Mobile user tracking and application monitoring across an IuPS interface
View Patent ↗A specific user is tracked based on the cell site or service area that the user's device connects to. RANAP, GMM, and SM sessions are associated based on P-TMSI, IMSI, or IMEI. The sessions are maintained based on packets transmitted over the IuPS interface between one or more radio network controllers and a serving GPRS support node. Tracking information associated with information includes usage information such as responsiveness errors, device usage and location. Tracking of a user down to the cell site or service area level assists a mobile service provider in troubleshooting connection issues by providing more complete information and enabling recreation of a user's situation.
1. A method for mobile user monitoring, the method comprising:
receiving a command for initialization of a radio access network application part (RANAP) session over an interface with a packet switched network (“IuPS interface”), the command for initialization containing user identifying information;
storing RANAP data associated with the RANAP session in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;
associating a general packet radio service mobility management (GMM) session with the RANAP session based on the user identifying information and storing GMM data associated with the GMM session;
associating a session management (SM) session with the RANAP session based on the user identifying information and storing SM data associated with the SM session; and
determining user specific data based on the stored RANAP data, GMM data, and SM data.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IuPS interface is a connection between a radio network controller and a serving general packet radio service support node.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user identifying information is one of an international mobile subscriber identity, international mobile equipment identity, or packet temporary mobile subscriber identity.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating the GMM session with a second RANAP session based on the user identifying information.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
associating the SM session with a second RANAP session based on the user identifying information.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined user specific data comprises the identities of cell sites the user communicated with during the RANAP session.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
associating the GMM session with a second SM session, the second SM session differentiated from the SM session according to a network service access point identifier.
8. A computer program product for mobile user monitoring, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:
receive a command for initialization of a radio access network application part (RANAP) session over an interface with a packet switched network (“IuPS interface”), the command for initialization containing user identifying information;
store RANAP data associated with the RANAP session;
associate a general packet radio service (GPRS) mobility management (GMM) session with the RANAP session based on the user identifying information and storing GMM data associated with the GMM session;
associate a session management (SM) session with the RANAP session based on the user identifying information and storing SM data associated with the SM session; and
determine user specific data based on the stored RANAP data, GMM data, and SM data.
9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the IuPS interface is a connection between a radio network controller and a serving general packet radio service support node.
10. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the user identifying information is one of an international mobile subscriber identity, international mobile equipment identity, or packet temporary mobile subscriber identity.
11. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to:
associate the GMM session with a second RANAP session based on the user identifying information.
12. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising instructions to:
associate the SM session with a second RANAP session based on the user identifying information.
13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the determined user specific data comprises the identities of cell sites the user communicated with during the RANAP session.
14. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to:
associate the GMM session with a second SM session, the second SM session differentiated from the SM session according to a network service access point identifier.
15. A system for mobile user monitoring, the system comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions comprising instructions for, which when executed by a computer processor comprises:
receiving a command for initialization of a radio access network application part (RANAP) session over an interface with a packet switched network (“IuPS interface”), the command for initialization containing user identifying information;
storing RANAP data associated with the RANAP session;
associating a general packet radio service mobility management (GMM) session with the RANAP session based on the user identifying information and storing GMM data associated with the GMM session;
associating a session management (SM) session with the RANAP session based on the user identifying information and storing SM data associated with the SM session; and
determining user specific data based on the stored RANAP data, GMM data, and SM data; and
a processor for executing the computer program instructions.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the Iups interface is a connection between a radio network controller and a serving general packet radio service support node.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the user identifying information is one of an international mobile subscriber identity, international mobile equipment identity, or packet temporary mobile subscriber identity.
18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
associating the GMM session with a second RANAP session based on the user identifying information.
19. The system of claim 15 further comprising instructions for:
associating the SM session with a second RANAP session based on the user identifying information.
20. The system of claim 15 further comprising instructions for:
associating the GMM session with a second SM session, the second SM session differentiated from the SM session according to a network service access point identifier.