Using personal wireless devices for network testing

• US 9,736,716 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2017
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• 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:
  US15/456,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20170188256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 158 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 minimization of drive test (MDT) reporting system comprising:

a first base station with a public land mobile network (PLMN) establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a user equipment (UE);

the first base station sending an MDT configuration to the UE for performing a logged-type MDT measurement;

a second base station establishing an RRC connection with the UE;

the second base station receiving an indication of availability of the logged-type MDT measurement, wherein the indication is received in a RRCConnectionSetupComplete message during transition to RRC connected mode;

the second base station sending an information request message to the UE requesting the logged-type MDT measurement; and

on a condition that the PLMN is an authorized MDT PLMN and the logged-type MDT measurement is available, the second base station receiving the logged-type MDT measurement from the UE in response to the information request message, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement was performed by the UE in RRC idle mode when the UE was connected to the first base station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the requested information is sent via an SRB2 using an information response message.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising the first base station receiving capability information from the UE indicating support for MDT.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the MDT configuration is sent to the UE via an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement comprises at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ).

6. A reporting method in a base station comprising:

the base station establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a user equipment (UE);

the base station sending a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration to the UE for performing a logged-type MDT measurement;

the base station receiving from the UE an indication of availability of the logged-type MDT measurement, wherein the indication received in an RRCConnectionSetupComplete message, and wherein the logged-type MDT measurement was performed by the UE in RRC idle mode;

the base station sending an information request message to the UE requesting the available logged-type MDT measurement; and

on a condition that a public land mobile network (PLMN) associated with the base station is an authorized MDT PLMN and the logged-type MDT measurement is available, the base station receiving the logged-type MDT measurement from the UE in response to the information request message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the requested information is sent via an SRB2 using an information response message.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising the base station receiving capability information from the UE indicating support for MDT.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the MDT configuration is sent to the UE via an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement comprises at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ).

11. A base station comprising:

a processor configured to at least;

establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a user equipment (UE);

send a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration to the UE for performing a logged-type MDT measurement;

receive from the UE an indication of availability of the logged-type MDT measurement, wherein the indication received in an RRCConnectionSetupComplete message, and wherein the logged-type MDT measurement was performed by the UE in RRC idle mode;

send an information request message to the UE requesting the available logged-type MDT measurement; and

on a condition that a public land mobile network (PLMN) associated with the base station is an authorized MDT PLMN and the logged-type MDT measurement is available, receive the logged-type MDT measurement from the UE in response to the information request message.

12. The base station of claim 11, wherein the requested information is sent via an SRB2 using an information response message.

13. The base station of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to receive capability information from the UE indicating support for MDT.

14. The base station of claim 11, wherein the MDT configuration is sent to the UE via an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

15. The base station of claim 11, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement comprises at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ).

16. A device comprising:

a processor configured to establish a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a user equipment (UE);

a transmitter configured to send a minimization of drive test (MDT) configuration to the UE for performing a logged-type MDT measurement;

a receiver configured to receive from the UE an indication of availability of the logged-type MDT measurement, wherein the indication received in an RRCConnectionSetupComplete message, and wherein the logged-type MDT measurement was performed by the UE in RRC idle mode;

the receiver configured to send an information request message to the UE requesting the available logged-type MDT measurement; and

on a condition that a public land mobile network (PLMN) is an authorized MDT PLMN and the logged-type MDT measurement is available, receive the logged-type MDT measurement from the UE in response to the information request message.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the requested information is sent via an SRB2 using an information response message.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to receive capability information from the UE indicating support for MDT.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the MDT configuration is sent to the UE via an RRCConnectionRelease message or an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the logged-type MDT measurement comprises at least one of reference signal received power (RSRP) or reference signal received quality (RSRQ).