Method and system for monitoring traffic carrier performance in a mobile communication system

• US 6,597,908 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Yu, Bee Yun
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, SHEILA B
• Application Number:
  US09/500,673
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/423, 455/424, 455/452, 455/513, 455/509, 455/62, 455/9, 370/341, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring the traffic carrier performance of a CDMA carrier in a mobile communication system are provided. The method and system assign a preferred traffic carrier to each mobile station. During a drive-test, the preferred traffic carrier is assigned to the respective mobile station either originating or receiving a call. In the event of a dropped call, the system attempts to re-establish the call on the preferred traffic carrier to provide continuous monitoring on the same traffic carrier when the call is retried. If the preferred traffic carrier is not available when the BSC or base station assigns a traffic carrier, an alternate traffic carrier can be assigned at the call setup. After the call setup procedure is completed, a handoff procedure is initiated to transfer the call from the alternate traffic carrier to the preferred traffic carrier after a predetermined time if the preferred traffic carrier is available.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring traffic carrier performance during a drive test of a mobile communication system having a plurality of base stations each transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a plurality of mobile units including a mobile test unit, said signals being carried over a plurality of traffic carriers, said method comprising the steps of:

designating a preferred traffic carrier for the drive test and identifying the preferred traffic carrier with a preferred traffic carrier identifier;

creating a desired traffic carrier (DFC) database that assigns the preferred traffic carrier identifier to the mobile test unit, wherein the DFC database includes a preferred traffic carrier field identifying the preferred traffic carrier and an index field identifying each of said plurality of mobile units for performing call setup with each of said plurality of mobile units;

performing a call setup for the mobile test unit by accessing the DFC database and retrieving the preferred traffic carrier identifier assigned to the mobile test unit;

determining if the preferred traffic carrier is available for assignment; and

assigning the preferred traffic carrier to the mobile test unit if the preferred traffic carrier is determined to be available for assignment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred traffic carrier is retrieved from a subset of radio frequency (RF) carriers assigned to said base station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said call setup is one of originating and receiving a call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the DFC database is located at a mobile switching center servicing said mobile communication system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the DFC database is located at each of said plurality of base stations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the DFC database includes multiple records where each record corresponds to one of said plurality of mobile stations and each of said row entries includes a first data field for identifying said one of said plurality of mobile stations, and a second data field for identifying a preferred traffic carrier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if said determining step determines that said identified preferred traffic carrier is not available, the method further comprises the step of assigning an alternate traffic carrier to said one of said plurality of mobile stations.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of initiating a handoff procedure upon assigning said alternate traffic carrier to said one of said plurality of mobile stations to handoff said one of said plurality of mobile stations from said alternate traffic carrier to said preferred traffic carrier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of assigning said preferred traffic carrier entails assigning said one of said plurality of mobile stations via a standard channel assignment message.

10. A mobile communication system for monitoring traffic carrier performance of a CDMA carrier during a drive test, said system comprising:

a plurality of mobile units including a mobile test unit;

a plurality of base stations each transmitting signals to and receiving signals from the plurality of mobile units and the mobile test unit, said signals being carried over a plurality of traffic carriers; and

at least one desired traffic carrier (DFC) database, said database including a preferred traffic carrier identifier corresponding to a preferred traffic carrier and an index field identifying each of said plurality of mobile units for performing call setup with each of said plurality of mobile units,

wherein a call setup for the mobile test unit accesses the DFC database, retrieves the preferred traffic carrier identifier assigned to the mobile test unit for the drive test, and assigns the preferred traffic carrier to the mobile test unit if the preferred traffic carrier is determined to be available for assignment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of base stations includes means for accessing one of said at least one DFC database.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a base station controller (BSC) servicing said plurality of base stations, said BSC having means for accessing said at least one DFC database.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a mobile switching center (MSC) servicing said plurality of base stations, said MSC having means for accessing said at least one DFC database.