System and method for monitoring and measuring end-to-end performance using wireless devices

• US 8,010,100 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mformation Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Kushwaha, Rakesh, Nath, Badri
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/374,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/67.11, 455/67.14, 455/423, 455/574, 713/181, 717/168
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/21 for calibration; for correcting measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/247 Knowledge-based maintenance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A system and method by which a mobile wireless device dynamically decides the other end host to initiate a session to automatically conduct a performance test. Results of the performance test are then transferred to a monitoring server under appropriate conditions. A method for conducting a performance test on a wireless device comprises receiving information indicating how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device, determining whether the conditions for the performance test to be started are met, conducting the specified performance test, and storing results of the performance test.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a performance test on a wireless device comprising:

receiving information at the wireless device including information indicating at least one condition for determining how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device, wherein the condition comprises a state of the wireless device including at least one of a device capability, a state of a battery of the wireless device, a state of a memory of the wireless device, and a processing power of the device;

determining at the wireless device whether the at least one condition for the performance test to be started are met;

conducting the specified performance test at the wireless device; and

storing results of the performance test at the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device accents the performance request only after verifying a digest sent by the service manager and transmits an acknowledgement to the service manager after the performance test is conducted, and

where in the digest for verifying the credentials of the service manager is generated by means of a shared private key stored in the wireless device and the service manager.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information includes information indicating a type of application to be used to conduct the performance test and the performance test to be conducted is determined by the type of the application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the application type comprises a voice application, a data application, a video application, a multimedia application, or a group application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicating at least one condition for determining how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device further comprises information indicating that the test is to be conducted periodically, or information indicating that the test is to be conducted at a specific time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein it is determined whether the conditions for the performance test to be started are met by monitoring the state of the wireless device, the state of the network or both.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the condition includes a location of the wireless device or a location of an other end-host.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the end-host can be a fixed host or another wireless device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the location comprises a cell ID, a network ID, or Global Positioning System coordinates.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a combination of the state of the wireless device and a state of the network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network state comprises at least one of a coverage area of the network, a type of coverage of the network, and a roaming status of the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified performance test is conducted and the results of the performance test are stored when the wireless device is not in communication with a server from which the information indicating at least one condition for determining how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device was received.

12. A method for conducting a performance test on a wireless device comprising:

receiving information at the wireless device including information indicating at least one condition for determining how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device, wherein the condition comprises a state of the network including at least one of a coverage are of the network, a type of coverage of the network, and a roaming status of the wireless device;

determining at the wireless device whether the at least one condition for the performance test to be started are met;

conducting the specified performance test at the wireless device; and

storing results of the performance test at the wireless device,

wherein the wireless device accepts the performance request only after verifying a digest sent by the service manager and transmits an acknowledgement to the service manager the performance test is conducted, and

wherein the digest for verifying the credentials of the service manager is generated by means of a shared private key stored in the wireless device and the service manager.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the received information includes information indicating a type of application to be used to conduct the performance test and the performance test to be conducted is determined by the type of the application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the application type comprises a voice application, a data application, a video application, a multimedia application, or a group application.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the information indicating at least one condition for determining how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device further comprises information indicating that the test is to be conducted periodically, or information indicating that the test is to be conducted at a specific time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein it is determined whether the conditions for the performance test to be started are met by monitoring the state of the wireless device, the state of the network or both.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the condition includes a location of the wireless device or a location of an other end-host.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the end-host can be a fixed host or another wireless device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the location comprises a cell ID, a network ID, or Global Positioning System coordinates.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the application is a real-time application, a non real-time application, a voice application, a data application, a video application, a multimedia application, or a group application.

20. A method for conducting a performance test on a wireless device comprising:

receiving information at the wireless device including information indicating at least one condition for determining how and when a performance test is to be conducted by the wireless device, wherein the received information includes information indicating an application to be used to conduct the performance test and the performance test comprises testing performance of an application on the wireless device;

determining at the wireless device whether the at least one condition for the performance test to be started are met;

conducting the specified performance test at the wireless device; and

storing results of the performance test at the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device accepts the performance request only after verifying a digest sent by the service manager and transmits an acknowledgement to the service manager after the performance test is conducted, and

wherein the digest for verifying the credentials of the service manager is generated by means of a shared private key stored in the wireless device and the service manager.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the condition comprises a network state including at least one of a coverage area of the network, a type of coverage of the network, and a roaming status of the wireless device.