Analyzing radio network coverage

摘要

A radio network coverage area provided by a mobile radio network is analyzed. The analysis is provided by receiving control messages from a first interface communicated between a base station of the mobile radio network and a radio network controller, the control messages being provided for controlling the communications of the data to or from the mobile terminals via the base station. The method includes identifying a mobile identity number associated with the mobile terminal from the control messages communicated via the first interface, identifying, using the mobile identity number, mobility control messages communicated via the first interface, the mobility control messages providing an indication of a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station, receiving data communicated via a second interface between the radio network controller and a core network part of the mobile radio network, identifying the data communicated from the mobile terminal, using the mobile identity number identified from the first interface, determining a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal, and generating a performance map providing a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station and a quality of data communicated at the relative distance from the mobile terminal.

主权项

1. A method of analyzing a radio network coverage area provided by a mobile radio network, the mobile radio network comprising at least one radio network part and a core network part, the radio network part comprising one or more base stations which are operable to provide a wireless communications interface for communicating data to and from mobile terminals within a radio coverage area provided by each of the base stations and one or more radio network controllers connected to the base stations via a first interface, the radio network controllers being operable to control the communication of data to and from the mobile terminals via the base stations, and the core network part is coupled to the radio network part via a second interface for communicating the data to and from the radio network part to support the communication of the data to and from the mobile terminals, the method comprising:
receiving, by at least one processor, control messages from a first interface, the control messages being provided for controlling the communication of the data to or from the mobile terminals via the base stations; identifying, by the at least one processor, a mobile identity number associated with a selected mobile terminal from the control messages communicated via the first interface; identifying, by the at least one processor, using the mobile identity number, mobility control messages communicated via the first interface, the mobility control messages providing an indication of a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station; receiving, by the at least one processor, data communicated via a second interface between the radio network controller and a core network part of the mobile radio network; identifying, by the at least one processor, the data communicated from the mobile terminal, using the mobile identity number identified from the first interface; determining, by the at least one processor, a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal, wherein said relative measure of said quality of the data is other than whether a call was dropped or retried; generating, by the at least one processor, a performance map comprising: providing a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station, and said quality of data communicated at the relative distance from the mobile terminal is other than whether a call was dropped or retried; and wherein the selecting one of the active mobile terminals comprises: randomly selecting one or more of the active mobile terminals and for each, or for the active mobile terminal, identifying the mobile identity number, and selecting the active mobile terminals as a fraction of a total number of active mobile terminals in a predetermined area, and wherein the identifying, using the mobile identity number, the mobility control messages providing an indication of a relative distance of the mobile terminal from the base station, comprises: identifying the control messages for the, or each mobile terminal, and wherein the identifying the data communicated from the mobile terminal, comprises: identifying the data from the or each mobile terminal, and wherein the determining a relative measure of quality of the data received from the mobile terminal is performed for the, or each of the selected mobile terminals, so that the performance map is generated from the distance and quality measurements for the, or each mobile terminal.