Network testing systems
First Claim
1. A method of testing a digital mobile phone network, the network comprising:
- a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data;
the method comprising;
creating test traffic between a test one of said mobile communications devices and said communications network infrastructure;
measuring at least one parameter associated with said traffic to provide measurement data;
coding said measurement data representing said measured parameter into said test traffic;
demultiplexing traffic and associated signalling data for said test mobile communications device from traffic arid signalling data for others of said mobile communications devices on a test interface selected from said infrastructure element interfaces;
decoding said measurement data from said demultiplexed traffic for said test mobile communications device; and
combining said decoded measurement data and said demultiplexed signalling data for said test mobile communications device to determine a response of said digital mobile phone network to said test traffic.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of testing a digital mobile phone network such as a GPRS or 3G network comprises creating test traffic using an unmodified test mobile phone coupled to a computer, and using the computer to measure a parameter associated with the network'"'"'s response to the test traffic. The measurements made by the computer are encoded into the test traffic to create a data stream within the mobile phone network comprising test traffic, measurements relating to the test traffic, and signalling relating to the test traffic, whereby this data stream can be captured at points within the network and analysed to investigate the functioning of the network dynamically as the network is exercised with the test traffic. Software and test equipment for performing the method are also described.
129 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of testing a digital mobile phone network, the network comprising:
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a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data;
the method comprising;
creating test traffic between a test one of said mobile communications devices and said communications network infrastructure;
measuring at least one parameter associated with said traffic to provide measurement data;
coding said measurement data representing said measured parameter into said test traffic;
demultiplexing traffic and associated signalling data for said test mobile communications device from traffic arid signalling data for others of said mobile communications devices on a test interface selected from said infrastructure element interfaces;
decoding said measurement data from said demultiplexed traffic for said test mobile communications device; and
combining said decoded measurement data and said demultiplexed signalling data for said test mobile communications device to determine a response of said digital mobile phone network to said test traffic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Test equipment for testing a digital mobile phone network, the network comprising:
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a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data;
the test equipment comprising;
an input to receive data collected at a test one of said interfaces, said received data comprising traffic and signalling data for mobile communications devices using said network;
a demultiplexer to identify test traffic and associated signalling data for a test one of said mobile communications devices from said received data;
a decoder to identify measurement data representing at least one measured parameter associated with said test traffic embedded in said test traffic; and
a data store to store at least said test traffic signalling data in association with said measurement data in such a way that time series measurement data and corresponding signalling data are retrievable from the data store. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A carrier medium carrying computer readable code for controlling a computer to test a digital mobile phone network, the network comprising:
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a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data;
the code comprising computer code for providing;
an input to receive data collected at a test one of said interfaces, said received data comprising traffic and signalling data for mobile communications devices using said network;
a demultiplexer to identify test traffic and associated signalling data for a test one of said mobile communications devices from said received data;
a decoder to identify measurement data representing at least one measured parameter associated with said test traffic embedded in said test traffic; and
a data store to store at least said test traffic signalling data in association with said measurement data in such a way that time series measurement data and corresponding signalling data are retrievable from the data store.
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25. A method of processing data from a digital mobile phone network to facilitate testing of the network, the network comprising:
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a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data, the method comprising;
inputting data from a test one of said interfaces, said inputted data comprising traffic and signalling data for mobile communications devices of said plurality of mobile communications devices;
demultiplexing said inputted data to identify test traffic and associated signalling data for a test one of said mobile communications devices;
identifying measurement data representing at least one measured parameter associated with said test traffic embedded in said test traffic; and
storing said test traffic signalling data in association with said measurement data so as to be able to retrieve a time series of measurement data and the corresponding test traffic signalling data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A system for testing a digital mobile phone network comprising the mobile communications equipment for testing a digital mobile phone network and test equipment;
- the mobile communications equipment comprising;
a mobile communications device driver having a traffic input for driving traffic to said mobile communications device and a traffic output for outputting a traffic received from said mobile communications device;
a test traffic supply to supply test traffic;
a traffic parameter measurer configured to receive an input from said device driver traffic output and to provide traffic parameter measurement data representing a measured traffic parameter; and
a combiner configured to combine said test traffic from said test traffic supply and measurement data from said traffic parameter measurer and to provide a combined traffic output to said traffic input of said device driver;
the network comprising;
a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data;
the test equipment comprising;
an input to receive data collected at a test one of said interfaces, said received data comprising traffic and signalling data for mobile communications devices using said network;
a demultiplexer to identify test traffic and associated signalling data for a test one of said mobile communications devices from said received data;
a decoder to identify measurement data representing at least one measured parameter associated with said test traffic embedded in said test traffic; and
a data store to store at least said test traffic signalling data in association with said measurement data in such a way that time series measurement data and corresponding signalling data are retrievable from the data store. - View Dependent Claims (33)
- the mobile communications equipment comprising;
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34. A system for testing a digital mobile phone network, comprising:
- a digital mobile phone network and test equipment operably connectable to the network;
the network comprising;a communications network infrastructure, the infrastructure having a plurality of elements, including a plurality of radio communications base stations, and having interfaces between said elements; and
a plurality of mobile communications devices for radio communications with said base stations;
communications between a said mobile communications devices and said base stations, and signals on interfaces within the network infrastructure, comprising traffic and signalling data;
the test equipment comprising;
an input to receive data collected at a test one of said interfaces, said received data comprising traffic and signalling data for mobile communications devices using said network;
a demultiplexer to identify test traffic and associated signalling data for a test one of said mobile communications devices from said received data;
a decoder to identify measurement data representing at least one measured parameter associated with said test traffic embedded in said test traffic; and
a data store to store at least said test traffic signalling data in association with said measurement data in such a way that time series measurement data and corresponding signalling data are retrievable from the data store.
- a digital mobile phone network and test equipment operably connectable to the network;
Specification