Service Centric MDT Measurements for Mobile Network Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network performance management in mobile communications networks is inefficient, particularly in collecting service quality metrics from user equipment, as existing methods are costly and burdensome, and lack sufficient sample measurements across all dimensions, leading to incomplete network performance analysis.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Minimization of Drive Tests (MDT) trace measurement configuration and collection method that enables mobile terminals to perform service-specific and active measurements, generating test traffic to collect quality metrics and transmit results to network nodes, which are then processed by a network management system to identify performance issues and optimize network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If drive tests are used to collect network performance measurements, then comprehensive service quality metrics can be obtained, but operational costs and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual drive tests that create virtual copies of mobile terminals to perform measurements in the virtualized network environment, replacing physical drive tests. This allows comprehensive service quality metrics to be collected without the time consumption and costs associated with actual physical drive tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical drive test system with an automated software-based measurement system. Virtual terminals execute measurement tasks in the network environment, substituting the need for physical vehicles, equipment, and manual operations while maintaining measurement comprehensiveness.
2Measurement precision
If drive tests are conducted to ensure sufficient sample measurements across all dimensions, then complete network performance analysis is achieved, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual terminals are created as software copies to perform measurements across multiple network dimensions simultaneously. These virtual instances can be rapidly deployed and configured to cover all required measurement dimensions without the operational costs of physical drive test teams, vehicles, and equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual terminal system provides multi-functionality by enabling a single measurement framework to collect data across all network dimensions (service quality, radio conditions, location, time) simultaneously. This universal approach ensures comprehensive sample coverage while eliminating the need for multiple specialized physical measurement teams.
3Loss of information
If traditional performance measurement methods are used, then network level information is collected, but service centric measurements from user perspective are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual user terminals that replicate actual user equipment behavior and perspective. These virtual terminals collect service centric measurements from the user's viewpoint, capturing information about service quality, application performance, and user experience that traditional network-level monitoring cannot obtain.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual terminal acts as an intermediary between the network infrastructure and the measurement system. It executes measurement tasks within the network environment while collecting service-centric data, bridging the gap between network-level monitoring and user-perspective quality assessment.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a technique for configuring and collecting network performance measurements in a mobile communications network, the mobile communications network comprising at least one network node and at least one mobile terminal 208 connected to the at least one network node, implementing a Minimization of Drive Tests (MDT) trace measurement configuration and collection. A method embodiment comprises the steps of performing, in the at least one mobile terminal 208, a service specific measurement based on a service specific measurement configuration, wherein the service specific measurement includes determining one or more quality metrics related to at least one of one or more services, one or more service types, one or more bearers, one or more applications and one or more application types provided in the mobile communications network, to obtain a result of the performed service specific measurement and generating, in the at least one mobile terminal 208, active test traffic based on an active measurement configuration to perform an active measurement, wherein the active measurement uses the generated test traffic to obtain a result of the performed active measurement, the result of the performed active measurement indicating the performance of the test traffic in the mobile communications network.