Method and wireless terminal for monitoring communications and providing network with terminal operation information

• US 6,088,588 A
• Filed: 03/25/1997
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Osborne, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/827,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/423, 455/406, 455/425, 379/63, 370/94.1
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A wireless terminal monitors its communications with a wireless network in order to provide the network with performance information. The terminal monitors its own operations and messages, or expected messages from the network, and stores information as to the success or failure of these various events. Performance information, for example, bit error rate and receive signal strength is also stored. The terminal is also capable of performing transmission path quality tests, for example, loop backs. The terminal can transmit information to a network at regular time periods or as a response to a request from the network.

Claims

1. A method of providing a wireless network with performance information from a wireless terminal comprising the steps of:

a) the terminal monitors its communications with the network;

b) the terminal stores information relating to its communications for subsequent transmission to the network;

c) the terminal transmits the stored information to the network in response to receiving a request for information from said network; and

d) performing transmission path quality test in response to the terminal receiving said request wherein said step of performing transmission path quality tests comprises the steps of generating and transmitting a pseudo random bit sequence for evaluation by the network, and analyzing a pseudo random bit sequence received by said network.

2. A terminal comprising:

a communications interface for communicating with a communications network;

memory; and

a controller adapted to carry out the method as claimed in claim 1.

3. A method of providing a wireless network with performance information from a wireless terminal comprising the steps of:

a) the terminal monitors communications with the network for a test call request;

b) upon receipt of a test call request the terminal enters a test mode, wherein said terminal performs transmission path quality tests; and

c) transmits the results to said network, wherein transmission path quality tests are selected from the group comprising;

enabling digital audio loop backs;

enabling analog audio loop backs;

analyzing a received analog tone transmitted by said network;

transmitting an analog tone to said network for analysis by said network;

generating a pseudorandom bit sequence, and transmitting said bit sequence to the network for analysis; and

receiving a pseudorandom bit sequence from said network, and comparing said received pseudorandom bit sequence with an internally generated pseudorandom bit sequence for bit errors.

4. A terminal comprising:

a communications interface for communicating with a communications network;

memory; and

a controller adapted to carry out the method as claimed in claim 3.

5. A method of providing a wireless network with performance information from a wireless terminal comprising the steps of:

a) the terminal monitors its communications with the network;

b) the terminal stores information relating to its communications for subsequent transmission to the network;

c) the terminal transmits the stored information to the network in response to a condition; and

d) performing transmission path quality tests in response to said condition being satisfied wherein said step of performing transmission path quality tests comprises the steps of generating and transmitting a pseudo random bit sequence for evaluation by the network, and analyzing a pseudo random bit sequence received by said network.

6. A terminal comprising:

a communications interface for communicating with a communications network;

memory; and

a controller adapted to carry out the method as claimed in claim 5.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said condition includes any of:

i) the expiry of a predetermined time period from the last transmission;

ii) the occurrence of a predetermined number of failures; and

iii) a monitored parameter exceeds a threshold.

8. A terminal comprising:

a communications interface for communicating with a communications network;

memory, and

a controller adapted to carry out the method as claimed in claim 7.