Automated testing for cellular telephone system including emergency positioning
First Claim
1. A method for determining a geographic position of a mobile telephone station in combination with automatic testing of cellular telephone equipment, comprising the following steps:
- locating a plurality of monitoring sites so that each said monitoring site receives cellular-frequency transmissions within a geographical area including one or more cellular telephone base stations, electronically connecting said monitoring sites to a computer controller, monitoring cellular-frequency control channels accessible by a cellular telephone mobile station within a radio horizon of said monitoring site, measuring, at said monitoring site, signal parameters of monitored transmissions from said mobile stations and from said base stations, and determining a position of a mobile telephone station by plotting phase differences versus frequency for a plurality of frequencies received at two or more monitoring sites from said mobile telephone station.
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Abstract
A method for automatically testing cellular telephone equipment includes a method for determining a geographic location of a mobile unit. The system includes monitoring sites located, e.g., at high elevations, so that each monitoring site electronically covers a geographical area including several cellular telephone base stations. Locations of mobile cellular stations, especially of such stations placing emergency 911 calls, are determined by comparing signal time-of-reception and other observable signal parameters at a combination of three cell sites and/or monitoring sites. Testing functions include transmitting gradually increasing power levels on a frequency assigned to a particular base station to determine the power level required to acquire service from that base station. Periodic repetitions are monitored over time to indicate any changes or degradation in performance. A scanner scans a designated group of control-channel frequencies, selecting active channels for measurement of transmission parameters and detection of anomalous transmission characteristics on any particular channel.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for determining a geographic position of a mobile telephone station in combination with automatic testing of cellular telephone equipment, comprising the following steps:
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locating a plurality of monitoring sites so that each said monitoring site receives cellular-frequency transmissions within a geographical area including one or more cellular telephone base stations, electronically connecting said monitoring sites to a computer controller, monitoring cellular-frequency control channels accessible by a cellular telephone mobile station within a radio horizon of said monitoring site, measuring, at said monitoring site, signal parameters of monitored transmissions from said mobile stations and from said base stations, and determining a position of a mobile telephone station by plotting phase differences versus frequency for a plurality of frequencies received at two or more monitoring sites from said mobile telephone station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for determining a geographic position of a mobile telephone station in combination with automatic testing of cellular telephone equipment, comprising the following steps:
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placing a plurality of monitoring sites at sufficiently high elevations so that each said monitoring site receives cellular-frequency transmissions within a geographical area including one or more cellular telephone base stations, electronically connecting each said monitoring site to a computer controller, monitoring cellular-frequency control channels accessible by a cellular telephone mobile station within a radio horizon of said monitoring site, detecting a call access attempt from said mobile station, recording a time at which said call access attempt was received at said monitoring site, recording an electronic identity of said mobile station making said call access attempt, determining a base station through which said call access attempt is routed, comparing said time at which said call access attempt was received at said monitoring site to a time at which said emergency call was received at said base station, and comparing the recorded times to determine a position estimate of said mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
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16. A method for automatic testing to monitor performance of cellular telephone equipment by a combination of passive signal monitoring and active testing, comprising the following steps:
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accessing a cellular telephone system via an RF link, testing, via one or more monitoring sites, signal quality parameters of transmissions from cellular mobile stations and cellular base stations, controlling said testing with a test and measurement control computer, and reporting from said monitoring sites variations in said signal quality parameters outside predetermined limits.
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Specification