Message analyzer and analysis method

• US 8,189,490 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Michl, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jae Y
• Application Number:
  US10/567,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20080151760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,862 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/252, 370/474
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A message analysis device serves for the analysis of messages transmitted via service access points on layers of an OSI reference model. The message analysis device comprises a storage device, for storing messages, a selection device, for reading a series of sequential messages and a display device, for the display of at least one first region and one second region. In the first region, a series of messages read by the selection device from the memory device can be displayed as a list. The selection device determines a characteristic feature of messages for at least one service access point, transmitted by the service access point, whereby the curve for the characteristic feature may be displayed on the display device in the second region.

Claims

1. A message analyzer for analyzing messages which are transmitted via at least one service access point from layers of an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model of an end system of a subscriber of a mobile telephone system, the message analyzer comprising:

a storage device for storing messages;

a selector for reading in a first sequence of messages,

wherein the first sequence of messages is a sequence of temporally successive messages; and

a display device for displaying, on a single screen, a first region and a second region, wherein the first sequence of messages is read in by the selector from the storage device and displayed in the first region,

wherein the selector determines, for the at least one service access point, a first characteristic feature of the messages which are transmitted via the at least one service access point and a course of the first characteristic feature is displayed on the display device in the second region,

wherein the selector reads a second sequence of messages dependent upon a selection of a specific point of the course of the first characteristic feature that is selectable in the second region, and

wherein the display device is configured to display a selectable marking produced automatically by the selector in the second region based on a predefined additional item of information stored during storing the messages in the storage device, and

wherein upon selection of the marking, the second sequence of messages which corresponds to the specific point of the selected marking is read in from the storage device.

2. A message analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the selector determines a second characteristic feature for messages which are transmitted via a plurality of service access points of a layer of the OSI reference model, and a course of the second characteristic feature is displayed on the display device in the second region.

3. A message analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the course of the first characteristic feature is displayed in the second region in a coordinate system, wherein the X axis of the coordinate system is a time axis.

4. A message analyzer according to claim 3, wherein a third region of the course displayed in the second region which corresponds respectively to the first sequence of messages currently displayed in the first region, is highlighted.

5. A message analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the course of the first characteristic feature is displayed in the second region in a coordinate system, wherein the X axis of the coordinate system is subdivided into intervals each having an identical number of messages.

6. A message analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the first characteristic feature is a number of transmitted messages per interval of time or a data load of a layer of the OSI reference model or a number of messages transmitted repeatedly.

7. A message analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the predefined additional item of information is defined as a specific event that occurs during a test run.

8. A message analyzer according to claim 7, wherein the specific event is a change of attenuation.

9. A message analyzer for analyzing messages which are transmitted via at least one service access point from layers of an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model of an end system of a subscriber of a mobile telephone system, the message analyzer comprising:

a storage device for storing messages;

a selector for reading in a first sequence of messages,

wherein the first sequence of messages is a sequence of temporally successive messages; and

a display device for displaying, on a single screen, a first region and a second region,

wherein the first sequence of messages is read in by the selector from the storage device and displayed in the first region,

wherein the selector determines, for the at least one service access point, a first characteristic feature of the messages which are transmitted via the at least one service access point and a course of the first characteristic feature is displayed on the display device in the second region,

wherein the selector reads a second sequence of messages dependent upon a selection of a specific point of the course of the first characteristic feature that is selectable in the second region, and

wherein a plurality of specific points are marked by respective markings in the course displayed in the second region and, upon selection of a marking of the markings, the second sequence of messages which corresponds to the specific point of the selected marking is read in from the storage device.

10. A method using a computer or a digital signal processor for analyzing messages which are transmitted via at least one service access point from layers of an OSI reference model of an end system of a subscriber of a mobile telephone system and which are stored in a storage device, comprising the steps of:

reading in a first sequence of messages by a selector;

displaying the first sequence of messages which is read in by the selector, in tabular form in a first region of a single screen of a display device,

wherein a first characteristic feature of messages which are transmitted via the at least one service access point is determined by the selector and a course of the first characteristic feature is displayed in a second region of the single screen of the display device;

selecting, in the second region, a specific point of the course of the first characteristic feature; and

reading in, by the selector, a second sequence of messages dependent upon the specific point,

wherein during storing the messages in the storage device, a predefined additional item of information is stored, and dependent upon the predefined additional item of information, a selectable marking is produced automatically in the second region by the selector, and upon selection of the marking, dependent upon the specific point marked by the selected marking, the second sequence of messages which corresponds to the specific point of the selected marking is read in by the selector from the storage device.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by the selector, a second characteristic feature of messages which are transmitted via a plurality of service access points of a layer of the OSI reference model.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least one characteristic feature is displayed in the second region in a coordinate system, wherein the X axis of the coordinate system is a time axis.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein a third region which corresponds respectively to the first sequence of messages displayed in tabular form in the first region is displayed highlighted in the second region.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first characteristic feature is displayed in the second region in a coordinate system, wherein the X axis of the coordinate system is sub-divided into intervals each having an identical number of messages.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the predefined additional item of information is defined as a specific event that occurs during a test run.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the specific event is a change of attenuation.

17. A method using a computer or a digital signal processor for analyzing messages which are transmitted via at least one service access point from layers of an OSI reference model of an end system of a subscriber of a mobile telephone system and which are stored in a storage device, comprising the steps of:

reading in a first sequence of messages by a selector;

displaying the first sequence of messages which is read in by the selector, in tabular form in a first region of a single screen of a display device,

wherein a first characteristic feature of messages which are transmitted via the at least one service access point is determined by the selector and a course of the first characteristic feature is displayed in a second region of the single screen of the display device;

selecting, in the second region, a specific point of the course of the first characteristic feature; and

reading in, by the selector, a second sequence of messages dependent upon the specific point,

wherein in the second region, a plurality of specific points of the course of the first characteristic feature are marked by respective markings, and upon selection of a marking of the markings, dependent upon the specific point marked by the selected marking, the second sequence of messages which corresponds to the specific point of the selected marking is read in by the selector from the storage device.