System and method for simulating the behaviour of a network for mobile radio apparatus

• US 20040172231A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Nannicini, Saverio, Barbaresi, Andrea, Goria, Paolo, Guerrini, Claudio, Calochira, Giorgio, Zucca, Enrico, Sorbara, Davide, Buldorini, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 7,263,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models

Abstract

The present invention is related to a system for simulating the behaviour of a telecommunications network for mobile radio apparatuses and to the relating method. The system comprises an integrated simulation environment (30) having a modular structure based on interchangeable objects, that comprise a simulation engine (31) and a plurality of devices (34) representative of apparatuses as well as physical elements of the network. By virtue of its structure based on objects which are interchangeable and capable of being selectively activated, the system allows the simulation of networks for high complexity mobile radio apparatuses in terms of quantity of apparatuses and type of systems or networks. The system is easily expansible as a function of both the variation of the system or network types and the technological implementations available on the market.

Claims

1. System for simulating the behaviour of a network for mobile radio apparatuses, comprising

a Work Station (10), having

data input means (15, 19) capable of inserting data representative of a network scenario (35)

data output means (12, 19) capable of making available data representative of results (37) of the simulation of said network;

and

a simulation environment (30) associated to said computer (10) and capable of simulating the behaviour of said network on the basis of said network scenario (35) and of generating in output said results (37);

characterised in that said simulation environment (30) comprises

first objects (34) representative of devices and/or physical elements (41, 51) belonging to said network to be simulated;

second objects (31) representative of processing modules (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d) separate from said first objects (34) and capable of conditioning and activating said first objects (34) on the basis of said network scenario (35) to simulate said network.

2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that said first objects (34) comprise:

network devices (41a, 41b) corresponding to a plurality of network typologies for mobile radio apparatuses and/or radio protocols, capable of being selectively activated by said second objects (31).

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said first objects (34) comprise

technological devices (53) which can be alternatively implemented in said simulation environment (30) and corresponding to a plurality of technologies.

4. System according to claim 1, characterised in that said network scenario (35) comprises:

parameters indicative of the number of devices of said network to be simulated; and

/or

parameters indicative of the traffic quantity of said network to be simulated;

parameters indicative of the type of services of said network to be simulated.

5. System according to claim 1 or 4 characterised in that said second objects (31) comprise:

an initialisation object (31a) capable of interpreting said network scenario (35) and of initialising said first objects (34) at determined values.

6. System according to claim 1 or 4 characterised in that said second objects (31) comprise

an event scheduler module (31b) capable of activating at determined instants said first objects (34).

7. System according to claim 6, characterised in that said second objects (31) comprise:

a memory manager module (31c) capable of dynamically storing into said Work Station (10) said first objects (34) co-operating with said event scheduler module (31b).

8. System according to claim 1 or 4 characterised in that said second objects (31) comprise:

a result generation module (31d) capable of;

collecting information from said first objects (34) during the simulation of said network; and

generating at the output of said data output means (12, 19) said results (37) on the basis of said information.

9. System according to claim 8, characterised in that said results (37) comprise:

detailed results corresponding to said information collected during the simulation; and

/or

statistical results corresponding to statistical processing operations on said information.

10. Method for simulating the behaviour of a network for mobile radio apparatuses, incorporating the steps of:

inserting at the input (110) of a Work Station (10) a simulation scenario (35) of a network for mobile radio apparatuses;

simulating (120, 130, 150, 160) the behaviour of said network on the basis of said scenario (35) and through an integrated simulation environment including;

first objects (34) representative of devices (41, 51) belonging to said network;

second objects (31) representative of processing modules (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d), separate from said first objects (34) and capable of conditioning and activating said first objects (34) on the basis of said network scenario (35).

11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the simulation step (120, 130, 150, 160) comprises the step of:

allocating into the memory of said Work Station (10) network devices (34) corresponding to a plurality of network typologies for mobile radio apparatuses and/or radio protocols (41a, 41b).

12. Method according to claim 10 characterised in that the simulation step (120, 130, 150, 160) comprises the step of:

initialising (120) said first objects (31a) at initial values determined by said scenario (35).

13. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the simulation step (120, 130, 150, 160) comprises the step of:

scheduling (150) the activation of said first objects (34) at determined instants;

14. Method according to claim 13 characterised in that the simulation step (120, 130, 150, 160) comprises the step of:

dynamically allocating (160) into the memory of said Work Station (10) said first objects (34) on the basis of said scheduling step;

15. Method according to claim 10, characterised by the additional step of

collecting information (180) from said first objects (34) during the simulation of said network;

and of

generating at the output (180) from said Work Station (10) and on the basis of said information, results of the simulation comprising;

detailed results corresponding to said information and/or

statistical results corresponding to statistical processes carried out on said information.