Patent ID: 7873361
Filing Date: 2011-01-18
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for planning a radiocommunications network, comprising: computing cell coverage, using a computer, to indicate a region around a radio base station where a radioelectric signal radiating out from the radio base station copes with given requirements; wherein computing the cell coverage comprises: dividing the region around said radio base station into a number of first areas; dividing at least some of said first areas into a number of second areas; and for at least some target second areas of said second areas, computing respective quantifies indicative of the cell coverage within said target second areas, each quantity being computed for a respective target second area as a function of data describing an environment between said radio base station and said target second area along a propagation path of a radioelectric signal radiating out from said radio base station and passing through said target second area; each quantity being computed for the respective target second area as a function of data describing the environment within at least some said second areas close to at least one of said radio base station and said target second area along the radioelectric signal propagation path, and as a function of data describing the environment within at least some said first areas along the remaining stretch of the radioelectric signal propagation path, wherein computing each quantity for the respective target second area comprises: forming a mixed resolution environment profile describing the environment between said radio base station and said target second area along said radioelectric signal propagation path, wherein forming the mixed resolution environment profile comprises: identifying obstacles encountered by said radioelectric signal within at least some said first areas along the propagation path from said radio base station to said target second area; and consolidating identified obstacles which are spaced apart one from another at a distance lower than a given distance.