Zte Lte Npo i 09 2 Mapinfo

Software Tools_MapInfo

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Contents

1 Overview.....................................................................................................................................................1

1.1 Brief Introduction..............................................................................................................................1

1.2 Software Installation & Operation.....................................................................................................2

2 Software Function Menu Configuration Overview.................................................................................5

2.1 Software Function Interface Configuration.......................................................................................5

2.2 Common Menu Function Description...............................................................................................7

3 Network Planning Optimum Application Scenario...............................................................................19

3.1 Station Layer Created via Excel......................................................................................................19

3.1.1 Excel Import.........................................................................................................................19

3.1.2 Sector Layer Creation...........................................................................................................22

3.2 New Station Planning......................................................................................................................24

3.2.1 Create New Layers...............................................................................................................25

3.2.2 Input Information.................................................................................................................25

3.2.3 New Station Export..............................................................................................................26

3.2.3.1 Method 1（recommended！Global Mapper adopted）............................................27

3.2.3.2 Method 2（Coordinate Extractor adopted）.............................................................27

3.3 Inquiry & Statistics..........................................................................................................................29

3.3.1 SQL Inquiry..........................................................................................................................29

3.3.2 Statistics...............................................................................................................................31

3.3.3 Statistics Example................................................................................................................33

3.3.4 Other Applications................................................................................................................35

3.4 Map Scaling in MapInfo..................................................................................................................36

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3.5 Coordination with Google Earth.....................................................................................................37

3.6 Functions of Relevant Plugins.........................................................................................................38

3.6.1 Sector Layer Creation...........................................................................................................38

3.6.2 MapInfo2Google Plugin.......................................................................................................40

3.6.3 Google Earth Link Plugin.....................................................................................................41

3.6.4 Create Hexagons via the Plugin “Create Line by Length”...................................................43

3.6.5 Create Search Ring via the Function of Buffer.....................................................................46

4 Network Planning & Optimization Application Example....................................................................47

4.1 Network Planning Application........................................................................................................47

4.1.1 Planning Information............................................................................................................47

4.1.2 Create Station Layers...........................................................................................................48

4.1.3 Create New BSC Boundary Layers......................................................................................48

4.1.4 Modify the Structure of the Base Station Layer Form..........................................................48

4.1.5 Draw BSC Boundary............................................................................................................48

4.1.6 Input the information of BSC Boundary into Base Station Layer........................................49

4.1.7 Render Base Station Layers..................................................................................................49

4.2 Network Optimization Application Example..................................................................................50

4.2.1 Create Sector Layers.............................................................................................................50

4.2.2 Create and Render................................................................................................................51

Appendix A Reference...........................................................................................55

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1 Overview

Graphical Information System (GIS) is an information system responsible for

collecting, saving, managing, describing as well as analyzing data related to surface of

the earth and graphical distribution in space. Depending upon the graphical space

database and supported by the computer hardware and software environment, this

computer application system collects, manages, operates, analyzes, simulates and

displays space-involved data and meanwhile, furnishes with abundant space and

dynamic graphical information through the graphical model analysis method to serve a

range of purposes like graphical research, comprehensive appraisal, management,

quantitative analysis and decision making.

A list of widely accepted GIS software includes the software products developed via 3

US GIS developers as ESRI, Intergraph and MapInfo as well as other three domestic

software as MapGIS, GeoStar and Citystar, where MapInfo is an application program

used frequently in the wireless communication network planning. Functions and

operations about this program, especially application in the wireless network planning

& optimization, are described below.

1.1 Brief Introduction

MapInfo Professional: A leading commercial map solution in the industry that presents

relation between data and geographical information in a direct way so as to facilitate

decision marking. With MapInfor Professional, you can:

• Create precise and accurate maps as the best way to present data;

• Provide comprehensive location service solutions and manage information based

on geographical locations such as service facilities, population, assets and so on;

• Offer powerful data analysis tools to search for data, facilitate decision making,

formulate emergency plans and strengthen business management capabilities.

MapInfo provides simple and convenient development methods, a built-in Basic

development language – MapBasic and the integrated development environment as

well as many powerful clauses to assist users to customize map application, extend the

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functions of this software, develop tools that can be used repetitively and incorporate

map application into others. In addition, it is also able to team up with other common

languages such as Visual Basic, C++, Power Builder, Delphi and so on to develop map

applications.

As for other specific functions used while planning wireless network, please refer to as

follows:

Use Excel to create station layers;

Plan new stations;

Make inquiries and statistics;

Formulate thematic maps;

Coordinate with Google Earth;

Scale;

Others

MapInfo MapX is an OCX component of the MapInfo product family that is

characterized by convenience and formidable capabilities. The development of MapX

based upon ActiveX control provides real object linking and embedding controls and

enables development personnel to use standard programming languages like VB, VC+

+, Delphi or PowerBuilder and so on so as to incorporate map objects into various new

or existing systems in accordance with special requirements made by several users in

the enterprise. New we employ MapX4.5 while developing network planning &

optimization software. The release of MapX extends the application range of the

MapInfo products. More and more users can share the advanced technologies of

MapInfo through MapX.

1.2 Software Installation & Operation

Since being released in 1986 for the first time, MapInfo Professional has come in many

versions. The latest version MapInfo9.5 was released in May 2008. As for system

requirements, they differ from one version to another. Generally speaking, all the

foregoing versions are able to run in a stable way in Windows XP and incompatibility

arises when it comes to Windows 2003 server. In respect of this version, please refer to

the table below.

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Table 1-1 Operating System Requirements

Operating Systems Memory Disk Space Graphic Card Monitor

Windows 2000 Professional SP 4 256/512 MB of Fast EIDE 2 Mid to High 2D/3D Greater than

Windows Vista UltimateRAM with a

minimum of a

or SCSI Interface

with

card with 128MB or

better

1024x768

resolution or

Windows XP Professional SP 2

Windows XP Home SP 2

Pentium PC or

better

2GB or better

Data 450 MBbetter

Windows XP (64-bit)

Windows 2000 Server SP4

Windows 2003 Server SP 1 with

Terminal Services/Citrix 4.0

Same, PLUS

memory sufficient

to support each

connected user

Fast EIDE 2 or

SCSI Interface

with 2GB or

better Data 450

MB

Server: Same Client:

Choose based on

resolution/speed

requirements

Greater than

1024x768

resolution or

better

* For Window Vista, MapInfo has not been authenticated yet.

* For Windows 2003 server, parts of functions are restricted.

It is similar to other software in terms of installation procedures. If choosing Typical

Configuration, some default components, such as certain features in the Tools that are

required to be selected otherwise, won’t be installed. You can also choose Customer

Configuration Interface to select plugin as required and for the main contents of

configuration, please refer to as follows:

MapInfo Program Files

Tools (which refer to the MapInfo Utility Tools, Crystal Reports and so on.)

Translators (Universal Translators, ArcLink and so on.)

Help Files

Documentation

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2 Software Function Menu Configuration Overview

2.1 Software Function Interface Configuration

When MapInfo Professional is initiated, the system reminds whether to recover last

data.

Figure 2-1 Quick Start

Following login, the interface below pops up.

Figure 2-2 Interface Overview

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The Box 1 outlines function menus, Box 2, 3 and 4 some common tool buttons, Box 5

information in the operation area such as region size, scale and latitude & longitude of

the location pointed by the cursor and Box 6 layers being edited and Box 7 information

concerning selected points or areas.

Among the function menus, both Options and Map are in connection with system and

interface configuration. To execute software configuration, open Preference in the

Options.

Figure 2-3 System Setup Preference

Except Unit that needs frequent change as a matter of convenience, other items can be

set according to individual preference.

Open Options in the Map and adjust map-related settings in line with display

requirements.

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Chapter Error! Use the Home tab to apply 标题 1 to the text that you want to appear here. Error! Use the Home tab to apply 标题 1 to the text that you want to appear here.

Figure 2-4 Map Options

2.2 Common Menu Function Description

Let’s briefly introduce the drop-down menus on the top of the MapInfo Professional

main window in combination with commonly used functions.

File：Operation files;

Figure 2-5 File Menu

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The red box above mainly outlines commends to save current layer information into

formats of image, table and so on, and through this way you can open many layers

quickly.

Tools：Select tools and check the corresponding toolboxes in the Tools Manager to

activate required functions.

Figure 2-6 Tools Manager

You can use Universal Translator to convert some formats.

Objects：Contain some operations to be executed upon chosen object such as rotate,

convert, combine and so on.

Figure 2-7 Objects Menu

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Query：Mainly execute some functions related to query like find, locate and so on

that are in compliance with certain conditions.

Figure 2-8 Query Menu

The boxes in the Figure 2-8 outlines some common functions that are used to search

for information that complies with certain conditions and as for how to use Select,

please refer to as follows:

Figure 2-9 Selection Function

When inputting conditions, you can select from Assist and then verify. While selecting

browse results, display search hits in the form of table first of all and then the points or

regions that comply with search conditions are highlighted on layers. Finally, operate

or save tables that contain search hits.

Use Find to search for the points or regions that are in accordance with certain

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conditions and once found, the point centers the view window immediately. The

function of Find is capable of drawing a specific symbol on the Cosmetic Layer and we

are allowed to define the type of this symbol as well as other attributes for the purpose

of being found easily.

Figure 2-10 Find Function

Table：Adjust tables.

Figure 2-11Table Menu

Update Column is a common function. Refer to the related contents in both tables and

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update information in a certain table. For example, define different region attributes

according to population density and mark the proposed stations that pertain to various

regions so as to indicate the type of region they cover. At this moment, you can update

the region type in the base station information table.

Figure 2-12 Update Column

The following table is created when being confirmed. Categorize and then alter

attributes in line with the same population density following export.

Figure 2-13 Plan Site Table after Update

Create Points is frequently used during planning and you can use it to convert the

information contained by excel opened through File into points in the layers.

Import & Export are usually deployed to convert formats or output results. Take MIF

files as a example, they can be imported in the format of Table.

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Figure 2-14 Import Function

Maintenance mainly functions to carry out some operations upon tables such as table

structure modification, adjustment, deletion and so on, and while using Find, it is

required to add index to the designated column in the inquired object data table. Under

most circumstances, manual adding is necessary. Click Maintenance -> Table Structure

to call out the window shown in the Figure 2-10 from which the inquired data column

can be chosen.

Figure 2-15 Table Structure Edit

Options： Operate to display lines, fonts and so on, and make some adjustments

towards the displayed contents in the window.

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Figure 2-16 Options Menu

Map：This menu contains some commands that can be used to operate layers. For

example, Layer Control is a common basic operation, Create Thematic Map is

employed to display related information on layers for categorization, Create Legend is

used to create layers and image examples for better understanding of layer observation

and Options to edit and adjust map information.

Figure 2-17 Map Menu

Through creating thematic Layers, it is convenient to display categorized information

contained in layers such as displaying various regions, traffic, call-drop rate and so on

during the process of network planning and optimization at different levels and so on.

Create image examples depending upon the actual situations and make description for

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information about critical ground objects and so on

Figure 2-18 Create Legend

You can also edit, increase created image examples and meanwhile, add layers and

image examples or edit the contents to be displayed.

Windows：Operate windows as shown below:

Figure 2-19 Windows Menu

Table can be accessed through New Browser Window for better understanding.

Through New Layout Window, you can reorganize window layout to cater for printing.

For details,

please refer to as follows:

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Figure 2-20 New Layout Window

Put the image example in a proper position for better comprehension.

Figure 2-21 Output with Legend

Others：Statistics and Information are common functions in the figure operation.

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Figure 2-22 Main Button

During layer control, you can adjust the displaying method of tables.

Figure 2-23 Layer Control

Select a certain layer for editing. Use Display to adjust the color of layers and Label to

edit remarks.

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Figure 2-24 Display Edit

Figure 2-25 Label Edit

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3 Network Planning Optimum Application Scenario

3.1 Station Layer Created via Excel

3.1.1 Excel Import

No special requirements are compulsory for Excel but at least containing information

of latitude and longitude. However, it is recommended to apply the following

principles: The title line is only one line, latitude and longitude are expressed in digits

rather than letters or not calculated through formula so as to avoid full-width

characters. For examples, please refer to as follows:

Figure 3-26 Excel File

Open this Excel sheet in MapInfo and the type of files to be opened should be xls. It is

recommended to check Create Only in MapInfo Format for Read/Write or the tab files

formed by MapInfo are read only and not editable. (For the versions that are before the

version 8.5, this option does not exist and for those foregoing versions, it is

recommended to save them as tab files in the procedure shown in the Figure 3-2.)

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Figure 3-27 Open Options

The following dialogue box pops up:

Figure 3-28 Excel Information

Designate range in the Named Range. As MapInfo considers the first line of Excel

(ABCDEFG….) a line, change it to A2. Meanwhile, check Use Row above Selected

Range for Column Titles to import the title column.

For the versions after V7.5, click OK and the window shown in Figure 3-29 pops up.

Through this window, you can further modify the attributes of each character section.

Please note that latitude and longitude correspond to 2 character sections and Type

must be Float or the following Create Point is unable to form correctly.

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Figure 3-30 Character Section Attribute Setup Window

Latter MapInfo loads in data and presents them in the form to table as shown below:

Figure 3-31 Open Table

Create Station Layer: The station list pops up when being opened up and execute the

command “Create Points” in the menu of Table as shown below:

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Figure 3-32 Create Points Options

Then appoint Symbol and what is important is to bind the columns of latitude and

longitude to X and Y.

Following confirmation, press F3 (New Mapper) or click to see the effects. If the

layer created just now has problems such as stations listed in rows and columns or no

stations being created and so on, the underlying reasons might consist in incorrect

configuration of the character section corresponding to latitude and longitude or the

fact that latitude and longitude in the original Excel sheet are calculated via formula. If

the latter is the case, remove the formula immediately.

3.1.2 Sector Layer Creation

The station layer created by the foregoing procedures has one obvious disadvantage

that it contains on information about azimuth, thus not facilitating to design topological

structure. If required to contain sector information, it needs to use plugin.

Site See and Cell Make are options for selection.

To use a certain plugin, load it in first. Execute the commend Tool Manager under the

menu of Tools to call out the window below:

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Figure 3-1 Tool Manager Window

MapInfo incorporates many plugins and we can configure this software to load and

auto load those plugins. As for external plugin, click Add Tool to import. Following

Site See being loaded, an extra option WFI Site See turns up in the menu of Table as

shown below:

Figure 3-2 SiteSee Menu Options

Run the command Create Site Boundaries to call out the dialogue box below:

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Figure 3-3 Create Site Boundary Window

In this window, it is required to bind latitude & longitude, coverage radius, horizontal

field angle and azimuth. When configuration is done, a sector layer is created. Each

sector is an individual element that can be rendered or undertake other operations.

For the example of forming a sector via Site See, please refer to as follows:

Figure 3-4 Cell Maker Example

3.2 New Station Planning

New station planning is defined to determine stations on the map while combining

input information like electronic maps, population distribution, link budget result,

capacity budget results and so on

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3.2.1 Create New Layers

In MapInfo, each layer is actually a 2D data table presented in the form of image and

has its own table structure. For example, if opening a road layer for a certain city, you

can find special character sections for roads in the table structure such as ID, Street

Name, District and so on

Before creating layers, we have to taken the following into consideration: To build new

stations, what information is necessary and required to be recorded during the process

of station distribution? Therefore, it is compulsory to record the information like ID,

Name, Station Type and so on as character sections. As what is shown in the Figure 2-

12, Site ID and Site Name must be contained and it is recommended to take ID and

Name as index for the purpose of using Find.

Figure 3-33 New Layers

3.2.2 Input Information

When new stations are built, click in the Tools Bar to distribute.

One FAQ is how to add labels like name, ID and so on to those newly-increased

stations in MapInfo.

Actually, you can click to name each station. This approach leads to many

troubles like

difficulty in place adjustment, inconvenience in font change together and irrelevance

between labels,

stations and so on. As long as the number of stations is in large quantities, it would be

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disastrous if

adopting the approach mentioned before.

Unfortunately, the standard and reasonable method is to use rather than to

edit the

contents in the table. Click the newly-added stations and the window shown in the

Figure 2-12 turns

up. Its paragraph structure is identical with the table structure defined in the Figure

2.2.1 and we can

make entry to each item directly. Through this way, the information is related to the

corresponding

station.

If the window contents are not editable, please refer to the Footnote 2.

Figure 3-34 Site Information

When finishing editing information of all newly-added stations, enable Label, select ID

or Name in the

Layer Control and the corresponding Label displays and you are also enabled to adjust

the location of

display, font and color as well.

3.2.3 New Station Export

Following planning, we need to obtain the latitude and longitude information of those

stations so as to

make Excel-based base station information table and get ready for the following

simulation and so on.

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3.2.3.1 Method 1（recommended！Global Mapper adopted）

Open the tab files via Global Mapper and then execute the command Export Vector

Data->Export csv

from the File menu. You can also use Excel to open the csv files directly.

3.2.3.2 Method 2（Coordinate Extractor adopted）

This problem can be solved via Coordinate Extractor.

After loading the Coordinate Extractor of MapInfo, a line of Coordinate Extractor

appears in the Tools

menu.

The interface is as follows:

Figure 3-35 Coordinate Extractor Interface

In the event that 2 character sections are reserved respectively for latitude and

longitude when

creating .tab files, X and Y are assigned to those 2 columns or click Create New

Columns to Hold

Coordinates to extend it into 2 lines. The projection format is default. For instance, we

only set up 2

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character sections as SITEID and SITETYPE when adding new layers, and they turn

into 4 character

sections following extension like SITEID, SITETYPE, Latitude and Longitude.

Click OK to fill out the last 2 character sections automatically according to current

information

concerning latitude and longitude.

For examples, please refer to as follows and there is a newly-built layer on which total

9 stations

distribute.

Figure 3-5 Planning Example

The contents in the table turn into as follows after using Coordinate Extractor.

Figure 3-6 Data Table following Extension via Coordinate Extractor

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Latter export the said data table into the format of text or DBF that can be opened via

Excel.

Shortcomings about this method are operations to be complicated and accuracy low as

only 4 digits

are kept following dot.

3.3 Inquiry & Statistics

3.3.1 SQL Inquiry

The inquiry function of MapInfo is so powerful that it almost supports all the SQL

clauses. Through

SQL inquiry, you can sift out points that are in compliance with certain conditions,

change their

attributes or save as independent files. Moreover, it is also feasible to realize related

inquiry between

multiple layers.

The SQL clause is easy to learn and only basic grammar is required.

For instance, a certain project consists of 500 stations that are divided into 5 business

regions. All the

information concerning stations is carried via an Excel sheet and we desire to color-

code each region

(rendering as a preferred option and for details, please refer to 2.4.2). There is another

example: A

certain business region comprises stations in 3 types like S111, S222 (2000) and S222

(2500) and we

can use SQL inquiry to single out a certain station type and assign color and symbol as

well to it.

Before inquiry, the Tab layer must encompass information for inquiry such as Region,

Site Type and

so on.

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Execute the command SQL Select from the Query menu and the following window

pops up.

Figure 3-36 SQL Select Window

You can write SQL clauses through this window. For example,

Select * from Site_List where Freq=”450MHz” And Region=”FTR”

When all the stations of 450MHz in the FTR business region are chosen, switch to the

Map window to

change the attributes of Symbol. As revealed by the figure below, SQL inquiry

designates different

colors and signs for stations with different capacities.

Figure 3-37 SQL Inquiry Example

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Additionally, to make statistics about the quantity of stations in various types in the

FTR region on the

Border layer, use the SQL clause below:

Select Count(*), Site_List.Site_Config, Border.Region from Site_List, Border

Where Site_List.Obj Within Border.Obj And Border.Region="FTR"

Group by Site_List.Site_Config Order by Site_List.Site_Config

Where Site List and Border are the names of 2 layers of site and region information

and Site_List.Obj

within Border.Obj stands for the corresponding base station in the relevant region

within the Border.

Use Group by to group in accordance with appointed character section of Site Config.

Make statistics

of all the items sharing the same Site Config and then put out a line of record.

The following results are obtained once command execution is over.

Figure 3-38 SQL Compound Inquiry Results

3.3.2 Statistics

Use in the Tools Bar to sum each character section of chosen elements and also

calculate the

average value as well. Execute the command Query->Calculate Statistics to make

statistics of more

information involving designated table and character section such as standard tolerance

and so on.

Of cause, use the function of SQL inquiry to complete more complicated statistics.

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There is a trick to combine and as a whole to make statistics of information

concerning

appointed regions effortlessly. For example, layer A is a region layer and layer B a

station layer. Use

to pick up regions and to obtain statistics information of stations in the layer

B that are

also situated in the chosen region of the layer A.

Take the figure below as an example, the green boundary is a layer of normal urban

area and the blue

points are the base stations in the base station layer. How to count the number of

stations inside the

green boundary quickly? Just use Boundary Select and Show/Hide Statistics to

accomplish this task.

Figure 3-39 Boundary Selection Statistics

There is a green hole in the middle of the green boundary in the figure above that

stands for the dense

urban area.

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3.3.3 Statistics Example

A common statistics scenario is as follows: Draw circles in the number of N on the

border layer and

those circles stand for normal urban areas. Please calculate the total area of those

circles. There are 2

layers, one is the base station information and expressed via blue points and the other

entitled CQ_SU

region boundary, in the figure below.

Figure 3-40 Region Statistics Example

Write the following clauses into the SQL inquiry window.

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Figure 3-41 SQL Inquiry of Region Statistics Example

Click OK to obtain result, namely, the area in total in the green region.

Once obtaining the total area, write the following clause into the SQL inquiry window

to make

statistics of the number of points in the region.

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Figure 3-42 SQL Inquiry of Region Statistics Example

The example above involves layer interlock operation and MapInfo automatically

determines which

points fall into which areas and then works out the result of statistics. There is no need

to put in

conditions into Where Condition manually and when selecting 2 different layers from

the drop-down

box of Tables, the software constructs interlock conditions automatically.

Click OK to obtain the following result, in other words, there are 201 base stations

situated inside the

boundary of the green region.

3.3.4 Other Applications

Similarly, we can make various KPI thematic maps so as to analyze network conditions

in a direct

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manner and find out hidden network irregularities. Combine pie chart and column

diagram as well to

get more information for the purpose of facilitating our planning and optimization

work. Reference

[11] is teemed with detailed description and a large quantity of examples.

3.4 Map Scaling in MapInfo

During network planning, absence of electronic maps constitutes a common situation

into which we

usually run. Under such circumstances, it is required to scan local maps and then scale

via MapInfo.

The scaling principle is simple: Find out 3 or more characteristic points such as

hospital, shop, road

entry and so on on the scanned map, figure out their latitude and longitude via visiting

the site or

Google Earth and then put into MapInfo for scaling. Following scaling, an image-based

tab file

containing the information related to latitude and longitude is created.

The scaling procedures of MapInfo are as follows:

Open image files directly (jpg, gif, bmp, tif and other formats are acceptable) and

please note that make sure the type of files to be opened is Raster Image.

MapInfo reminds to use as background or for scaling and select the latter.

Put in the scaling points and then input latitude and longitude (at least of 3 points that

scatter over).

The following image is a scanned image for scaling.

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Figure 3-43 Scanned Image Scaling Example

3.5 Coordination with Google Earth

Google Earth considerably simplifies our planning and optimization work and also

enables us to check

out the terrain and building distribution in the business region without expensive

electronic map. Take

the figure below as an example, the network of a certain city comes into the following

topological

figure.

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Figure 3-44 Google Earth Example

Google Earth is capable of providing high resolution satellite images involving large

cities. Depending

upon those images, you can get a clear view of surroundings and buildings distribution

of those cities

and distinguish dense urban city, normal urban area, suburban area and villages

accurately.

Cooperation between MapInfo and Google Earth mainly consists in:

Convert base station information layers of MapInfo to Google Earth layers

Convert Google Earth layers to the layers that are recognizable for MapInfo.

Global Mapper is able to open kmz/kml files of Google Earth directly and then export

them into mifs.

Meanwhile, it is also able to open tab layers and export them into kmz/kmls.

3.6 Functions of Relevant Plugins

3.6.1 Sector Layer Creation

The station layer created by the foregoing procedures has one obvious disadvantage

that it contains on

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information about azimuth, thus not facilitating to design topological structure. If

required to contain

sector information, it needs to use plugin.

Site See and Cell Make are options for selection. To use a certain plugin, load it in first.

Execute the

commend Tool Manager under the menu of Tools to call out the window below:


MapInfo incorporates many plugins and we can configure this software to load and

auto load those

plugins. As for external plugin, click Add Tool to import. Following Site See being

loaded, an extra

option WFI Site See turns up in the menu of Table as shown below:

Figure 3-46 SiteSee Menu Options

Run the command Create Site Boundaries to call out the dialogue box below:

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Figure 3-47 Create Site Boundary Window

In this window, it is required to bind latitude & longitude, coverage radius, horizontal

field angle and

azimuth. When configuration is done, a sector layer is created. Each sector is an

individual element

that can be rendered or undertake other operations.

As for an example of Site See-created sector, please refer to as follows:

Figure 3-48 Cell Maker Example

3.6.2 MapInfo2Google Plugin

Use the plugin of MapInfo2Google to turn base station layers and boundary layers into

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Google Earth

layers. The effects as shown in the Figure 2-28 are realized via this plugin. As for the

procedures

involving how to realize the effects mentioned before, please refer to as follows:

Create a sector layer in the way as described in 2.1.4.

Adjust the window (maximization not possible), zoom in and out layers so as to ensure

all the stations are contained in the window.

Execute the commend MapInfo2Google->Convert Map Window to KML File and then

select directory for export.

Make another base station information table that contains no information concerning

sector (e.g. deploy the incorporated plugin of Delete Duplicates to retain only one line

of record for each station in the original base station information table).

Create base station layers in the method as described in 2.1.3 and make them visible

through Label and meanwhile, superpose text compulsorily.

Repeat the Procedure 2~3.

Open both kml files generated via the Procedure 3/6 via Google Earth.

3.6.3 Google Earth Link Plugin

The plugin of Google Earth Link is incorporated into MapInfo v8.5 or above. Even if

unable to

generate information concerning sector, it still has the following merits:

Able to snapshot current window, turn it into a scaled image and then place on top of

Google Earth directly.

Able choose designated elements, export them into kml files and designate element

attributes.

Once the program is loaded, the option “Google Earth Link” shows up in the Map

menu.

Select the information that is required to be exported in the first place, execute the

commend

Map->Google Earth Link->Export to Google Earth if selected all the stations and the

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following

dialogue box pops up immediately.

Figure 3-49 GE Link Dialogue Box1

The 1st option takes current window as an image with information involving latitude

and longitude.

Once opened via Google Earth, you can see an image superposed upon the surface of

the earth.

The 2nd option is to export station elements and click Next to pop up the following

dialogue box.

Figure 3-50 GE Link Dialogue Box 2

In the said dialogue box, you can select labels in Google Earth that display as default,

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choose built-in

character sections of attributes via Choose Columns and set the height of elements

above the ground

and so on. The Figure 2-29 represents effects of the exported KML layers opened in

Google Earth.

Click with each visible point and a message box indicating corresponding information

of the said point

pops up right away, which forms a pragmatic function during the process of network

planning.

Figure 3-51 GE Link Output Effects

Putting aside station information export, the plugin of MapInfo2Google and Google

Earth Link are

also able to export boundaries.

3.6.4 Create Hexagons via the Plugin “Create Line by Length”

At the initial stage of cell network topological structure design, we can work out an

approximate

coverage radius through link budget and then use right hexagons to cover target areas.

43


How to draw

size-designated right hexagons is a very important question. The plugin “Create Line

by Length”

comes out to solve this issue.

Execute the commend Tool Manager under the menu of Tools to call out the window

below:


Select to load and auto-load this plugin. An extra button pops up in the Tools Bar.

Built a new editable layer and click this button, select a start-point, click the Right

Button to call out

the following interface.

44


Figure 3-53 Create Line Window

And length is the link budget radius. Input 60, 0, 300, 240, 180, 120 in the angle field

to form a right

hexagon. Select all the 6 straight lines and click the Right Button to select Edit

Objects->Combine to

unify them into a Polyline. Click Polyline to convert it to Regions. Just paste and drag

from now on.

As for the example planned through the above-mentioned method, please refer to as

follows:

45


Figure 3-54 Topological Structure Planning Example

3.6.5 Create Search Ring via the Function of Buffer

For details, please refer to the Reference [7].

Besides the method stated in the Reference [7], MapInfo v8.5 incorporates a new

plugin entitled

Concentric Ring Buffers that is deployed to create multiple Search Rings for each point

and make

statistics as well.

46

4 Network Planning & Optimization Application Example

4.1 Network Planning Application

4.1.1 Planning Information

The requirements are as follows: Obtain the information in respect of current network

distribution in a

certain business region, carry out BSC division upon the existing base stations, define

BSC boundaries

and color-code them as well to indicate their category. The final output is as shown

below:

Figure 4-55 Comprehensive Example Output Result

47

Here comes a brief description involving procedures used to realize the

abovementioned output result.

4.1.2 Create Station Layers

Create base station layers in accordance with the method as set forth in the Section 3.1

and the dots

used stand for base stations.

BSC division only concerns station locations and the reference signification concerning

azimuth is less

considerable. As a result, it is unnecessary to generate sector layers.

4.1.3 Create New BSC Boundary Layers

The newly-built layers contain at least one character section, BSCName, for example,

the data type is

Character and the width is more than 4 and so on.

4.1.4 Modify the Structure of the Base Station Layer Form

Modify the table structure that corresponds to base station layer and increase a

character section, BSC

for example, the data type is identical with that of the BSC boundary layer. Following

modification,

MapInfo shuts down the said table automatically and re-open is required.

4.1.5 Draw BSC Boundary

Introduction of principles concerning BSC division is omitted and assume that BSC

division adopts

administration boundary as boundary.

Open the boundaries of regions and towns of a national electronic map in the first

place. Use the tool

of Polygon (Notes: When it comes to drawing lines along boundary, Polygon rather

than Polyline

48


constitutes the preferred choice as lines drawn by Polyline are hard to fuse together,

thus jeopardizing

following operations) to draw lines along administration boundary in accordance with

the function of

Trace described in 2.7.3.

Use to add name for each BSC boundary when completing line-drawing. You can

name from

BSC1 to BSC3.

4.1.6 Input the information of BSC Boundary into Base Station Layer

Use Update Column to fill out BSC character sections of all the base stations in BSC X

with BSC X.

The key window is below:

Figure 4-56 Update Column

4.1.7 Render Base Station Layers

Render BSC character sections in the base station layer and the type of this character

section is

49


Character. As the Ranges rendering is not appropriate, it is therefore recommended to

render via the

template in Individual as shown below:

Figure 4-57 Rendering Template Selection

Information concerning stations being planned displays following creation and export

results in base

station information table.

4.2 Network Optimization Application Example

4.2.1 Create Sector Layers

As thematic maps render traffic of each sector, the base station information table must

contain

information in connection with sector and traffic. Figure 4-4 reflexes an example.

Generally speaking,

the sequence of stations in the traffic statistics statement in the background is quite

different from that

in the base station information table. Therefore, Excel requires the function of vLookup

50


to realize

accurate match-up and update. You can, of cause, import both tables into MapInfo and

then execute

the commend Table->Update Column to extend a line for the base station information

table as well as

realize correlation and update.

We finally obtain a base station information table with information in respect of traffic

and then adopt

the method as described in 2.1.4 to generate sector layers. (Please note that the data

type

corresponding to ERL is Float)

Figure 4-58 Base Station Table with Telecommunication Traffic Information

4.2.2 Create and Render

Use the commend Map->Create Thematic Map to create rendering figures. The

window below turns

up:

51


Figure 4-59 Thematic Map Dialogue Box

Here we pick up the theme of Ranges and then select an appropriate built-in template,

click Next to input the Step 2 as shown below and choose a target character section for

rendering.

Figure 4-60 Thematic Map Dialogue Box 2

Latter MapInfo divides it into 5 sections evenly according to the value corresponding

to ERL automatically. We can use Ranges to change ranges, Styles to change colors

and Legend to change display of image examples.

52


Figure 4-61 Thematic Map Dialogue Box 3

A thematic map is generated following confirmation.

Figure 4-62 Schematic Map Example

53

Appendix A Reference

[1] MapInfo Professional Version 8.5 Guide Book

[2] Wanghui, MapInfo Professional Upgrade v5

[3] Zhang Xifeng, SiteSee Tools Operation Summary

[4] Zhao Haifeng, User Guide to MapInfo Plus-In CellMaker

[5] Liu Xianzheng, Methods Involving Google Earth Base Station Layers Creation

via MapInfo plugin (060519)

[6] Weiwei, Guide to Traffic Distribution Figure Creation via MapInfo 6.5 and

GCIMaker

[7] Ma Huiyu, Create SearchRing via MapInfo

[8] Ouyangxi, Information Transfer between Internal Layers of MapInfo

[9] Xue’ao, How to use Mapinfo to Assist the Village Access Planning Simulation

[10] Qin Fuxin, Application of MapInfo in CNS

[11] Wanghui, Scheme Figure Formulation in Network Optimization Analysis

[12] Pan Chunjin, Base Station Cell Creation Template

[13] Liu Xianzheng, Application of Simulation Drawings in Google Earth

[14] Pan Chunjin & Liu Xianzheng, New Application of Google Earth: A Gadget to

Convert Standards like RxPower, FFER and StrEc/Io in CNA1 to Google Earth

Layers

55

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