Mobile Communications Network Monitoring Systems

• US 20080004035A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Actix Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Actix Limited (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dobson, Robert William, Atkins, Jeffrey, Bone, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/454
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

This invention generally relates to systems, methods and computer program code for monitoring digital mobile communications networks, in particular digital mobile phone networks, for purposes such as a test, trouble shooting, and evaluation of a network and its usage. A method of processing digital mobile phone network data for analysis, the method comprising: inputting network data captured from a digital mobile phone network, said network data comprising data for a plurality of communications sessions over said network, said network data including a plurality of session related parameters; inputting query data for one or more queries, a query defining a statistic relating to one or more of said parameters, to be computed from said network data; operating with said query on said captured network data to determine one or more intermediate statistics; storing said intermediate statistics in a data store for analysis; and displaying a result of said query in a Graphical User Interface (GUI), said GUI comprising a map having at least one clickable icon, said icon providing information on a result of said query from said statistic and, when clicked, the GUI providing information on data from which said statistic is computed.

Claims

1. A method of processing digital mobile phone network data for analysis, the method comprising:

inputting network data captured from a digital mobile phone network, said network data comprising data for a plurality of communications sessions over said network, said network data including a plurality of session related parameters;

inputting query data for one or more queries, a query defining a statistic relating to one or more of said parameters, to be computed from said network data;

operating with said query on said captured network data to determine one or more intermediate statistics;

storing said intermediate statistics in a data store for analysis; and

displaying a result of said query in a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and GUI comprising a map having at least one clickable icon, said icon providing information on a result of said query from said statistic and, when clicked, the GUI providing information on data from which said statistic is computed.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

formatting a said query to define said statistic in terms of one or more intermediate statistics relating to said one or more parameters and to be computed from said network data, said statistic being computable from one or more sets of said one or more intermediate statistics.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down to said session related parameters.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down to individual traffic messages captured from said network.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said map comprises one or more layers stacked above one another, each of said layers being associated with, and being capable of displaying, a portion of said network data.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down between said one or more layers of said map.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said layers comprise at least one of National, Regional, Market, Base Station Controller (BSC) and Cell Level.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said icon comprises a multi-variant thematic mapping icon configured to graphically display data for a result of said query and at least a second data item relating to said network for a real physical location in said network corresponding to the location of said icon on said map.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein a parameter of said multi-variant thematic mapping icon is dependent on a value of said result of said query.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said parameter includes at least one of size, colour and shape of said multi-variant thematic mapping icon.

12. A carrier carrying a digital mobile phone network data analysis code module, said module comprising computer program code to, when running, implement the method of claim 1.

11. A system for processing digital mobile phone network data for analysis, the system comprising:

means for inputting network data captured from a digital mobile phone network, said network data comprising data for a plurality of communications sessions over said network, said network data including a plurality of session related parameters;

means for inputting query data for one or more queries, a query defining a statistic relating to one or more of said parameters, to be computed from said network data;

means for operating with said query on said captured network data to determine one or more intermediate statistics;

means for storing said intermediate statistics in a data store for analysis; and

means for displaying a result of said query in a Graphical User Interface (GUI), said GUI comprising a map having at least one clickable icon, said icon providing information on a result of said query from said statistic and, when clicked, the GUI providing information on data from which said statistic is computed.

13. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for inputting and displaying the results of a query on network data captured from a digital mobile phone network, said network data comprising data for a plurality of communications sessions over said network, said network data including a plurality of session related parameters, said query comprising query data for one or more queries to be computed from said network data, and said query defining a statistic relating to one or more of said parameters;

said GUI comprising;

a map having at least one clickable icon, said icon providing information on a result of said query from said statistic and, when clicked, the GUI providing information on data from which said statistic is computed.

14. A GUI according to claim 13, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down to said session related parameters.

15. A GUI according to claim 13, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down to individual traffic messages captured from said network.

16. A GUI according to claim 13, wherein said map comprising one or more layers stacked above one another, each of said layers being associated with, and being capable of displaying, a portion of said network data.

17. A GUI according to claim 16, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down between said one or more layers of said map.

18. A GUI according to claim 16, wherein said layers comprise at least one of National, Regional, Market, Base Station Controller (BSC) and Cell Level.

19. A GUI according to claim 13, wherein said icon comprises a multi-variant thematic mapping icon configured to graphically display data for a result of said query and at least a second data item relating to said network for a real physical location in said network corresponding to the location of said icon on said map.

20. A GUI according to claim 19, wherein a parameter of said multi-variant thematic mapping icon is dependent on a value of said result of said query.

21. A GUI according to claim 20, wherein said parameter includes at least one of size, colour and shape of said multi-variant thematic mapping icon.

22. A method of processing digital mobile phone network data for analysis, the method comprising:

reading log file data, said log file data comprising network data captured from a digital mobile phone network, said network data comprising a plurality of messages within said network during a communications session, said network data including a plurality of session related parameters;

decoding a protocol stack for each message to reveal said parameters;

writing said parameters into a data pipe, said data pipe comprising a plurality of storage locations for storing a plurality of captures messages in time order;

using a state diagram representing said digital mobile phone network to identify and label threads within said parameters;

inputting query data for one or more queries, a query defining a statistic relating to one or more of said parameters, to be computed from said network data;

displaying results of said query graphically in a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

operating with said query on said captured network data to determine one or more intermediate statistics; and

storing said intermediate statistics in a data store for analysis.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein said GUI comprises a map having at least one clickable icon, said icon providing information on a result of said query from said statistic and, when clicked, the GUI providing information on data from which said statistic is computed.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down to said session related parameters.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down to individual traffic messages captured from said network.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein said map comprises one or more layers stacked above one another, each of said layers being associated with, and being capable of displaying, a portion of said network data.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein said icon, when repeatedly clicked, enables drill down between said one or more layers of said map.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein said layers comprise at least one of National, Regional, Market, Base Station Controller (BSC) and Cell Level.

30. A method according to claim 24, wherein said icon comprises a multi-variant thematic mapping icon configured to graphically display data for a result of said query and at least a second data item relating to said network for a real physical location in said network corresponding to the location of said icon on said map.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein a parameter of said multi-variant thematic mapping icon is dependent on a value of said result of said query.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein said parameter includes at least one of size, colour and shape of said multi-variant thematic mapping icon.

33. A system for processing digital mobile phone network data for analysis, the system comprising:

means for reading log file data, said log file data comprising network data captured from a digital mobile phone network, said network data comprising a plurality of messages within said network during a communications session, said network data including a plurality of session related parameters;

means for decoding a protocol stack for each message to reveal said parameters;

means for writing said parameters into a data pipe, said data pipe comprising a plurality of storage locations for storing a plurality of captures messages in time order;

means for using a state diagram representing said digital mobile phone network to identify and label threads within said parameters;

means for inputting query data for one or more queries, a query defining a statistic relating to one or more of said parameters, to be computed from said network data;

means for displaying results of said query graphically in a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

34. A carrier carrying a digital mobile phone network data analysis code module, said module comprising computer program code to, when running, implement the method of claim 33.