Test arrangements for radio telephone systems

• US 5,481,588 A
• Filed: 04/05/1994
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wetter, Daniel, Rickli, Hansueli
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US08/223,158
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32, 379/59, 379/58, 379/60, 379/24, 455/54.1, 455/33.1, 455/67.1, 455/115
• US Class Current: 379/32.01
• 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

The relevant data on the quality of service at different positions within a coverage area which is to be monitored of a mobile radio installation are ascertained by test mobile remote units (16) that are preferably mounted on vehicles which travel regularly on random routes (20) in the area. The test mobile remote units (16) acquire and store the call identification and connection parameters and the time and position data. Evaluation is effected via a test control unit (17), which is connected to a mobile switching center (15).

Claims

1. Method to ascertain the quality of service in a mobile radio installation with at least one base transceiver station and a plurality of mobile subscriber sets, comprising the steps of:

storing programmed instructions for initiating calls in at least one test mobile remote unit having means for measuring position and clock time data;

initiating calls between said at least one test mobile remote unit (16) at selected time or position intervals and a test control unit (17) or between plural test mobile remote units (16) controlled by said programmed instructions,

storing call identification and call connection parameters as well as position and clock time data in both the test mobile remote unit and the test Control unit, and

transferring the stored data in the at least one test mobile remote unit to the test control unit (17) for statistical evaluation and display;

and wherein said step of initiating calls between said at least one test mobile remote unit and the test control unit includes at least one call initiated on the basis of a measured position as compared to at least one preselected position stored within the test mobile remote unit (16).

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of changing the at least one preselected position stored within the test mobile remote unit based on a preceding step of statistical evaluation in the test control unit.

9. Method of claim 2, wherein said programmed instructions are transmitted to said at least one test mobile remote unit from said test control unit by radio.

17. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on vehicles for circulating mainly on arbitrary routes (20) wherein said selected time or position intervals are selected at regular time or position intervals.

18. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on a corresponding plurality of vehicles, for circulating in particular territories in such a way that they are substantially equally distributed and cover an entire area.

19. Method according to claim 1, wherein said step of transferring further comprises the step of transferring the call identification and call connection parameters of calls initiated by the test mobile remote unit (16), in addition to calls initiated by the test control unit for said statistical evaluation and display.

20. Method according to claim 1, applied to a cellular mobile radio system, whereby parameters specific to cellular mobile radio, in particular an identification of a base station and any intercellular handover which occurs are also stored in said step of storing.

3. Apparatus for determining quality of service in a mobile radio installation having a mobile switching center (15), at least one base transceiver station and a plurality of mobile subscriber sets, comprising:

at least one test mobile remote unit (16) having a mobile test subset (21) having a mobile subscriber set (28) together with a test interface (29) for retransmission of call identification and connection parameters and a navigation unit (23), both of which are connected to a control unit (25) which contains a nonvolatile memory (27) and is connected to an input/output unit (26); and

at least one test control unit (17), having a programmable call initiating and receiving unit (31) to which a line interface (39) is connected to permit connection to the mobile switching center (15) and having a receiving unit (33) for receiving at least a radio time standard, and having an input unit (36) and an output unit (38), all connected to a test computer (35) which comprises a registering module (37) for storage of call identification parameters and for storage of data transferred from the test mobile remote unit (16) to the test control unit (17).

4. Device according to claim 3, whereby the line interface (39) is for connection to the mobile switching center (15) for allowing an access directly or over a telephone line or via another network (18).

5. Device according to claim 3, whereby the navigation unit (23) comprises a receiving unit for a global satellite positioning system.

6. Device according to claim 3, whereby the receiving unit (33) of the test control unit (17) is a receiving unit for a global satellite positioning system.

8. Method to ascertain the quality of service in a mobile radio installation with at least one base transceiver station and a plurality of mobile subscriber sets, comprising the steps of:

storing programmed instructions for initiating calls in at least one test mobile remote unit having means for measuring position and clock time data;

initiating calls between said at least one test mobile remote unit (16) at selected time or position intervals and a test control unit (17) or between plural test mobile remote units (16) controlled by said programmed instructions,

storing call identification and call connection parameters as well as position and clock time data in both the test mobile remote unit and the test control unit, and

transferring the stored data in the at least one test mobile remote unit to the test control unit (17) for statistical evaluation and display;

and wherein said programmed instructions are transmitted to said at least one test mobile remote unit from said test control unit by radio.

21. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on vehicles for circulating mainly on arbitrary routes (20) wherein said selected time or position intervals are selected at regular time or position intervals.

22. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on a corresponding plurality of vehicles, for circulating in particular territories in such a way that they are substantially equally distributed and cover an entire area.

23. Method according to claim 8, wherein said step of transferring further comprises the step of transferring the call identification and call connection parameters of calls initiated by the test mobile remote unit (16), in addition to calls initiated by the test control unit for said statistical evaluation and display.

24. Method according to claim 8, applied to a cellular mobile radio system, whereby parameters specific to cellular mobile radio, in particular an identification of a base station and any intercellular handover which occurs are also stored in said step of storing.

10. Method to ascertain the quality of service in a mobile radio installation with at least one base transceiver station and a plurality of mobile subscriber sets, comprising the steps of:

storing programmed instructions for initiating calls in at least one test mobile remote unit having means for measuring position and clock time data;

initiating calls between said at least one test mobile remote unit (16) at selected time or position intervals and a test control unit (17) or between plural test mobile remote units (16) controlled by said programmed instructions,

storing call identification and call connection parameters as well as position and clock time data in both the test mobile remote unit and the test control unit, and

transferring the stored data in the at least one test mobile remote unit to the test control unit (17) for statistical evaluation and display;

and wherein said step of storing programmed instructions for initiating calls is preceded by a step of transmitting by radio said programmed instructions from said test control unit to said at least one test mobile remote unit.

11. Method of claim 10, wherein said step of transmitting by radio is preceded by a step of statistical evaluation.

25. Method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on vehicles for circulating mainly on arbitrary routes (20) wherein said selected time or position intervals are selected at regular time or position intervals.

26. Method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on a corresponding plurality of vehicles, for circulating in particular territories in such a way that they are substantially equally distributed and cover an entire area.

27. Method according to claim 10, wherein said step of transferring further comprises the step of transferring the call identification and call connection parameters of calls initiated by the test mobile remote unit (16), in addition to calls initiated by the test control unit for said statistical evaluation and display.

28. Method according to claim 10, applied to a cellular mobile radio system, whereby parameters specific to cellular mobile radio, in particular an identification of a base station and any intercellular handover which occurs are also stored in said step of storing.

12. Method to ascertain the quality of service in a mobile radio installation with at least one base transceiver station and a plurality of mobile subscriber sets, comprising the steps of:

storing programmed instructions for initiating calls in at least one test mobile remote unit having means for measuring position and clock time data;

initiating calls between said at least one test mobile remote unit (16) at selected time or position intervals and a test control unit (17) or between plural test mobile remote units (16) controlled by said programmed instructions,

storing call identification and call connection parameters as well as position and clock time data in both the test mobile remote unit and the test control unit, and

transferring the stored data in the at least one test mobile remote unit to the test control unit (17) for statistical evaluation and display;

wherein the step of transferring the stored data in the at least one test mobile remote unit (16) takes place by radio,

and wherein the result of the statistical evaluation is for changing the programmed instructions for initiating calls.

7. Device according to claim 12, whereby the test mobile remote unit (16) is designed as a portable attache case.

13. Method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on vehicles for circulating mainly on arbitrary routes (20) wherein said selected time or position intervals are selected at regular time or position intervals.

14. Method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

setting up the plural test mobile remote units (16) on a corresponding plurality of vehicles, for circulating in particular territories in such a way that they are substantially equally distributed and cover an entire area.

15. Method according to claim 12, wherein said step of transferring further comprises the step of transferring the call identification and call connection parameters of calls initiated by the test mobile remote unit (16), in addition to calls initiated by the test control unit for said statistical evaluation and display.

16. Method according to claim 12, applied to a cellular mobile radio system, whereby parameters specific to cellular mobile radio, in particular an identification of a base station and any intercellular handover which occurs are also stored in said step of storing.