System and method for measuring performance of new services in consumer devices

• US 20070232289A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Jerry, Tatman, Lance, Purdy, Glen, Engel, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

In a communication network architecture, a service provider monitors its customer'"'"'s experience as the customer selects and uses services offered by the service provider. An agent, such as software installed on-board the customer'"'"'s mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the services, and communicates the measured parameters to the service provider, over the communication network.

Claims

1. A parameter measurement system, for measuring parameters accessible by mobile equipment which communicates over a communication network, the communication network including a network service provider, the network service provider having first and second services available for use by the mobile equipment, the system comprising:

an agent which includes;

(i) measuring means for measuring predetermined parameters of operation of the mobile equipment regarding one of the first and second services, and for detecting a change of service;

(ii) means for changing measurement parameters to make parameter measurements appropriate for a detected change of service; and

(iii) a transmitter for transmitting measured parameters over the communication network.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile equipment includes a processor, memory, and a wireless communication interface.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the mobile equipment includes one of (i) a cellular telephone, (ii) a portable computer, (iii) a handheld personal digital assistant unit, and (iv) a wireless sensor.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent is included within the mobile equipment.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent includes parameter storage for accumulating measurements of the parameters, and storing the measurements as the measurements accumulate.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein the agent stores the accumulated measurements of the parameters for one of (i) a predetermined period of time, (ii) until a predetermined quantity of parameters have been accumulated, and (iii) until a change in service is detected.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent further comprises a processor for preprocessing the measured parameters before transmitting the measured parameters.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent further includes:

(i) a user interface to enable a user to select a service, and

(ii) sets of parameters suitable for different services, including a parameter set from which parameters are selected for measurement based on the service selected by the user.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the service provider has a first store of previous user experience regarding the first service, and the service provider has a second store of previous user experience regarding the second service, the second store being smaller than the first store.

10. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the agent further comprises a transmitter for transmitting the selected parameters over the communication network, responsive to a received request for transmission of the parameters.

11. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the agent further comprises a selector for selecting parameters for measurement, responsive to one of (i) a command to do so received over the communication network;

and (ii) an elapsed time.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a service provider which is coupled for communication with the mobile equipment over the communication network, and which receives the measured parameters.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the service provider includes a node, coupled to the communication network to receive the measured parameters transmitted from the agent.

14. A method for measuring parameters accessible by mobile equipment which communicates over a communication network, the communication network including a network service provider, the network service provider having first and second services available for use by the mobile equipment, the method comprising:

(i) measuring predetermined parameters of operation of the mobile equipment regarding one of the first and second services, and for detecting a change of service;

(ii) changing measurement parameters to make parameter measurements appropriate for a detected change of service, and

(iii) transmitting measured parameters over the communication network.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the mobile equipment includes a processor, memory, and a wireless communication interface.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the mobile equipment includes one of (i) a cellular telephone, (ii) a portable computer, (iii) a handheld personal digital assistant unit, and (iv) a wireless sensor.

17. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the mobile equipment includes an agent which performs the measuring and the transmitting.

18. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising accumulating measurements of the parameters, and storing the measurements as the measurements accumulate.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein storing includes storing the accumulated measurements of the parameters for one of (i) a predetermined period of time, (ii) until a predetermined quantity of parameters have been accumulated, and (iii) until a change in service is detected.

20. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising preprocessing the measured parameters;

and transmitting the measured and preprocessed parameters.

21. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the method further comprises receiving a user command to select a service, the user command entered by the user through a user interface of the mobile equipment,

the mobile equipment includes sets of parameters suitable for different services, and

the method further comprises selecting a parameter set, from the sets of parameters, for measurement based on the service selected by the user.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the service provider has a first store of previous user experience regarding the first service, and the service provider has a second store of previous user experience regarding the second service, the second store being smaller than the first store.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising transmitting the selected parameters over the communication network, responsive to a received request for transmission of the parameters.

24. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising selecting parameters for measurement, responsive to one of (i) a received command to do so;

and (ii) an elapsed time.

25. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein:

a service provider is coupled for communication with the mobile equipment over the communication network; and

the method further comprises the service provider receiving the measured parameters.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein:

the service provider includes a node coupled to the communication network; and

the method further comprises the node receiving the measured parameters transmitted from the agent.