Methods and apparatus for monitoring configurable performance levels in a wireless device

• US 20060217115A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cassett, Tia Manning, Yip, Eric Chi Chung, Fok, Kenny
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Apparatus and methods may include a performance module operable to monitor and generate performance statistics on a wireless device based on a received monitoring configuration. In some aspects, the wireless device may forward the performance statistics to another device upon meeting predetermined threshold parameters. The performance statistics may be utilized to generate a performance report viewable by an authorized user.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring performance of a wireless device on a wireless network, comprising:

obtaining on a wireless device a monitoring configuration comprising a performance parameter and a threshold setting, the performance parameter associated with a performance statistic to be monitored, the threshold setting comprises a limit corresponding to the performance statistic;

determining the performance statistic for the wireless device based upon the monitored performance parameter;

comparing the determined performance statistic to the corresponding threshold setting; and

generating a notification if the determined performance statistic meets the threshold setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining on a wireless device a monitoring configuration comprises receiving a monitoring configuration from a remote device over the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining on a wireless device a monitoring configuration further comprises receiving at least one reporting parameter, and further comprising forwarding the determined performance statistic to another device across a wireless network based on the reporting parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring configuration is selected from a plurality of monitoring configurations based on at least one of a type of the wireless device, an identity of a network service provider associated with the wireless device, and a type of communication protocol associated with the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the performance statistic for the wireless device further comprises determining at least one of a network-related performance statistic and a network independent performance statistic.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the performance statistic for the wireless device further comprises determining at least one of a call drop-related metric, an access failure-related metric and a service degradation-related metric.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the performance statistic for the wireless device further comprises retrieving at least one of over-the-air messages and wireless device call events.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining on a wireless device a monitoring configuration comprises establishing a limited-access communications channel across a wireless network based on a predefined limited service configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding wireless device performance-related data to another device via a limited-access communications channel across a wireless network based on a predefined limited service configuration.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein forwarding wireless device performance-related data to another device comprises forwarding at least one of wireless device identifying information, the threshold setting, the monitoring configuration and performance statistic identifying information.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein forwarding the determined performance statistic further comprises forwarding the determined performance statistic based upon at least one of a predetermined schedule, a predetermined event, and a request by a remote device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined event includes the threshold setting.

13. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

obtaining on a wireless device a monitoring configuration comprising a performance parameter and a threshold setting, the performance parameter associated with a performance statistic to be monitored, the threshold setting comprises a limit corresponding to the performance statistic;

determining the performance statistic for the wireless device based upon the monitored performance parameter;

comparing the determined performance statistic to the corresponding threshold setting; and

generating a notification if the performance statistic meets the threshold setting.

14. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

obtaining on a wireless device a monitoring configuration comprising a performance parameter and a threshold setting, the performance parameter associated with a performance statistic to be monitored, the threshold setting comprises a limit corresponding to the performance statistic;

determining the performance statistic for the wireless device based upon the monitored performance parameter;

comparing the determined performance statistic to the corresponding threshold setting; and

generating a notification if the performance statistic meets the threshold setting.

15. A wireless device, comprising:

means for obtaining a monitoring configuration comprising a performance parameter and a threshold setting, the performance parameter associated with a performance statistic to be monitored, the threshold setting comprises a limit corresponding to the performance statistic;

means for determining the performance statistic for the wireless device based upon the monitored performance parameter;

means for comparing the determined performance statistic to the corresponding threshold setting; and

means for generating a notification if the performance statistic meets the threshold setting.

16. A wireless device, comprising:

a memory; and

a performance module resident in the memory, the performance module further comprising;

a monitoring configuration comprising a performance parameter and a predetermined threshold setting, the performance parameter associated with a performance statistic to be monitored, the predetermined threshold setting comprises a limit corresponding to the performance statistic;

monitoring logic operable to determine the performance statistic based upon the monitoring configuration; and

reporting logic operable to generate a notification message when the performance statistic meets the predetermined threshold setting.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the monitoring configuration is received by the wireless device from across the wireless network.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the performance statistic further comprises determining at least one of an air interface statistic and a non-air interface statistic.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the performance statistic further comprises determining at least one of a call drop-related metric, an access failure-related metric, and a service degradation-related metric.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the performance statistic further comprises information derived from at least one of over-the-air messages and wireless device call events.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the monitoring configuration further comprises a predetermined reporting parameter selected from a plurality of predetermined reporting parameters, wherein the performance module is further operable to transmit the performance statistic to another device based upon the predetermined reporting parameter.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the performance module is further operable to transmit the performance statistic across a wireless network.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the monitoring configuration further comprises an access parameter that identifies which devices may access the performance module.

24. The device of claim 16, wherein the performance module is further operable to establish a limited-access communications channel across a wireless network, wherein the limited-access communications channel is based on a predefined limited service configuration, and wherein the performance module is further operable to receive the monitoring configuration or transmit the performance statistic via the limited-access communications channel.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the limited-access communications channel is not available to an end user of the device.

26. The device of claim 16, further comprising a device control module operable to parse a control command received from a remote device, wherein the control command comprises at least one of a bootstrap command and a reset command, wherein the bootstrap command is operable to initiate a download of the monitoring configuration, and wherein the reset command resets performance statistics uploaded from the wireless device.

27. A method of monitoring performance of a wireless device, comprising:

generating a monitoring configuration executable to initiate monitoring, calculating and reporting of at least one performance statistic on a wireless device, the monitoring configuration identifying a performance parameter;

forwarding the monitoring configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a calculated performance statistic from the wireless device based on the monitoring configuration; and

generating a performance report based on the received performance statistic.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein generating the monitoring configuration further comprises identifying a threshold parameter corresponding to the performance statistic, wherein generating a performance report further comprises generating a performance report when the calculated performance statistic received from the wireless device meets the threshold parameter.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein generating a performance report further includes generating a summary report of the calculated performance statistic based on a predetermined schedule.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein generating a monitoring configuration includes generating a monitoring configuration for monitoring at least one of a network performance-related statistic and a network independent device performance statistic.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein generating a monitoring configuration includes generating a monitoring configuration for monitoring at least one of a call drop-related metric, an access failure-related metric, and a service degradation-related metric.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting at least a portion of the performance report to another computer device.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising presenting at least a portion of the performance report for viewing.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising selecting the monitoring configuration from a plurality of monitoring configurations based on at least one of a type of the wireless device, an identity of a network service provider associated with the wireless device, and a communication protocol associated with the wireless device.

35. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

generating a monitoring configuration executable to initiate monitoring, calculating and reporting of at least one performance statistic on a wireless device, the monitoring configuration identifying a performance parameter;

forwarding the monitoring configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a calculated performance statistic from the wireless device based on the monitoring configuration; and

generating a performance report based on the received performance statistic.

36. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating a monitoring configuration executable to initiate monitoring, calculating and reporting of at least one performance statistic on a wireless device, the monitoring configuration identifying a performance parameter;

forwarding the monitoring configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a calculated performance statistic from the wireless device based on the monitoring configuration; and

generating a performance report based on the received performance statistic.

37. An apparatus, comprising:

means for generating a monitoring configuration executable to initiate monitoring, calculating and reporting of at least one performance statistic on a wireless device, the monitoring configuration identifying a performance parameter;

means for forwarding the monitoring configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

means for receiving a calculated performance statistic from the wireless device based on the monitoring configuration; and

means for generating a performance report based on the received performance statistic.

38. An apparatus for managing the monitoring of performance data of a wireless device, comprising:

a configuration generator operable to generate and transmit a monitoring configuration for receipt by a wireless device, the monitoring configuration identifying a performance parameter to monitor;

an information repository operable to receive and store wireless device performance statistics, the wireless device performance statistics comprising statistics associated with the performance parameter collected by the wireless device based on the monitoring configuration; and

a performance manager control module comprising a report generator operable to generate a performance report based on the wireless device performance statistics.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the monitoring configuration further comprises a predetermined threshold setting identifying a limit corresponding to the wireless device performance statistic, wherein the performance report comprises an exception report when the wireless device performance statistic meets the predefined threshold setting.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the performance manager control module is further operable to transmit at least a portion of the performance report across a wireless network for analysis.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the performance manager control module is further operable to allow an authorized user to access the performance report.

42. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a device control module operable to send a control command to the wireless device.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the control command comprises a user identification and a control activity, and wherein the device control module further comprises permission logic operable to determine an authorization for executing the control command before sending the control command, the authorization based on at least one of the user identification and the control activity.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the device control module is operable to receive the control command from another computer device located across a wireless network.

45. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the performance parameter identifies for monitoring at least one of a call drop-related metric, an access failure-related metric, and a service degradation-related metric.