Telemetric measuring of a mobile telephone network

• US 6,219,544 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Suutarinen, Jari
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/091,504
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.4, 455/67.1, 455/423, 455/456, 455/457, 455/440, 455/437, 455/424, 455/425, 379/1, 379/2, 379/26, 379/34
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

A method of measuring radio path quality values (SQ) in a digital mobile telephone network (PLMN) comprising at least one mobile station (MS). In the method, co-ordinates (XY) of a measuring point are determined and transmitted to the mobile telephone network (PLMN). A mobile test device (TS) measures the radio path quality values (SQ) from a downlink transmission path. The mobile telephone network (PLMN) measures the radio path quality values (SQ) from an uplink transmission path. According to the invention, the mobile test device (TS) sends the results from said measurements to the mobile telephone network (PLMN) essentially without delay. The mobile telephone network (PLMN) receives the measurement results (SQ) sent by the mobile test device (TS) and combines them with its own measurement results (SQ) and with the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point essentially without delay. The mobile telephone network (PLMN, OMC) has access to the combined measurement results (SQ, XY) as soon as possible, whereby the measurement results can be used for instance for controlling the location of the test device (TS).

Claims

1. Method of measuring radio path quality values (SQ) in a digital mobile telephone network (PLMN) comprising at least one mobile station (MS), in which method:

co-ordinates (XY) of a measuring point are determined and transmitted to the mobile telephone network (PLMN);

a mobile test device (TS) measures the radio path quality values (SQ) from a downlink transmission path;

the mobile telephone network (PLMN) measures the radio path quality values (SQ) from an uplink transmission path;

characterized in that

the mobile test device (TS) sends the results from said measurements to the mobile telephone network (PLMN) essentially without delay;

the mobile telephone network (PLMN) receives the measurement results (SQ) sent by the mobile test device (TS) and combines them with its own measurement results (SQ) and with the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point essentially without delay;

whereby the mobile telephone network (PLMN, OMC) has access to the combined measurement results (SQ, XY) as soon as possible.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile telephone network measures the quality values (SQ) from the uplink transmission path by receiving a signal from the mobile test device (TS) and by forming from that signal the radio path quality values (SQ).

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile test device (TS) sends the quality values (SQ) from the downlink transmission path on the traffic channel of the mobile telephone network (PLMN).

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point are determined with a receiver of a satellite positioning system (NAV).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that GPS system is used as the satellite positioning system and that further in the method, correction data (dXY) of the GPS system is determined and combined with the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the correction data (dXY) of the GPS system is determined by comparing the location (XY0) detected by the GPS receiver (NAV0) with the known location of this receiver and by determining the difference between the co-ordinates of these locations.

7. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the correction data (dXY) of the GPS system is determined by receiving it with a broadcasting receiver (RDS).

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that further in the method:

data records comprising the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point and the quality values (SQ) of the mobile telephone network are stored in a volatile storage means;

the quality values (SQ) of the mobile telephone network are compared to predetermined threshold values; and

in response to that at least one of the quality values (SQ) of the mobile telephone network falls below a predetermined threshold value, a predetermined number of data records are stored from the volatile storage means in a non-volatile storage means.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that further in the method, the quality values (SQ) of the mobile telephone network are classified into a predetermined class and only the class indicating the quality value (SQ) is stored.

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that further in the method, a change in the quality values (SQ) of the mobile telephone network and/or in the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point with respect to the previous measurement is determined and only said change with respect to the previous measurement is stored.

17. Method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile test device sends the results from said measurements via the radio path whose quality values are measured.

19. Method according to claim 1, wherein the quality values of the mobile telephone network which are combined in the mobile telephone network are used by the mobile telephone network for controlling the location of the test device.

11. Arrangement for measuring radio path quality values (SQ) in a digital mobile telephone network PLMN) comprising at least one mobile station (MS),

the arrangement comprising a mobile test device (TS) arranged to measure the radio path quality values (SQ) from a downlink transmission path and means for determining co-ordinates (XY) of the test device;

and

the mobile telephone network (PLMN) being arranged to measure the radio path quality values (SQ) from an uplink transmission path;

characterized in that

the mobile test device (TS) is arranged to send the results (SQ) from said measurements to the mobile telephone network (PLMN) essentially without delay;

the mobile telephone network (PLMN) is arranged to receive the measurement results (SQ) sent by the mobile test device (TS) and to combine them with its own measurement results (SQ) and with the co-ordinates (XY) of the test device essentially without delay;

whereby the mobile telephone network (PLMN, OMC) has access to the combined measurement results (SQ, XY) as soon as possible.

12. Arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that it additionally comprises an intelligent controller (PC).

13. Arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that means (NAV) for determining the co-ordinates (XY) of the measuring point comprise a GPS receiver.

14. Arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises means (RDS, NAV0, DGPS) for specifying the co-ordinates indicated by the GPS system.

15. Arrangement according to any of the claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises a memory means for storing the measurement data (SQ, XY).

16. Equipment according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises a ring buffer for storing the measurement data (SQ, XY) temporarily and a non-volatile memory means for storing the measurement data (SQ, XY) permanently in problematic situations.

18. Arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the mobile test device sends the results from said measurements via the radio path whose quality values are measured.