Method and system for improved monitoring, measurement and analysis of communication networks utilizing dynamically and remotely configurable probes
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Abstract
In a method and system, one or more communication devices within a communication network are provided with a dynamically and remotely configurable probe element, implemented at least partially in software and controllable by the network operator via one or more communication links, capable of monitoring, measuring and capturing user interaction data flowing from voice and/or data transactions occurring in the network. User interaction data reflects a user'"'"'s experience on the network and thus provides valuable raw data usable by the network operator for improving network quality from the user'"'"'s perspective, especially when received from a statistically significant number of network user devices. Collected user interaction data can include network engineering metric data and/or user profile data.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1-66. -66. (canceled)
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67. A method for monitoring communications of a communication network having a communication device operating in the communication network, said method comprising:
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monitoring a transaction occurring between the communication device and the communication network in accordance with a functional definition of a probe element of the communication device, wherein the functional definition of the probe element is operable to be dynamically and remotely configured by the communication network via a communication link between the communication device and the communication network;
capturing the transaction in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element; and
measuring a characteristic of the transaction to generate user interaction data in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element. - View Dependent Claims (68)
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69. A method for monitoring communications of a communication network having a communication device operating in the communication network, said method comprising:
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monitoring a transaction occurring between the communication device and the communication network in accordance with a functional definition of a probe element of the communication device, wherein the functional definition of the probe element is operable to be dynamically and remotely configured by the communication network via a communication link between the communication device and the communication network;
capturing the transaction in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
measuring a characteristic of the transaction to generate user interaction data in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
transmitting the user interaction data to the communication network in response to at least one of the functional definition of the probe element and a request from the communication network; and
analyzing the user interaction data to identify a network performance problem in the communication network, wherein the communication network further has a collection device; and
wherein transmitting the user interaction data to the communication network comprises;
transmitting the user interaction data to the collection device, aggregating the user interaction data from a plurality of users in the collection device to generate aggregate user interaction data; and
transmitting the aggregate user interaction data to a network operation server of the communication network.
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70. A method for monitoring communications of a communication network having a communication device operating in the communication network, said method comprising:
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for each communication device of the plurality of communication devices;
monitoring a transaction occurring between the communication device and the communication network in accordance with a functional definition of a probe element of the communication device, wherein the functional definition of the probe element is operable to be dynamically and remotely configured by the communication network via a communication link between the communication device and the communication network;
capturing the transaction in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
measuring a characteristic of the transaction to generate user interaction data in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element; and
transmitting the user interaction data to the communication network in response to at least one of the functional definition of the probe element and a request from the communication network. - View Dependent Claims (71)
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72. A method for monitoring communications of a communication network having a plurality of communication devices operating in the communication network, said method comprising:
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for each communication device of the plurality of communication devices;
monitoring a transaction occurring between the communication device and the communication network in accordance with a functional definition of a probe element of the communication device, wherein the functional definition of the probe element is operable to be dynamically and remotely configured by the communication network via a communication link between the communication device and the communication network;
capturing the transaction in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
measuring a characteristic of the transaction to generate user interaction data in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element; and
transmitting the user interaction data to the communication network in response to at least one of the functional definition of the probe element and a request from the communication network;
wherein the communication network further has a collection device, and wherein transmitting the user interaction data to the communication network comprises;
transmitting the user interaction data to the collection device, that aggregates user interaction data from a plurality of users to generate aggregate user interaction data and transmits the aggregate user interaction data to a network operation server of the communication network.
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73. A method for monitoring communications of a communication network having a plurality of communication devices operating in the communication network, said method comprising:
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for each communication device of the plurality of communication devices;
monitoring a transaction occurring between the communication device and the communication network in accordance with a functional definition of a probe element of the communication device, wherein the functional definition of the probe element is operable to be dynamically and remotely configured by the communication network via a communication link between the communication device and the communication network;
capturing the transaction in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
measuring a characteristic of the transaction to generate user interaction data in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element; and
transmitting the user interaction data to the communication network in response to at least one of the functional definition of the probe element and a request from the communication network;
wherein a group functional definition is broadcast to a group of communication devices of the plurality of communication devices, wherein said group functional definition overrides the functional definition of each communication device of the group, and wherein the group functional definition comprises a group diagnostic criterion that causes the group of communication devices to operate in a diagnostic mode of operation in accordance with the group diagnostic criterion.
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74. A method for monitoring communications of a communication network having a user communication device, a collection communication device, and an operator device operating in the communication network, said method comprising:
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monitoring a transaction occurring between the user communication device and the communication network in accordance with a functional definition of a probe element of the user communication device, wherein the functional definition of the probe element is operable to be dynamically and remotely configured by the communication network via a communication link between the user communication device and the communication network;
capturing the transaction in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
measuring a characteristic of the transaction to generate user interaction data in accordance with the functional definition of the probe element;
transmitting the user interaction data to the collection communication device;
aggregating the user interaction data in the collection communication device to generate aggregate user interaction data; and
transmitting the aggregate user interaction data from the collection communication device to the operator device. - View Dependent Claims (75)
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Specification