Abstract: A modular data processing system (200) for processing communication session data from a cellular mobile communications system (210) comprises at least two autonomous data processing units (340). The autonomous data processing units (340) are arranged in parallel, and are operable simultaneously. Each data processing unit (340) receives and processes raw communication session data from an associated set of controllers of the cellular mobile communications system (210). At least one data collection subsystem (215) supplies the raw communication session data to the at least two autonomous data processing units (340), for calls made within the coverage area of the set of controllers associated with the data processing unit. Processed data may be available more rapidly with the invention. The invention is scalable, and the system may expand as a cellular mobile communications system grows.

Abstract: An active antenna array (10) for transmitting radio signals is disclosed. The active antenna array comprises a heat dissipating body (20), at least one first power amplifier (30) in thermal contact with the heat dissipating body (20), at least one second power amplifier (40) in thermal contact with the heat dissipating body (20) and an power level controller (50) for adjusting relative power levels of a first output signal (32) emanating from the at least one first power amplifier (30) and a second output signal (42) emanating from the at least one second power amplifier (40). A method for the transmission of radio signal is also disclosed.

Abstract: A data management system and method of managing call data for at least one radio network element within a cellular communication network. The method comprises receiving geolocation associated call data for at least one call within the at least one cellular communication network, arranging the received geolocation associated call data for the call into at least one call data record, and writing the at least one call data record to at least one data storage device, The geolocation associated call data for the at least one call comprises at least two spatial coordinate values for an at least two dimensional spatial reference, and the method comprises indexing the at least one call data record within the at least one data storage device using a single dimensional coordinate value.

Abstract: A data management system method of managing call data for at least one radio network element within a cellular communication network. The method comprises receiving call data for at least one call from the at least one radio network element within the cellular communication network, arranging the received call data into call data records, assembling the call data records into at least one data block, and writing the at least one data block to at least one data storage device. The method further comprises, upon receipt of a call data query, retrieving call data records from the at least one data storage device on a per data block basis.

Abstract: A data management system and method of managing call data for at least one radio network element within a cellular communication network. The method comprising receiving call data for at least one call from the at least one radio network element within the cellular communication network, arranging the received call data into call data records of a non-fixed size, and writing the call data records to at least one data storage device such that the call data records are stored adjacent one another.

Abstract: The present application relates to an antenna array that comprises a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of amplifiers feeding the plurality of antenna elements. A first group of the plurality of antenna elements is arranged in a first column and a second group of the antenna elements is arranged in a second column. A first amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers has a first power rating and a second amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers has a second power rating, the first power rating being different than the second power rating. The first column is arranged symmetrical to the second column about an axis. Amplifiers feeding the first column have a substantially similar power rating to corresponding amplifiers feeding the second column.

Abstract: A base transceiver station for a mobile communications network for communicating with a plurality of subscriber devices within a coverage area comprises an active antenna array with a tilt adaption arrangement to adjust a vertical tilt angle of an antenna beam in dependence of beam tilting control data, and thereby dynamically change the coverage area served by the base transceiver station. The base transceiver station further comprises a beam control device for evaluating the distance of the subscriber devices in the coverage area to the active antenna array and calculating from the distances the beam tilting control data. As the distance of a subscriber device to the antenna is a parameter that may be extracted directly from data that is available anyhow for at least some subscriber devices, this data can be acquired at no extra expense.

Abstract: A geolocation data acquisition system (200) and method (400) for acquiring communication session data from a mobile radio communications network (210). A data extraction module (222, 226) extracts call session data continuously from a network of call processors (224, 228), each call processor supporting mobile communication units in an associated geographical region of the coverage area of the mobile radio communications network. The data extraction module (222, 226) provides the extracted data to one of several storage areas (260). In each storage area, a record is created of the communication session data for each call made within the coverage area of an associated set of call processors (224, 228). The records stored in each storage area (260) comprise the data available for all communication sessions in the geographical region associated with the corresponding set of call processors (224, 228).

Abstract: A mobile communications network is disclosed which comprises a plurality of radio heads, a cloud processing architecture, and a plurality of radio head links. The plurality of radio heads are for transceiving radio signals and for converting the radio signals between baseband representations of the radio signals and radio frequency representation of the radio signals. The cloud processing architecture is for processing the baseband representations of the radio signals. The cloud processing architecture is ad hoc shareable on demand between different ones of the plurality of radio heads. The plurality of radio head links is provided between the plurality of radio heads and the cloud processing architecture. A corresponding method for processing radio signals for a mobile communications network and corresponding computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: An active antenna system for a mobile communications network and a method for relaying radio signal in the mobile communications network is disclosed. The active antenna system comprises a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals at a first frequency band. The antenna elements are connected to a plurality of signal paths. A plurality of signal inputs for inputting radio signals at a second frequency band is connected to the plurality of signal paths. A plurality of mixers in the signal paths converts the frequency of the radio signals between the first frequency band and the second frequency band. A plurality of local oscillators is connected to the mixers and a single reference oscillator can be connected through a plurality of first dispersion elements to different ones of the plurality of local oscillators through a plurality of first oscillator signal paths and to a digital signal processor.

Abstract: A cellular wireless communications system and method of generating reference signatures for use in geolocation are provided. The cellular wireless communications system identifies a sub-area within the coverage area of a cellular wireless communications system, the sub-area having a density of radio frequency measurements that is below a threshold value. A user of a subscriber mobile communication unit is influenced to enter the sub-area, the subscriber mobile communication unit being a subscriber to the cellular wireless communications system. The cellular wireless communications system obtains radio frequency measurements from the subscriber mobile communication unit in the sub-area, and generates reference signatures and/or location estimates from the radio frequency measurements. The reference signatures may be used to geolocate connections made by other mobile communication units within the sub-areas.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating reference signatures in a cellular wireless communications system are provided. A first signature is obtained for a mobile communication unit at a first location. The first signature comprises first location information, a first timestamp, and radio frequency measurement information, but lacks identification information. The first signature is compared to signatures in a database, to identify a second signature having location information and a timestamp corresponding to the first location information and first timestamp. A reference signature is created by combining at least part of the first signature, such as the radio frequency information, with the second signature. The first signature is from an anonymized call. The second signature may be from an application operational on the communication unit, or from a social media website, and may comprise identification information for the communication unit or user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating reference signatures for use in geolocation in a cellular wireless communication system is provided. A first signature for a mobile communication unit comprises location information, a timestamp, and radio frequency measurement information obtained by a mobile communication unit at a location, but does not contain identification information for the mobile communication unit. The first signature is compared to signatures in a database, to identify a second signature that has a timestamp and radio frequency measurement information that correspond to those of the first signature. A reference signature is created by combining at least a part of the first signature with at least a part of the second signature. Repetition of the comparison and combination steps creates a database of reference signatures, for use in geolocating other received call signatures.

Abstract: An antenna array for a mobile communications system comprises a plurality of receive paths and a calibration signal processor. The receive paths are connected between an antenna elements and an analogue-to-digital converters. The calibration signal processor comprises a cross-analyzer for cross-analyzing the digitized receive signals of the plurality of receive paths with each other, an averager for forming a temporal average of an output of the cross-analyzer, the temporal average indicating a receive signal relationship between the digitized receive signals of the plurality of receive paths, wherein the calibration signal processor is adapted to use the temporal average of the receive signal relationship to calibrate of at least one of the plurality of receive paths. A corresponding method and corresponding computer program products usable during manufacture and operation are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure teaches an active antenna array for a mobile communications network. The active antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements, at least one first splitter, at least one amplifier and at least one first coupler. The first splitter forwards at least one of at least one individual first protocol receive signal and at least one individual second protocol receive signal in a receive direction from an individual one of the plurality of antenna elements. The at least one amplifier amplifies at least one of the individual first protocol receive signal and the individual second protocol receive signal. The at least one first coupler is located in the receive direction downstream of the at least one amplifier and is adapted to forward the at least one individual second protocol receive signal to a second protocol receiver.

Abstract: A shared digital processing resource is connectable to a plurality of remotely located transceivers and comprises a packet processor, a transceiver selector, a packet formation unit, and a packet-switched network interface. The packet processor is adapted to process user data to form antenna-carrier data, or vice versa. The transceiver selector is adapted to select a preferred remotely located transceiver from the plurality of remotely located transceivers, the preferred remotely located transceiver having a packet-switched network address. The packet formation unit is adapted to insert the antenna-carrier data destined for the preferred remotely located transceiver in packets having the packet-switched network address. The packet-switched network interface is adapted to transmit the packet-switched packets over a packet-switched network to which the plurality of remotely located transceivers is connected.

Abstract: A method and system for comparing network configuration data stored in a wireless communication network with parameters that depend on the physical configuration of the network is provided. Subscriber wireless communication devices operating in the network provide measurement data. From the measurement data, at least one first parameter is selected or derived, the first parameter depending on the physical configuration of the network. From network configuration data stored in the wireless communication network, at least one second parameter that corresponds to the at least one first parameter is selected. Any discrepancy between the values of the first and second parameters is then identified. Analysis of the discrepancies may reveal errors or omissions in the stored network configuration data, such as missing entries in the neighbors table for a cell site. Faults in the physical network may also be revealed.

Abstract: A module for an active antenna system for receiving and transmitting radio signals sealed in a housing. It comprises a power connector placed at the outside of the housing for supplying the module with supply power; at least one micro radio for receiving/sending digital radio signals having a digital down-converter/a digital up-converter and a control signal converter. The micro radio converts the digital radio signals to analogue RF (radio frequency) signals and vice versa and is connected to the internal bus. At least one antenna element is connected to the micro radio and an internal data bus for the exchange of digital radio data and control data is connected to micro radio and hub. By placing two or more modules next to each other on a frame these modules form an active antenna system.

Abstract: A system and method of determining incorrect antenna configuration within a cellular communication network. The method comprises obtaining crowd-sourced data comprising at least one geographical characteristic for a coverage area of at least one cell sector of the cellular communication system, verifying whether the at least one crowd-sourced geographical characteristic for the coverage area of the at least one cell sector is consistent with network configuration data for the at least one cell sector, and identifying a potentially incorrect antenna configuration for the at least one cell sector if the at least one crowd-sourced geographical characteristic for the coverage area of the at least one cell sector is inconsistent with the network configuration data therefor.

Abstract: An active antenna array for a mobile communications network and a method for receiving radio signals is disclosed. The active antenna array has a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals, a plurality of first amplifiers for amplifying a plurality of individual receive signals a plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and a plurality of first gain switches located between one of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and the plurality of first amplifiers. A digital signal processor is connected to outputs of the plurality of first analogue-to-digital converters and has a common gain switch control line connected to at least two of the plurality of first switches for controlling the gain of the first gain switches.