System determination emulator for analysis and testing

• US 8,351,342 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rajan, Rajeev D., Hunter, Andrew T., Cooper, Rotem, Santaella, Tomas Galvez
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/474,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20080293402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

A roaming emulator provides a tool for emulating system determination for monitoring the operation of a wireless communication device (WCD) during system determination. A signal monitoring program and service selection protocol are stored, and a signal emulation module provides a signal emulation output in accordance with a predetermined set of data. A processing module performs a simulation of a service selection procedure based on the service selection protocol and performed in accordance with the signal monitoring program and the signal emulation output. A result of the service selection is provided by an output module. The emulator can provide emulated system scanning based on geographical or market location, and can emulate scenarios when channels from neighboring systems or markets “bleed” into the RF environment of the WCD.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in monitoring the operation of a wireless communication device during system determination, the apparatus comprising:

a memory store configured to store a signal monitoring program and configured to store a service selection protocol comprising a roaming list;

a signal emulator configured to provide a signal emulation output in accordance with a set of data;

a processor coupled to the memory store, the processor configured to perform a simulation of a service selection procedure based on the roaming list and performed in accordance with the signal monitoring program and the signal emulation output; and

an output interface coupled to the processor and configured to output a result of the service selection procedure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal emulator is configured to provide signal emulations in accordance with a database of signal sources.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to provide simulated signal inputs for use by the signal emulator, the simulated signal inputs established according to a location selection provided to the signal emulator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal monitoring program comprises a station search protocol provided for simulation of service determination.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service selection protocol provides a system determination procedure based on a list of available network services.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal emulator is configured to provide signal emulations in accordance with data from a technical data sheet.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input module coupled to the processor and configured to receive data in a format of a technical data sheet for use by the processor and convert the data in the format of the technical data sheet to a format for use by the processor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the service selection protocol provides a system determination procedure based on a list of available network services; and

the roaming list comprises a preferred roaming list.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the service selection protocol provides a system determination procedure based on a list of available network services; and

the roaming list comprises a public land mobile network list.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the signal monitoring program comprises a station search protocol and a service selection procedure utilized to provide roaming service selection; and

the service selection procedure comprises a system determination procedure based on a list of available network services.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a connection for receiving external signal inputs, whereby the external signal inputs provide data for the processor to utilize as the signal emulation output in lieu of the outputs of the signal emulator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service selection procedure comprises pilot scanning to provide system acquisition.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide emulation of system determination for power up of the wireless communication device and to provide emulation of system determination for reacquisition of a communication link after loss of the communication link.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to receive commands to initiate the system determination, save a current result of the system determination, open a stored result of the system determination, emulate a wireless communication device power up, emulate a loss of a system, and emulate reacquisition of the system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a system bleed user interface configured to receive commands to introduce interaction of wireless services across wireless service regions.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display module configured to display the results of the system determination and a user interface,

wherein the display module is further configured to display at least one of a scanning progress, a serving system, a location, a scan list, or an alternate scan list.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display module configured to display the results of the system determination and a user interface,

wherein the user interface is configured to receive commands to initiate the system determination, save a current result of the system determination, and open a stored result of the system determination.

18. An apparatus for use in monitoring the operation of a wireless communication device during system acquisition, the apparatus comprising:

means for loading a signal monitoring program;

means for loading a service selection protocol comprising a roaming list;

means for providing a signal emulation output in accordance with a set of data;

means for performing a system determination procedure based on the roaming list and performed in accordance with the signal monitoring program and the signal emulation output; and

means for outputting a result of the system determination.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving data corresponding to a technical data sheet, wherein the means for performing the system determination is further configured to emulate the system determination based on the technical data sheet.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for simulating system bleed by introducing interaction of wireless services across wireless service regions.

21. A computer program product for use in monitoring the operation of a wireless communication device during system acquisition, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to load a signal emulation program for providing a signal emulation output in accordance with a set of data;

code for causing the computer to load a signal monitoring program;

code for causing the computer to load a service selection protocol comprising a roaming list;

code for causing the computer to perform a system determination procedure based on the roaming list and using the signal emulation output; and

code for causing the computer to output the results of the system determination.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the signal emulation program is configured to cause the computer to provide signal emulations in accordance with a database of signal sources, and to provide the signal emulation output according to a location selection.

23. A method for monitoring the operation of a wireless communication device during a cell search procedure, the method comprising:

loading a signal monitoring program and a service selection protocol comprising a roaming list from a memory store;

providing a signal emulation output;

performing a simulation of a service selection procedure based on the roaming list in accordance with the signal emulation output and the signal monitoring program; and

outputting the results of the simulation of the service selection procedure.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

selecting a location; and

modifying the signal emulation output in accordance with the location.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the providing of the signal emulation output comprises utilizing data corresponding to a technical data sheet in order to emulate a signal in accordance with the technical data sheet.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the performing of the simulation of the service selection procedure comprises pilot scanning to provide system acquisition.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising selectively receiving external signal inputs, whereby the external signal inputs provide data for performing the simulation of the service selection procedure.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a user interface configured to receive commands for initiating a system determination, saving a current result of the system determination, opening a stored result of the system determination, emulating a wireless communication device power up, emulating a loss of a system, emulating a reacquisition of the system, and displaying the results of the system determination.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing a system bleed user interface configured to receive commands for introducing an interaction of wireless services across wireless service regions.