Using personal wireless devices for network testing

• US 9,635,579 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Peter S., Stern-Berkowitz, Janet A., Tamaki, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Suhail
• Application Number:
  US15/040,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A personal wireless device is utilized to carry out measurements of one or more network-performance related metrics in response to a triggering event. The triggering event can be a message that is transmitted by a network element to the personal wireless device. The personal wireless device may be exemplified by a variety of personal devices such as, for example, a cellular phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The measurements may be used to derive network-performance related information such as cellular signal coverage areas, signal hole areas, and signal interference areas.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration information for carrying out one or more measurements, wherein the MDT configuration is received when the device is in a first public land mobile network (PLMN);

a processor configured to carry out a measurement of a network-performance related metric based on the received MDT configuration information, wherein the measurement is carried out, based on a determination that a current PLMN of the device is the same as the first PLMN; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a result of the measurement or an indication of an availability of the measurement to a network element based on a determination that the device is in the first PLMN.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the result of the measurement or the indication is sent in a cell associated with the first PLMN.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the network-performance related metric comprises at least one of a downlink pilot signal strength, a signal power headroom, or a neighboring cell signal strength.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the measurement is a logged-type measurement carried out when the cellular device is in an idle mode of operation.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the device is configured to carry out the logged-type measurement when the device is in a first cell coverage area and transmit a result of the logged-type measurement to the network element when the cellular device is in a second cell coverage area.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a measurement validity time or a report validity time.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to stop carrying out the measurement of the network-performance related metric when the measurement validity time expires.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to store the measurement of the network-performance related metric during the report validity time.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to delete the measurement of the network-performance related metric when the report validity time expires.

10. A reporting method comprising:

receiving in a personal wireless device, minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration information for carrying out one or more measurements, wherein the MDT configuration is received when the device is in a first public land mobile network (PLMN);

using the personal wireless device to carry out a measurement of a network-performance related metric based on the received MDT configuration information, wherein the measurement is carried out, based on a determination that a current PLMN of the device is the same as the first PLMN; and

transmitting a result of the measurement or an indication of an availability of the measurement to a network element based on a determination that the device is in the first PLMN.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the result of the measurement or the indication is sent in a cell associated with the first PLMN.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the network-performance related metric comprises at least one of a downlink pilot signal strength, a signal power headroom, or a neighboring cell signal strength.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the measurement is a logged-type measurement carried out when the cellular device is in an idle mode of operation.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the device is configured to carry out the logged-type measurement when the device is in a first cell coverage area and transmit a result of the logged-type measurement to the network element when the cellular device is in a second cell coverage area.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a measurement validity time or a report validity time.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising:

stopping carrying out the measurement of the network-performance related metric when the measurement validity time expires.

17. The method of claim 15 comprising storing the measurement of the network-performance related metric during the report validity time.

18. The method of claim 15 comprising deleting the measurement of the network-performance related metric when the report validity time expires.

19. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a processor configured to at least;

establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection;

receive a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration from an eNodeB (eNB) for performing a logged-type MDT measurement, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement is received when the UE is in RRC connected mode;

transition from RRC connected mode to RRC idle mode;

on a condition that public land mobile network (PLMN) of a first cell is an authorized MDT PLMN, perform the logged-type MDT measurement on the first cell based on the received MDT configuration, wherein the UE performs the logged-type MDT measurement in RRC idle mode;

transition to RRC connected mode in a second cell, and send an indication of availability of the logged-type MDT measurement in an RRCConnectionSetupComplete message during the transition to RRC connected mode;

receive an information request message from the eNB requesting the logged-type MDT measurement; and

on a condition that a PLMN of the second cell is an authorized MDT PLMN and the logged-type MDT measurement is available, send the logged-type MDT measurement to the eNB in response to the information request message.

20. The UE of claim 19, wherein the requested information is sent via an SRB2 using an information response message.

21. The UE of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to send capability information to the eNB indicating support for MDT.

22. The UE of claim 19, wherein the MDT configuration is received via an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

23. The UE of claim 19, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement comprises at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ).

24. A reporting method in a user equipment (UE) comprising:

the UE establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection;

the UE receiving a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration from an eNodeB (eNB) for performing a logged-type MDT measurement, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement is received when the UE is in RRC connected mode;

the UE transitioning from RRC connected mode to RRC idle mode;

on a condition that public land mobile network (PLMN) of a first cell is an authorized MDT PLMN, the UE performing the logged-type MDT measurement on the first cell based on the received MDT configuration, wherein the UE performs the logged-type MDT measurement in RRC idle mode;

the UE transitioning to RRC connected mode in a second cell, wherein the UE sends an indication of availability of the logged-type MDT measurement in an RRCConnectionSetupComplete message during the transition to RRC connected mode;

receiving an information request message from the eNB requesting the logged-type MDT measurement; and

on a condition that a PLMN of the second cell is an authorized MDT PLMN and the logged-type MDT measurement is available, the UE sending the logged-type MDT measurement to the eNB in response to the information request message.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the requested information is sent via an SRB2 using an information response message.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the UE sending capability information to the eNB indicating support for MDT.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the MDT configuration is received via an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement comprises at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ).