Reporting of non-real-time mdt measurements

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally relates to providing measurement reports to the network from a mobile station. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and a computer program product for receiving, in a first node of a wireless communication network, a report on a recorded measurement from a first mobile station, such a network node, a method and a product in the form of a computer program for enabling a mobile station connected to a communication network wirelessly sending reports from recorded measurements to a network, such as a network node, a method and product in the form of a computer program for sending a report of the recorded measurement from the first mobile station to the first network node in the wireless communication network as well as such a mobile station.

BACKGROUND

Mobile stations, often marked as user equipment, must measure various network parameters. Such parameters can be stored in measurement registers and then reported to the network.

Project - Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is at the stage of defining solutions for Minimizing Drive Tests (MDT). The purpose of the work is documented in 3GPP Technical Report (TR) 36.805, which describes the functions of recording measurements by mobile stations or user's device (UE).

The network (NW) may require the mobile station to perform some measurement recording. The mobile station registers according to the network request with some restrictions, e.g. location information availability. Reporting of the mobile station measurement register can be configured separately. This means that the recording period and reporting period may be different.

The most important use case for MDT is coverage optimization. To optimize coverage, the following measurements of a mobile station (or similar functionality) are considered:

• periodic pilot measurements in the downlink • The Serving Cell deteriorates below the threshold • free transmission power resources decrease below the threshold • Paging Channel Failure, such as Paging Control Channel Decoding Error (PCCH) • Transport Channel Failure

Details of reporting criteria have not been considered, but real-time reporting and / or non-real-time reporting (also known as registered or delayed reporting) may be required.

Possible triggers for non-real-time measurements include:

periodic pilot measurements in the downlink: measurements of the radio environment, such as Power

Received Signal Code (RSCP) Common Pilot Channel (CPICH), Energy ratio

Common Pilot Channel for the Noise chip (CPICH Ec / No), or Received Code Power

Signal (RSCP) of the Main Common Physical Pilot Channel (P-CCPCH)

Two-Level Time Division (TDD) and Interference Signal Code Power (ISCP), Power

Received Reference Signal (RSRP) and Received Reference Signal Quality (RSRQ) (only in connection mode) are recorded periodically;

The Serving Cell worsens below the threshold: radio environment measurements such as CPICH

RSCP, CPICH Ec / No, or TDD P-CCPCH RSCP and ISCP, RSRP and RSRQ (only in connection mode) are recorded when the serving cell measure deteriorates in relation to the configured threshold. The measurement recording window (ie, the "sliding window" in which the collected registers are kept in the UE) is used to allow the collection of information during a certain period before and after the occurrence of an event;

free transmission power resources fall below the threshold: free transmission power resources and radio environment measurements such as CPICH RSCP, CPICH Ec / No, or TDD P-CCPCH RSCP and ISCP, RSRP and RSRQ (only in connection mode) are recorded when free UE transmission resources are falling below the configured threshold;

Direct Access Failure: Direct access details and measurements of the radio environment such as CPICH RSCP, CPICH Ec / No, or TDD P-CCPCH RSCP and ISCP, RSRP, and RSRQ (only in connection mode) are recorded when a direct access failure occurs.

An example of real-time reporting is reporting in radio resource management (RRM) specified in the Technical Specification 3GPP (TS) 25.331 and 3GPP TS 36.331. Non-real-time reporting details (delayed reporting) are not specified, preventing the network from controlling reporting control.

One particular issue is not real-time reporting on the web. Not all network nodes can be updated to support non-real-time reporting, potentially leading to the network skipping the received report from the recorded measurement. Currently, the mobile station cannot know if the network is ready to receive a report on the recorded measurement.

Document WO 2006/063309 A2 describes a communication system that optimizes its own operation by selecting an MS mobile station to act as a test MS. It registers operational parameters and transmits them to the core network for further processing.

Similarly, US 2005/119010 describes the automatic collection of information. The mobile unit collects information, which is then transmitted to the device collecting information on the network via SMS.

SUMMARY

Thus, the invention is directed to providing means that will increase the certainty of providing measurement reports to the network from a mobile station.

Among other things, the present invention provides a mechanism for controlling non-real-time reporting.

In one aspect of the invention, the mobile station indicates the availability of a recorded measurement report to the network and provides an actual recorded measurement report, e.g., after the network indicates that it is prepared to receive a measurement report.

In another aspect of the invention, the mobile station includes memory for storing reporting data such as MDT data and a processor that controls data collection and delivery of MDT data to the network in accordance with information such as requirements received from the network.

One objective of the invention is therefore to increase, by the wireless communication network, the certainty with which reports of recorded measurements are delivered to a network node from a mobile station.

This object according to the first aspect of the invention is achieved by a method of receiving, in a first network node in a wireless communication network, a report of a recorded measurement from a first mobile station in accordance with a reporting configuration for a mobile station. The method includes:

sending a report request from the recorded measurement to at least the first mobile station, and receiving a report from the recorded measurement as a response to the request.

The goal according to the second aspect of the invention is achieved by a first network node in a wireless communication network, which node is provided to receive a report of a recorded measurement from the first mobile station in accordance with the reporting configuration for the mobile station. The network node contains:

a control processor for causing a report request from the recorded measurement to be sent to at least the first mobile station, and to receive a report from the recorded measurement as a response to the request.

The invention has many benefits. It allows the network to control reporting of recorded measurements. You can avoid losing recorded measurements if your network does not support non-real-time measurements. This further allows the network to perform many further activities such as changing cell coverage.

Reporting configuration may specify that the first mobile station will take measurements in idle mode.

According to a variation of the first aspect, the method also includes determining a point in time when to send the request based on at least one request time criterion.

According to a variation of the second aspect, the control processor also determines a point in time when it sends a request based on at least one request time criterion.

The request time criterion can be based on one or more of the features: cell load, network load and connection to a centralized database.

The report can be further received on a radio signaling medium dedicated for transmission of reports from recorded measurements.

Reporting configuration can be delivered to the first mobile station via the network.

Therefore, the method of the first aspect may also include the step of providing a reporting configuration to the first mobile station. For the same reason, a network node control processor may be provided in accordance with the second aspect for providing a reporting configuration to the first mobile station.

The request may further be sent in a radio resource control message, which may be a modified radio resource control message regarding the capacity of the mobile station. The recorded measurement report may in turn be received in a modified radio resource control message, which is a response message to the radio resource control message containing the request.

The request can be sent based on data on the first mobile station in the network. As another alternative, the request may be an indication of enabled reporting provided by the first network node. As another alternative, the request can be sent to a group of mobile stations.

According to another variation of the first aspect, the method also includes receiving a notification from the first mobile station about the presence of recorded measurements and sending the request is then performed only on the basis of receiving such notification from the mobile station.

According to a variation of the second aspect, the control processor of the network node receives a notification from the first mobile station about the presence of recorded measurements and causes the request to be sent only on the basis of receiving such notification from the mobile station.

The notification may include an indication of the type of access technology used by the first mobile station when collecting data for said report.

The indication may also be received as a radio resource control message. The radio resource control message here may be a modified message regarding the connection of the mobile station to the network and may more specifically be a message about the completion of establishing the radio resource control connection.

Another object of the invention is to increase, by the mobile station, the certainty with which registered measurement reports are delivered to the first network node from the mobile station.

This object is in accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention achieved by a method of sending a report of a recorded measurement from a first mobile station to a first network node in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

performing measurements regarding one or more aspects of communication for the first mobile station in relation to the wireless communication network, said measurements are carried out in accordance with the reporting configuration for the first mobile station, storing measurements in the internal register, receiving a report request from the recorded measurement from the first network node, and sending a report of the recorded measurement as a response to a request.

This object is in accordance with the fifth aspect of the invention achieved by a first mobile station for sending a report of a recorded measurement to a first network node in a wireless communication network, where the mobile station includes:

a unit that performs measurements to perform measurements on one or more aspects of communication for the first mobile station relative to the wireless communication network, said measurements are performed in accordance with the reporting configuration for the first mobile station, and a control unit that manages the measurements and stores the measurements in the internal register , receives a report request from the recorded measurement from the first node of the network, and instructs the transmitter to report on the recorded measurement as a response to the request.

It is possible here that measurements are taken in idle mode.

It is also possible that the report is sent to a radio signaling carrier dedicated to the transmission of reports from recorded measurements.

According to one variation of the fourth aspect, the method also includes receiving a reporting configuration from a network node.

According to a variation of the fifth aspect, the control unit also receives the reporting configuration from the network node.

The network node here may be the first network node. As an alternative, the network node may be another network node where the first and subsequent network nodes may use different types of access technologies and the request and configuration may be received using these different types of access technologies.

The request may further be received in a radio resource control message, the radio resource control message may be a modified radio resource control message regarding the capabilities of the mobile station. It is also possible that the recorded measurement report is sent in a modified radio resource control message that is a response to the radio resource control message containing the request.

As another alternative, the request can be received as an enabled reporting indication provided by the first network node. As another alternative, the request can be received by sending to a group of mobile stations performed by the first network node.

The method may with a further variation of the fourth aspect include determining a point in time when sending a report from the recorded measurement based on at least one reporting time criterion.

The mobile station control unit may, according to another variation of the fifth aspect, determine the point in time when to send a report of the recorded measurement based on at least one reporting time criterion.

The reporting time criterion can be based on one or more of the following properties: mobile station memory consumption, battery level, measurement availability, network load and when to leave the logging campaign.

The method may, according to another variation of the fourth aspect, also include sending a notification to the first network node regarding the presence of recorded measurements and receiving a report request as a response to such notification.

According to another variation of the fifth aspect, the mobile station control unit may also instruct the transmitter to send a notification to the first node of the network regarding the presence of recorded measurements and receive a report request as a response to such notification.

It is possible that the notification provides an indication of the type of access technology used by the first mobile station when collecting data for the report. Notification can also be sent based on at least one notification time criterion.

It is also possible that the notification is sent as a radio resource control message, which may be a modified message regarding the connection of the mobile station to the network. In particular, it may be an end message for establishing a radio resource control connection.

Another object of the invention is to enable, via a wireless communication network, a mobile station to provide reports of recorded measurements to a network node in a reliable manner.

This object is in accordance with a seventh aspect of the invention achieved by a method of enabling a mobile station connected to a wireless communication network to send reports of recorded measurements to the network. This method includes providing, from a network node, to the first mobile station a reporting configuration for sending reports from recorded measurements. This provision of reporting configuration is performed to allow the network to send a report request from the recorded measurement to the first mobile station and receive a report from the recorded measurement as a response to this request.

This object is, according to the eighth aspect of the invention, also achieved by a network node in a wireless communication network to enable the first mobile station to send a report of the recorded measurement to the network. This network node contains a control processor that provides the first mobile station with a reporting configuration. This is done to allow the network to send a report request from the recorded measurement to the first mobile station and receive a report from the recorded measurement as a response to this request.

The object of the ninth aspect of the invention is also achieved by a computer program product for enabling a mobile station to send a report of a recorded measurement to a wireless communication network. The product in the form of a computer program contains a storage medium read by the computer containing a set of instructions causing the network node in the network: provides the first mobile station with a reporting configuration to enable the network to send a report request from the recorded measurement to the first mobile station and receive the report from the recorded measurement as a response at this request.

It should be noted that the term "includes / containing" when used herein is used to denote the presence of the given features, integers, stages or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, stages, components or their groups.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically shows the architecture of a wireless communication network including radio network controllers, base stations and mobile stations of the radio network, Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a system in a mobile station that can implement part of the functionality according to the invention, Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of part of the station base, which can communicate with mobile stations and implement part of the functionality according to the invention, Fig. 4 shows schematically the signals exchanged between the mobile station and the network in a first basic variant of the invention, Fig. 5 shows a flow diagram of many method steps carried out in a system network node according to the first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of many method steps performed in a mobile station according to with a first embodiment of the invention, Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of the signals exchanged between a mobile station and a network node in a variation of the first embodiment, Fig. 8 is a flowchart of many method steps carried out at a system network node in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention, Fig. 9 is a flowchart of many method steps performed at a mobile station according to a second embodiment of the invention, Fig. 10 shows schematically the signals exchanged between the mobile station and the network in a variation of the second embodiment, Fig. 11 is a flowchart of many method steps carried out in a system network node according to the third embodiment of the invention, Fig. 12 is a flowchart of many steps of the method being performed in a mobile station according to with a third embodiment of the invention, and fig. 13 schematically shows a computer program product according to the invention comprising a storage medium read by the computer in the form of a CD ROM.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purpose of clarification and not limitation, specific details are given such as specific architectures, interfaces, techniques, etc. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, circuits and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary details.

The Long Generation Evolution Standard (LTE) of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for wireless communication systems has recently been finalized, supporting bandwidths up to 20 megahertz (MHz). LTE and High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA) are sometimes called "third generation" (3G) communication systems and are now standardized by 3GPP. LTE specifications can be seen as an evolution of current Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) specifications.

The LTE system uses orthogonal frequency multiplication (OFDM) as a multiple access technique (called OFDMA) in a downlink (DL) from system nodes to user equipment (UE). UE is the term used for mobile stations in LTE and WCDMA. The LTE system has channel bandwidths from about 1.4 MHz to 20 MHz, and supports bandwidths of more than 100 megabits per second (Mb / s) on the channels with the highest bandwidth. One type of physical downlink defined in LTE is a shared downlink physical channel (PDSCH) that carries information from higher layers in the LTE protocol stack and to which one or more specific transport channels are mapped. The control information is transmitted through the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and through the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). LTE channels are described in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 36.211 V9.1.0, Physical Channels and Modulation, among other specifications.

The advanced IMT communication system uses the multimedia subsystem (IMS) Internet Protocol (IP) LTE, HSPA, or other communication system for multimedia telephony IMS (IMT). In the advanced IMT system (which may be called the "fourth generation" (4G) mobile communication system), bandwidths of 100 MHz and higher are considered. 3GPP announces LTE, HSPA, WCDMA, and IMT specifications, and specifications that standardize other types of wireless cellular communication systems

In an OFDMA communication system, the data stream to be transmitted is divided between many narrowband subcarriers that are transmitted in parallel. Generally, a resource block dedicated to a specific EU is a specific number of specific subcarriers used for a specific period of time. Different subcarrier groups can be used at different times for different users. Because each subcarrier is narrowband, each carrier experiences mainly flat decay, which makes it easier for the UE to demodulate each subcarrier. OFDMA communication systems are described in the literature, for example US 2008/0031368.

FIG. 1 shows the architecture of the WCDMA 10 system, which is a typical cellular communication system. Radio network controllers (RNC) 12, 14 control various radio network functions, including, for example, radio access media setting, transmission diversity, etc. In general, each RNC routes calls to and from the UE, such as a mobile station (MS), cell phone, or other remote terminal, through the appropriate base station (s) (BS) that communicate with each other via downlink (DL or forward) and uplink (UL or reverse) channels. In FIG. 1, RNC 12 is shown connected to BS 16, 18, 20, and RNC 14 is shown connected to BS 22, 24, 26. The architecture of the LTE system differs from the architecture of the WCDMA system in that it does not have RNC as a separate node. Instead, BS, or eNodeB as the name of the base station in LTE, has some RNC functions integrated, and has an interface to communicate with other eNodeB.

Each BS, or eNodeB in the LTE system, supports a geographical area that is divided into one or more cells. In FIG. 1, BS 26 is shown as having five sectors of S1-S5 antennas that can be said to form a BS 26 cell, although a sector or other area served by BS signals can also be called a cell. In addition, the BS may use more than one antenna to transmit signals to the UE. BSs are usually connected to their corresponding RNC via dedicated telephone lines, fiber optic links, microwave links, etc. RNC 12, 14 are connected to external networks such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), the Internet, etc. Through one or more network nodes core, such as a mobile switching center node (not shown) and / or a packet radio service node (not shown).

It will be understood that the functional arrangement depicted in FIG. 1 can be modified in LTE 3G and other communication systems. For example, the functionality of RNC 12, 14 can be shifted to eNodeB 22, 24, 26, and other functionalities can be shifted to other nodes in the network. It will also be understood that the base station may use multiple transmit antennas to transmit information in a cell / sector / area, and these different transmit antennas may send respective, different pilot signals.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of an eNodeB or eNB structure, i.e. a BS base station. This structure 31, which is typical of BS 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and other such transmitting nodes in network 10, can be used to communicate with mobile stations by implementing methods that will be described below. It will also be appreciated that the functional blocks depicted in Figure 2 can be combined and rearranged in many equivalent ways, and that many functions can be performed by one or more suitably programmed signal processors and other known electronic circuits.

The eNB structure 31 is supported by the control processor 32, which is usually and preferably a suitably programmed signal processor. Signal processor 32 typically provides and receives control and other signals from various devices in structure 31. For the sake of simplicity in Figure 2, the control processor 32 as shown exchanges information with the scheduling algorithm and the selector 33, which receives digital words for transmission to the respective mobile stations or for transmission from the respective data generator 34. The scheduling algorithm and the selector 33 implements, for example, scheduling and selection. resource block and resource element (RB / RE) in the LTE system, and implements, for example, code allocation in WCDMA / HSPA.

The control processor 32 is configured to monitor the load at the base station, which can be determined, for example, by counting the RB and RE to be transmitted in the subframe, frame, or group thereof. A processor such as control processor 32 can also be configured as a traffic analyzer that determines the load on the BS by monitoring the status of the BS buffer, e.g., how much data is waiting for the available bandwidth to be transmitted to all connected mobile stations in relation to many RBs and REs and recently broadcast. As discussed above, the load on the BS can also be determined based on the number of its connected mobile stations, or in WCDMA, HSPA, or equivalent system, based on multiple allocated channel codes. Based on the specified load, processor 32 implements other method steps that will be described below.

Information from the scheduling algorithm and the selector 33 is provided to the modulator 35, which uses the information to generate a modulation signal suitable for a particular communication system. For example, the modulator 35 in the LTE system is an OFDM modulator. The modulation signal generated by the modulator 35 is provided to a corresponding radio circuit 37, which generates a wireless signal that is transmitted by at least one transmit antenna 38. Wireless signals transmitted by mobile stations are captured by at least one receiving antenna 39, which provides these signals to radio circuit 37 and demodulator 36. The skilled person will understand that the same antenna can be used for transmission and reception, as is often done in the UE.

It will be understood that the control processor 32 may be configured to include one or more other devices shown in Figure 2 that may be implemented by dedicated programmed processors or other appropriate logic configured to perform their functions. The combination of data generator 34, scheduling algorithm and selector 33, and modulator 35 produces DL frames or subframes for sending. Modulator 35 converts information into modulation symbols, which are provided to radio circuit 37, which improves modulation symbols on one or more respective carrier signals. In the LTE system, for example, the radio circuit 37 improves the modulation symbols on multiple OFDM subcarriers. Signals modulated on subcarriers are transmitted via antenna 38.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a system 40 in a mobile station that can implement the methods according to various embodiments of the invention described below. It will be appreciated that the function blocks shown in Figure 3 can be combined and rearranged in many equivalent ways, and that many functions can be performed by one or more suitably programmed signal processors. Furthermore, the connections between and the information provided or exchanged by the function blocks shown in Figure 3 can be changed in various ways to allow the mobile station to implement other methods involved in the operation of the mobile station.

As shown in Figure 3, the mobile station receives the DL radio signal via antenna 41 and typically converts the received radio signal down into an analog baseband signal in a forward-backward (Fe RX) 42 receiver. The baseband signal is spectrally shaped by an analog filter 44, which has a BW0 bandwidth, and the shaped baseband signal generated by the filter 44 is converted from analog to digital by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 46.

The digital baseband signal is further spectrally shaped by a digital filter 48 that has a BWsync bandwidth that corresponds to the bandwidth of the signals or synchronization symbols contained in the DL signal. The shaped signal generated by the filter 48 is provided to the cell search unit 50, which performs one or more cell search methods as specified for a particular communication system, e.g., LTE 3G. Typically, such methods include detecting predetermined primary and / or secondary synchronization channel (P / S-SCH) signals in a received signal.

The digital baseband signal is also provided by ADC 46 to a digital filter 52 that has a BW0 bandwidth, and the filtered digital baseband signal is provided to a processor 54 that implements Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) or other suitable algorithm that generates frequency- domain (spectral) representation of the baseband signal. The channel estimation unit 56 receives signals from the processor 54 and generates a channel estimation Hi, j for each of several subcarriers i and cells j based on the control and timing signals provided by the control unit 58, which also provides such control and timing information to the processor 54.

Estimator 56 provides Hi channel estimation to decoder 60 and to signal power estimation unit 62. Decoder 60, which also receives signals from processor 54, is appropriately configured to extract information from radio resource control (RRC) messages or other messages as described below and typically generates signals subject to further processing at the mobile station (not shown). Estimator 62 generates measurements of received signal power (e.g., estimates of received signal reference power (RSRP), received power of subcarrier Si, signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), etc.). Estimator 62 can generate RSRP estimates, received reference signal quality (RSRQ), received signal strength indicator (RSSI), received subcarrier power Si, SIR, and other relevant measurements, in various ways in response to control signals sent by control unit 58. The power estimates generated by the estimator 62 are usually used in further signal processing at the mobile station. The estimator 62 and the channel estimation unit 56 can be both units providing measurements according to the invention.

Estimator 62 (or search engine 50, moreover) is configured to include the appropriate signal correlator.

In the system shown in Figure 3, the control unit 58 tracks essentially everything needed to configure the search engine 50, processor 54, estimation unit 56, and estimator 62. For estimation unit 56, this includes both the method and the identity of the cell (for the extraction of reference and specific signals for reference signal scrambling cells). Communication between the finder 50 and the control unit 58 includes the cell identity and, for example, the cyclic prefix configuration.

The control unit 58 may determine which of several possible estimation methods is used by the estimator 56 and / or estimator 62 for measurements on the detected cell (s). In addition, control unit 58, which may typically include a correlator or implement a correlator function, may receive information signaled by the network and may control Fe RX 42 on / off times.

The control unit 58 provides the correct information to the encoder 64 which generates modulation symbols or similar information which is provided to the forward-reverse transmitter (FE TX) 66 which generates a transmission signal suitable for the communication system. As shown in Figure 3, a transmission signal is provided to the antenna 41. The control unit 58 with the encoder 64 is suitably configured to generate RRC and other messages sent by the mobile station to the network as described below. Finally, there is a memory 67 connected to the control unit 58 to store measurement records.

The control unit 58 and other mobile station blocks may be implemented by one or more suitably programmed electronic processors, logic gate sets, etc., which process information stored in one or more memories. As noted above, the mobile station includes memory 67. As an alternative, it may include some other type of information storage functionality. The memory 67 or other types of information storage functionality is suitable for performing methods and receiving and generating signals, which will be described below, in cooperation with the control unit 58 and the software executed by the control unit. For example, the memory can be used to collect data for Minimizing Drive Tests (MDT) under the control of control unit 58 and possibly other electronic processor (s) in the mobile station and to supply data to the network in accordance with the software executed on the unit control (s) and information and / or requests received from the network. The information stored may include program instructions and data that enable the entity 58 to implement methods that will be described below. It will be appreciated that the control unit usually includes timers, etc., which facilitate its operation.

Now, the first basic variant of the invention will also be described with reference to Fig. 4, which shows the signals exchanged between the first mobile station MS and the first NN network node, where the first network node may be a base station or a radio network controller.

As mentioned earlier, an invention is provided for controlling reporting, here not real-time reporting, of measurements from a mobile station to a network node.

At a minimum, non-real-time reporting control can include configuration of measurements to be recorded, triggering of logging events, and log reporting. Fig. 4 is a schematic drawing of the measurement procedure not in real time. Note that the NN network node or network node unit may be either a base station such as eNB or a radio network controller (RNC), depending on the access technology. In both cases, the node will typically use the structure 31 shown in Fig. 2.

Initially, the first network node (for example, either eNB or RNC) configures non-real-time measurements. The first network node, therefore, sends the non-real-time measurement configuration to the first mobile station, step 68. The measurements can relate to a mobile station either connected using radio resource control (RRC) or in RRC idle mode. The configuration of the mobile station can be made or carried out using dedicated signaling when the mobile station is in connection mode even if the actual measurements can be made in RRC idle mode, or it can be made or carried out by sending information about the system, in which case it is expected that the mobile station reads system information directly in idle mode. Configuration can be sent in a dedicated RRC message, configuration of the recorded measurement. The configuration typically defines the measurements to be made by the mobile station regarding one or more aspects of communication in and for the first mobile station with respect to the first communication network, which aspects of communication may include one or more of the following: a measurement object (e.g. frequency and / or Radio Access Technology (RAT) to be measured by the mobile station), quality reporting (e.g. Received Reference Signal Power (RSRP) or Received Reference Signal Quality (RSRQ), type of measurement (e.g. periodic or event triggered). Here, the control processor 32 can provide configuration data to the scheduling algorithm and the selector 33, which in turn processes data by performing the scheduling and selection of the source block and source element or code allocation depending on the type of network. The configuration may also include a timer or timer value indicating how long the configuration is valid for. The configuration can therefore only be valid for a limited time. The processed data is then modulated by the modulator 35 into a suitable carrier, which is then transmitted as a wireless signal through the radio circuit 37 via the antenna 38. In this way, it can be seen that the control processor provides the first mobile station with a reporting configuration.

The configuration is then received by the mobile station control unit 58, for example the mobile station 28. The configuration can be received here by the antenna 41, front-rear receiver 42, analog filter 44, ADC 46, digital filter 52, processor 54 and decoder 60.

When the MS mobile station has received the configuration, it performs measurements in accordance with the received measurement configuration and stores the measurement results in the internal register of the mobile station. In this way, it collects the measurements according to the configuration, step 69. The measurements can be collected or collected by the control unit 58 instructing the measuring unit, such as the estimator 62, to perform the measurements according to the configuration. The measuring unit then performs the measurements and sends them to the control unit 58. After receiving the measurements, the control unit 58 then stores them in the internal register in memory 67.

After collecting p, recorded measurements are delivered to the network node unit. Thus, the mobile station performs non-real-time measurement reporting, step 70. Two alternative ways to report recorded measurements will be described later. Typically, reporting is performed by the control unit 58 providing data to the encoder 64 for modulation and then to the forward-backward transmitter 66 for transmission through the antenna 41. Thus, it can be seen that the control unit 58 instructs the forward-reverse transmitter to send a report.

It should be understood here that measurement reporting not in real time does not necessarily have to correspond to the same network node as the measurement configuration. For example, measurements can be configured using eNB, but reporting can be done to the RNC, i.e. the mobile station can use different RAT to report recorded measurements than the one from which it received the configuration.

As another variation of this general concept, it is possible that the mobile station is preconfigured, i.e. it has the configuration beforehand and therefore will not need to receive it from the network.

The first embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail also with reference to Fig. 5, which shows a flow diagram of a plurality of process steps carried out at a network node in the form of a base station or radio network controller, and to Fig. 6, which is a flow diagram of a plurality of corresponding process steps carried out in a mobile station.

In this first example, the first network node, e.g., base station 16, provides a reporting configuration to the MS mobile station, e.g., first mobile station 28, step 71. This reporting configuration is provided to the first mobile station to allow the network to send a report request from the recorded measurement to the first mobile station and receiving such a report as an answer. The configuration can specify what parameters are to be measured, when the measurements are to be made and how the reporting is to be carried out. Reporting configuration may also specify that the mobile station should take measurements in idle mode. This reporting configuration is therefore sent to mobile station 28. It can be more specifically performed in the same manner as described above with respect to the first basic variant of the invention in the RRC message called the configuration of the recorded measurement.

The mobile station thus receives this reporting configuration from the network node, step 76, and then performs measurements in accordance with this reporting configuration, step 78. The measurements can be advantageously performed in idle mode. After the measurements are taken, they are then stored in an internal measurement record, step 80. This measurement record can be provided by a memory 67 connected to the control unit 58 of the mobile station. In this way, data is collected in the registry. At the appropriate time, which time can be set by the reporting configuration or whose selection can be determined by the reporting configuration, the notification is then sent to the first network node from the first mobile station, step 82. The notification is a notification of the presence of recorded measurements and is sent to enable the first node of the network to respond to notification by requesting a report from the recorded measurement. The notification may be sent in an RRC message and therefore the control unit 58 may provide such message to the encoder 64 for modulation and then transmission by the forward / reverse transmitter 66 via the antenna 41. In the first embodiment, the mobile station may first send the RRC Connection Request message to the first network node that responds with the RRC Connection Establishment message. Then, the first mobile station may send an RRC Connection Establishment message. This last message may contain the bit position, available registered measurements, which has been determined.

The control node 32 of the network node then receives notification via antenna 39, radio circuit 37 and demodulator 36. When the network node receives notification from the mobile station, step 72, it then sends a report request from the recorded measurement as a response to the notification, step 73. It is possible here that such a request is sent only as a response to the notification. Thus, with the first embodiment, it is possible that a measurement request is only sent if there was prior notification. It can therefore be sent only on the basis of receiving notifications from the first mobile station. In this first embodiment, the same network node provides the configuration and sends a measurement report request. The request may be sent in the form of an RRC message provided to the scheduling algorithm and the selector 33 from the control processor 32 for processing, for example code allocation in WCDMA. Then, the processed data is modulated by the modulator 35 and transmitted to the mobile station via the antenna 38. In this way, it can be seen that the control processor 32 causes the request to be sent. The request in the first embodiment is sent in the RRC UE Information Request message. It is possible to use a bit or variable position in this message called LogMeasReportRequest.

The mobile station then receives the request as a response to the notification, step 84. The request is received at the control unit 58 via antenna 41, front-back receiver 42, analog filter 44, ADC 46, digital filter 52, processor 54 and decoder 60. Control unit 58 then sends the report as a response to the request, step 86. It is possible here that such report is only sent as a response to the request. Thus, according to the first example, it is possible that the report is sent only when there is a prior request for measurements. In this first embodiment, the report is then sent as soon as possible. The report is sent using encoder 64, forward-reverse transmitter 66 and antenna 41. Reporting is in the first embodiment sent in an UE RRC information reply message in a section called LogMeasReport.

The network node then receives the recorded measurement report as a response to the request, step 74, which report can be received in the same manner as the notification. The control processor therefore receives the report from the recorded measurement as a response to the request. The node may then perform an appropriate action such as changing its coverage based on one or more such reports received from various mobile stations.

It is also possible here that the measurements are carried out and also reporting is carried out before receiving the full configuration. The mobile station can, for example, start the aforementioned timer and then perform measurements in idle mode, periodically or after starting the event. Then, as soon as it enters the connection status, it can notify the network of available registered measurements. They can be reported after receiving a request from the network. If the mobile station goes back to idle again, it can continue to carry out measurements as per the configuration. The measurement may then end when the timer value expires and the final measurement report is notified and possibly also sent the next time the mobile station connects. It is therefore also possible here that the latter receives a new configuration.

Fig. 7 shows some signals sent between a mobile station and a network node in one variation of this first embodiment.

In this variation, the mobile station indicates the availability of recorded measurements to the network by sending notification to the network node, step 82.

If the mobile station performed measurements in idle mode, the indication may be made as part of the RRC connection establishment procedure. This may be a modified RRC message regarding the connection of the mobile station to the network. As such, it can be an RRC Connection Request message or an RRC Connection Establishment message. As an alternative, a special RRC message can be used. This means that the indication may be provided in the RRC Connection Request message, RRC Connection Establishment message, RRC Reconfiguration Completion message or RRC Connection Layout Change message, for example by the additional bit position provided for this purpose in these messages. It can be a bit position or a variable called logMeasAvailable. It is also possible to create a new type of RRC message that is dedicated to notification. Other types of possible messages are Cell Update, URA Update, Transfer to UTRAN Completed, and UTRAN Mobility Measurement Information Confirmation Report [j. UTRAN Mobility Information Confirm Measurement Report]. As an alternative, it may be possible to provide an indication in the EU Informative Response message. If the mobile station took measurements in RRC Connection Mode, then a special RRC message (e.g. UE Information Indication) or extension of current RRC message (e.g. Measurement Report, UECapabilityInformation). In the first embodiment, the RRC Connection Establishment message is used. If the network node does not support non-real-time measurement reception, it will simply ignore the indication from the mobile station. Please note that the indication time can be determined by the mobile station based on at least one time criterion. This criterion may be a criterion based on one of the mobile station's memory consumption, battery level or some other factor. It should also be noted that the indication from the mobile station may include an indication by which technology or RAT (e.g. HSPA, LTE, cdma2000, etc.) the measurements were collected. The indication may include an indication of the type of access technology used by the first mobile station when collecting data for the report. The first network node may use this information to determine if it can receive specific measurements (e.g., it can decode the number one abstract syntax notation (ASN.1) format used for a measurement report).

The first network node then determines whether it should request recorded measurements, i.e., determines if it should send a measurement request based on at least one reporting time criterion, step 88. If the network node supports receiving non-real-time measurements, as it would normally do when configuring a mobile station, then it can apply the current load in the cell, the current load in the system, a connection to a centralized database for storing reports, and various other factors to determine the appropriate time to request from the mobile station to transmit the measurement record. The reporting time criterion can therefore be based on one or more properties: load in the cell, load in the system and connection to a centralized database. Then, the request is sent, step 73. The request to the mobile station can be sent using a special RRC message, or by using an existing RRC message. The request may be sent in a radio resource control message regarding the capabilities of the mobile station, such as ueCapabilityEnquiry or ueInformationRequest. In the first embodiment, the ueInformationRequest message is used.

Finally, the mobile station, after receiving a request for measurement data transmission not in real time, will transmit the recorded measurements to the network node unit, step 86. The transmission can be done using a special RRC message, or using an existing message (e.g. ueCapabilityResponse, MeasurementReport ). In the first embodiment, a ueInformationResponse message is used, which is a response to the radio resource control message containing the request.

If the mobile station has available data and reported the data as available for transmission, but did not receive a request to transmit recorded measurements, it may repeat sending the indication either periodically or after moving to another cell.

As a further variation of the first embodiment, it is possible that in order to avoid overloading the radio signaling carriers (SRB) with large measurement registers, special SRBs may be used for non-real-time measurement reports. This means that the report can be transmitted on a radio signaling medium dedicated to transmissions of recorded measurement reports.

As another variation of the first embodiment, it is also possible to completely omit the indication from the mobile station. In such a solution, the network and more specifically the network node may simply request various mobile stations to provide recorded measurements based on information available on the network. For example, if the capabilities of a mobile station (e.g. if the mobile station is in RRC Connection mode and has indicated that it supports non-real-time measurements) are known in the network, for example by the first node of the network, then the network may simply request the mobile station to provide all recorded measurements (including measurements previously recorded in Idle mode).

After the network receives here the first node of the network indicating that the mobile station has available registered measurements, or has otherwise specified that the mobile station may have available registered measurements, the network selects the appropriate opportunity to request registered measurements from the mobile station. If the network unit performing it, here the first node of the network, does not support receiving measurements not in real time, it will never request recorded measurements from a mobile station.

It is possible to omit notifications in other scenarios. For example, it is possible to use network broadcasting instead. This is done in the second embodiment of the invention. A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 8, which shows a flow diagram of many method steps performed at a network node in the form of a base station or radio network controller and to Fig. 9, which shows a flow diagram of many corresponding method steps performed in a mobile station.

In this second embodiment, one network node, for example base station 16, provides the reporting configuration of the mobile station MS, for example the first mobile station 28, step 90, by transmitting the configuration to the mobile station. The mobile station then receives the reporting configuration from the network node, step 96, and then performs measurements according to this reporting configuration, step 98. The measurements can also be advantageously performed here in idle mode. After the measurements are taken, they are then stored in the measurement register, step 100. Until now, the second and first embodiments operate in the same way.

However, there is now no notification in the second embodiment. Instead, the first network node transmits the request for measurement reports to a group of mobile stations in its vicinity, which group includes the first mobile station, step 92. It therefore sends a request for measurement reports in the message, which can be seen as a request sent to all mobile stations near him. This can be done by the control processor 32 instructing the data generator 34 to include the request in the transfer being performed. Data generator 34 can then include the request in transmitted data, send this data to the scheduling algorithm and selector 33 for processing, then modulation of processed data in modulator 35 and transmission of modulated and processed data through radio circuit 37 through antenna 38.

When the mobile station, like the first mobile station, receives such a request in the message, step 102, then it sends a report as a response to the message. It is possible here that reports are sent only as such responses. This means that if the request message is not received, no reports will be sent by the mobile station. The network node then receives the report as a transmission response, step 94, and can then perform the appropriate action based on one or more of these reports. The report here is typically received by the control processor 32 via antenna 39, radio circuit 37 and demodulator 36.

Signals exchanged between the network node and the mobile station in a variation of this second embodiment are schematically shown in Fig. 10.

Here, the network, in the form of a base station, transmits the request, step 92. This can be done by a node that transmits a cell level indication that the mobile station can transmit measurement reports not in real time in the current cell. It should be noted that the network entity can use the current load in the cell, the current load in the system, connection to the centralized database for storing reports, and various other factors to determine the appropriate time to send indications for mobile stations to transmit measurement records. Indication of the transfer can be made using any existing System Information Message (MIB / SIB1) or System Information Block (SIB2 - 13) or using a new SIB message or a new RRC message, i.e. an RRC message designed and dedicated to this purpose.

After receiving the broadcast indication, step 102, the mobile station may determine the appropriate time to report recorded measurements based on at least one time criterion, which criterion may be based on one or more properties: mobile station memory consumption, battery level, availability of measurements, or by various other factors. It is also possible that the network, and here the first node of the network, may ask the mobile station to report recorded measurements immediately.

When the mobile station has specified the appropriate time to transmit the recorded measurements, i.e. it has determined when to send the report, step 106, (or if it has been ordered to report the recorded measurements immediately), the mobile station will transmit the recorded measurements to the network entity, here the first network node. Therefore, it will send a report to the network node as a response to the message, step 104. The transmission can be made using a special RRC message, or using an existing RRC message (e.g. ueCapabilityResponse, MeasurementReport).

It is also possible to use a special SRB for non-real-time measurement reports to avoid overloading the SRB with large measurement registers.

The third embodiment of the invention is also directed to avoiding the use of indications. The third embodiment will now be described with reference to Fig. 11, which shows a flow diagram of a plurality of method steps performed at a network node in the form of a base station or radio network controller, and to Fig. 12, which shows a flow diagram of a plurality of corresponding method steps performed at a mobile station .

In this third embodiment, the mobile station performs measurements in accordance with the reporting configuration it has, step 110, which reporting configuration may have been received in the same manner as described in the first and second embodiments, or which may have been delivered to the mobile station earlier. Measurements can also advantageously be carried out in idle mode. When the measurements are made, they are then stored in the measurement log, step 112.

In the third embodiment, the network controls the measurement transmission not in real time by the indication ON / OFF reporting. For example, the network may use an existing RRC message (e.g. in ueCapabilityEnquiry or SystemInformationBlock), a new dedicated RRC message, or a new message for transmission.

The first node may therefore provide an indication of reporting included in the mobile station, step 107, by sending such a message.

By receiving such a message, the mobile station thus receives the reporting enabled indication from the network node, step 114. When the mobile station has received the reporting enabled ON, it can then send the report to the corresponding cell at the appropriate point in time, e.g. when the mobile station has no more available memory, periodically, when a mobile station leaves a logging campaign. In this way, the mobile station may send a report as a response to the reporting enabled indication.

Then the sending of the indication reporting OFF can occur, which can typically be done in the same way as modification of any of the previously described messages. This will disable reporting and hence no reports will be sent in this case.

The present invention has many advantages. Enables the network to control reporting of recorded measurements. You can avoid the loss of recorded measurements if the network does not support non-real-time measurements. It also allows networks to perform many other activities such as changing cell coverage. Further, if the measurements are collected in idle mode, communication on the wireless interface between the base station and the mobile station is undisturbed. Further, by sending the indication, reporting reliability is increased. The risk of losing the measurement report is reduced. It also allows the network to request reports only when they are available. The network does not have to track the presence of reports and can therefore use its processing capabilities for other activities.

In some embodiments, RRC messages have been used. Such messages are described in more detail in 3GPP Technical Specifications 36.331 and 25.331.

There are many variations that can be made to the invention from those already mentioned. It is possible that different network nodes are used to perform configuration and receive reports. For example, the first network node may send a request and the next network node may provide the configuration. In this case, the first and different network nodes may use different types of access technologies, i.e. different RATs. Then configuration and request can be received by the first mobile station using these different types of access technologies. It is also possible here that different access networks are used, where one network node in the first access network is used for configuration and the other node in the second access network is used to receive reports, where both access networks can be subnets of the same communication network. It is also possible that the nodes involved in providing configuration and / or receiving reports are nodes at higher hierarchical levels of the communication network. Such a node may for example be a node in the core network, like a server in the core network. One example is the server of the Mobility Management Unit (MME) or the Operation and Maintenance server (O&M). The invention has been described above with reference to MDT and reporting of recorded measurements. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular area. Reporting in accordance with the invention can, for example, also be carried out in relation to Automatic Neighborhood Relations (ANR).

Moreover, in the description given above, the control processor performing the network activities of the invention was basically a base station. If the node is another node in the network, this node will also be equipped with a control processor, for example a main control processor, communicating with the control station of the base station, the subordinate control processor. Such communication can be performed using a suitable network communication interface such as the S1 communication interface in LTE. The subordinate control processor will then perform the functionality described above under the control of the main control processor.

It will be appreciated that the methods and devices described above can be combined and rearranged in many equivalent ways, and that the methods can be performed by one or more suitably programmed or configured signal processors and other known electronic circuits (e.g., discrete logic gates interconnected to performing specialized functions or application-specific integrated circuits). Many aspects of the present invention are described in terms of a sequence of operations that can be performed by, for example, components of a programmable computer system. UEs applying the present invention include, for example, cell phones, pagers, headsets, laptops and other mobile terminals, and the like. Furthermore, the present invention can additionally be considered as fully embodied in any form of computer-readable storage medium having the appropriate instruction system stored thereon to be used by or in conjunction with the instruction system, apparatus or device such as a computer-based system, a system containing a processor or other system that can load instructions from the medium and execute instructions.

The mobile station control and / or the control processor of the radio network base station controller may thus preferably be in the form of a processor with associated program memory containing computer program code for performing the functionality of the control unit or control processor. It should be understood that this control unit or control processor may also be in the form of equipment, such as in the form of a Special Purpose Circuit (ASIC). The computer program code may also be provided on a computer-readable medium, for example in the form of a data carrier, such as a CD ROM or memory card, which will implement the function of the control unit or control processor described above after the above-mentioned program has been loaded into memory and operated by the processor. One such product - a computer program in the form of a CD ROM 118 with such a computer program code 120 is schematically shown in Figure 13.

While the invention has been described with reference to what is currently considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention should not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent systems. Therefore, the invention should be limited only by the following claims.

"ATENTOWA" BELLEPAT "LAW OFFICE

Izabela Szychulska-Hawranek ul Słowackiego 44, 37-700 Przesilek (016) 7u2-37-77 fax: (016).: 175-72-87 mobile phone, (0608) 503-081 e-maii <a href="mailto:fcellepat@op.pl">fcellepat@op.pl</a> NIP: 795-207-16-72 REGON: 1803505 (6

Proxy:

<img file="PL2537362T3_D0001.tif" />