Uplink load generation in communication networks

• US 8,644,237 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vadlamudi, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): MEW, KEVIN D
• Application Number:
  US13/244,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20130077575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 864 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-329, 370335-336, 370340-343, 370345-346, 370/348, 370400-401, 370/437, 370441-443, 370/465, 370479-480, 370/498
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events

Abstract

Uplink load generation and control simplify network testing and other tasks. For example, a network operator can decide to test the network by imposing a test load in a selected uplink. The operator can suitably configure an appropriate Mobility Management Entity (MME) with information using a network Operations and Maintenance Support System. In due course, the MME informs the selected user equipment (UE): if the UE is in Idle mode, the network sends a page message; if the UE is in Active mode, with an on-going communication session, the page message is sent after the session ends; and if the UE is detached from the network, the UE is informed during the initial network attach procedure. Thus, uplink load generation is controllable by the network operator, enabling the operator to adjust an existing network and perform realistic simulations on a “green field” network, i.e., a network before launch.

Claims

1. A method of generating an uplink (UL) load in a communication network, comprising:

determining whether a user equipment (UE) in the communication network is in an Idle mode or an Active mode;

if the UE is in the Idle mode;

transmitting a page message to the UE;

determining whether a response to the page message is received;

if the response is received, determining whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation according to a set of parameters are available;

if sufficient UL resources are available, setting up a radio access bearer to the UE for uplink load generation; and

generating an UL load on the radio access bearer according to the set of parameters; and

if the UE is in the Active mode;

determining whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation according to the set of parameters are available;

if sufficient UL resources are available, adding a radio access bearer to the UE dedicated to uplink load generation; and

generating an UL load on the radio access bearer added according to the set of parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of parameters includes an identifier of the UE, either a duration of load generation or an indication that load generation is to be stopped in response to an input command, and a test load size.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up the radio access bearer includes sending a Setup Request message to an evolved NodeB in the communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the radio access bearer includes sending a Setup Modify message to an evolved NodeB in the communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation are available includes determining a number of physical resource blocks in an UL from the UE available during a set time period, and comparing the number to a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an UL load on the radio access bearer includes scheduling the UE for UL physical resource blocks (PRBs) needed to ensure that a moving average of UL PRBs used for uplink load generation corresponds to the set of parameters.

7. A system for generating an uplink (UL) load in a communication network, comprising:

a mobility management entity (MME), an evolved NodeB (eNB), and a user equipment (UE);

wherein the MME is configured to determine whether the UE is in an Idle mode or an Active mode;

if the UE is in the Idle mode, to cause a page message to be transmitted to the UE, to determine whether a response to the page message is received, and if the response is received, to send a setup request message to the eNB to set up a radio access bearer to the UE for UL load generation; and

if the UE is in the Active mode, to send a modify request message to the eNB to add a radio access bearer to the UE dedicated to UL load generation; and

wherein the eNB is configured to determine whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation according to a set of parameters are available;

if sufficient UL resources are available, to respond to the setup request message by setting up the radio access bearer to the UE for uplink load generation and configuring the UE to generate an UL load on the radio access bearer according to the set of parameters, and to respond to the modify request message by adding the radio access bearer to the UE and configuring the UE to generate an UL load on the radio access bearer added according to the set of parameter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the set of parameters includes an identifier of the UE, either a duration of load generation or an indication that load generation is to be stopped in response to an input command, and a test load size.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the eNB is configured to determine whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation are available by at least determining a number of physical resource blocks in an UL from the UE available during a set time period, and comparing the number to a threshold value.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the eNB configures the UE to generate the UL load on the radio access bearer by at least scheduling the UE for UL physical resource blocks (PRBs) needed to ensure that a moving average of UL PRBs used for uplink load generation corresponds to the set of parameters.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium have non-transient stored instructions that, when executed by a computer in a wireless communication network, cause the computer to carry out a method of generating an uplink (UL) load in the communication network, wherein the method comprises:

determining whether a user equipment (UE) in the communication network is in an Idle mode or an Active mode;

if the UE is in the Idle mode;

transmitting a page message to the UE;

determining whether a response to the page message is received;

if the response is received, determining whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation according to a set of parameters are available;

if sufficient UL resources are available, setting up a radio access bearer to the UE for uplink load generation; and

generating an UL load on the radio access bearer according to the set of parameters; and

if the UE is in the Active mode;

determining whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation according to the set of parameters are available;

if sufficient UL resources are available, adding a radio access bearer to the UE dedicated to uplink load generation; and

generating an UL load on the radio access bearer added according to the set of parameters.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of parameters includes an identifier of the UE, either a duration of load generation or an indication that load generation is to be stopped in response to an input command, and a test load size.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein setting up the radio access bearer includes sending a Setup Request message to an evolved NodeB in the communication network.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein adding the radio access bearer includes sending a Setup Modify message to an evolved NodeB in the communication network.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining whether UL resources sufficient for UL load generation are available includes determining a number of physical resource blocks in an UL from the UE available during a set time period, and comparing the number to a threshold value.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein generating an UL load on the radio access bearer includes scheduling the UE for UL physical resource blocks (PRBs) needed to ensure that a moving average of UL PRBs used for uplink load generation corresponds to the set of parameters.