Cellular Expert 4.3 Release Notes

Cellular Expert 4.3 Release Notes Release is dedicated to multi-user environment (accessing SDE database connection), Radio Links Predictions, improvements of coverage prediction performance working with high amount of data and network optimization. Copyright 1999-2014 Cellular-Expert. All rights reserved. Cellular Expert and Cellular Expert logo are registered trademarks, @cellular-expert.lt and www.cellular-expert.lt are service marks of Cellular Expert in Lithuania and some other countries. In the United States and in some countries ArcGIS, Spatial Analyst, 3D Analyst, ArcSDE are registered trademarks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. The names of other products herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

Table of Contents 1 Main improvements 3 1.1 PCI Assignment 3 1.2 3D Coverage Predictions 5 1.3 Best Server Overlap Tool 7 1.3.1 User Interface 7 1.3.2 Prediction Results 8 1.4 Satellite 11 1.5 File Geodatabase 14 1.6 Share Prediction Path For Multiple Users 15 1.7 Neighborhood/Impact Matrix 16 1.8 Process large extent calculations up to 70% faster 16 2 New functionality and updated tools 19 2.1 Radio Links Predictions 19 2.2 Save Time With Renewed Radio Properties Dialog 23 2.3 Prediction Model Manager 23 2.4 Validate Geographical Data Before starting Calculations 25 2.5 Update Workspace in Remote Server Easier 26 2.6 SDE Database without Cellular Expert SDE Connector 27 2.7 Start/Stop preferred Jobs in Task Scheduler 27 2.8 Opened Project Even With the Invalid Workspace Paths 28 2.9 Error log button 29 2.10 Sector Direction 29 2.11 Power Flux Density 30 2.12 Draw Field Strength for Transmission Sectors 31 2.13 Signal Information 31 2

1 MAIN IMPROVEMENTS 1.1 PCI ASSIGNMENT For endlessly growing Long Term Evolution (LTE) network appears a question how to determine optimal LTE network parameters to ensure continuous and high quality connection? For that topical task, Cellular Expert 4.3 version has new optimization tool named PCI Assignment. We designed Cellular Expert PCI Assignment tool for LTE network Physical Cell Identity (PCI) planning tasks like: Current PCI plan analysis; Optimal PCI assessment for the new sites; Whole network PCI reallocation/optimization. Analysis and optimization takes into account: First-and second-order neighbors to find/avoid collisions and confusions; PSS ID and Frequency Shift (MOD3 and MOD6 rules) for smooth downlink connection establishment; Sequence Shift (MOD30 rule) for smooth uplink connection establishment. PCI Assignment tool is located in Cellular Expert Optimization toolbar. Figure 1. PCI Assignment dialog 3

Note: sectors must be unique before PCI Assignment calculation. For that use Create Unique cell tool. Neighbors list It is important to locate table with Neighborhood information about selected objects. This table (typically named SectorNI) should be prepared before starting PCI Assignment tool. Check Choosing this option you will check all selected sectors for collisions and confusions. Note: from the first table you can see retune objectives collisions amount and area information and confusions amount and area information. From the second table you can see sectors among which these collisions and confusions occur. As you can see, there are two sources and related neighbor information in PCI Assignment dialog box. Retune Figure 2. PCI Assignment dialog. Check options calculation Retune is an option that optimizes whole network. Figure below are showing Retune option calculations. There are several calculated values. Values in brackets is from Check calculation option and others near them new values from Retune calculation option. 4

Note: for example after Check calculation was 256 collisions and 1734 confusions and after retune calculation 0 collisions and 0 confusions. Figure 3. PCI Assignment dialog. Retune options calculation 1.2 3D COVERAGE PREDICTIONS Nowadays there is a need to ensure that all network information is defined accurately and visualize network performance in 3D to see in-building coverage (predict and visualize network coverage on different floor levels). Cellular Expert 3D coverage prediction tools are designed for vertical planning in urban environment with high buildings. Unique 3D capabilities enhance precise radio network planning and optimization accuracy. 3D Coverage prediction calculation results are loaded into table of contents in a sequence from highest receiver height on the top to the lowest at the bottom of the list. 3D calculation results visualization parameters are configured in a Cellular Expert Workspace properties dialog by defining proper symbology file. 5

Figure 4. Workspace Properties dialog Visualization tab For a three dimensional view calculations results are loaded in ArcScene using Load 3D Coverage tool. To load coverage predictions you need to set results database and custom data visualization parameters: Extrusion value or expression. Coverage calculation results are extruded vertically to create signal strength, serving cell or other three dimensional coverage views. Extrusion level is defined by adding extrusion value or expression. Leaving the textbox empty coverage layer Z value will be set to 0. Figure 5. Coverage results with different extrusion values Floating on a custom surface. Three dimensional coverage views could be analyzed on a flat surface or using elevation raster height values. Depending on analysis preferences tool allows you to set coverage preview parameters accordingly: o Leave floating value field empty for a flat surface; o Define floating surface by selecting elevation layers in a textbox or setting the path to elevation raster. 6

Figure 6. Coverage results shown using flat surface (on the left) and floating on an elevation surface (on the right) parameters 1.3 BEST SERVER OVERLAP TOOL Best Server Overlap tool allows predicting overlap areas between several serving sectors. It can be used to plan radio frequency resources more efficiently and reduce interference in the network by controlling areas served by too many sectors. To use the tool, first calculate N best servers up to required number N for overlap analysis. Store N best servers in the results folder. Open Best Server Overlap tool, define criteria for area overlap and run calculations. In the result, area percentages will be generated as table fields for supplied territory polygons layer. 1.3.1 User Interface The tool opens dialog allowing to define the following parameters: - Territory polygons: the shapefile denoting area boundaries in the form of polygons for which overlap statistics will be generated. - N best servers folder: the results folder where N bets server predictions are stored. - Best server overlap table: defines allowable limits for best server overlap, including N th best server number (comparing signal level to the first strongest best server), signal difference in db between N th and first sectors and maximum allowable area overlap percentage. 7

After defining parameters in the table, click OK to run predictions. Figure 7. Input data in the geoprocessing form 1.3.2 Prediction Results Prediction results are stored in the fields NBS2, NBS4,, HIGH_VAL in the territory polygons feature class. NBS2, NBS4, - contains area overlap percentage for the corresponding N best server signals HIGH_VAL indicator if area overlap percentage is out of allowable limits. Figure 8. Calculated results in the form of polygon feature class Predicted results in the form of area polygons are loaded on the map in the following group layer structure. 8

Figure 9. BS overlap layers loaded into ArcMap Table Of Contents Figure 10. Areas marked with red have higher percentage of BS overlap than allowed 9

Figure 11. Percentage of area overlap between two servers within signal difference of 5 db (according to given tabular data in NBS_OVERLAP) Best server of each sector is added as a different visualization of the same polygon feature class. The detailed analysis can be performed using Identify command showing for which particular best server number overlap percentage is out of allowable limit. 10

Figure 12. Analysis of overlapping best servers using Identify command 1.4 SATELLITE When you are rather far from civilization and radio communications fall out of reach, you need satellite communications to stay in touch - with your next port of call, with your loved ones at home, with your business partners and maybe you need help or come to the aid of someone. Satellite communication simulations is a functionality that is in high demand among Cellular Expert users. This is the reason we have decided to implement three new Satellite tools into Cellular Expert 4.3: GeoSatellite Manager for creating satellites, Satellite tool for determining terminal antenna parameters Satellite Footprint Prediction for creating satellite coverage predictions. They are all related with each other and you can find them using ArcGIS Customize menu. 11

Figure 13. ArcGIS Customize menu Open GeoSatellite Manager. With this tool you can create new satellite. Figure 14. GeoSatellite Manager dialog Beam Each satellite may have multibeam antenna to cover specific selected areas on Earth s surface. For this purpose a number of beam center positions can be entered to represent focused areas. Each beam may have assigned frequency band. 12

Figure 15. New beam creation Footprint zones Satellite footprint zones define areas on Earth surface from which satellite is visible above horizon at each location (i.e. terminal station antenna s elevation is greater than zero). Usually several footprint zones are drawn on the map for elevation angles 0, 5 and 10 degrees. Open Satellite tool for choosing antenna location coordinates and orientation angles. Figure 16. Satellite dialog To calculate satellite terminal antenna orientation angles and satellite footprint coverage rasters, use Satellite footprint prediction tool. 13

1.5 FILE GEODATABASE Figure 17. Satellite footprint prediction Now you are able to save your workspace and predictions in File Geodatabase (.gdb directory). If you want to create workspace with File Geodatabase, add.gdb prefix near your new workspace project name. Figure 18. Creating File Geodatabase workspace If you want to have predictions in File Geodatabase, you have to change Calculation Result Database Type to.gdb in your Workspace Properties dialog. 14

Figure 19. Workspace Properties. Calculation database type 1.6 SHARE PREDICTION PATH FOR MULTIPLE USERS Cellular Expert 4.3 is the first version, which implements strategy to stop using database for prediction results (active workspace locks the database and it cannot be edited from other sources). Currently changes are made for Point-to-Area calculations: data from Predictions.mdb is moved to.xml files. Figure 20. Workspace properties Management of.xml files and prediction grids is fully automatic: when something is missing or corrupted, new files are generated. This new functionality allows to share the same Prediction Path for multiple users and run predictions at the same time. One of the examples: planners work with dedicated to them network 15

objects, have different network databases and projects, but the predictions can be stored in one location for the country scale calculations, merging all the data. 1.7 NEIGHBORHOOD/IMPACT MATRIX Previous Neighborhood/Impact Matrix was dedicated for GSM/TETRA interference calculations. Innovations in mobile network forced us to react to these changes and add new functionality dedicated for LTE and UMTS/HSDPA interference calculations to our existing tools. Now in Cellular Expert 4.3 we have Neighborhood/Impact Matrix for different technologies. Figure 21. Neighborhood/Impact Matrix Calculation Radio networks need to handle non-unique local physical identifiers of cells to support efficient measurement and reporting procedures. For example, in LTE a mobile is required to measure the reference signal received power (RSRP) (i.e. the received power of the signature sequence symbols associated with a particular PCI) of candidate cells and report to the serving cell (the cell serving the mobile at the moment). It is important to detect and resolve local PCI conflicts, i.e. when two cells in the vicinity of each other uses the same PCI, to avoid ambiguities in the measurement reports. 1.8 PROCESS LARGE EXTENT CALCULATIONS UP TO 70% FASTER Cellular Expert 4.3 version beside typical prediction calculation process has an optimized algorithm, which speeds up data processing for country scale point-to-area networks. This covers Fields Strength, Best server and other primary results generation. 16

Entire extent is divided into parts in accordance with Grid Cell Size parameter and at the end they are merged. Grid Cell Size represents the size of parts in kilometers and can be adjusted via Workspace Properties dialog. For example value 120 means, that the calculation extent will be divided into 120km x 120km parts. Figure 22. Workspace Properties dialog and calculations Influence of Grid Cell Size value is presented in the demo project (next page). 17

Territory for the analysis: Iceland, 360km x 520km. With 40m resolution 117 million points. Network: 500 sites, each with 2 sectors. Total number of sectors 1000. Prediction model radius: 35km, cell size 40m. Site predictions: calculated in advance. Testing environment: 64-bit Windows 7; Intel Xeon CPU E3-1225 V2 @ 3.20GHz; RAM 8 GB. HDD 150MB/s 7200RPM. Duration of Field Strength together with Best Server calculation: Grid Cell Size (pred. model radius and kilometers) Parts 40m (117 mln points) Cell Size for results 80m (29 mln points) 160m (7,3 mln points) 35x5714=200000 1 4hours15mins 1hour47mins 55mins 35x8=280 4 2hours16mins 1hour04mins 35mins 35x7=245 6 2hours23mins 1hour00mins 34mins 35x6=210 6 1hours42mins 59mins 38mins 35x5=175 9 1hours27mins 47mins 32mins 35x4=140 12 1hours23mins 48mins 42mins 18

35x3=105 20 1hours14mins 51mins 53mins 35x2=70 48 Improvement in percent 1hours16mins (3mln.) 1hours14mins 1hours08mins 70% 57% 42% Note: Improvement in percent is calculated using equation 100%-(ShortestTime*100/ LongestTime) The advantage of dividing calculations into parts appears in country scale networks, when the extent covers 100 square kilometers or more and the size of the parts is three-five times larger than used prediction model radius. There is no optimal grid cell size value suitable for all cases. It depends on the extent size, number of points (prediction model radius, cell size), sites locations (coverage overlapping), etc. Until the self-tuning mechanism is developed, grid cell size value should be tuned manually. 2 NEW FUNCTIONALITY AND UPDATED TOOLS 2.1 RADIO LINKS PREDICTIONS Compared to Cellular Expert 4.2 and previous versions, Wanted Signal and Interference calculations are now combined and managed from one tool Radio Links Predictions. With previous functionality you needed to calculate Wanted Signal, then Interference and after that recalculate Wanted Signal to include interference results. Now you are able to perform both calculations at once and get Wanted signal with evaluated interference influence without any manual recalculations. Prediction calculation is based on wizard type dialog, in which you have to select preferred calculation and fill needed parameters depending on selected calculations. Radio Links Predictions tool is located in Cellular Expert Radio Links toolbar. 19

Figure 23. Radio Links Predictions dialog. First step - Main parameters Selected/From query You can include into prediction all selected objects (use Selected option), or you can pick objects using SQL query (From query option). In current case, write query directly into the field or use Build button to open SQL query dialog. Note: You can use From query functionality to select links with preferred StatusID values. Check data Select this option before starting calculation to activate input data checking. This will check selected objects and will inform you, if any attributes values are invalid. If calculation with existing data is impossible, it will not let you to start calculation, until you correct the data. 20

Figure 24. Radio Links Predictions dialog. Second step - calculations Path loss Select to calculate path loss or use values from previous calculations. Note: Path loss is calculated based on propagation model which is specified in sector properties inside Object Inspector tool for each sector at the both ends of radio link. Therefore, for path loss calculations, propagation prediction models should be created in advance. Re-predict If Repredict checkbox is checked, profile is re-predicted each time procedure is executed. Otherwise, the profile is calculated only once for a particular path. Wanted Signal Select this option to perform wanted signal prediction, which calculates: Power budget, including receiver signal level, thermal fade margin, composite fade margin and bit error ratio; Multipath, rain and cross-polarization fading percentages; Performance and availability, including individual and common objectives. Interference Select to perform interference prediction, which includes path loss and power budget calculations. Click Next button to define/adjust calculation parameters. 21

Figure 25. Radio Links Predictions dialog, Interference parameters You can establish interference links between From and To object groups: Selected-Selected interference is evaluated only between selected links; Selected-all interference is evaluated from selected to all other links in the active Cellular Expert workspace. If you choose Both direction option, then additionally interference from all to selected ones are calculated; All-selected interference is evaluated from all to selected links. If you choose Both direction option, then additionally interference from selected to all other links in the Cellular Expert workspace is calculated; All-all interference between all links in the current Cellular Expert workspace is calculated. Note: Wanted signal is always calculated only for the selected/queried links. If you do not have calculated Wanted signal for all other links, in some Selected-All or All-selected cases you may get interfered links SIR values with no data, because of not calculated wanted signal. To solve that, you should run Wanted signal calculation for these links. Min interference power level Choose minimum power level for interference link creation. Links which power is below this level are not created. Note: to change value, click button to open Radio Links Options dialog. Do not limit interference level (for automated frequency assignment) Use this option when you want to calculate interference for automated frequency assignment tool. It switches off all filtering that depend on frequency and interference level, and leave only distance filter thus including all possible interference propagation paths. Note: with this option interference links are created even between carries from totally different frequencies. Without this option only between overlapping carriers. 22

Filter links by: Distance define Min and Max radius for the transmitter s potential interference distance; Frequency include only transmitters with carriers from Min to Max frequency range; Interference margin define interference margin level in db and use C/I or BER(SNR) criteria, BER-06 or BER-03 error level; FML define fade margin loss threshold; Channel evaluate interference only from/to the same channel as signal links or from selected channels list; Carrier select only co-channel interference evaluation or up to nine adjacent channels. 2.2 SAVE TIME WITH RENEWED RADIO PROPERTIES DIALOG Previous Radio Properties dialog design consists of separate tabs for transmitter and receiver. Now information from both tabs is merged into one view. Figure 26. Radio Properties Changing radio system now is simplified: user selects new radio and all parameters are automatically loaded for both - transmitter and receiver. There is no need to click Use Radio Model Data button. 2.3 PREDICTION MODEL MANAGER With intention to save your time, we improved Prediction Model Manager allowing you to see list of existing models, their parameters and create new ones from one view. You do not need to open additional dialogs to preview each parameter anymore. 23

Figure 27. New Prediction Model Manager All created models are listed in the left part of the dialog and grouped by prediction model type. Selected model s parameters are displayed in the right part of the dialog. Additionally Description field for each prediction model was created and now you can write down your notes and comments: Figure 28. Description field in Prediction Models 24

2.4 VALIDATE GEOGRAPHICAL DATA BEFORE STARTING CALCULATIONS Prediction Model Manager now has a functionality to check input data referred in the prediction model. Figure 29. Prediction Model manager. Validate Information about missing data is displayed in the appeared message. This ensures, that all needed references are valid and there are no possible issues due to no longer existing input data. Validation from Prediction Model Manager is initiated for the selected prediction model. Path validation for all the models in the project can be done using updated Workspace Integrity tool. 25

Figure 30. Database Integrity Integrity tool generates log file where all missing input data is listed for each existing prediction model, regardless of whether the data paths lead to local disk, shared file directory on the intranet or SQL, Oracle server. 2.5 UPDATE WORKSPACE IN REMOTE SERVER EASIER To simplify Cellular Expert workspace upgrade when it is located in a remote server (SQL, Oracle), a new tool was developed:. It can be added to preferred toolbar from the Customize menu and used to create a copy of the remote workspace. Figure 31. Copy to local 26

All data related to Cellular Expert Workspace is copied to chosen location, including prediction database and prediction grids. Made copy can be upgraded with standard Cellular Expert Upgrade tool and copied back to the server. Also Copy to Local functionality can be used as a backup to store server side information locally. 2.6 SDE DATABASE WITHOUT CELLULAR EXPERT SDE CONNECTOR From now, working in multiple user environment becomes easier. A new functionality enables you to access SDE database connection directly without Cellular Expert SDE Connector. This also means that all settings and values in dialogs become common to all users. Figure 32. An example of Cellular Expert project when accessing SDE workspace with Cellular Expert SDE Connector database (SDE_Project_1) and without it (SDE_Project_2) How to upload your local project to SDE: 1. Copy all tables from Cellular Expert network database to SDE using ArcGIS tools. Save them as versioned. 2. Remove local database file. 3. No additional settings are required. Connecting to existing SDE workspace: Be sure you have all local files (Calculation, Result and Prediction directories with Predictions.mdb) in the right locations, as set in CE_WORKSPACE table. If you do not have needed set of files, check the paths in CE_WORKSPACE table and corresponding to them, create a new default workspace with default parameters, taking spatial reference and extent from SDE objects. Then delete local network database and open workspace from SDE. 2.7 START/STOP PREFERRED JOBS IN TASK SCHEDULER Improved Task Scheduler (for Point-to-Area and Radio Links) allows to manage new jobs while others are proceeded and append them to the task list. 27

Figure 33. Task Scheduler. Append The main advantage compared to the older version appears, when one of the jobs fails. In this case there is no need to cancel the rest of the jobs: failed one can be edited (even new sites and sectors can be selected) and appended for the implementation. Note: that asynchronous mode exploits the advantages of multicore processors and allows to process two or more jobs at the same time - shorten the total calculation time twice or even more. 2.8 OPENED PROJECT EVEN WITH THE INVALID WORKSPACE PATHS Starting project (.mxd) or loading Cellular Expert Workspace in the existing one initiates validation procedure, where workspace paths are checked. This includes Prediction path, Results path, Elevation and References. After the message, all this data can be accessed and corrected via Workspace Properties dialog. 28

Figure 34. Workspace Properties This functionality saves users time (previous versions do not allow to load workspace with missing data at all) by identifying incorrect data locations and allowing to fix that directly from Cellular Expert interface. 2.9 ERROR LOG BUTTON From Cellular Expert 4.3 error log can be called from Cellular Expert toolbar, Workspace menu. Figure 35. Error log button in Workspace menu 2.10 SECTOR DIRECTION Sector Direction is used to calculate optimal antenna direction (tilt and azimuth) for a single sector. In earlier Cellular Expert versions, you got an error message with request to select only one, in case you selected more than one object. We improved this feature and now you can select more than one sector. In this case Select Sectors dialog will appear and you will be able to choose one sector from the selection by SiteID and SectorID: 29

Figure 36. Sector Direction, Select Sectors dialog Select row with preferred SiteID and SectorID and continue using this tool. 2.11 POWER FLUX DENSITY To make Power Flux Density Analysis tool more informative, we ve made some adjustments. Selected links are displayed in the left corner of the dialog and identified by From/To sector labels, Channel name with carrier number and polarization. Figure 37. Power flux density dialog When calculation is done, read-only Link field will represent the link, with calculation results displayed in the table and chart. So you always know, what was calculated. 30

2.12 DRAW FIELD STRENGTH FOR TRANSMISSION SECTORS Standard Cellular Expert Draw Field Strength tool works with Cellular type sectors. Since some of our customers use Radio Links with sector antennas and predict them not only with Radio Links tools, but also with Cellular prediction, we made a new tool specially for this case. You can find this tool from Customize menu: Figure 38. Draw Field Strength tool for Transmission sectors 2.13 SIGNAL INFORMATION From now, there is no need to search information about sectors signal power in attribute table or use ArcGIS identify tool by clicking on map, because Cellular Expert 4.3 has a signal information tool to show sectors signal power in one location. You have to find and add it to preferred toolbar. To do that, use ArcGIS Customize menu. Figure 39. Customize menu Open Signal Information tool and place a point on the map. Signal Information tool will be filled with information about every sector signal power, which was calculated before. This information comes out from your project prediction catalog. 31

Figure 40. Signal Information Location Shows chosen point coordinates. You can define this location in Meters, Decimal Degrees, Degrees Minutes Seconds or MGRS by pressing button We are thankful to everyone who contributed to this release by giving feedback with suggestions about improvements and for letting us know the real needs of a daily user. If you have any suggestions on, what you would like to see in future releases, do not hesitate to contact us by email or by our support system. info@cellular-expert.com www.cellular-expert.com http://support.cellular-expert.com/helpdesk/index.php 32