Patent ID: 6714779
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A method for automatically testing to monitor performance of cellular telephone equipment by a combination of passive signal monitoring and active signal testing, comprising the following steps:locating a plurality of cellular facilities for transmitting signals to and/or receiving signals from a mobile telephone station, wherein a portion of the radio coverage area of at least one of said plurality of cellular facilities overlaps a portion of the radio coverage area of at least one other of said plurality of cellular facilities, and wherein the plurality of cellular facilities are selected from among a cellular base station and a fixed active monitoring station having a radio coverage area comprising a plurality of cellular base station coverage areas or portions thereof, accessing a cellular facility via an RF link, testing, via one or more cellular facilities, operational parameters of transmissions from cellular mobile stations and cellular base stations, controlling said testing with a test and measurement control computer, and reporting from said cellular facilities variations in said signal quality parameters outside predetermined limits.