Patent Publication Number: US-2007099561-A1

Title: System and method for tracking UMTS cell traffic

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to tracking the status of a mobile network, and more specifically to a system and method for tracking the status of a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) cell.  
      UMTS is a third generation (3G) access network related to mobile communications that provides a common interface to both Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) core network. 3G systems are intended to provide global mobility through services such as, for example, telephony, paging, messaging, Internet and broadband data. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) started the process of defining the standard for 3G systems (IMT-2000) which was completed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) in the form of UMTS. In 1998 Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was formed to continue the technical specification work. 3GPP has five main UMTS standardization areas: Radio Access Network, Core Network, Terminals, Services and System Aspects and GSM Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN). In 1999 UMTS Phase 1 (Release &#39;99, version 3) was complete.  
      A UMTS network consists of three interacting domains: Core Network (CN), UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) and User Equipment (UE). The main function of the CN is to provide switching, routing and transit for user traffic. CN also contains the databases and network management functions. The basic CN architecture for UMTS is based on a GSM network with GPRS. All equipment has to be modified for UMTS operation and services. The UTRAN provides the air interface access method for UE. Base Station is referred to as Node-B, and control equipment for Node B is referred to as Radio Network Controller (RNC). The system areas from largest to smallest are as follows: UMTS, systems (including satellite), Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), MSC/VLR or SGSN, Location Area, Routing Area (Packet Switch (PS) domain), UTRAN Registration Area (PS domain), Node B, and Sub cell.  
      The functions of Node-B are: Air interface Transmission/Reception, Modulation/Demodulation, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) Physical Channel coding, Micro Diversity, Error Handing, Closed loop power control. The functions of RNC are: Radio Resource Control, Admission Control, Channel Allocation, Power Control Settings, Handover Control, Macro Diversity, Ciphering, Segmentation/Reassembly, Broadcast Signaling, Open Loop Power Control. Each RNC is connected to the CN (both packet and circuit domains) by the Iu interface; RNCs are connected together with the Iur interface. Each Node B is connected to an RNC by the Iub interface. One mobile station can have a radio connections to multiple cells/NodeB, and the RNC can switch between different data rates depends on the service usages.  
      The CN is divided into circuit switched (CS) and PS domains. Some of the CS elements are Mobile services Switching Centre (MSC), Visitor location register (VLR) and Gateway MSC. PS elements are Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN). Some network elements are shared by both domains.  
      The basic geographic unit of a cellular system such as UMTS is a cell. A city or county is divided into “cells,” each of which is equipped with a radio transmitter/receiver. The cells can vary in size depending upon terrain, capacity demands, etc. By controlling the transmission power, the radio frequencies assigned to one cell can be limited to the boundaries of that cell. When a wireless phone moves from one cell toward another, a computer at the Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) monitors the movement and at the proper time, transfers or hands off the phone call to the new cell and another radio frequency is assigned. The handoff or handover is performed so quickly that it is not noticeable to the callers.  
      There are three types of handovers: hard handover, soft handover, and softer handover. During hard handover, all the old radio links in the UE are removed before new radio links are established. Hard handover can be seamless or non-seamless. Seamless hard handover means that the handover is not perceptible to the user. In practice a handover that requires a change of the carrier frequency (inter-frequency handover) is always performed as hard handover.  
      During soft handover, radio links are added and removed in a way that the UE always keeps at least one radio link to the UTRAN. Soft handover is performed by means of macro diversity, which refers to the condition that several radio links are active at the same time. Normally soft handover can be used when cells operated on the same frequency are changed. Softer handover is a special case of soft handover where the radio links that are added and removed belong to the same Node B which is the site of co-located base stations from which several sector-cells are served.  
      A cell site is the location where the wireless antenna and network communications equipment is placed. The cell site consists of a transmitter/receiver, antenna tower, transmission radios and radio controllers. A cell site is operated by a Wireless Service Provider (WSP). More coverage and capacity can be created in a wireless system by having more than one cell site cover a particular amount of geography. In this case, each cell site covers a smaller area, with lower power MHz and thus offers the ability to reuse frequencies more times in a larger geographic coverage area, such as a city or metropolitan area.  
      A UE typically searches for a cell and determines a downlink scrambling code and frame synchronization of the cell. This process typically involves three steps: slot synchronization, frame synchronization and code-group identification, and scrambling-code identification. Slot synchronization typically requires that the UE use the Synchronization Channel&#39;s (SCH&#39;s) primary synchronization code to acquire slot synchronization to a cell. This is typically done with a single matched filter (or any similar device) matched to the primary synchronization code that is common to all cells. The slot timing of the cell can be obtained by detecting peaks in the matched filter output. Frame synchronization and code-group identification typically involve the UE which uses the SCH&#39;s secondary synchronization code to find frame synchronization and identify the code group of the cell found in the first step. This is done by correlating the received signal with all possible secondary synchronization code sequences, and identifying the maximum correlation value. Since the cyclic shifts of the sequences are unique, the code group as well as the frame synchronization is determined.  
      An SCH is a downlink signal used for cell search. The SCH consists of two sub channels, the primary and secondary SCH. The 10 ms radio frames of the primary and secondary SCH are divided into 15 slots, each of length 2560 chips. The primary SCH consists of a modulated code of length 256 chips, the primary synchronization code (PSC) is transmitted once every slot. The PSC is the same for every cell in the system. The secondary SCH consists of repeatedly transmitting a length  15  sequence of modulated codes of length 256 chips, the Secondary Synchronization Codes (SSC), transmitted in parallel with the primary SCH. Each SSC is chosen from a set of 16 different codes of length 256. This sequence on the secondary SCH indicates which of the code groups the cell&#39;s downlink scrambling code belongs to.  
      During the third and last step of the cell search procedure, the UE determines the exact primary scrambling code used by the found cell. The primary scrambling code is typically identified through symbol-by-symbol correlation over the CPICH with all codes within the code group identified in the second step. After the primary scrambling code has been identified, the Primary CCPCH can be detected and the system- and cell-specific BCH information can be read. Scrambling codes can be reused.  
      Prior art call trace applications for aiding troubleshooting group together all signaling messages that relate to a single call or data session. A message is a quantum of electronic information. A large number of calls/sessions can be displayed in this way and errors can be identified as they are highlighted graphically. Call identification variables and statistics can be shown, as well as variables such as International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), setup time, and clear down time. A call trace application can also allow display of message sequences that can simplify multi-segment message flow diagrams and control messaging across multiple network elements. A call trace application can provide UMTS call traces across the Iub, Iur and Iu interfaces. An Iub session trace tool for a UMTS Iub interface can capture and group signaling messages for Node B Application Part (NBAP), Access Link Control Application Protocol (ALCAP), Radio Resource Control (RRC) and other protocols. An Iu session trace tool for a UMTS Iu interface can capture and group the signaling messages for user sessions such as Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context and UMTS Attach/Detach procedures. An Iur session trace tool for a UMTS Iur interface can capture and group the signaling messages for Radio Network Subsystem Application Part (RNSAP), ALCAP and RRC and other protocols.  
      A call trace application can be augmented to define important call specific parameters such as, for example, call identification, call disposition, call duration, mobile identification, dialed/calling number, call type (short message service (SMS)/PDP/setup/location update, etc.) that can be calculated for Iub and Iur interfaces. Further, a call trace application can gather various statistics for studying the performance and trend in an Asynchronous Transfer Method (ATM) network based on parameters such as, for example, use type, statistic type (such as, for example, frame count, byte count, and frames/sec) and patterns (such as, for example, range list and wild card).  
      The general flow of a call trace application is as follows: (1) messages are monitored on an interface; (2) received messages are decoded and deciphered; (3) decoded and deciphered messages that relate to the same call are linked together; and (4) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and information elements are extracted from the messages and written to the Call Data Record (CDR). In other words, calls are reassembled over time, and analysis software creates graphic representations of the statistics associated with calls that indicate the different states of each call, and therefore highlights errors.  
      With respect to UMTS cells, prior art cell-based statistics are collected, for example, by monitoring messages on an interface, decoding and deciphering those messages, counting those messages, and linking them to a particular cell.  
      What is needed is a tool that (a) processes and presents data that are associated with a cell, and (b) post-processes the Iub signal and user data. The call-based UTRAN system uses CDRs. The current available data per call indicate an initial cell, a final cell, a failure cell, and a Block Error Rate (BLER) as an average over call setup. The call-based view does not provide the following information that is needed for cell-based network analysis: (a) cells that are used during call establishment, (b) cell-based KPI such as, for example, BLER, Quality Estimation, and RLC Retransmission, (c) RRC Connection Setup Rate, (d) duration of established soft handover leg, (e) used radio resource/established radio resource such as, for example, whether or not a WAP service uses a 384 kb pipe established on the radio interface or how long it takes to reconfigure a link, (f) how many calls had been established in parallel in a cell (an indication of a bad radio link), and (g) soft handover legs that are not needed. In the situation where there are many cells, efficient low level troubleshooting and a high level of problem indication are needed. Likewise, it is useful to examine fine-grained data in order to isolate the failed or failing cells.  
      Cell-based processing could summarize data for a single cell or Node B (referred to as either cell, Node B, or cell/Node B hereafter) over time because multiple users can share the network resources of WCDMA technologies and thus different calls could influence each other. With the ubiquitous use of UMTS, there is a need for identifying the problems associated with such influence by tracking cell-based activity while maintaining the call relationship between messages.  
      Such cell-based processing could help to quickly highlight problems in a cell/Node B through analysis of statistics associated with common NBAP messages. Also, representation of the statistics, for example in three-dimensional diagrams, based on cell-based messages could help to optimize cell/Node B radio and Iub/Iur resources and assist in network planning. Cell-based statistical analysis could reduce the time it takes to analyze large data log files, could provide a detailed overview of what is happening in the network, and could highlight problems that cannot be analyzed or indicated with prior art signaling analyzers.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The needs set forth above as well as further and other needs and advantages are addressed by the present invention. The solutions and advantages of the present invention are achieved by the illustrative embodiment described herein below.  
      The system and method of the present invention can provide cell-based statistics and analyses for messages related to the same call. The method of the present invention can include, but is not limited to, the steps of receiving messages into a message coverage area, such as, for example, a cell, through an interface and linking the messages to each other according to the call with which they are associated. The method can also include the steps of determining radio links associated with the messages, creating a data record such as, for example, a CDR if the radio links had not been previously registered in the system, and providing the cell-based statistics to the data record, where the cell-based statistic is associated with the messages and the message coverage area. The method of the present invention can optionally include the steps of providing quality information to the data record, providing neighboring message coverage area information to the data record, providing measurement results of the at least one statistic to the data record, and incrementing a message count associated with the message coverage area when the messages are processed.  
      The method of the present invention can still further optionally include the steps of monitoring the interface to detect the messages, decoding the messages to determine the call with which the messages are associated, and deciphering the messages to determine the cell-based statistics.  
      The system of the present invention can include, but is not limited to, a cell message receiver that can receive messages into a message coverage area such as, for example, a cell, through an interface and a message call linker that can link the received messages to other messages in the message coverage area if the received messages are part of the same call as the other messages. The system can also include a radio link finder that can determine which radio link is associated with the received messages and a data record creator that can create a data record associated with the radio link. The system can also include a data record populator that can populate the data record with cell-based statistics associated with the received messages and the message coverage area. Optionally, the data record populator can gather quality information, neighboring message coverage area information, and measurement results, and store them in the data record.  
      For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and detailed description. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       FIG. 1A  is a diagrammatic plan of the geographic environment in which the system of the present invention could execute;  
       FIGS. 1B and 1C  are diagrams of overlapping multi-celled configurations;  
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic block diagram of the network environment in which the system of the present invention can execute;  
       FIG. 2B  is an expanded schematic block diagram of components of interest in the network environment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of the system of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the method of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic diagrams illustrating exemplary call-based and cell-based CDR creation configurations, respectively.  
       FIG. 6A  is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration under which cell-based statistics could be useful.  
       FIG. 6B  is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary handover configurations.  
       FIG. 6C  is a schematic diagram illustrating heavily loaded and lightly loaded cell configurations.  
       FIG. 7  is an illustrative radio link setup diagram produced by the system and method of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is an illustrative bit rate diagram produced by the system and method of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  is an illustrative cell-based Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR), Quality Estimate (QE), and Cyclic Redundancy Checksum Indicator (CRCI) diagram produced by the system and method of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 10  is an illustrative dedicated measurement analysis diagram produced by the system and method of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is now described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown. The following configuration description is presented for illustrative purposes only. Any computer configuration satisfying the speed and interface requirements herein described may be suitable for implementing the system of the present invention.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1A , a geographic environment in which the present invention could operate is shown. In particular, UMTS cell configuration can be viewed in relation to coverage areas. At one end of the spectrum, a home configuration can confine transmissions to a home, while at the other end of the spectrum, a global configuration  52  can provide for cellular service around the world through use of at least one antenna  51 . In-building  55 , urban  54 , and suburban/rural  53  configurations can provide intermediate coverage area sizes. Each of these geographic distinctions can be grouped according to size as shown. For example, home-cell  52  can accommodate an in-home configuration, pico-cell  61  can accommodate in-building configuration  55 , while micro-cell  59  can accommodate urban configuration  54 . Moving up the size scale, macro-cell  58  can accommodate suburban/rural configuration  53 , and finally satellite  57  can accommodate global configuration  52 .  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 1B and 1C , cells can be deployed in various overlapping configurations such as, for example, six-celled configuration  63  ( FIG. 1B ), and three-celled configuration  65  ( FIG. 1C ). The use of six-celled configuration  63  can lead to an increase in the coverage area that is served by multiple cells, also known as the soft handover region, depending on the local propagation conditions and the antenna pattern.  FIGS. 1B and 1C  show overlap  53  between the antenna patterns. In a practical deployment the amount of overlap  64  could be greater due to the effect of adjacent sites. Overlap  64  could be the cause of interference, the impact of which can be minimized by a soft handover mechanism.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2A , the network environment in which the present invention could execute is shown. Radio Access Network (RAN)  88  can include at least one cell/Node B  89  and at least one RNC  87 , each of which can receive messages  21  from interfaces  92 . Interfaces  92  can receive messages  21  from an ATM network  82  that receives messages from a core network  71 . Computers  85  can monitor messages at interfaces  92 , transmit statistics  27  gathered from messages  21  over communications network electronic interface  84 , and store statistics  27  gathered from messages  21  on computer-readable medium  81 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2B , an expanded view of RNC  87  and cell/Node B  89  as interconnected and connected to outside devices by Iu  92 A, Iur  92 B, and Iub  92 C interfaces is shown. A call trace data feed can include software handover and individual leg information. A cell trace data feed could begin with individual leg information and vary that to produce a cell-based parameters and cell-based KPI.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , system  100  of the present invention can include, but is not limited to, cell message receiver  11  capable of receiving messages  21  into message coverage area  22  through interface  92 , message call linker  13  capable of linking the received messages  21  to other messages  21  in message coverage area  22  if the received messages  21  are part of the call  23  that is associated with other messages  21 . System  100  can also include radio link finder  15  capable of determining radio link  86  that is associated with received messages  21 , data record creator  17  capable of creating data record  26  that is associated with radio link  86 , and data record populator  19  capable of providing cell-based statistics ( 27 ) that are associated with received messages  21  and message coverage area  22  in data record  26 . Data record populator ( 19 ) can provide, but is not limited to providing, quality information  27 A, neighboring message coverage area information  27 B, and measurement results  27 C to data record  26 . Further, cell message receiver  11  is capable of incrementing message count  27 D associated with message coverage area  22  when received messages  21  are processed. System  100  can optionally include cell-based statistics processor  28  capable of accessing data record  26  and providing cell-based statistics  27  in the form of a diagram.  
      Referring still further to  FIG. 3 , system  100  can execute in computer  85 , and can receive, through network electronic interface  84 , messages  21 , interface  92  associated with messages  21 , and message coverage area  22 , such as, for example, cell/Node B  89 . System  100  can optionally include call database  16  and data record database  25 . Call database  16  can maintain records of which messages  21  are associated with which calls  23 , and data record database  25  can maintain call data record and cell-based call information associated with messages  21 . Cell-based statistics  27  can include, but are not limited to, quality info  27 A, neighboring message coverage info  27 B, measurement results  27 C, message count  27 D, number radio links in cell  27 E, kind of radio links  27 F, if radio links relate to soft handover  27 G, bandwidth of radio links  27 H, and radio link reconfiguration and events that relate to cell loading  27 I.  
      Referring now primarily to  FIG. 4 , method  200  can include, but is not limited to, the steps of receiving messages  21  ( FIG. 3 ) into message coverage area  22  ( FIG. 3 ) (method step  201 ), linking messages  21  with calls  23  ( FIG. 3 ) that are associated with messages  21  (method step  203 ), and determining radio link  86  ( FIG. 2A ) that is associated with messages  21  (method step  205 ). If radio link  86  has been added (decision step  207 ), method  200  can include the step of creating data record  26  ( FIG. 3 ). If radio link  86  has not been added (decision step  207 ), method  200  can include the steps of providing cell-based statistics  27  ( FIG. 3 ) that are associated with messages  21  and message coverage area  22  to data record  26 . Optionally, method  200  can include the steps of providing quality information  27 A ( FIG. 3 ) to data record  26 , providing neighboring message coverage area information  27 B ( FIG. 3 ) to data record  26 , providing measurement results  27 C ( FIG. 3 ) of cell-based statistics  27  to data record  26 , and incrementing message count  27 D ( FIG. 3 ) associated with message coverage area  22  when messages  21  are processed.  
      With further reference to  FIG. 4 , method  200  can be, in whole or in part, implemented electronically. Signals representing actions taken by elements of system  100  ( FIG. 3 ) can travel over electronic communications media  84  ( FIG. 2A ). Control and data information can be electronically executed and stored on computer-readable media  81  ( FIG. 2A ). Method  200  can be implemented to execute on at least one node  85  ( FIG. 2A ) in at least one communications network  71  ( FIG. 2A ). Common forms of computer-readable media  81  include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CDROM or any other optical medium, punched cards, paper tape, or any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, or any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 5A , one possible configuration for creating a call-based CDR is shown. Call-based CDR can be shown in one CDR line  171  from the beginning of the call to the end of the call. If a call is dropped in one stage of the call procedure, that can be indicated in one CDR. Individual CDRs in CDR line  171  can also indicate protocol influences on the CN and RAN. However, how long and how often a call is in softer/softer handover, or the neighbor cell measurements, are not indicated.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 5B , cell-based CDR creation can require analysis of the phases of calls in cell CDR line one  172 A, cell CDR line two  172 B, and cell CDR line three  172 C to indicate the KPI for a particular time frame. Thus, CDR lines for new and existing legs can be created if, for example, (a) a new soft handover leg is established, (b) a new softer handover leg is established, (c) a radio link is reconfigured, or (d) when there is physical channel reconfiguration/cell update. With these new data, post processing can indicate, for example, (a) KPI per Leg (e.g. BLER, RLC Retransmission), (b) KPI per data rate (e.g. BLER, RLC Retransmission), (c) cell loading time, (d) what an additional leg could contribute to the overall connection, (e) time arrival information, and/or (f) new neighbor cell description and measurement report.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 6A , soft handover legs  175  and  177  can contribute differently to the overall connection. Thus certain statistics can assist in the optimization task such as, for example, (a) which cell/NodeB has a soft handover with pure quality, a statistic gathered for the purpose of removing the soft handover from the neighboring cell description, (b) the measured CPICH, a statistic gathered so that if the leg has a poor coverage, a new leg could be added, and (c) the overall cell load during the time frame in which a bad QE is indicated.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 6B , another statistic that could be gathered is the reported neighbor cell list. This statistic could indicate (a) if, when the UE is in Cell_Dedicated Channel(DCH) mode, cells  2 - 4  could be possible candidates for a soft/softer handover from cell  1 , (b) if, when the UE is in the Cell_Forward Access Channel(FACH) mode, no soft/softer handover is possible, (c) if, when the UE is in soft/softer handover with cell  1  and cell  5 , cells  2 - 8  could be candidates for soft handover. These statistics could indicate call drop or quality variation.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 6C , high loaded cell  1  and a low loaded cell  2  are shown. Unlike GSM, UMTS does not have timeslots. Instead, a user can allocate a noise level. Statistics can be gathered to assess how the noise level could influence a single call. With those statistics, a user or operator may conclude that no soft handover can be made during, for example, a 384 kb rate call in busy cell  1 .  
      Following is a candidate list of statistics that can be gathered with respect to cell-based tracing. This list is not exclusive, merely exemplary.  
                               GENERAL IUB INFORMATION                                    Call Id       VPI - Needed for not grouped messages       Bearer - Needed for not grouped messages       Duration       Status       Start Time       Establishment Cause       International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)       International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)       Oldest Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) CS       Latest TMSI CS       Oldest TMSI PS       Latest TMSI PS       Link Access Control (LAC)       Routing Area Code (RAC)       SAC       Cell Identifier       NBAP Cause       ALCAP Cause       RRC Release Cause       RRC Reject Cause       Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) Cause       Service Type       Cell Update Cause       RRC State Indicator       Scrambling Code       Uplink (Reverse Link) (UL)_Scrambling Code       Iu User Plane (UP)_Max_Bit_Rate_CS       Iu UP_Max_Bit_Rate_PS       Iu —  Downlink (Forward Link) (DL)_Max_Bit_Rate_CS       Iu_DL_Max_Bit_Rate_PS       NBAP UL Max Number Transport Block (TB) Signaling       NBAP DL Max Number TB Signaling       NBAP Time Transmission Interval Signaling       NBAP UL Max Number TB Data       NBAP DL Max Number TB Data       NBAP Time Transmission Interval       NBAP TB Speech       NBAP DL Slot Format       NBAP Initial DL Power       NBAP Minimum DL Power       NBAP Maximum DL Power       ALCAP Max Forward CPS-SDU Bit Rate       ALCAP Max Backwards CPS-SDU Bit Rate       ALCAP Avg Forward CPS-SDU Bit Rate       ALCAP Avg Backward CPS-SDU Bit Rate       MESSAGES COUNTER       No of RRC Connection Request       No of RRC Connection Setup       No of RRC Connection Setup Complete       No of RRC Connection Reject       No of Radio Link Setup       No of Radio Link Setup Complete       No of Radio Link Failure       No of Radio Link Reconfiguration Prepare       No of Radio Link Reconfiguration Ready       No of Radio Link Reconfiguration Commit       No of Radio Link Reconfiguration Failure       No of Radio Link Addition Request       No of Radio Link Addition Response       No of Radio Link Addition Failure       No of Active Setup Update Request       No of Active Setup Update Response       No of Active Setup Update Failure       No of ALCAP EST [please define] Request       No of ALCAP EST Confirm       No of ALCAP EST Reject       No of ALCAP Release Request       No of ALCAP Release Confirm       TIMER       RRC Connection Setup Time       Radio Link Setup Time       Radio Link Reconfiguration Setup Time       ALCAP Setup Time       Average Time between Radio Link Reconfiguration       QUALITY       UL Quality Estimation Signaling       UL Block Error Rate Signaling       UL Quality Estimation User Plane       UL Block Error Rate User Plane       SIR Target Max       SIR Target Min       NBAP Dedicated Measurement Report - SIR ERROR Value       NEIGHBOUR CELL MEASUREMENT       INTRA FREQUENCY       Measurement Reports:       Intra Frequency Measurement       Inter Frequency Measurement       Inter RAT Measurement       UE-Positioning Measurement       Traffic Volume Measurement       Quality Measurement       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency Count       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency Service Code (SC) 1       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH Transmit (TX) Power 1       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 2       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power 2       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 3       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power3       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 4       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power 4       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 5       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power 5       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 6       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power 6       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 7       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power 7       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency SC 8       Measurement Control - Intra Frequency CPICH TX Power 8 - May trigger event       missing       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency Count       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 2       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 3       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 4       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 5       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 6       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 7       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency CPICH Ec/Io 1       Measurement Report - Intra Frequency SC 8       Event Result Type —Intra Frequency       Event Result - 3 SC - Open the maximum number of measurement reports needs to define       NEIGHBOUR CELL MEASUREMENT       INTER RAT MEASUREMENT       Measurement Control Inter RAT -NewInterRATCellList Count       Measurement Control Inter RAT Network Colour Code (NCC)_1       Measurement Control Inter RAT Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Colour (BCC)_1       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_1       Measurement Control Inter RAT Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) —  Absolute Radio       Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN)_1       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_2       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_2       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_2       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_2       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_3       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_3       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_3       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_3       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_4       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_4       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_4       Measurement Control Inter RAT Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_4       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_5       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_5       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_5       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_5       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_6       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_6       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_7       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_7       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_8       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_8       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_8       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_8       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_9       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_9       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_9       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_9       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_10       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_10       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_10       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_10       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_11       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_11       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_11       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_11       Measurement Control Inter RAT NCC_12       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCC_12       Measurement Control Inter RAT Frequency_Band_12       Measurement Control Inter RAT BCCH_ARFCN_12       Measurement Control Inter RAT InterRATEvent Type       Measurement Control Inter RAT Threshold       Inter RAT Measured Results List Count       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_Carrier Received Signal Strength Indicator       (RSSI)_1       Inter RAT Measured Results List Verified Base transceiver Station Identity Code       (BSIC)_1       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_2       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_2       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_3       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_3       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_4       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_4       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_5       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_5       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_6       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_6       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_7       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_7       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_8       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_8       Inter RAT Measured Results List GSM_CarrierRSSI_9       Inter RAT Measured Results List VerifiedBSIC_9       EventIDInterRAT       VerifiedBSIC       Handover From UTRAN Command GSM - BS Colour Code       Handover From UTRAN Command GSM - Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)       Color Code       Handover From UTRAN Command GSM - 3 BCCH ARFCN       INTER FREQUENCY MEASUREMENT       Tbd. Same as Intra Frequency       TIME ADVANCED       Frame Protocol (FP) UL Time of Arrvial       CALCULATED MEASUREMENT       Time Between Reconfiguration       With which Cell the Call is in Soft Handover       Contribution in % to the Soft Handover       Time between Radio Link Addition       Time between Radio Link Setup and Deletion       COMMON MESSAGES - 3 CELL BASED       Common Measurement Report RSSI       Common Measurement Report TX Power       Cell Setup, Deletion, Reconfiguration                  
 
      A first possible analysis output is a tabular statistic (not shown) that enables an operator to see problems in the network related to cell/Node B  89  ( FIG. 2A ). The values in the tabular statistic could be based, for example, on the Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) if, for example, each VPI were associated with one Node B and several cells. To facilitate this tabular statistic, the following values could be added to the CDR: used frequency (UARFC), used scrambling code (SC), defined T-cell value (T-Cell), status (indicating if the cell/Node B  89  currently has a problem based on the received NBAP messages). The status can be color-coded in the diagram. The tabular statistic could include, but is not limited to: export list; cell information such as, for example, Cell Identity (CI), Link Access Control (LAC), Service Area Code (SAC), RNC identification; name of cell/position; measured neighbor cell in single leg handover including, for example, intra cell list, inter cell list, and inter RAT list; measured neighbor cell in soft handover with cell x including, for example, intra cell list, inter cell list, and inter RAT list; percentage of cell load time based including, for example, soft handover, softer handover, CS calls, PS calls, and signaling only; and percentage of soft handover contribution of cell x.  
      Referring now primarily to  FIG. 5 , radio link setup/radio link reconfiguration over time diagram  20  is shown that could indicate the number of radio links  86  ( FIG. 2A ) set up in a cell/Node B  89  ( FIG. 2A ) over time  102 , the type of radio link  86  (e.g. signaling, speech, data), whether radio link  86  relates to soft handover (macro diversity), and the bandwidth of radio link  86 . Additionally a radio link reconfiguration  107  and other events, such as, for example, blocking, that relate to the loading of cell/node B  89  could be shown. Messages  21  ( FIG. 2A ) containing values that can be mapped to a spreading factor can be used to populate data record  26  ( FIG. 3 ) and ultimately radio link setup diagram  20 . As shown in radio link setup diagram  20 , the height of an individual block can indicate the spreading factor, and the position of the block along the Y-axis can indicate an Orthogonal Variable Spreading Factor (OVSF) position. This information can be used to visually indicate which codes are in use and how effectively the RNC is using resources on radio interface  92  ( FIG. 2A ). In radio link setup diagram  20 , the upper line can indicate useful common NBAP messages  21  or radio link failure messages in order to give a visual representation of cell performance (such as, for example, radio link failure due to the unavailability of radio resources). Radio link setup diagram  20  could also indicate radio links  86  that relate to soft/softer handover according to information gathered in the call trace of the prior art. In the case of macro diversity, radio link setup diagram  20  could indicate which part of the loading on cell/Node B  89  is related to soft handover. Macro diversity, which means that the UE has a connection to multiple cells/Nodes B  89  at the same time, could be indicated in the radio link setup diagram  20  by, for example, a different color. If at some point in time, call  23  has only one radio link  86  (also known as a leg), then macro diversity is not indicated and the color in the radio link setup diagram  20  could reflect the change.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 6 , illustrative bit rate diagram  30  can display information about calls  23  ( FIG. 3 ) related to cell/Node B  89  ( FIG. 2A ). For example, maximum allocated bit rate  104  and average allocated bit rate  106  over time  102  as shown in an ALCAP establishment request message having values such as maximum and average forward and background Common Part Sublayer Service Data Unit (CPS_SDU) bit rate and path identifier could be displayed.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 7 , illustrative cell-based SIR, QE, and CRCI diagram  40  can display SIR, QE, and CRCI analyses per cell. Cell-based SIR, QE, and CRCI diagram  40  could assist in isolating problems that result from multiple calls  23  ( FIG. 3 ) within the WCDMA technology. Cell-based SIR, QE, and CRCI diagram  40  could also indicate an average QE value.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 8 , illustrative dedicated measurement analysis diagram  50  can display dedicated measurement analysis per cell. Dedicated measurement analysis diagram  50  could assist in understanding problems between multiple calls  23  ( FIG. 3 ) within the WCDMA technology.  
      Although the invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, it should be realized this invention is also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments.