Connection failure reporting in wireless communication systems

• US 20060246888A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rezaiifar, Ramin, Joshi, Abhay Arvind, Bender, Paul E., Hutchison, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/74 Backing up
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/709 Backup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for reporting and compiling connection failures in wireless communication systems. In an embodiment, when an access terminal experiences a connection failure (e.g., an unintended one), the access terminal may generate a connection failure record associated with the event, and send a message containing the connection failure record to an access network it has since established the connection. The access network may send a message containing a connection failure report acknowledgement (ACK) message to the access terminal, upon reception of the connection failure report message. The network operators may use the connection failure records thus compiled to identify problematic spots in the system and improve the quality of service.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

generating a connection failure record associated with an occurrence of a connection failure; and

sending a message containing the connection failure record to an access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection failure report record includes at least one of a timestamp associated with a time when the connection failure is detected, a sector identification associated with a reference pilot in an active set of an AT when the connection failure occurred, a location information associated with a sector at which the connection failure occurred, and a reason for the connection failure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection failure record is associated with an unintended connection failure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the message containing the connection failure record to the access network upon establishing a connection with the access network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a message containing a connection failure report acknowledgment from the access network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising purging the connection failure records upon receiving the message containing a connection failure report acknowledgement from the access network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the connection failure record.

8. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

receiving a message containing a connection failure record from an access terminal, the connection failure record associated with an occurrence of a connection failure; and

sending a message containing a connection failure report acknowledgement to the access terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the connection failure report record includes at least one of a timestamp associated with a time when the connection failure is detected, a sector identifier associated with a reference pilot in an active set of an AT when the connection failure occurred, a location information associated with a sector at which the connection failure occurred, and a reason for the connection failure.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising compiling connection failure statistics based in part on the connection failure record.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising forwarding information associated with the connection failure to an access network identified by a sector identification included in the connection failure record.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the connection failure record is associated with an unintended connection failure.

13. An apparatus adapted for wireless communications, comprising:

means for generating a connection failure record associated with an occurrence of a connection failure; and

means for sending a message containing the connection failure record to an access network.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the connection failure report record includes at least one of a timestamp associated with a time when the connection failure is detected, a sector identifier associated with a reference pilot in an active set of an AT when the connection failure occurred, a location information associated with a sector at which the connection failure occurred, and a reason for the connection failure.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the connection failure record is associated with an unintended connection failure.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for sending is further configured to send the message containing the connection failure record to the access network upon establishing a connection with the access network.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive a message containing a connection failure report acknowledgment from the access network.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a storing unit configured to store the connection failure record.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the connection failure record is purged upon receiving a message containing a connection failure report acknowledgement from the access network.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a detecting unit configured to detect the connection failure.

21. An apparatus adapted for wireless communications, comprising:

means for receiving a message containing a connection failure record from an access terminal, the connection failure record associated with an occurrence of a connection failure; and

means for sending a message containing a connection failure report acknowledgement to the access terminal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the connection failure report record includes at least one of a timestamp associated with a time when the connection failure is detected, a sector identifier associated with a reference pilot in an active set of an AT when the connection failure occurred, a location information associated with a sector at which the connection failure occurred, and a reason for the connection failure.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for compiling connection failure statistics based in part on the connection failure record.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for forwarding information associated with the connection failure to an access network identified by a sector identification included in the connection failure record.