Method and apparatus for detecting communication network delays

• US 6,810,235 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: DePoister, Doug, Smith, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/382,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/521, 455/67.11, 455/67.16, 455/67.7, 455/412--61, 370/252, 370/253
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18532 Arrangements for managing transmission, i.e. for transporting data or a signalling message

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting communication network delays. In general, messages from vehicles are time stamped, and then the time stamp is compared to a time that each message is received by a central station. A processor at the central station then determines a time difference between the time stamp and the received time. The time difference is then compared to a predetermined time. If more than a predetermined number of messages is received by the central station exceeding the predetermined time, a notification is sent to an entity, such as personnel at the central station.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting communication network delays, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a message from a vehicle, said message comprising a time stamp indicating when the message was transmitted;

a processor for determining a time that the message was received, for determining a time difference between the time stamp and the time when the message was received, for comparing the time difference to a predetermined time, for determining a number of messages received having a time difference greater than said predetermined time, and for generating a notification if said number of messages received having a time difference greater than said predetermined time exceeds a predetermined number; and

an interface for providing said notification to an entity.

2. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for detecting communication network delays, said method comprising operations of:

receiving a message from a vehicle, said message comprising a time stamp indicating when the message was transmitted;

determining a time that the message was received;

determining a time difference between the time stamp and the time when the message was received;

comparing the time difference to a predetermined time;

determining a number of messages received having a time difference greater than said predetermined time; and

generating a notification if said number of messages received having a time difference greater than said predetermined time exceeds a predetermined number.

3. A method for detecting communication network delays, comprising:

receiving a message from a vehicle, said message comprising a time stamp indicating when the message was transmitted;

determining a time that the message was received;

determining a time difference between the time stamp and the time when the message was received;

comparing the time difference to a predetermined time;

determining a number of messages received having a time difference greater than said predetermined time; and

generating a notification if said number of messages received having a time difference greater than said predetermined time exceeds a predetermined number.