APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING CONNECTION QUALITY METRICS

• US 20080026768A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Jinghui, Chung Yip, Eric Chi, Fok, Kenny
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Apparatus and methods of determining a connection quality between a communication device and a communications network comprise receiving from the communication device at least one of a communication device processor-generated event code and a corresponding communication device processor-generated event data based on execution of a predetermined connection quality configuration by the communication device. The processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to connection quality aspects of a communication between the communication device and the communications network. Additionally, this aspect of the method further comprises generating a connection quality characteristic associated with the communication according to analysis of at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data by a connection quality state machine, and storing the generated connection quality characteristic corresponding to the communication.

Claims

1. A method of determining a connection quality between a communication device and a communications network, comprising:

receiving from the communication device at least one of communication device processor-generated event code and corresponding communication device processor-generated event data based on execution of a predetermined connection quality configuration by the communication device, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to connection quality aspects of a communication between the communication device and the communications network;

generating a connection quality characteristic associated with the communication according to analysis of at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data by a connection quality state machine; and

storing the generated connection quality characteristic corresponding to the communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection quality characteristic relates to at least one of an access failure, a call drop and an out of service event, and further comprising:

determining and storing, in association with the connection quality characteristic, a transition by the communication device between at least two of an idle state, an access state and a connected state, based on the processor-generated event code and corresponding processor-generated event data; and

determining and storing a call type associated with the connection quality characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the connection quality characteristic further comprises generating a communication device user-perceived connection quality characteristic, wherein the communication device user-perceived connection quality characteristic is different from a network perceived connection quality characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining and storing in association with the connection quality characteristic an indicator that the communication comprises a mobile originated (MO) communication or a mobile terminated (MT) communication based on at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data comprise a function of a plurality of over-the-air (OTA) communication messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the connection quality characteristic further comprises generating the connection quality characteristic for each one of simultaneously-occurring calls including at least one of a mobile originated voice call, a mobile originated data call, a mobile originated short message service call, a mobile originated short voice service call, a mobile terminated voice call, a mobile terminated data call, a mobile terminated short message service call, and a mobile terminated short voice service call.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to additional access origination information, further comprising determining whether the additional access origination information received after an accessed call state is achieved comprises duplicate information or a simultaneously-occurring new call, and determining a new call connection quality characteristic if the simultaneously-occurring new call is determined.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data further correspond to a status of a radio resource control link corresponding to the communication, and further comprising:

associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both associated with an access origination;

determining the status of the radio resource control link; and

determining the duplicate information or the simultaneously-occurring new call based on the associating and the determined status.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to additional access origination information, further comprising determining whether the additional access origination information received after a connected call state is achieved comprises duplicate information or a simultaneously-occurring new call.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both associated with an access origination;

identifying a call type comprising at least one of the mobile originated voice call, the mobile originated data call, the mobile originated short message service call, the mobile originated short voice service call, the mobile terminated voice call, the mobile terminated data call, the mobile terminated short message service call, and the mobile terminated short voice service call; and

determining the duplicate information or the simultaneously-occurring new call based on the associating and the identifying.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating further comprises generating the connection quality characteristic comprising a connection-related change between an idle state and an accessed state based on at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to the accessed state, and further comprising identifying a call type comprising at least one of the mobile originated voice call, the mobile originated data call, the mobile originated short message service call, the mobile originated short voice service call, the mobile terminated voice call, the mobile terminated data call, the mobile terminated short message service call, and the mobile terminated short voice service call based on at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to an access failure condition after identifying an accessed state for the communication, and wherein generating the connection quality characteristic further comprises generating an access failure based on the associating.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying at least one access failure triggering event, verifying a veracity of the detected at least one access failure triggering event, and wherein generating the access failure is based on a result of the verifying.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining whether the communication device has transitioned from the access failure to an idle state.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a call type for the communication, and wherein associating comprises associating with at least a predetermined one of access failure triggering information, release information, call state information and abort information depending on the determined call type.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data respectively with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to a connection confirmation after identifying an accessed state for the communication, and wherein generating the connection quality characteristic further comprises generating a connected state based on the associating.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining one of a plurality of call types;

defining one or more of a plurality of predetermined event codes and one or more of a plurality of predetermined event data for each of the plurality of call types with the connection confirmation; and

wherein the associating further comprises associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with a respective one or more of the plurality of predetermined event codes and the one or more of the plurality of predetermined event data for the determined call type.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein generating the connection quality characteristic further comprises generating an idle state to replace the connected state for a predetermined call type

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to call drop information after identifying a connected state for the communication, and wherein generating the connection quality characteristic further comprises generating a call drop based on the associating.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising identifying at least one call drop triggering event, verifying a veracity of the detected at least one call drop triggering event, and wherein generating the call drop is based on a result of the verifying.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining whether the communication device is in an idle state corresponding to a call drop.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining a call type for the communication, and wherein associating comprises associating with at least a predetermined one of call drop triggering information, release information, call state information and abort information depending on the determined call type.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a connected state for the communication, determining an occurrence of a call drop or a normal call termination, and wherein generating the connection quality characteristic comprises generating the call drop or the normal call termination based on the determining.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying a call type for the communication, and wherein the generating of the call drop or the normal call termination is based on the identified call type.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises a call state in an existing radio access technology, further comprising;

identifying handover request information based on the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data, wherein the handover request information corresponds to a request for a handover of the communication between the existing radio access technology and a new radio access technology;

identifying handover success information based on the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data; and

storing the call state in association with the new radio access technology based on the identified handover success information.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising identifying the communication as having a call type comprising a voice call, and wherein storing the call state is dependent upon the identified call type.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein generating and storing the connection quality characteristic for the communication occurs for each of the existing radio access technology and the new radio access technology.

28. At least one processor configured to determine a connection quality between a communication device and a communications network, comprising:

a first module for receiving from the communication device at least one of communication device processor-generated event code and corresponding communication device processor-generated event data based on execution of a predetermined connection quality configuration by the communication device, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to connection quality aspects of a communication between the communication device and the communications network; and

a second module for generating a connection quality characteristic associated with the communication according to analysis of at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data by a connection quality state machine; and

a third module for storing the generated connection quality characteristic corresponding to the communication.

29. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to receive from the communication device at least one of a communication device processor-generated event code and corresponding communication device processor-generated event data based on execution of a predetermined connection quality configuration by the communication device, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to connection quality aspects of a communication between the communication device and the communications network; and

a second set of codes for causing the computer to generate a connection quality characteristic associated with the communication according to analysis of at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data by a connection quality state machine; and

a third module for storing the generated connection quality characteristic corresponding to the communication.

30. A network device, comprising:

means for receiving from the communication device at least one of a communication device processor-generated event code and corresponding communication device processor-generated event data based on execution of a predetermined connection quality configuration by the communication device, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to connection quality aspects of a communication between the communication device and the communications network; and

means for generating a connection quality characteristic associated with the communication according to analysis of at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data by a connection quality state machine; and

means for storing the generated connection quality characteristic corresponding to the communication.

31. A network device, comprising:

a memory comprising a connection quality state machine and at least one of a communication device processor-generated event code and a corresponding communication device processor-generated event data based on execution of a predetermined connection quality configuration by a respective communication device, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to connection quality aspects of a communication between the communication device and a communications network; and

a processor operable to execute the connection quality state machine with respect to at least one of the communication device processor-generated event code and the communication device processor-generated event data to generate and store in the memory a connection quality characteristic associated with the communication.

32. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality characteristic relates to at least one of an access failure, a call drop and an out of service event, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to:

determine and store, in association with the connection quality characteristic, a transition by the communication device between at least two of an idle state, an access state and a connected state, based on the processor-generated event code and corresponding processor-generated event data; and

determine and store a call type associated with the connection quality characteristic.

33. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality characteristic further comprises a communication device user-perceived connection quality characteristic, wherein the communication device user-perceived connection quality characteristic is different from a network perceived connection quality characteristic.

34. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine and store in association with the connection quality characteristic an indicator that the communication comprises a mobile originated (MO) communication or a mobile terminated (MT) communication based on at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data, wherein the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data comprise a function of a plurality of over-the-air (OTA) communication messages.

35. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to generate the connection quality characteristic for each one of simultaneously-occurring calls including at least one of a mobile originated voice call, a mobile originated data call, a mobile originated short message service call, a mobile originated short voice service call, a mobile terminated voice call, a mobile terminated data call, a mobile terminated short message service call, and a mobile terminated short voice service call.

36. The network device of claim 35, wherein at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to additional access origination information, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine whether the additional access origination information received after an accessed call state is achieved comprises duplicate information or a simultaneously-occurring new call, and to determine a new call connection quality characteristic if the simultaneously-occurring new call is determined.

37. The network device of claim 36, wherein at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data further correspond to a status of a radio resource control link corresponding to the communication, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to:

associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both associated with an access origination;

determine the status of the radio resource control link; and

determine the duplicate information or the simultaneously-occurring new call based on the associating and the determined status.

38. The network device of claim 35, wherein at least one of the processor-generated event code and the processor-generated event data correspond to additional access origination information, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine whether the additional access origination information received after a connected call state is achieved comprises duplicate information or a simultaneously-occurring new call.

39. The network device of claim 38, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to:

associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both associated with an access origination;

identify a call type comprising at least one of the mobile originated voice call, the mobile originated data call, the mobile originated short message service call, the mobile originated short voice service call, the mobile terminated voice call, the mobile terminated data call, the mobile terminated short message service call, and the mobile terminated short voice service call; and

determine the duplicate information or the simultaneously-occurring new call based on the associating and the identifying.

40. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality characteristic further comprises a connection-related change between an idle state and an accessed state based on at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data.

41. The network device of claim 40, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to the accessed state, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to identify a call type comprising at least one of the mobile originated voice call, the mobile originated data call, the mobile originated short message service call, the mobile originated short voice service call, the mobile terminated voice call, the mobile terminated data call, the mobile terminated short message service call, and the mobile terminated short voice service call based on at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data.

42. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to an access failure condition after identifying an accessed state for the communication, and wherein the connection quality characteristic further comprises an access failure.

43. The network device of claim 42, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to identify at least one access failure triggering event, verify a veracity of the detected at least one access failure triggering event, and wherein generating the access failure is based on a result of the verifying.

44. The network device of claim 42, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine whether the communication device has transitioned from the access failure to an idle state.

45. The network device of claim 42, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine a call type for the communication, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least a predetermined one of access failure triggering information, release information, call state information and abort information depending on the determined call type.

46. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to a connection confirmation after identifying an accessed state for the communication, and wherein the connection quality characteristic further comprises a connected state.

47. The network device of claim 46, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to:

determine one of a plurality of call types;

define one or more of a plurality of predetermined event codes and one or more of a plurality of predetermined event data for each of the plurality of call types with the connection confirmation; and

associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with a respective one or more of the plurality of predetermined event codes and the one or more of the plurality of predetermined event data for the determined call type.

48. The network device of claim 46, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to replace the connected state with an idle state for the connection quality characteristic for a predetermined call type

49. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least one of a predetermined event code and a predetermined event data both corresponding to call drop information after identifying a connected state for the communication, and wherein the connection quality characteristic further comprises a call drop.

50. The network device of claim 49, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to identify at least one call drop triggering event, verify a veracity of the detected at least one call drop triggering event, and generate the call drop based on a result of the verifying.

51. The network device of claim 49, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine whether the communication device is in an idle state corresponding to a call drop.

52. The network device of claim 49, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to determine a call type for the communication, and associate at least one of the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data with at least a predetermined one of call drop triggering information, release information, call state information and abort information depending on the determined call type.

53. The network device of claim 31, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to identify a connected state for the communication, determine an occurrence of a call drop or a normal call termination, and wherein the connection quality characteristic further comprises the call drop or the normal call termination based on the determination.

54. The network device of claim 53, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to identify a call type for the communication, and wherein the call drop or the normal call termination is determined based on the identified call type.

55. The network device of claim 31, wherein the communication comprises a call state in an existing radio access technology, and wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to;

identify handover request information based on the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data, wherein the handover request information corresponds to a request for a handover of the communication between the existing radio access technology and a new radio access technology;

identify handover success information based on the processor-generated event code and the corresponding processor-generated event data; and

store the call state in association with the new radio access technology based on the identified handover success information.

56. The network device of claim 55, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to identify the communication as having a call type comprising a voice call, and store the call state depending upon the identified call type.

57. The network device of claim 55, wherein the connection quality state machine is further executable to generate and store the connection quality characteristic for the communication for each of the existing radio access technology and the new radio access technology.

58. A method of gathering information to determine a connection quality between a communication device and a communications network, comprising:

receiving at the communication device a collection configuration;

generating at a processing engine of the communication device a plurality of event codes each having a corresponding plurality of event data based on communications between the communication device and a communications network, wherein the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data correspond to at least one connection quality characteristic of the communications;

choosing at least one selected event information from the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data based on the collection configuration; and

forwarding the at least one selected event information for analysis by a connection quality state machine to determine at least one connection quality characteristic associated with the communications.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the connection quality characteristic relates to at least one of an access failure, a call drop and an out of service event.

60. The method of claim 58, forwarding the at least one selected event information for analysis further comprises forwarding for generation of a communication device user-perceived connection quality characteristic different from a network perceived connection quality characteristic.

61. At least one processor configured to gather information to determine a connection quality between a communication device and a communications network, comprising:

a first module for receiving at the communication device a collection configuration;

a second module for generating at a processing engine of the communication device a plurality of event codes each having a corresponding plurality of event data based on communications between the communication device and a communications network, wherein the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data correspond to at least one connection quality characteristic of the communications;

a third module for choosing at least one selected event information from the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data based on the collection configuration; and

a fourth module for forwarding the at least one selected event information for analysis by a connection quality state machine to determine at least one connection quality characteristic associated with the communications.

62. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes operable to cause a computer to receive at the communication device a collection configuration;

a second set of codes operable to cause the computer to generate at a processing engine of the communication device a plurality of event codes each having a corresponding plurality of event data based on communications between the communication device and a communications network, wherein the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data correspond to at least one connection quality characteristic of the communications;

a third set of codes operable to cause the computer to choose at least one selected event information from the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data based on the collection configuration; and

a fourth set of codes operable to cause the computer to forward the at least one selected event information for analysis by a connection quality state machine to determine at least one connection quality characteristic associated with the communications.

63. A communication device, comprising:

means for receiving at the communication device a collection configuration;

means for generating at a processing engine of the communication device a plurality of event codes each having a corresponding plurality of event data based on communications between the communication device and a communications network, wherein the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data correspond to at least one connection quality characteristic of the communications;

means for choosing at least one selected event information from the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data based on the collection configuration; and

means for forwarding the at least one selected event information for analysis by a connection quality state machine to determine at least one connection quality characteristic associated with the communications.

64. A communication device, comprising:

a processing engine operable to generate a plurality of event codes each having a corresponding plurality of event data based on communications between the communication device and a communications network, wherein the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data correspond to at least one connection quality characteristic of the communications; and

a memory in communication with the processing engine, the memory comprising a connection quality module, a collection configuration and at least one selected event information, wherein the connection quality module is executable by the processing engine to chose the at least one selected event information from the plurality of event codes and the corresponding plurality of event data according to the collection configuration, wherein the selected event information is operable to define at least one connection quality characteristic associated with the communications according to application of a connection quality state machine.

65. The communication device of claim 64, wherein the connection quality characteristic relates to at least one of an access failure, a call drop and an out of service event.

66. The communication device of claim 64, forwarding the at least one selected event information for analysis further comprises forwarding for generation of a communication device user-perceived connection quality characteristic different from a network perceived connection quality characteristic.