/video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

As a whole, the communication system 2000 of FIG. 20 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and/or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and/or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

In some examples, the telecommunication network 2002 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 2002 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 2002. For example, the telecommunications network 2002 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and/or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC)/Massive loT services to yet further UEs.

In some examples, the UEs 2012 are configured to transmit and/or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 2004 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 2004. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi- RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e., being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

In the example, the hub 2014 communicates with the access network 2004 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 2012c and/or 2012d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 2010b). In some examples, the hub 2014 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 2014 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 2006 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 2014 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 2010, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 2014. As another example, the hub 2014 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 2014 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 2014 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 2014 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and/or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 2014 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

The hub 2014 may have a constant/persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 2010b. The hub 2014 may also allow for a different communication scheme and/or schedule between the hub 2014 and UEs (e.g., UE 2012c and/or 2012d), and between the hub 2014 and the core network 2006. In other examples, the hub 2014 is connected to the core network 2006 and/or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 2014 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 2004 and/or to another UE over a direct connection.

In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 2010 while still connected via the hub 2014 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 2014 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to/from the UEs from/to the network node 2010b. In other embodiments, the hub 2014 may be a non-dedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 2010b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and/or end point for certain data channels.

FIG. 21 shows a UE 2100 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and/or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded/integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-loT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

The UE 2100 includes processing circuitry 2102 that is operatively coupled via a bus 2104 to an input/output interface 2106, a power source 2108, a memory 2110, a communication interface 2112, and/or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in FIG. 21. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

The processing circuitry 2102 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 2110. The processing circuitry 2102 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 2102 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

In the example, the input/output interface 2106 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and/or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 2100. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device.

In some embodiments, the power source 2108 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 2108 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 2108 itself, and/or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 2100 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 2108. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 2108 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 2100 to which power is supplied.

The memory 2110 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 2110 includes one or more application programs 2114, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 2116. The memory 2110 may store, for use by the UE 2100, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

The memory 2110 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and/or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 2110 may allow the UE 2100 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 2110, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

The processing circuitry 2102 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 2112. The communication interface 2112 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 2122. The communication interface 2112 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 2118 and/or a receiver 2120 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 2118 and receiver 2120 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 2122) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 2112 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location- based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and/or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 2112, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, a motion detector, a thermostat, a smoke detector, a door/window sensor, a flood/moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or item-tracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and/or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 2100 shown in FIG. 21.

As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/or measurements to another UE and/or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-loT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g., by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and/or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

FIG. 22 shows a network node 2200 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and/or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi cell/multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and/or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

The network node 2200 includes a processing circuitry 2202, a memory 2204, a communication interface 2206, and a power source 2208. The network node 2200 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 2200 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 2200 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 2204 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 2210 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 2200 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 2200, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 2200.

The processing circuitry 2202 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 2200 components, such as the memory 2204, to provide network node 2200 functionality.

In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 2212 and the baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 2212 and baseband processing circuitry 2214 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

The memory 2204 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer- readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device- readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 2202. The memory 2204 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and/or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 2202 and utilized by the network node 2200. The memory 2204 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 2202 and/or any data received via the communication interface 2206. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 2202 and memory 2204 is integrated. The communication interface 2206 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and/or data between a network node, access network, and/or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 2206 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 2216 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 2206 also includes radio front-end circuitry 2218 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 2210. Radio front-end circuitry 2218 comprises filters 2220 and amplifiers 2222. The radio front-end circuitry 2218 may be connected to an antenna 2210 and processing circuitry 2202. The radio front-end circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 2210 and processing circuitry 2202. The radio front-end circuitry 2218 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 2218 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 2220 and/or amplifiers 2222. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 2210. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 2210 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 2218. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 2202. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and/or different combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 2200 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 2218, instead, the processing circuitry 2202 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 2210. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 2212 is part of the communication interface 2206. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 2206 includes one or more ports or terminals 2216, the radio front-end circuitry 2218, and the RF transceiver circuitry 2212, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 2206 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 2214, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

The antenna 2210 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. The antenna 2210 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 2218 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 2210 is separate from the network node 2200 and connectable to the network node 2200 through an interface or port. The antenna 2210, communication interface 2206, and/or the processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 2210, the communication interface 2206, and/or the processing circuitry 2202 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and/or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and/or any other network equipment.

The power source 2208 provides power to the various components of network node 2200 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 2208 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 2200 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 2200 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 2208. As a further example, the power source 2208 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.

Embodiments of the network node 2200 may include additional components beyond those shown in FIG. 22 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and/or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 2200 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 2200 and to allow output of information from the network node 2200. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 2200.

Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and/or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non- transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and/or by end users and a wireless network generally.