Monitoring Network Access of Roaming Users

• US 20090137245A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sensustech Limited
• Original Assignee: Sensustech Limited
• Inventors: Edwards, David, Richardson, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/884,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20090137245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

There is provided a method of monitoring access to a set of mobile communication networks, the method comprising: placing a testing device within the coverage area of a plurality of mobile communication networks, the plurality of mobile communication networks forming a set of mobile communication networks, the testing device comprising a network authentication device for a mobile communication network not in the set of mobile communication networks; initiating a succession of network registration procedures from the testing device; and storing, in the testing device, the identity of the mobile communication network that the testing device registers with as a result of each network registration procedure.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring access to a set of mobile communication networks, the method comprising:

placing a testing device within the coverage area of a plurality of mobile communication networks, the plurality of mobile communication networks forming a set of mobile communication networks, the testing device comprising a network authentication device for a mobile communication network not in the set of mobile communication networks;

initiating a succession of network registration procedures from the testing device; and

storing, in the testing device, the identity of the mobile communication network that the testing device registers with as a result of each network registration procedure.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the testing device is placed at a fixed location within the coverage area of the plurality of mobile communication networks.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the testing device is placed at an airport or port.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the testing device is free to move within the coverage area of the plurality of mobile communication networks.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises measuring a position of the testing device at or about the time when each network registration procedure is initiated by the testing device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the stored identity or identities to a remote server.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the testing device comprises a network authentication device for each of two or more mobile communication networks not in the set of mobile communication networks, and the step of initiating a succession of network registration procedures comprises initiating each network registration procedure using one of the network authentication devices in the testing device.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of initiating comprises the steps of:

searching for available mobile communication networks by measuring the signal strengths of the plurality of mobile communication networks;

selecting a candidate mobile communication network from the available mobile communication networks on the basis of the measured signal strengths; and

sending a network registration request to the candidate mobile communication network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of selecting a candidate mobile communication network comprises selecting the mobile communication network having the highest signal strength.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of selecting a candidate mobile communication network comprises randomly selecting, the candidate mobile communication network from the available mobile communication networks that have a measured signal strength above a predetermined threshold.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the network authentication device has a list of preferred mobile communication networks stored therein, and the step of selecting a candidate mobile communication network comprises selecting a mobile communication network measured during the step of searching that is on the list of preferred mobile communication networks.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, after the step of initiating:

measuring the availability of network services on the mobile communication network that the testing device is registered with.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, after the step of initiating:

measuring, the quality of network services on the mobile communication network that the testing device is registered with.

14. A testing device for monitoring access to a set of mobile communication networks, the device comprising:

means for retaining a network authentication device for a mobile communication network;

means for initiating a succession of network registration procedures; and

means for storing the identity of the mobile communication network that the testing device registers with in response to each network registration procedure.

15. A testing device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a position measurement system that is adapted to measure the position of the testing device at or about the time that the means for initiating initiates a network registration procedure.

16. A testing device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising means for transmitting the stored identities to a remote server.

17. A testing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means for retaining a network authentication device is further adapted to retain a plurality of network authentication devices, and wherein, in use, the means for initiating a succession of network registration procedures is adapted to select one of the network authentication devices retained in the testing device for use in each network registration procedure.