Tracing in mobile communications system

• US 7,088,996 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Suutarinen, Jari
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John J.
• Application Number:
  US09/721,363
• Time in Patent Office: 2,085 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/435, 455/411, 455/552, 455/422, 455/436, 455/526, 455/558, 455/456, 455/426, 455/415, 455/418, 455/456.1, 455/423, 455/424, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/412.1, 455/435.1, 455/414.1, 455/434, 455/552.1, 455/67.11, 455/425, 455/456.5, 379/246, 379/247
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A tracing facility is used for tracing the activities of various entities in the network when specific events occur within the system. The problem with prior art tracing is that activation as well as deactivation of this facility is done manually at the switching center by the operator. Therefore, it is loading network management and making the use of tracing facility difficult. The invention relates to a method of trace activation in a mobile communication system. It is characteristic for the method that a mobile station (MS) directs a communication to a predefined trace activation number and tracing is activated for the communicating mobile station (MS).

Claims

1. A method of trace activation in a mobile communications system, wherein a mobile station is in communication with a mobile communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a predefined trace activation number;

directing a communication from the mobile station to said predefined trace activation number of a tracing facility for activating tracing for the mobile station, wherein the tracing facility includes a receiver of the communication;

activating tracing at the tracing facility for the mobile station from which the communication originates;

tracing mobile communications system activities relating to the mobile station from which the communication originates when a trace activation event occurs; and

generating a trace report for the mobile station.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the directed communication is a call from the mobile station and tracing is activated for the calling mobile station, and the method further comprises the step of:

deactivating tracing when the call is ended.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the directed communication is a message from the mobile station.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

deactivating tracing when a preset time period is elapsed.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

deactivating tracing when a second message from the mobile station is directed to the predefined trace activation number.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

defining at least one said trace activation number.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication is directed to the predefined trace activation number directly from the mobile station.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication is forwarded to the predefined trace activation number.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein tracing is activated and deactivated automatically at the switching center.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein subscriber tracing is activated for the mobile station.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein equipment tracing is activated for the mobile station.

12. A system for trace activation, wherein a mobile station is in communication with a mobile communications network, the system comprising:

a tracing facility having a predefined trace activation number and configured to trace mobile communications network activities relating to a mobile station, when a trace activation event occurs;

directing means for directing a communication from a mobile station to the predefined trace activation number of the tracing facility for activating tracing of mobile communications network activities relating to the mobile station;

activating means for activating tracing at the tracing facility for the mobile station from which the communication originates; and

generating means for generating a trace report for the mobile station,

wherein the tracing facility includes a receiver of the communication.