Communications system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9544910-B2
Application number	US-201414424616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A communications system is described in which a test device monitors operation of a communication device. The test device identifies each communication bearer associated with the communication device; determines a subset comprising at least one communication bearer to be used when performing the test and not comprising at least one other communication bearer; and initiates the test in which each communication bearer in the subset is used and each communication bearer not in said subset is not used.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication device for communicating with user equipment configured as a communication network test device operable to monitor operation of said communication device, the communication device comprising:
a controller configured to:
operate a plurality of communication bearers associated with said communication device;
determine a subset comprising at least one communication bearer, selected from said plurality of communication bearers, to be used when performing a test and not comprising at least one other communication bearer of said plurality of communication bearers; and

a transceiver configured to communicate with the communication network test device in pursuance of a test in which each communication bearer in said subset is used and each communication bearer not in said subset is not used.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said transceiver is operable to receive a message, from said communication network test device, the message comprising data identifying each communication bearer not in said subset, and
wherein said controller is operable to determine said subset based on said data identifying each communication bearer not in said subset.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 ,
wherein said transceiver is further configured to receive a message, from said communication network test device, the message comprising data identifying each communication bearer in said subset, and
wherein said controller is operable to determine said subset based on said data identifying each communication bearer in said subset.

4. The communication device according to claim 3 ,
wherein said message comprises a bit pattern with at least one respective bit associated with each communication bearer of said plurality of communication bearers associated with said communication device.

5. The communication device according to claim 4 , wherein each said bit is set to a predetermine value if said communication bearer is in said subset.

6. The communication device according to claim 3 ,
wherein said message comprises a bit pattern with at least one respective bit associated with a default communication bearer of said plurality of communication bearers associated with said communication device.

7. The communication device according to claim 6 , wherein each said bit is set to a predetermine value if said default communication bearer and any associated communication bearer is in said subset.

8. The communication device according to claim 3 , wherein said message comprises a bearer identifier (e.g. an Evolved Packet System, EPS, Bearer ID or EBI) for each communication bearer of said subset.

9. The communication device according to claim 3 , wherein said message comprises a Non-Access Stratum, NAS, message.

10. The communication device according to claim 9 wherein said NAS message is embedded in at least one Radio Resource Control, RRC, message.

11. The communication device according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one message comprises a downlink information transfer message.

12. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein said test is a loop-back test.

13. A communication system comprising the communication device of claim 1 , and the communication network test device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a control program for causing a computer to perform a process of controlling the communication device of claim 1 .

15. A method performed by a communication device for communicating with user equipment configured as a communication network test device operable to monitor operation of said communication device, the method comprising:
establishing a plurality of communication bearers associated with said communication device;
determining a subset comprising at least one communication bearer, selected from said plurality of communication bearers, to be used when performing a test and not comprising at least one other communication bearer of said plurality of communication bearers; and
communicating with the communication network test device in pursuance of a test in which each communication bearer in said subset is used and each communication bearer not in said subset is not used.

16. A method performed by user equipment configured as a communication network test device for monitoring operation of a communication device, the method comprising:
establishing communication with said communication device;
identifying each of a plurality of communication bearers associated with said communication device;
determining a subset comprising at least one communication bearer, selected from said plurality of communication bearers, to be used when performing a test and not comprising at least one other communication bearer of said plurality of communication bearers; and
initiating a test in which each communication bearer in said subset is used and each communication bearer not in said subset is not used.

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Delsol Thomas
• Lair Yannick

Classifications

• H04W72/542 Primary

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/23

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04L43/50

  Testing arrangements · CPC title

• H04W24/08

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic · CPC title

• H04W72/085 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic