Distributed Wireless Network Testing via Consumer Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring wireless network performance in different geographic regions are inadequate, as they often rely solely on infrastructure data and fail to simulate real-user experiences, leading to delayed detection of network outages and issues.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing geographically distributed consumer devices, such as smartphones and tablets, connected via USB to a central test controller, which execute applications that rely on cellular communication networks, allowing for real-user experience simulation and monitoring of network conditions, including response times, latency, and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If infrastructure data is used for network monitoring, then monitoring coverage is extensive, but detection accuracy of real user experiences is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses consumer devices to create virtual copies of real user experiences rather than relying on infrastructure data. Multiple consumer devices are distributed across different geographic regions to simulate and report actual user network experiences, providing accurate detection of real-world network conditions without requiring complex infrastructure monitoring systems.
2Reliability
If consumer devices are distributed geographically for testing, then real user experience monitoring is improved, but system deployment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Consumer devices automatically perform network testing and reporting without requiring manual configuration or intervention. The system leverages the devices' existing capabilities to self-monitor network conditions, eliminating the need for complex deployment infrastructure while maintaining high reliability through distributed geographic coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multi-functional consumer devices that can perform both their intended consumer functions and network monitoring functions simultaneously. This universal approach allows the same devices to serve multiple purposes, reducing deployment complexity while improving monitoring reliability through real-user experience data.
3Loss of time
If real-time monitoring is implemented across multiple regions, then issue detection speed is improved, but data collection requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential network performance metrics needed for issue detection from the data collected by distributed consumer devices. Rather than collecting and analyzing all possible data, the system focuses on extracting key performance indicators such as network availability, latency, and error rates, reducing data volume while maintaining fast issue detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Testing of a wireless communication network is performed by placing test devices in multiple geographic regions. The test devices may be typical consumer wireless devices, such as smartphones, of types that are used with the wireless communication network. Communication channels are established with the devices from a test controller, through a wide-area network such as the Internet and through USB ports or other wired interfaces of the devices. The test controller provides scripts that measure response times of applications that execute on the devices. The response times are used as indicators of network performance in the geographic regions. When the response time for a particular region exceeds a threshold, an operator may be notified or other automated actions may be initiated to address potential network problems in the region.