Measurements logging and transmission at a user equipment of a mobile communications system

• US 9,591,503 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomala, Malgorzata, Bodog, Gyula
• Primary Examiner(s): Trandai, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US13/702,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,456 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A user equipment performs measurements logging which has been defined for a scheduled area belonging to a network of a mobile communications network, the measurements including information about performance of the scheduled area. In case the user equipment connects to an area of areas of the mobile communications network which belongs to a network different from the network of the scheduled area, the user equipment prevents transmission of the logged measurements.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

memory storing a program of instructions;

wherein the memory storing the program of instructions is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

perform measurements logging for a list of network identities defining an area of interest for minimization of drive test measurements in a mobile communications network, the measurements comprising information about performance of the defined area of interest;

establish a connection of the apparatus to an area of the mobile communications network;

detect to which area of the mobile communications network the apparatus is connected;

compare network identities defining the area of interest against the network identity of the area to which the apparatus is connected, to determine if the area to which the apparatus is connected by the mobile communications network belongs to the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network;

determine, in case the area to which the apparatus is connected is different from the defined area of interest, whether the network to which the apparatus is connected has changed;

prevent beginning of transmission of existing logged measurements in case the area to which the apparatus is connected belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network and the network to which the apparatus has connected has changed;

in case the area to which the apparatus is connected is different from the defined area of interest, hold the logged measurements for a predetermined period of time; and

in case the area to which a transceiver connects the apparatus belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network, allow, after expiration of the predetermined period of time, transmission of the logged measurements for the area of interest in case the transceiver reconnects the apparatus to the network of the defined area of interest.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to delete the logged measurements for the area of interest of the mobile communications network in case the area to which the apparatus is connected belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the network of the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the networks each comprise an identity, and the apparatus is caused to record the logged measurements for the area of interest of the mobile communications network with the identity of the defined area of interest, and wherein the processor is configured to prevent transmission of the logged measurements and/or delete the logged measurements and/or hold the logged measurements in case the identity of the area to which the transceiver connects the apparatus is different from the identity of the area recorded for the logged measurements.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the areas of the mobile communications network comprise at least one of the following:

cells, lists of cells, tracking areas, routing areas and location areas, and/or wherein the network of the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network and the network of the area to which the transceiver connects the apparatus are public land mobile networks, and/or wherein the measurements comprise minimization drive test measurements, and/or wherein the measurements are collected in idle and/or connected mode of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurements logging defined for the scheduled area comprises measurements logging defined for the network of the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the areas each comprise an identity, and the processor is configured to record the logged measurements for the scheduled area with the identity of the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logged measurements are retained for the area of interest in case the area to which apparatus is connected belongs to an area of the mobile communications network different from the network of the defined area of interest.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to notify the network in case the area to which the apparatus is connected belongs to the defined area of interest, and reporting existing logged measurement results.

7. A method comprising:

performing measurements logging for a list of network identities each defining an area of interest for minimization of drive test measurements in a mobile communications network, the measurements comprising information about performance of the area of interest;

establishing a connection of a mobile terminal to an area of the mobile communications network;

detecting to which area of the mobile communications network the mobile terminal is connected;

comparing network identities defining the area of interest against the network identity of the area to which the apparatus is connected, to determine if the area to which the apparatus is connected belongs to the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network;

determining, in case the area to which the apparatus is connected is different from the defined area of interest, whether the network to which the apparatus is connected has chanced;

preventing beginning of transmission of the existing logged measurements in case the area to which the mobile terminal is connected belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network and the network to which the apparatus has connected has changed;

in case the area to which the mobile terminal is connected is different from the defined area of interest, holding the logged measurements for a predetermined period of time; and

in case the area to which a transceiver connects the apparatus belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the area of interest of the mobile communications network, allow, after expiration of the predetermined period of time, transmission of the logged measurements for the area of interest in case the mobile terminal is reconnected to the network of the defined area of interest.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

deleting the logged measurements for the scheduled area in case the area to which the connection is performed belongs to a an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the network of the defined area of interest.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising:

in case the area to which the mobile terminal is connected belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the defined area of interest, holding the logged measurements for the predetermined period of time; and

after expiration of the predetermined period of time, allowing transmission of the logged measurements for the defined area of interest in case of reconnection to the network of the defined area of interest.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the networks each comprise an identity, and the method comprises:

recording the logged measurements for the scheduled area with the identity of the network of the defined area of interest, and preventing transmission of the logged measurements and deleting the logged measurements or holding the logged measurements in case the identity of the area to which the connection is performed is different from the identity of the area recorded for the logged measurements.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the areas of the mobile communications network comprise at least one of the following:

cells, lists of cells, tracking areas, routing areas and location areas, and/or wherein the network of the scheduled area and the network of the area to which the connection is performed apparatus are public land mobile networks, and/or wherein the measurements comprise minimization drive test measurements, and/or wherein the measurements are collected in idle and/or connected mode.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the measurements logging defined for the defined area of interest comprises measurements logging defined for the network of the area of interest.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the areas each comprise an identity, and the method comprises:

recording the logged measurements for the defined area of interest a with the identity of the defined area of interest.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program of instructions, execution of which by a processor configures an apparatus to at least:

perform measurements logging for a list of network identities defining an area of interest for minimization of drive test measurements in a mobile communications network, the measurements comprising information about performance of the area of interest;

establish a connection of the apparatus to an area of the mobile communications network;

detect to which area of the areas of the mobile communications network the apparatus is connected;

compare network identities defining the area of interest against the network identity of the area to which the apparatus is connected, to determine if the area to which the apparatus is connected belongs to the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network;

determine, in case the area to which the apparatus is connected is different from the defined area of interest, whether the network to which the apparatus is connected has changed;

prevent beginning of transmission of the existing logged measurements in case the area to which the apparatus is connected belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network and the network to which the apparatus has connected has changed;

in case the area to which the apparatus is connected is different from the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network, hold the logged measurements for a predetermined period of time; and

in case the area to which a transceiver connects the apparatus belongs to an area of the mobile communications network which is different from the defined area of interest of the mobile communications network, allow, after expiration of the predetermined period of time, to allow transmission of the logged measurements for the area of interest in case the apparatus is reconnected to the network of the defined area of interest.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium comprises a module adapted for insertion into a data processing device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the program is directly loadable into an internal memory of the processor.