IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,119,106
Granted Patent B2
US 9,119,106 · App. 13/981,928 · Granted Aug 25, 2015

Minimizing drive tests measurements configuration for signal strength reporting in mobile communications environments

Inventors: Malgorzata Tomala (Nowe Miasto nad Pilica, PL); Yi Zhang (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
H04W24/10H04W24/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,119,106
App. No.
13/981,928
Granted
Aug 25, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

At least one table for mapping measured quantity values of a signal strength, which are measured by a user equipment according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment, to reported values is generated by including a number n of thresholds therein which are adjustable and indicate signal strength ranges defining the reported values, wherein n is greater or equal to two. The number n and values of the thresholds are adjusted to filter the measured quantity values in the user equipment, and the minimizing drive tests policy is controlled based on the at least one table.

Claims (45)

1. A method comprising:

generating at least one table for mapping measured quantity values of a signal strength to reported values, said quantity values being measured by a user equipment according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment, wherein the at least one table is generated by including a number n of thresholds therein, said thresholds being adjustable and indicating signal strength ranges defining the reported values, said thresholds further being selected to define signal strength ranges of at least one of unequal and discontinuous extent, wherein n is greater or equal to two, and wherein the number n and values of the thresholds are adjusted to filter the measured quantity values in the user equipment; and

controlling the minimizing drive tests policy based on the at least one table.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured quantity values comprise reference signal received power values and/or reference signal received quality values, and the signal strengths ranges comprise reference signal received power/reference signal received quality ranges.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimizing drive tests policy comprises a logged minimizing drive tests policy in which the reported values are stored by the user equipment in a minimizing drive tests report.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one table is generated for predetermined frequencies of a radio access technology via which the user equipment accesses a mobile communications network of the mobile communications environment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number n and the values of the thresholds are set in accordance with a desired granularity of the reported values.

6. A method comprising:

receiving at least one table for mapping measured quantity values of a signal strength to reported values, said quantity values being measured by user equipments according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment, wherein the at least one table includes a number n of thresholds, said thresholds indicating signal strength ranges defining the reported values, said thresholds further being selected to define signal strength ranges of at least one of unequal and discontinuous extent, wherein n is greater or equal to two, and wherein by the number n and values of the thresholds the measured quantity values in the user equipments are filtered; and

configuring the at least one table to selected user equipments during an established connection between the selected user equipments and a mobile communications network of the mobile communications environment.

7. A method comprising:

measuring quantity values of a signal strength according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment;

mapping, using at least one table, the measured quantity values to reported values,

wherein the at least one table includes a number n of thresholds, said thresholds indicating signal strength ranges defining the reported values, said thresholds further being selected to define signal strength ranges of at least one of unequal and discontinuous extent, wherein n is greater or equal to two, and wherein the number n and values of the thresholds filter the measured quantity values; and

transmitting the reported values.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

storing the reported values in a minimizing drive tests report; and

transmitting the reported values in the minimizing drive tests report.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform the following:

generate at least one table for mapping measured quantity values of a signal strength to reported values, said quantity values being measured by a user equipment according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment, wherein the at least one table is generated by including a number n of thresholds therein, said thresholds being adjustable and indicating signal strength ranges defining the reported values, said thresholds further being selected to define signal strength ranges of at least one of unequal and discontinuous extent, wherein n is greater or equal to two, and wherein the number n and values of the thresholds are adjusted to filter the measured quantity values in the user equipment; and

control the minimizing drive tests policy based on the at least one table.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the measured quantity values comprise reference signal received power values and/or reference signal received quality values, and the signal strengths ranges comprise reference signal received power/reference signal received quality ranges.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the minimizing drive tests policy comprises a logged minimizing drive tests policy in which the reported values are stored by the user equipment in a minimizing drive tests report.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to generate the at least one table for predetermined frequencies of a radio access technology via which the user equipment accesses a mobile communications network of the mobile communications environment.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to set the number n and the values of the thresholds in accordance with a desired granularity of the reported values.

14. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform the following:

receive at least one table for mapping measured quantity values of a signal strength to reported values, said quantity values being measured by user equipments according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment, wherein the at least one table includes a number n of thresholds, said thresholds indicating signal strength ranges defining the reported values, said thresholds further being selected to define signal strength ranges of at least one of unequal and discontinuous extent, wherein n is greater or equal to two, and wherein by the number n and values of the thresholds the measured quantity values in the user equipments are filtered; and

configure the at least one table to selected user equipments during an established connection between the selected user equipments and a mobile communications network of the mobile communications environment.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform the following:

measure quantity values of a signal strength according to a minimizing drive tests policy in a mobile communications environment;

map, using at least one table, the measured quantity values to reported values,

wherein the at least one table includes a number n of thresholds, said thresholds indicating signal strength ranges defining the reported values, said thresholds further being selected to define signal strength ranges of at least one of unequal and discontinuous extent, wherein n is greater or equal to two, and wherein the number n and values of the thresholds filter the measured quantity values; and

transmit the reported values.

16. The control unit of claim 15 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

store the reported values in a minimizing drive tests report; and

transmit the reported values in the minimizing drive tests report.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a processing device, the computer program code comprising code for performing the method of claim 1 .

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a processing device, the computer program code comprising code for performing the method of claim 6 .

19. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a processing device, the computer program code comprising code for performing the method of claim 7 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2018
From: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 047271/0806 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 19, 2014
From: NOKIA SIEMENS NETWORKS OY
To: NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS OY
Reel/Frame 034294/0603 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2013
From: TOMALA, MALGORZATA; ZHANG, YI
To: NOKIA SIEMENS NETWORKS OY
Reel/Frame 030900/0506 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130308489A1 · Nov 21, 2013