Detection in Mobile Service Maintenance
Disclosed is a method and system for detecting inconsistencies between a radio communications network and a network database. In one form, measurements from the network are provided by mobile radio terminals. The measurements are then compared with corresponding data on the network database to determine whether there is an inconsistency. The methods described may be used in the management and maintenance of the network.
1 . A method for detecting an inconsistency between a radio communications network and a network database, the method comprising:
receiving from a mobile radio terminal in the radio communications network, at least one measurement of at least one parameter from the mobile radio communications network;
comparing the at least one measurement with corresponding data in the network database; and
determining that the at least one measurement is inconsistent if the at least one measurement is different to the corresponding data in the network database.
2 . A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of calculating a metric associated with the at least one measurement using data from the network database, and comparing the calculated metric with a threshold.
3 . A method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising determining that the at least one measurement is different to the corresponding data in the network database if the calculated metric exceeds the threshold.
4 . A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising making a hypothesis that a parameter of the mobile radio communications network is not present in the mobile radio communications network even though data in the network database indicates that the parameter is present.
5 . A method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising, if the at least one measurement does not contradict the hypothesis, considering data that supports the hypothesis.
6 . A method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising considering data that supports the hypothesis.
7 . A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of considering data that supports the hypothesis comprises determining whether the mobile radio terminal is in a given zone.
8 . A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein, if the mobile radio terminal is determined to be in the given zone, the method further comprising comparing the at least one measurement with data in the network database corresponding to one or more expected measurements that would be expected to be obtained by the mobile radio terminal in the given zone.
9 . A method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising determining that there is an inconsistency between the radio communications network and the network database if the step of comparing the at least one measurement with data in the network database corresponding to the one or more expected measurements indicates a difference.
10 . A method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising accumulating a plurality of measurements over time and determining that there is an inconsistency between the radio communications network and the network database if the difference between the accumulated measurements and the one or more expected measurements exceeds a predetermined threshold.
11 . A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the hypothesis is that the radio communications network contains a non-operational cell.
12 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one measurement is received from the mobile radio terminal using spare capacity in an already established communications session.
13 . A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein a plurality of measurements are received from a plurality of mobile radio terminals within the radio communications network.
14 . A network processor in a radio communications network having at least one radio parameter, at least one mobile radio terminal, and a network database, the network database storing data corresponding to the at least one radio parameter, the network processor comprising:
a receiver for receiving from the mobile radio terminal in the radio communications network, at least one measurement of the at least one parameter;
a comparator for comparing the at least one measurement with the corresponding data in the network database; and
a means for determining that the at least one measurement is inconsistent if the at least one measurement is different to the corresponding data in the network database.
15 . A radio communications network comprising a network processor as claimed in claim 14 .
16 . A method for detecting a non-operational cell in a radio communications network, the method comprising:
receiving at least one measurement, including data relating to at least one cell, from a mobile radio terminal in the radio communications network;
determining whether the mobile radio terminal is in a given zone; determining whether the at least one cell is reported;
updating evidence that the at least one cell is not operating;
determining whether the updated evidence exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
determining that the at least one cell is not operational if the updated evidence exceeds the predetermined threshold.
17 . A method as claimed in claim 16 further comprising for each cell reported in the at least one measurement, resetting evidence against the at least one cell not operating.
18 . A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the step of resetting evidence against the at least one cell not operating comprises setting an accumulated unreported cell cost to zero and setting a cell count to zero.
19 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein for each cell unreported in the at least one measurement, the step of updating evidence that the at least one cell is not operating comprises computing an unreported cell cost for the at least one cell and adding the computed unreported cell cost to the accumulated unreported cell cost and incrementing the cell count.
20 . A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the step of determining whether the updated evidence exceeds the predetermined threshold comprises determining whether the accumulated unreported cell cost is greater than the predetermined threshold.
21 . A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the at least one cell is determined to be potentially non-operational if the accumulated unreported cell cost is greater than the predetermined threshold.
22 . A network processor for use in a radio communications network having at least one cell in a zone and at least one mobile radio terminal in the radio communications network, the network processor comprising:
a receiver for receiving at least one measurement, including data relating to at least one cell, from a mobile radio terminal in the radio communications network;
a means for determining whether the mobile radio terminal is in a given zone; determining whether the at least one cell is reported;
a means for updating evidence that the at least one cell is not operating;
a means for determining whether the updated evidence exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
a means for determining that the at least one cell is not operational if the updated evidence exceeds the predetermined threshold.
23 . A radio communications network comprising a network processor as claimed in claim 22 .