Device for testing packet-switched cellular radio network

• US 20050147077A1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coderum Limited
• Original Assignee: Validitas Oy
• Inventors: Sutinen, Erkka
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for testing a packet-switched radio network. The device comprises a network traffic simulator for traffic in a radio access network; and a serving general packet radio service GPRS support node simulator connectable to a gateway GPRS support node for coupling the device to a service network. The device is connectable to a control computer for giving commands to the device. For testing packet-switched services, the device is connectable to a test computer, in which a user interface of a service is run on a given platform. A name server is connectable to the device, and a content server via the service network. The device is able to generate billing data records from traffic caused by the packet-switched service.

Claims

1. A device for testing a packet-switched cellular radio network, the device comprising a network traffic simulator for traffic in a radio access network, and the device being configured to be connected to a control computer for giving commands to the device,

wherein the device further comprises

a serving general packet radio service GPRS support node simulator for a packet-switched data service, the simulator being configured to be connected to a gateway GPRS support node for coupling the device to a service network.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network traffic simulator is configured to simulate the operation of at least one of the following:

a subscriber terminal, a user device, a base station, a node B, a base station controller, a radio network controller, a mobile switching centre, a visitor location register.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein for testing packet-switched services the device is configured to be connected to a test computer, in which a user interface of a service is run on a given platform.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device is configured to enable the connection of the test computer to the device via at least one of the following:

the Internet, a private network, a virtual private network.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the platform is a wireless terminal simulator.

6. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the network traffic simulator is configured to generate billing data records from traffic caused by the packet-switched service.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the network traffic simulator is configured to enable the transfer of billing data records to a billing gateway connectable to the device.

8. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the network traffic simulator is configured to simulate the effect of various interference and malfunction in a radio channel on traffic caused by the packet-switched service.

9. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the network traffic simulator is configured to simulate the effect of a change in radio channel data transfer capacity on traffic caused by the packet-switched service.

10. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein, for testing packet-switched services, the device is configured to enable the connection of a content server to the device via a serving network.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the content server is a content server using a wireless application protocol.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the content server is a World Wide Web server.

13. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the content server is connectable to the serving network via at least one of the following:

the Internet, a private network, a virtual private network.

14. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device is configured to enable the connection of a name server to the device for testing packet-switched services.

15. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is configured to enable the connection of the control computer to the device via at least one of the following:

the Internet, a private network, a virtual private network.

16. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, for testing packet-switched applications and services, the device is configured to be connected to a subscriber terminal, wherein a user interface of an application or a service is run on a given platform, via an adapter, the adapter comprising, for communication with the subscriber terminal, a radio network unit implementing a radio interface and a telecommunication network unit for communication with the device.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the adapter is connectable to the device via at least one of the following:

the Internet, a private network, a virtual private network.

18. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device also comprises a gateway GPRS support node, via which the device is connectable to the service network.