How To Set Up AutoDesign

This How To document shows you how to build a pico network in a collection of detailed steps.

The design is roughly following the requirements set out in this sample RFP from Verizon:

Sample Verizon RFP for Reston, VA

1. Start a New Project

Create a Standard Overture Training Project from the New Project panel.

2a. Set the Analysis Target

Go to the region you want to AutoDesign.

For the purpose of this tutorial we will design the Reston area in Virginia, US.

Open the Search Maps tab (see right side of the Map) and type Reston. This will display several options. Double click on the one highlighted on the image, this will take you to the area of interest.

2b. Set the Analysis Target

During this AutoDesign process we will use the Process Shortcut toolbar docked to the left side of Overture.

This Process Shortcut toolbar contains the most used features of Overture arranged in a logical design sequence from top to bottom.

2c. Set the Analysis Target

The Analysis Target defines the specific areas of interest where Overture is going to focus the design efforts. For example, candidates will only be generated within this area.

To set the Analysis Target, select the Set or Add to Analysis Targetbutton in the Process Shortcut toolbar.

Several methods can be used but for the purpose of this tutorial choose Set Analysis Target… > By Drawing a Polygon…

Overture switches to draw mode.

2d. Set the Analysis Target

Click on the map to drop the vertices of the segments that will define the sides of the polygon. These vertices will be identified as green circles so you can edit the shape of the polygon by selecting a particular point with the mouse and moving it to your desired location.

Once you are happy with your polygon, select Finish Drawing…

2e. Set the Analysis Target

Note that once you click Finish Drawing… you can no longer edit the shape of the polygon.

Name the new Analysis Target polygon. For example, this is going to be called Reston.

2f. Set the Analysis Target

Once the polygon has been named, Overture will display a table with the coordinates of the vertices for each segment in the polygon and the total area of the polygon.

3. Set the Analysis Border

The Analysis Border is the extended region around the Analysis Target(shown as the magenta outline in the screenshot) and should be set such that it is large enough to fully encompass the area.

Select Region > Set Analysis Border > 1.00 km

The dashed line in the screenshot shows the Analysis Region, which is Analysis Border (+ 1.00 km) around the extent of the Analysis Target.

Overture builds clutter and other analyses within this Analysis Region.

4. Import Antennas

At this stage you may want to import any antennas that you will use with your pico.

We will use those already included, but, if necessary, import any additional antennas by selecting Network > Antennas > Import Antennas…

Browse and select all the relevant antennas and the particular importer format.

5a. Add Access Technologies

Add the access technologies by using Overture’s spectrum feature.

From the Process Shortcut toolbar select Build Access Technologies from Spectrum.

Choose United States (FCC) >Verizon Wireless > Build LTE-FDD Access Technologies…

Overture will query the FCC spectrum database for this region for licensee “Verizon Wireless”. The results are shown in a table.

5b. Add Access Technologies

We are going to build dual-band sites, so:

• Select the 700 Upper C block.

• Select the AWS B+C block.

Press the Build button once ready; Overture will add two LTE-FDD access technology layers with the relevant frequencies (750.00 MHz and 2127.50 MHz) and channel bandwidth (10 MHz and 15 MHz).

6a. Add a Pico Site Template

Next we add information about how the access technologies are to be used. For this tutorial we will AutoDesign a dual-band, two-sectored pico network, so we will add a Pico Site template.

Select on the Process Shortcut toolbar the Build Site Templates and Analyzers option.

Select Build Pico Sites…

6b. Add a Pico Site Template

The Site Template Builder dialog is shown. This helps in the creation of a site template with the relevant access technology and most entries can be left unchanged.

This tutorial builds a two-sectored pico site, so set Number of Sectors to 2.

6c. Add a Pico Site Template

Next, we are going to define this pico site as dual-band so we have to define how it uses the access technologies.

Select Access Technologies (0) >Edit Access Technologies…

6d. Add a Pico Site Template

When creating any site template we define the band and access technology structure of the site.

In this case we are adding a dual band using LTE-FDD technology.

Do this via the Add… button, which allows you to select any access technology.

Select first the access technology called LTE-FDD: 5220, 750.00 MHz.

6e. Add a Pico Site Template

Select the appropriate Antenna Model for the network configuration. For the purpose of this tutorial, it will be the directional antenna closest to the center frequency of the selected band.

Select the Antenna Model called Pico (Directional) – Kathrein 840 10515 [746.00 MHz]

6f. Add a Pico Site Template

Next we have to define the Propagation Model that matches the selected band.

Select the Propagation Model called General Pico Model with Buildings [750 MHz].

6g. Add a Pico Site Template

To finish defining this pico site as a dual band we have to select the second access technology.

Do this via the Add… button, which allows you to select any remaining access technology.

Select the access technology called LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz.

6h. Add a Pico Site Template

Select the Antenna Model called Pico(Directional) – Kathrein 840 10515 [2120.00 MHz]

Select the Propagation Model called General Pico Model with Buildings [2100 MHz].

Click OK to continue.

6i. Add a Pico Site Template

Now all the access technologies, antennas and propagation models have been defined for our dual-band pico site.

Click Build to generate this pico site template configuration.

AutomationManual

The project now has all the necessary data to proceed to AutoDesign the network. From this point we can continue manually or we can run an automation sequence. Automation is recommended especially for time consuming procedures and repetitive tasks.

Automation: Stages 7 through to Stages 8.

Manual: Stages 9 through to Stages 13.

7a. Run Automation

For standard processes such as AutoDesign, by running an Automation sequence, you can queue each task to run sequentially in the background.

The following will perform all the manual tasks described in subsequent slides: generate candidates, select and activate candidates (ASP), optimize the network resulting from the selected candidates (ACP), and run network statistics.

To see the list of tasks that will be run you can select the particular automation sequence under Automation > Edit Automation Collection…

7b. Run Automation

For the purpose of this tutorial we will build a pico network for capacity and our design driver will be given by the highest frequency (smaller cell radius).

To start, select Automation from the Process Shortcut toolbar.

Then select the AutoDesign driver, in this case: AutoDesign Pico [LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz] Network.

8a. Results

When finished, Overture displays all the generated candidates.

All the AutoDesign partial and final results will be shown in the set of tables. For example, the Site Plan table contains information about the selected candidates and their performance based on the objectives of the design.

8b. Results

To only visualize the selected sites on the map, link the Select and View boxes by clicking on the icon between them.

To select only the active sites select All Active on the drop down Selectbox.

Additional selection options, such as invert selection or selection within Analysis Region and Analysis Target, can be accessed from the button bar.

8c. Results

Out of 197 original candidates generated by Overture, 25 dual-band pico sites of two sectors have been selected.

Through the Automation process, these selected sites have also been optimized to Maximize Pops with RSRP+SINR Satisfied [LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz, Pico]

A set of statistics have also been generated as part of the automated process. See for example the tab CSE per Radio with RSRP+SINR Satisfied [LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz, Pico]

9a. Generate Candidates (Manual Process)

(The next few slides show how to manually perform each step of the AutoDesign process run as an automated set of tasks on the previous sections, Stages 7 to 8)

Select on the Process Shortcut toolbar the Site Candidate Generators option

Select Pico > Generate Dual-band Pico Candidates

9b. Generate Candidates (Manual Process)

For this particular tutorial we will use the default candidate name. Each one of the generated candidates will be named as:

Candidate Name Prefix + Number

Once you click OK Overture will download and calculate all the necessary information to identify the volume and location of candidates to generate according to the pico design objectives.

9c. Generate Candidates (Manual Process)

Once Overture finishes, you will be able to see all the generated candidates on the map

Notice Overture has generated 197 two-sectored pico sites

10a. Categorize Candidates (Manual Process)

Next, we will categorize those sites by Analysis Target

Select on the Process Shortcut toolbar the Site Categorizes option

Select Categorize Selected Sites by Analysis Target

Categorize works on selected sites so (for this particular tutorial) make sure all the candidates are selected

10b. Categorize Candidates (Manual Process)

At the end of the categorization, Overture will produce a table with information per site and categorization criteria

This particular tutorial contains an unique Analysis Target, but this can be a useful feature when the whole analysis is run on multiple polygons

11a. Site Planer (ASP) (Manual Process)

The Site Planer works on selected sites so (for this particular tutorial) make sure all the candidates are selected

Select on the Process Shortcut toolbar the Automatic Site Planersoption

Select Pico > Pops > LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz > Start Selecting Sites by Pops with RSRP+ SINR Satisfied

11b. Site Planer: Results (Manual Process)

Overture will display two tables:

• The Impact Analysis table will show the individual performance of each site when no other candidates are active

• The Site Plan table will show the ASP result. These are the sites selected by Overture based on the network design objective (in this case: Pops with RSRP+SINR Satisfied).

11c. Site Planer: Results (Manual Process)

As a result of the ASP, the selected candidate sites will be active

For this particular example, only 25 out of 197 initial candidates are required to meet the design objective. These are now active sites

You can directly select and visualize them from the button bar

12a. Cell Planer (ACP) (Manual Process)

The Cell Planer works on selected sites so (for this particular tutorial) make sure all the active sites are selected

Select on the Process Shortcut toolbar the Automatic Cell Planersoption

Select Start Optimizing Pico Sites [LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz, Pico]

12b. Cell Planer: Results (Manual Process)

Overture will display two tables:

• The RF Parameter Changes table will show the list of changes performed by the optimizer. Each row will display the old and new value of the optimized parameter (in this case, it is azimuth)

• The RF Parameter Performance table will show the % Change on the design objective after optimization

13. Statistics (Manual Process)

Select on the Process Shortcut toolbar the Statistics option

Select LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz > Pico > Calculate CSE per Radio with RSRP+ SINR Satisfied

14a. Display RSRP: AWS B+C Band (2127.50 MHz)

Browse the All Maps list and find RSRP [LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz].

Right-click and select Display Map.

Overture will generate the RSRP layer and display on the map.

14b. Display RSRP:AWS B+C Band (2127.50 MHz)

The RSRP [LTE-FDD: 2125, 2127.50 MHz] is shown.

Browse the All Maps list and find RSRP [LTE-FDD: 5220, 750.00 MHz]

Right-click and select Display Map

Overture will generate the RSRP layer and display on the map

14c. Display RSRP: 700 Upper C Band (750.00 MHz)

The RSRP [LTE-FDD: 5220, 750.00 MHz] is shown.

14d. Display RSRP: 700 Upper C Band (750.00 MHz)