Method and apparatus for the detection of a reduction in capacity of a CDMA system

• US 6,421,529 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Madon, James J., Wing, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ GUTIERREZ, RAFAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/333,009
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/423, 455/67.7, 455/67.1, 455/425, 455/63, 455/522, 455/69, 455/453, 455/450, 455/452, 455/560, 455/561, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/133, 379/134, 379/136, 379/135
• US Class Current: 455/67.7
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A computer implemented method and apparatus for determining if a wireless telecommunication system is operating at a reduced capacity is provided. The method and apparatus utilize call processing information associated with every sector/carrier within a CDMA base station to determine if any sector/carrier is operating at a reduced capacity while also being limited by power control (i.e., power control is blocking new users from gaining access to the sector/carrier even though the sector/carrier is operating at a reduced capacity). Thus, the method and apparatus detect blocking faults affecting the capacity of the CDMA system.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a reduction in capacity of a telecommunications system, the system comprising at least one sector, each sector comprising at least one carrier, said method comprises:

determining a number of calls that have been blocked by a process of the system during a predetermined interval for each sector;

determining a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the predetermined interval for each sector;

comparing the number of calls being blocked for each sector to a first threshold;

comparing the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked for each sector to a second threshold; and

if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is less than the second threshold for a sector, providing an indication that the sector is operating at a reduced capacity.

2. A method of detecting a reduction in capacity of a telecommunications system, comprising the steps of:

determining a number of calls that have been blocked by a process of the system during a predetermined interval;

determining a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the predetermined interval;

comparing the number of calls being blocked to a first threshold;

comparing the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked to a second threshold; and

if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is less than the second threshold, providing an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of comparing the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked to a second threshold comprises:

taking the difference between the second threshold and the minimum number of channel elements; and

comparing the difference to a third threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein a report is printed if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is more than the second threshold, but within a predetermined amount of the second threshold.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the printed report is used to adjust at least one of the thresholds.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity comprises activating a visible indicator.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity comprises displaying information to a user.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of storing a first indicator in a computer readable medium if the system is operating at a reduced capacity.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

determining a second number of calls that have been blocked by a process of the system during a second predetermined interval;

determining a second minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the second predetermined interval;

determining from information stored in the computer readable medium if there is a first indicator;

if there is a first indicator, determining from the second number of calls and the second minimum number of channels elements if the first indicator can be cleared; and

if the first indicator can be cleared, providing a second indication that the system is no longer operating at a reduced capacity.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of storing a second indicator in the computer readable medium if the system is no longer operating at a reduced capacity.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein if the first indicator cannot be cleared, providing a third indication that the system is in an intermediate state.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of storing a third indicator in the computer readable medium if the system is in an intermediate state.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity comprises activating an audible alarm.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity comprises printing a report.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein information in the report is used to adjust at least one of the thresholds.

16. The method of claim 2 wherein the process of the system is a power control process.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of determining a number of calls that have been blocked comprises inputting the number of calls that have been blocked from the power control process.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of determining a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls comprises inputting the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls from the power control process.

19. A test system, comprising:

a test apparatus; and

a base station connected to said test apparatus, said base station having a programmed processor for determining a number of calls that have been blocked by a process of a telecommunications system during a predetermined interval;

determining a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the predetermined interval;

comparing the number of calls being blocked to a first threshold;

comparing the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked to a second threshold; and

if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is less than the second threshold, for providing an indication to the test apparatus that the telecommunications system is operating at a reduced capacity.

20. The test system of claim 19 wherein said processor compares the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked to a second threshold by:

taking the difference between the second threshold and the minimum number of channel elements; and

comparing the difference to a third threshold.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said base station is coupled to a printer and a report is printed by the processor if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is more than the second threshold, but within a predetermined amount of the second threshold.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the printed report is used by an operator of the test system to adjust at least one of the thresholds.

23. The test system of claim 19 further comprising a computer readable medium, wherein said processor stores a first indicator in said computer readable medium if the telecommunications system is operating at a reduced capacity.

24. The test system of claim 23 wherein said processor is further programmed to:

determine a second number of calls that have been blocked by a process of the telecommunications system during a second predetermined interval;

determine a second minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the second predetermined interval;

determine from information stored in said computer readable medium if there is a first indicator;

if there is a first indicator, determine from the second number of calls and the second minimum number of channels elements if the first indicator can be cleared; and

if the first indicator can be cleared, provide a second indication that the telecommunications system is no longer operating at a reduced capacity.

25. The test system of claim 24 wherein said processor stores a second indicator in said computer readable medium if the telecommunications system is no longer operating at a reduced capacity.

26. The test system of claim 25 wherein said processor stores a third indicator in said computer readable medium if the telecommunications system is in an intermediate state.

27. The test system of claim 24 wherein if the first indicator cannot be cleared, said processor provides a third indication that the telecommunications system is in an intermediate state.

28. The test system of claim 19 wherein said apparatus includes a visible indicator and said processor provides an indication that the telecommunications system is operating at a reduced capacity by activating said visible indicator.

29. The test system of claim 19 wherein said apparatus includes a display and said processor provides an indication that the telecommunications system is operating at a reduced capacity by displaying information on said display.

30. The test system of claim 19 wherein said apparatus includes an audible alarm and said processor provides an indication that the telecommunications system is operating at a reduced capacity by activating said audible alarm.

31. The test system of claim 19 wherein said apparatus includes a printer and said processor provides an indication that the telecommunications system is operating at a reduced capacity by printing a report on said printer.

32. The test system of claim 31 wherein the printed report is used by an operator of the apparatus to adjust at least one of the thresholds.

33. The test system of claim 19 wherein the process of the telecommunications system is a power control process.

34. The test system of claim 33 wherein said processor determines a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls by inputting the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls from the power control process.

35. The test system of claim 33 wherein said processor determines a number of calls that have been blocked by inputting the number of calls that have been blocked from the power control process.

36. The test system of claim 19 wherein the telecommunications system is a CDMA system.

37. A wireless telecommunications apparatus, comprising:

a programmed processor for determining a number of calls that have been blocked by a process of a system during a predetermined interval;

determining a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the predetermined interval;

comparing the number of calls being blocked to a first threshold;

comparing the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked to a second threshold; and

if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is less than the second threshold, for providing an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said apparatus is coupled to a printer and a report is printed by the processor if the number of calls being blocked exceeds the first threshold and the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked is more than the second threshold, but within a predetermined amount of the second threshold.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the printed report is used by an operator of the apparatus to adjust at least one of the thresholds.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the process of the system is a power control process.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said processor compares the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked to a second threshold by:

taking the difference between the second threshold and the minimum number of channel elements; and

comparing the difference to a third threshold.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said apparatus is coupled to a visible indicator and said processor provides an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity by activating said visible indicator.

43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said apparatus is coupled to a display and said processor provides an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity by displaying information on said display.

44. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a computer readable medium, wherein said processor stores a first indicator in said computer readable medium if the system is operating at a reduced capacity.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said processor is further programmed to:

determine a second number of calls that have been blocked by a process of the system during a second predetermined interval;

determine a second minimum number of channel elements carrying calls when calls are being blocked by the process during the second predetermined interval;

determine from information stored in said computer readable medium if there is a first indicator;

if there is a first indicator, determine from the second number of calls and the second minimum number of channels elements if the first indicator can be cleared; and

if the first indicator can be cleared, provide a second indication that the system is no longer operating at a reduced capacity.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein if the first indicator cannot be cleared, said processor provides a third indication that the system is in an intermediate state.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said processor stores a third indicator in said computer readable medium if the system is in an intermediate state.

48. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein said processor stores a second indicator in said computer readable medium if the system is no longer operating at a reduced capacity.

49. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said apparatus is coupled to an audible alarm and said processor provides an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity by activating said audible alarm.

50. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said apparatus is coupled to a printer and said processor provides an indication that the system is operating at a reduced capacity by printing a report on said printer.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the printed report is used by an operator of the apparatus to adjust at least one of the thresholds.

52. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said processor determines a number of calls that have been blocked by inputting the number of calls that have been blocked from the power control process.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein said processor determines a minimum number of channel elements carrying calls by inputting the minimum number of channel elements carrying calls from the power control process.

54. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the system is a CDMA system.