Telephonic communications – With usage measurement – Call traffic recording by computer or control processor
Patent
1994-02-10
1995-05-23
Chin, Stephen
Telephonic communications
With usage measurement
Call traffic recording by computer or control processor
379 34, 379 58, 379 59, 379111, 379113, 455 331, 455 334, 455 541, 455 671, H04M 322, H04M 1100, H04M 1500, H04Q 900
Patent
active
054188431
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for estimating traffic density in mobile telephone networks, mobile radio networks and the like. The method is based on synchronised signal strength measurements in the uplink and estimation of position, for example with the aid of a neural network.
PRIOR ART
A natural desire for an operator of a mobile telephone network is to obtain information on how the traffic is distributed geographically in the network. The information can be used for being able to plan the network with respect to capacity and with respect to quality.
It is know per se to measure signal strengths at base stations during a call in progress with a mobile station. See for example EP-A-431,956. However, it has been found to be difficult to obtain the actual geographical or topographic distribution of the traffic since it is difficult to determine the positions of the individual mobile stations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for estimating traffic density in mobile telephone networks, which method solves the above-mentioned problems. According to the invention, a measuring mobile station is allowed to pass through relevant traffic routes while it is sending a radio signal and at the same time recording its position. The signal which is received from the measuring mobile station is measured in synchronism with the aid of a number of suitably sited measuring stations. The measurement values from the measuring stations are then compiled with the respective registered positions of the measuring mobile station so that an unambiguous relationship between signal strength values and position is obtained.
After that, the actual traffic in the mobile telephone network is measured with the aid of the measuring stations and the consequent measurement results can then be related to geographic positions with the aid of the compilation so that a topographic distribution of the traffic density is obtained. Other embodiments of the invention are specified in greater detail in the subsequent patent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawing wherein the only FIGURE diagrammatically shows a mobile telephone system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The FIGURE diagrammatically shows a measuring system which consists of a number of measuring stations BS and mobile stations MS, only one of which is drawn. Nothing prevents measuring stations from being placed at existing base station locations and utilizing the existing antenna equipment. It will be seen that a signal from the mobile station MS gives rise to a set of signal strengths at the measuring stations. The ratio between the signal strengths depends on the environment in the area and probably gives rise to a unique data set at each of the positions. The more measuring stations there are, the greater is the probability that each position provides a unique set of signal strength values. Conversely, a certain set of measurement values corresponds to one and only one position. It is this fact which is utilized in the present invention.
Thus, it is necessary to establish a set of signal strength values for each possible position of the mobile station. By allowing a number of measuring stations to measure signal strength and signal identity from a mobile station synchronously, a set of signal strength values is obtained at each measuring instant which corresponds to the current position of the mobile station at the time. A special measuring mobile station is used which is allowed to drive through all relevant traffic routes so that the measuring result becomes sufficiently comprehensive and extensive. The measuring mobile station regularly registers its position. The measuring stations obtain a reference between measurement result and current position. It is important that the measuring stations are selected in such a manner that redundancy in the measurement results is avoided so that an unambiguous rel
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IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. Com-32, No. 7, Jul. 1984, "Performance of Portable Telephone Using Spread Spectrum".
Chin Stephen
Shankar Vijay
Televerket
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