Patent ID: 6507737
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
At a mobile switching center (MSC) of a wireless communication system, a method for automatically monitoring integrity of one or more communication trunks in a communication link between the MSC and a base station of the wireless communication system, wherein a trunk integrity test comprises the steps of:(a) selecting a first idle communication trunk in the communication link by (1) selecting a communication trunk in the communication link; and (2) determining whether the selected communication trunk is idle by determining whether an idle message is received from the base station over the selected communication trunk; (b) transmitting a test message over the first idle communication trunk to the base station; and (c) characterizing the integrity of the first idle communication trunk based on whether an appropriate responding message is received from the base station over the first idle communication trunk within a defined period of time, wherein the trunk integrity test for the first idle communication trunk is interrupted before completion of the trunk integrity test if the MSC determines that user data is available for transmission over the first idle communication trunk.