Network Call Setup Time Measurement and Disruption Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for measuring call setup time in telecommunications networks are inadequate as they rely on user equipment perspectives, making it difficult for service providers to identify and address network-related issues, as the data is often inaccessible and dependent on both network and RF channel performance.
Innovation Solution
Measuring call setup time from the network perspective by determining the time between a telephony application server or RAN node receiving a call initiation and transmission of a call delivery indication, and taking corrective actions if the time exceeds a threshold, such as comparing performance of network components across regions or between RAN nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If call setup time is measured from the user equipment perspective, then the measurement can be obtained, but it is difficult to identify and address network-related issues as the data is inaccessible and dependent on both network and RF channel performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional measurement approach by measuring call setup time from the network perspective rather than the UE perspective. The network timestamps call initiation and delivery indications, allowing service providers to directly observe and analyze network performance without relying on UE-reported data that conflates network and RF channel performance.
2Loss of time
If conventional UE-based measurement methods are used, then call setup time can be recorded, but service providers cannot access the data and cannot distinguish network performance from RF channel performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces network-side timestamping as an intermediary mechanism that captures call setup time information independently of UE measurements. The network records timestamps for call initiation and delivery indications, creating a separate data source that provides pure network performance metrics without being contaminated by RF channel variations or UE processing delays.
3Reliability
If network perspective measurement is implemented, then network performance can be accurately assessed and issues identified, but the measurement system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs self-measurement by automatically timestamping call-related messages at network nodes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external UE-based measurement systems and complex data collection infrastructure, as the network generates its own performance data through standard signaling message timestamping.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for mitigating disruptions to telecommunications networks. A call setup time is determined from a network perspective. If the call setup time is sufficiently long, one or more corrective actions are taken in order to identify and/or resolve a network problem that could be contributing to the long call setup time. The corrective action(s) can include comparing call setup time performance by geographic region, comparing network-observed call setup times to user equipment-observed call setup times, and/or initiating cell reselection procedures, for example.