Device and method for measuring the usage of system resources in a communication network

• US 20020115413A1
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Mensio, Armi, Saarinen, Matti, Ohvo, Mikko, Aalto, Petri, Isojarvi, Seppo, Rantanen, Markku, Tiitinen, Jari
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

The present invention proposes a device for measuring a usage of system resources in a communication network, said device comprising means for measuring which radio resources are used by a transmission in a system; means for measuring which data service units are used for said transmission in a system; and means for measuring which transmission characteristics are used by said transmission in a system, wherein all of said means are adapted for a respective collective measurement, and a method for measuring a usage of system resources in a communication network, said method comprising the step of measuring parameters of circumstances of a transmission in a system, said parameters being at least radio resources used by said transmission in a system, data service units used for said transmission in a system, and transmission characteristics used by said transmission in a system, wherein said measuring is carried out collectively. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for dimensioning system resources for a usage by transmissions in a communication network with this device and method for measuring the usage of system resources in a communication network.

Claims

1. A device for measuring a usage of system resources in a communication network, said device comprising

means for measuring which radio resources are used by a transmission in a system;

means for measuring which data service units are used for said transmission in a system; and

means for measuring which transmission characteristics are used by said transmission in a system, wherein all of said means are adapted for a respective collective measurement.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission characteristics comprise an information transfer capability information.

3. A device according to claim 1, further comprising evaluation means for detecting and identifying each respective dependencies of said system resource usage by evaluating measurement results of said three measuring means.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said device is part of a switching center of said communication network.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said device is part of a base-station subsystem of said communication network.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission contains high speed circuit switched data.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission contains data which is channel coded according to Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution.

8. A method for measuring a usage of system resources in a communication network, said method comprising the step of

measuring parameters of circumstances of a transmission in a system, said parameters being at least radio resources used by said transmission in a system, data service units used for said transmission in a system, and transmission characteristics used by said transmission in a system, wherein said measuring is carried out collectively.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said transmission characteristics comprise an information transfer capability information.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of

detecting and identifying each respective dependencies of said system resource usage.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said measurements are carried out in a switching center of said communication network.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said measurements are carried out in a base-station subsystem of said communication network.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein said transmission contains high speed circuit switched data.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein said transmission contains data which is channel coded according to Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution.

15. A method for dimensioning system resources for a usage by transmissions in a system, said method comprising the steps of

determining circumstances of said transmissions in a system, wherein said determination is based on results of one of the methods according to claims 8 and 10, respectively, and wherein in said determination step also changes of said circumstances during said transmissions are determined;

calculating an intensity of data traffic in a communication network from reservation times of said data service units used by said transmissions and from release times of said transmissions, considering also a change of a radio channel configuration therein by updating said calculation, wherein said calculation step is performed separately for each of said circumstances of said transmissions;

determining each dependence present between said results of said measurements, said determination steps and said calculation steps;

generating statistics including said results of said measurement steps, said determination steps and said calculation steps; and

processing said generated statistics for dimensioning said system resources for said usage by said transmissions in a system.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said calculation step is performed separately for each parameter of said circumstances of said transmissions.