Mobile station measurements with event-based reporting

• US 6,445,917 B1
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bergström, Joakim, Müller, Walter, Bark, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US09/314,019
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/436, 455/437, 455/439, 455/453, 455/442, 455/522, 455/524, 455/525, 455/513, 455/512, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data

Abstract

The present invention provides event-based or driven reporting of mobile station measurements. A mobile station measures one or more radio-related parameters for one or more cells in a radio access network. The mobile station evaluates the measured radio-related parameter with respect to a predetermined condition or event and determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied or that the event has occurred. Based on that evaluation, the mobile radio sends a report to the radio access network. Accordingly, the occurrence of an event and/or the satisfaction of a condition triggers the sending of the report to the network. That way, the network receives the information so that it can take timely and appropriate action without sending outdated or redundant measurement reports that do not convey relevant or new information.

Claims

1. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

add either a positive or a negative offset to the measured radio-related parameter;

evaluate the offset, measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control.

2. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the report includes a measured value of the radio-related parameter.

3. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the radio-related parameter is a signal strength, a power, or signal-to-interference ratio of a signal received from a cell base station.

4. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the radio-related parameter is an interference level or an error rate associated with a signal received from a cell base station.

5. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the measuring includes measuring signals transmitted over different base station radio channels at the same frequency.

6. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the measuring includes measuring signals transmitted over different base station radio channels at different frequencies.

7. The mobile radio in claim 1, further electronically enabled to:

receive a measurement control message from a control node in the radio access network, and

modify the radio-related parameter or the predetermined condition in response to the received message.

8. The mobile radio in claim 1, further electronically enabled to:

receive a measurement control message from a control node in the radio access network, and

add another radio-related parameter to be measured or another predetermined condition to be evaluated in response to the received message.

9. The mobile radio in claim 1, further electronically enabled to:

establish a reporting range for the predetermined condition, and

send a report when the measured radio-related parameter enters or leave the reporting range.

10. The mobile radio in claim 1, further electronically enabled to:

establish a reporting range for the predetermined condition, and

send a report when the measured radio-related parameter for a first cell is the same as or close to the measured radio-related parameter for a second cell.

11. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the positive or negative offset may vary depending on the cell.

12. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein plural radio-related parameters are each measured and evaluated against a corresponding predetermined condition, the mobile radio further electronically enabled to:

add a corresponding, parameter-specific offset to each measured radio-related parameter before evaluating whether the corresponding predetermined condition is satisfied.

13. The mobile radio claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition includes the measured radio-related parameter entering or leaving a predetermined parameter range.

14. The mobile radio in claim 1, further electronically enabled to:

prevent the sending of a report associated with the one or more cells even though the predetermined condition is satisfied.

15. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition includes the measured radio-related parameter for a first cell becoming better than the measured radio-related parameter for a second cell.

16. The mobile radio in claim 15, wherein the measured radio-related parameters for the first and second cells are both within a predetermined range.

17. The mobile radio in claim 1, electronically enabled to:

employ a hysteresis parameter in determining whether a predetermined condition is satisfied.

18. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition includes a change in the measured radio-related parameter exceeding a change threshold.

19. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition includes a problem detected on a radio link with one of the cells.

20. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the power control includes a handover operation.

21. The mobile radio in claim 1, wherein the power control includes a change in the bit rate in a transmission involving the mobile radio.

22. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control;

wherein the radio-related parameter is a traffic volume associated with the one or more cells.

23. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control;

further electronically enabled to;

prevent the measured radio-related parameter for a specific cell within a predetermined parameter range from affecting the predetermined parameter range.

24. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control,

wherein the mobile radio is further electronically enabled to;

evaluate one or more measured radio-related parameters with respect to two predetermined conditions; and

send a report of the measured radio-related parameters to the radio access network if both of the two predetermined conditions are satisfied.

25. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control,

wherein the mobile radio is further electronically enabled to;

consider a time-to-trigger in determining whether the predetermined condition is satisfied.

26. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control,

wherein the predetermined condition is a transmit power of the mobile radio crossing a threshold value.

27. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control,

wherein the predetermined condition is the mobile radio failing to decrease or increase its transmit power on demand.

28. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control,

wherein the predetermined condition includes saturation of the mobile radio receiver.

29. A mobile radio, for use in a mobile radio communications system including plural mobile stations communicating with a radio access network having plural cell areas, electronically enabled to perform the following operations including:

measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells;

evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for the one or more cells with respect to a predetermined condition and determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied; and

report to the radio access network the determination for purposes of handover control or power control,

wherein the mobile radio is electronically enabled to;

send a report to the radio access network with mandatory information associated with the condition and optional additional information not necessarily associated with the predetermined condition.

30. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a method implemented in a control node in the mobile radio communications network comprising:

instructing a mobile station to measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for one or more cells, wherein the measurement information includes a positive or a negative offset to be added to the measured radio-related parameter before the mobile station evaluates whether the event is satisfied;

receiving a report from the mobile station; and

determining whether to perform one of a handover and a power control operation based on the received report.

31. The method in claim 30, wherein the power control operation includes a handover operation.

32. The method in claim 30, wherein the power control operation includes a change in bit rate in a transmission involving the mobile radio.

33. The method in claim 30, further comprising:

determining whether to perform an operations or maintenance operation.

34. The method in claim 30, further comprising:

determining whether to perform a mobile radio communications network balancing or optimization operation.

35. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes the measured radio-related parameter.

36. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes measured parameter values other than the measured radio-related parameter, and the method further comprises:

performing another operation based on the other measured parameter values received in the report.

37. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes a signal strength or a power of a signal received from a base station at the one or more cells.

38. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes an interference value, a signal-to-interference ratio, or an error rate associated with a signal received from a base station at the one or more cells.

39. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes a traffic volume associated with the one or more cells.

40. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes signal measurements associated with different base station radio channels transmitted at the same frequency.

41. The method in claim 30, wherein the report includes signal measurements associated with different base station radio channels transmitted at different frequencies.

42. The method in claim 30, further comprising:

instructing the mobile station to perform plural measurements;

wherein each measurement is reported independently from other measurements.

43. The method in claim 30, wherein the mobile station measurement instruction is described with one or more general parameters in a measurement control message.

44. The method in claim 43, wherein the measurement control message includes:

one or more measurement objects, one or more measurement parameters, and one or more reporting events.

45. The method in claim 44, wherein the measurement control message includes an optional measurement parameter to be included in the measurement control message.

46. The method in claim 43, wherein the measurement control message includes an event reporting range such that the mobile station should send a report when the measured radio-related parameter enters or leaves the event reporting range.

47. The method in claim 43, wherein the measurement control message includes an event reporting range such that the mobile station should send a report when the measured radio-related parameter for a first cell is the same as or close to the measured radio-related parameter for a second cell.

48. The method in claim 30, wherein the positive or negative offset may vary depending on the cell.

49. The method in claim 30, wherein the event includes the measured radio-related parameter for a first cell becoming better than the measured radio-related parameter for a second cell.

50. The method in claim 30, wherein the control node instructs the mobile station to employ a hysteresis parameter in determining whether an event has occurred.

51. The method in claim 30, wherein the event includes a change in the measured radio-related parameter exceeding a change threshold.

52. The method in claim 30, wherein the event includes a problem detected by the mobile station on a radio link with one of the cells.

53. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a method implemented in a control node in the mobile radio communications network comprising:

instructing a mobile station to measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for one or more cells;

receiving a report from the mobile station; and

determining whether to perform one of a handover and a power control operation based on the received report,

wherein the event includes the measured radio-related parameter moving into or moving out of a predetermined parameter range, and

wherein the control node instructs the mobile station to prevent the measured radio-related parameter for a specific cell from affecting the predetermined parameter range.

54. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a method implemented in a control node in the mobile radio communications network comprising:

instructing a mobile station to measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for one or more cells;

receiving a report from the mobile station; and

determining whether to perform one of a handover and a power control operation based on the received report;

wherein the control node instructs the mobile station to evaluate one or more measured radio-related parameters with respect to two events, and send a report of the one or more measured radio-related parameters to the control node if both of the two events are satisfied.

55. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a method implemented in a control node in the mobile radio communications network comprising:

instructing a mobile station to measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for one or more cells;

receiving a report from the mobile station; and

determining whether to perform one of a handover and a power control operation based on the received report;

wherein the event includes a transmit power of the mobile radio crossing a threshold value.

56. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a method implemented in a control node in the mobile radio communications network comprising:

instructing a mobile station to measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for one or more cells;

receiving a report from the mobile station; and

determining whether to perform one of a handover and a power control operation based on the received report;

wherein the event includes the mobile radio failing to decrease or increase its transmit power on demand.

57. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a method implemented in a control node in the mobile radio communications network comprising:

instructing a mobile station to measure a radio-related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for one or more cells;

receiving a report from the mobile station; and

determining whether to perform one of a handover and a power control operation based on the received report;

wherein the event includes saturation of the mobile radio receiver.

58. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a control node in the mobile radio communications network configured to perform the following:

instruct a mobile station to measure a radio related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for the one or more cells;

receive a report from the mobile station; and

determine whether to perform a power control operation based on the received report,

wherein the event is a transmit power of the mobile radio crossing a threshold value.

59. The control node in claim 58, wherein the power control operation includes a handover operation.

60. The control node in claim 58, wherein the power control operation includes a change in bit rate in a transmission involving the mobile radio.

61. The control node in claim 58, wherein the operation includes a mobile radio communications balancing or optimization operation.

62. The control node in claim 58, wherein the report includes a signal strength, power, or interference value, a signal-to-interference ratio, or an error rate associated with a signal received from a base station at the one or more cells.

63. The control node in claim 58, further comprising:

instructing a mobile station to perform plural measurements,

wherein each measurement is reported independently from other measurements.

64. The control node in claim 58, wherein the measurement instruction includes an event report range such that the mobile station should send a report when the measured radio-related parameter enters or leaves the event reporting range.

65. The control node in claim 58, wherein the measurement includes an event reporting range such that the mobile station should send a report when the radio-related parameter for a first cell is the same as or close to the measured radio-related parameter for a second cell.

66. The control node in claim 58, wherein the control node instructs the mobile station to evaluate one or more measured radio-related parameters with respect to two events, and send a report of the one or more measured radio-related parameters to the control node if both of the two events are satisfied.

67. The control node in claim 58, wherein the event includes the measured radio-related parameter for a first cell becoming better than the measured radio-related parameter for a second cell.

68. The control node in claim 58, wherein the control node instructs the mobile station to employ a hysteresis parameter in determining whether an event has occurred.

69. The control node in claim 58, wherein the event includes a change in the measured radio-related parameter exceeding a change threshold.

70. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a control node in the mobile radio communications network configured to perform the following:

instruct a mobile station to measure a radio related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for the one or more cells;

receive a report from the mobile station; and

determine whether to perform a power control operation based on the received report;

wherein the measurement includes a positive or a negative offset to be added to the measured radio-related parameter before the mobile station evaluates whether the event is satisfied.

71. The control node in claim 70, wherein the positive or negative offset may vary depending on the cell.

72. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a control node in the mobile radio communications network configured to perform the following:

instruct a mobile station to measure a radio related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for the one or more cells;

receive a report from the mobile station; and

determine whether to perform a power control operation based on the received report,

wherein the control node instructs the mobile station to consider a time-to-trigger in determining whether an event has occurred.

73. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a control node in the mobile radio communications network configured to perform the following:

instruct a mobile station to measure a radio related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for the one or more cells;

receive a report from the mobile station; and

determine whether to perform a power control operation based on the received report,

wherein the event includes the mobile radio failing to decrease or increase its transmit power on demand.

74. In a mobile radio communications network including plural cells each associated with a radio base station for communicating over a radio interface with mobile stations, a control node in the mobile radio communications network configured to perform the following:

instruct a mobile station to measure a radio related parameter for one or more cells, to evaluate the measured radio-related parameter for each of the one or more cells with respect to an event, and to send a report from the mobile radio to the control node when the event occurs for the one or more cells;

receive a report from the mobile station; and

determine whether to perform a power control operation based on the received report;

wherein the event includes saturation of the mobile radio receiver.