WO2006016756A1

WO2006016756A1 - Call analysis system in mobile communication network

Info

Publication number: WO2006016756A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/002554
Authority: WO
Inventors: Byoung-Young Son
Original assignee: Upresto, Inc.
Priority date: 2004-08-13
Filing date: 2005-08-05
Publication date: 2006-02-16
Also published as: KR20060015097A; KR100655185B1

Abstract

A system for analyzing calls using analyses of packet data in a mobile communication system is disclosed. The system includes a first analyzer for collecting packets input to the a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets, a second analyzer for collecting packets output from the PDSN and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets, a controller for integrating the subscriber log information extracted from the first and the subscriber log information extracted from the second analyzer, managing them, and generating a statistical analysis information in conformity with predetermined format, and a database for storing the subscriber log information integrated by the controller. In accordance with the present invention, log information about all subscribers are stored and managed, and call performance and quality materials for each area, equipment vender and terminal using the log information can be provided.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title]

CALL ANa-LYSIS SYSTEM IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK

[Technical Field] The present invention relates, in general, to a system and method for analyzing the performance of a mobile communication network and, more particularly, to a system and method for analyzing the performance of a mobile communication network, which generate information about all subscribers through the analysis of packet data transmitted to and received from the mobile communication network, analyze the performance of the network based on the generated information, and generate statistics.

[Background Art] Recently, with the rapid development of wired and wireless communication technologies, the wireless Internet is flourishing. The backbone network of the wireless Internet is established by constructing a packet network on an existing mobile telephone network and provides various wireless data services, including wireless Internet service, to terminals in motion. The packet network includes packet data service nodes that establish environment for providing data services, and a packet transmission network that transmits packets to a data network. Methods of constructing a packet network to provide wireless data services are mainly classified into

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)2000. UMTS is a method standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project

(3GPP) , an Europe-centered standardization organization, and

CDMA2000 is a method standardized by the 3rd Generation

Partnership Project2 (3GPP2) , a North America-centered standardization organization.

CDMA2000 Ix has improved from the 2nd generation service and can provide an improved data transmission rate and various services. In particular, packet data can be transmitted at a maximum rate of 144 Kbps and efficiently uses traffic channels in a wireless section by supporting dormant states.

The configuration of a network based on CDMA2000 Ix will be schematically described with reference to FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, packet data in CDMA2000 Ix are processed by a packet core network. The packet core network is mainly- composed of 4 nodes, including a Packet Control Function server (PCF) , a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) , a Home Agent (HA) and an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server, and processes simple Internet Protocol (IP) and mobile IP calls. The functions of respective nodes are described below. First, the PCF performs a buffering function and a terminal state management function until data transmitted from the PDSN have been transmitted through the air.

The PDSN performs a Foreign Agent (FA) function for the mobile IP and a Network Access Server (NAS) function of setting up a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) for terminals. The HA performs a function of managing the mobility of terminals for the mobile IP. Finally, the AAA server performs functions of user authentication, authorization and accounting information collection.

Meanwhile, the PCF and the PDSN are always located in a visited network, and the HA and the AAA server use the equipment of a home network. That is, when roaming into the visited network, the subscriber uses the PCF and PDSN of the visited network, and is authenticated by the AAA server of the home network through the AAA server of the visited network. In the case of the mobile IP, the HA of the home network is also in charge of IP assignment or management for users. A call processing procedure is schematically described below. Wireless packet data services based on CDMA2000 Ix basically distinguish voice and data, and are authenticated by a Home Location Register (HLR) , which is used for voice, before using the data services. The user passing through HLR authentication will go through the following call processing procedure. (1) When inputting an IDentification (ID) and a password in a terminal requesting a data service, a user who is roaming into a visited network adds a network access identifier after the ID. (2) Next, the PDSN performs a Link Control Protocol (LCP) , authentication and a PPP connection procedure of IPCP, and then transmits an access request message to a local AAA server when a mobile IP registration request message is received from the terminal. (3) The local AAA server confirms the network access identifier, and then transmits the access request message to a corresponding home AAA server. The home AAA server performs subscriber authentication when the access request message is received, and then transmits an access acceptance message to the local AAA server.

(4) The local AAA server transmits the access acceptance message to the PDSN.

(5) The PDSN transmits the registration request message, which is received at step (2) , to the HA, and registers terminal information when a registration response message is received from the HA.

(6) The packet data service through mobile IP packet transmission and reception paths is carried out.

Meanwhile, network monitoring and statistical equipment for the above-described mobile communication network is provided. Such conventional network monitoring and statistical equipment provides statistics for the performance and quality of the mobile communication networks, but the statistics are provided by a specific service server or a specific content server. Thus, the statistics for the performance and quality of the mobile communication networks are limited to the services provided by a corresponding service server or content server. As a result, problems occur in that it is difficult to obtain knowledge about the performance and quality of the entire mobile communication network, and the content of the statistics is also limited to content which can be provided at the application level of the corresponding service server.

The information which is provided by the conventional network monitoring and statistical equipment having the above-described problems, has insufficient scalability to meet the rapid changes in environments and changes in the various needs of users. Furthermore, the conventional network monitoring and statistic equipment generates statistics on the basis of data of specific subscribers, and the obtainment of knowledge about the performance and quality of the mobile communication networks using information generated on the basis of such limited data leads to inaccurate results.

[Disclosure] [Technical Problem]

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a system and method that are capable of analyzing packet data and generating information for all subscribers using the analysis results.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method that are capable of analyzing the performance of the mobile communication network using the information for all subscribers and generating statistics.

[Technical Solution]

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a system for analyzing calls in a mobile communication system having a PCF, a PDSN, and a content server in a mobile communication system, including a first analyzer for collecting packets input to the PDSN and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets; a second analyzer for collecting packets output from the PDSN and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets; a controller for integrating the subscriber log information extracted from the first analyzer and the subscriber log information extracted from the second analyzer, managing them on the basis of a subscriber number, and generating statistical analysis information; and a database for storing the subscriber log information integrated by the controller, and wherein the call analysis system stores and manages the log information for all subscribers accessing the network, and provides network performance analysis statistics based on the log information

Preferably, the packet analyzer includes a first packet collector for collecting the packets input to the PDSN; and a first packet analyzer for analyzing the subscriber log information using the packets transmitted from the first packet collector, and transmitting the analyzed information to the second analyzer or the controller.

Preferably, the second analyzer includes a second packet collector for collecting the packets output from the PDSN; and a second packet analyzer for analyzing the subscriber log information using the information transmitted from the first analyzer and the packets transmitted from the second packet collector, and transmitting the analysis information to the collector.

Preferably, the first analyzer provides an initiation time of a signal message, an IP address, and a subscriber number, which belong to the subscriber log information collected from packets transmitted from the PCF to the PDSN, to the second packet analyzer.

Preferably, the second analyzer receives an initiation time of a signal message, an IP address, and a subscriber number, which belong to the subscriber log information, from the first analyzer, and analyzes the collected packets using the received information. Preferably, the controller stores and manages the subscriber log information for each event using the subscriber number as a key when the event occur.

[Advantageous Effects]

In accordance with the present invention, the analysis of packet data transmitted to and received from the mobile communication network can be performed, and the subscriber information about all subscribers in the mobile communication network can be generated. The generation of the subscriber information is performed on the basis of a subscriber number, and the references and statistics, from which the performance and quality of a mobile terminal, a base station and a content server can be measured, can be produced.

In accordance with the present invention, the performance and quality of respective nodes and respective servers of a mobile communication network are measured using the generated statistics, so that the overall performance and quality of the mobile communication network can be measured using reliable statistics. Furthermore, the controller of the system according to the present invention not only manages first and second analyzers, receives a subscriber log, and manages the database, but also provides information about the subscriber log to the outside. The information, which can be provided to the outside in accordance with the present invention, includes information about the amount of use of packet data by a subscriber, which can be provided to a billing system, and information about whether the subscriber has received the packet data or not. Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, subscriber call states may be provided to a call processing equipment.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, a subscriber failure, the usage trends of packet data of the subscriber, etc. can be provided at the request of a subscriber center, and direct notification to the subscribers is possible using a short message service center.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, notification of the details of the usage of an intelligent network can be provided to a specific subscriber, such as a prepaid user.

[Description of Drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic construction of a conventional CDMZ\ 2000 Ix network; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a network performance analysis system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram sequentially illustrating the operation of a first analyzer; and FIG. 4 is a diagram sequentially illustrating the operation of a second analyzer.

[Best Mode]

The construction and operation of a system for analyzing the performance of a mobile communication network in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the entire construction of the network performance analysis system according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the system 200 according to the present invention includes a first analyzer 210, a second analyzer 220, a controller 230 and a database 240.

The first analyzer 210 includes a first packet collector 212 for collecting packets transmitted from a PDSN to a PCF in the mobile communication network, and a first packet analyzer 214 for analyzing the packets collected by the first packet collector 212. The first analyzer having the above-described construction collects packets, and then analyzes a subscriber session on the basis of the subscriber information and wireless information about the collected packets.

In particular, the first packet collector 212 collects packets input to the PDSN and transfers the collected packets to the first packet analyzer 214. The first packet analyzer 214 analyzes the MNID parameter of the All message of the packets collected by the first packet collector, and extracts a subscriber number.

The first packet analyzer 214 analyzes the start message of the packets transmitted from a subscriber terminal, and extracts information about a terminal and a base station, which is provided by a mobile communication service provider. Furthermore, the first packet analyzer 214 extracts information about an initiation time, the time required for a response, whether or not the call was successful, a failure code in case of failure, or the transition time between messages, with respect to each of the various messages of a call process such as subscriber authentication, PPP procedure or accounting. The first packet analyzer 214 transmits the information, which is extracted from the collected packets, to the controller 230.

Meanwhile, the first packet analyzer 214 transmits information about the subscriber number, the initiation time and the IP address, which is extracted from the packets, to the second analyzer 220. The second analyzer 220 includes a second packet collector 222 for collecting packets transmitted from the PDSN to an external content server, and a second packet analyzer 224 for analyzing the packets collected by the second packet collector 222. The second analyzer having the above-described construction collects packets in which tunneled packets with the subscriber information deleted therefrom are converted into TCP/IP packets. In order to correlate the collected packets with the information of the first analyzer, the second analyzer receives the subscriber number, the IP address assigned to the subscriber, and the initiation time from the first analyzer, correlates them with each other, and manages them.

In order to extract information about content that the user has used, the second analyzer 220 analyzes the TCP packet data on the basis of the subscriber IP address. Thus, the second packet analyzer 224 of the second analyzer extracts information about an access initiation time of the content server, a response time, and whether the access was successful or not, from the TCP packet data, and also extracts information about a URL request time, a response time of the server, a response code and the amount of content data. The second packet analyzer 224 transmits the extracted information to the controller 230. Meanwhile, the packets transmitted and received between the PDSN and the content server are identified by the IP addresses assigned to terminals, not the subscriber numbers. Therefore, the second packet analyzer 224 receives the subscriber number and the IP address from the first packet analyzer, and generates subscriber log information based on the subscriber number using the received information.

The controller 230 writes and stores the information, which is transmitted from the first analyzer 210 and the second analyzer 220, in the database 240 using the subscriber number as a key. When receiving information about events, which are generated from the subscriber terminal, from the first and second analyzers, the controller 230 generates monitoring information, such as an attempt count, a success count, a response time, and throughput for each of a base station, a service network server and a content server on the basis of the received information, and stores and manages it in the database 240.

Furthermore, the database 240 stores and manages all signal sessions, TCP sessions and HTTP sessions for all subscribers, and the controller 230 generates various statistics, such as access times, success rates, throughput and the transition time between messages, from which performance and quality related to the terminal, the base station, the service server and the content server can be measured, on the basis of the information stored in the database. The information stored in and managed by the database includes subscriber log information, such as (1) the types of signal messages of call processes such as a Radio-Packet session, authentication, PPP and accounting, (2) an initiation time and a response time of the signal messages, information about whether the signaling is successful or not, and a failure code in case of a failure, (3) main parameters for each message such as the subscriber number, the assigned IP address, base station information and service options, and (4) a TCP session request time, a TCP access response time, information about whether the access was successful or not, a payload amount, an HTTP URL request time, a response time of the server, the response code, a URL, a content amount, throughput and HTTP main parameters which are generated according to content information.

The detailed operations of the first and second analyzers according to the present invention are sequentially described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a process of collecting packets and processing the collected packets by the first analyzer.

First, when an All request event and a corresponding response event occur at steps S300 and S306, the first analyzer 210 collects the All request packet, generates subscriber information (for example, a subscriber number) at step S302, and notifies the controller 230 of information about the corresponding event at steps S304 ans S308.

Next, LCP and IPCP connection processes are performed between the terminal and the PDSN at steps S310 and S314. In these processes, the first analyzer collects corresponding packets and notifies the controller of the information about respective events at steps S312 and S316 and then transmits information about the initiation time of a call, the subscriber number and the initiation of the IP address to the second analyzer at step S320.

Then, when an event in which packet data are transmitted and received between the terminal and the PDSN occurs at step S330, the first analyzer collects the transmitted and received packets, performs initial TCP session analysis and initial HTTP session analysis based on the collected packets at step S332, and transmits information about the corresponding event to the controller at step 334. Thereafter, when an LCP termination event occurs between the terminal and the PDSN at step S336, the first analyzer transmits information about the corresponding event to the controller at step S338.

Next, when an All termination request event and a corresponding response event occur between the PCF and the PDSN at step S340, the first analyzer transmits information about the corresponding event to the controller, and transmits information about the initiation time of a call, the subscriber number, and the termination of the IP address, to the second analyzer at step S350, and deletes the subscriber information at step S360.

The operation of the second analyzer according to the present invention is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 4.

First, when an authentication request event and a corresponding authentication response event occur between the PDSN and the AAA server at steps S400 and S406, the second analyzer generates subscriber information from an authentication request packet at step S402, and transmits information about the corresponding events to the controller at steps S404 and S408. Then, the second analyzer receives information about the initiation time of a call, the subscriber number, and the initiation of the IP address from the first analyzer at step S410.

When a DNS request event and a corresponding response event occur between the PDSN and the content server at step S420, the second analyzer transmits information about the corresponding events to the controller at step S422.

Next, when a TCP connection event occurs between the PDSN and the content server at step S430, the second analyzer transmits information about the corresponding event to the controller at step S432. Thereafter, when a URL request event and a corresponding response event occur between the PDSN and the content server at step S440, the second analyzer transmits information about the corresponding events to the controller at step S442.

Then, when a TCP termination event occurs between the PDSN and the content server at step S450, the second analyzer transmits information about the corresponding event to the controller at step S452. When an accounting request event and a response event occur between the PDSN and the AAA server at step S460, the second analyzer transmits information about the corresponding events to the controller at step S462, receives information about the initiation time, a subscriber number, and the termination of the IP address of a call from the first analyzer at step S470 and deletes the subscriber information at step S480.

Meanwhile, the call analysis system according to the present invention, which has been described above, may be applied to General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and UMTS as well as CDMA2000. When the call analysis system according to the present invention is applied to the GPRS, the first analyzer collects packet data from a Gn interface between a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) , and the second analyzer collects packet data from a Gi interface between the GGSN and the IP network. The first analyzer of the GPRS analyzes a GPRS Tunneling Protocol User plane (GTP-U) and a GTP Control plane (GTP-C) for collected packets and obtains knowledge about subscriber information and IP address information. The first analyzer transmits the subscriber information and the IP address to the second analyzer, collects information about the corresponding packets using the information transmitted from the first analyzer, and transmits it to the controller. The controller stores and manages the packet information, which is received from the first and second analyzers for each subscriber number.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, these embodiments are only illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that various modifications and applications, which have not been illustrated, are possible without departing from the essential scope of the invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the elements, such as the types of subscriber log information stored in and managed by the database, and the types of data transmitted from the first analyzer to the second analyzer, may be variously modified in order to improve the system according to the present invention. Furthermore, it must be appreciated that the difference between the modifications and the applications are included in the scope of the invention disclosed in the accompanying claims.

[industrial Applicability]

The above-described call analysis system according to the present invention, may be applied to GPRS and UMTS as well as CDMΔ2000.

As a result, the call analysis system according to the present invention can generate information about all subscribers through the analysis of packet data transmitted to and received from the mobile communication network, analyze the performance of the network based on the generated information, and generate statistics.

Claims

[CLAIMS] [Claim l]

A system for analyzing calls in a mobile communication system having a Packet Control Function server (PCF), a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN), and a content server, the system comprising: a first analyzer for collecting packets input to the PDSN and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets; a second analyzer for collecting packets output from the PDSN and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets; a controller for integrating the subscriber log information extracted from the first analyzer and the subscriber log information extracted from the second analyzer, managing them on the basis of a subscriber number, and generating statistical analysis information; and a database for storing the subscriber log information integrated by the controller; wherein the call analysis system stores and manages the log information for all subscribers accessing the network, and provides network performance analysis statistics based on the log information.

[Claim 2] The system according to claim 1, wherein the first analyzer comprises: a first packet collector for collecting the packets input to the PDSN; and a first packet analyzer for analyzing the subscriber log information using the packets transmitted from the first packet collector, and transmitting the analyzed information to the second analyzer or the controller.

[Claim 3] The system according to claim 1, wherein the second analyzer comprises: a second packet collector for collecting the packets output from the PDSN; and a second packet analyzer for analyzing the subscriber log information using the information transmitted from the first analyzer and the packets transmitted from the second packet collector, and transmitting the analysis information to the collector.

[Claim 4] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first analyzer provides an initiation time of a signal message, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a subscriber number, which belong to the subscriber log information collected from packets transmitted from the PCF to the PDSN, to the second packet analyzer.

[Claim 51

The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second analyzer receives an initiation time of signal message, an IP address, and a subscriber number, which belong to the subscriber log information, from the first analyzer, and analyzes the collected packets using the received information.

[Claim β] The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller stores and manages the subscriber log information for each event using the subscriber number as a key when the event occur.

[Claim 7] A system for analyzing calls in a mobile communication network, comprising: a first analyzer for collecting packets input to a specific node of the mobile communication network and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets; a second analyzer for collecting packets output from the specific node, receiving a subscriber number and an IP address from the first analyzer, and extracting subscriber log information from the collected packets using the information received from the first analyzer; a controller for integrating and managing the extracted subscriber information from the first analyzer and the extracted subscriber information from the second analyzer on the basis of the subscriber number, and generating statistical analysis information in a predetermined format; and a database for storing the subscriber the log information integrated by the controller; wherein the call analysis system stores and manages log information for all subscribers accessing the network, and provides network performance analysis statistics based on the log information.

[Claim 8]

The system according to claim 7, wherein the mobile communication network is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), the first analyzer collects packets between a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) and a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) , and the second analyzer collects packets between the GGSN and an IP network.