US 6,662,008 B1 · System and method for testing a communication system

Abstract

A technique for testing a communication system involves establishing a Test System Identification value (TSID value) to represent a test system and associated test activity within the communication system. Mobile stations which are members of the test system are allowed access to test resources in the communication system. In a first embodiment, to provide access to the test resources, the test system can broadcast the TSID value on a control channel. A mobile station receives the control channel and compares the broadcast TSID value with numeric information stored in its internal memory. Upon a match, the mobile station is permitted to camp on the control channel of the test system and use its resources. In a second embodiment, the mobile station may gain access to test resources by broadcasting its TSID value to higher-level nodes of the communication system. Still alternatively, the higher-level nodes of the communication system may independently ascertain the test membership status of the mobile station based on other mobile-identifying information supplied by the mobile station.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of testing a communication network having a plurality of communication resources for communicating with a plurality of mobile stations, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a Test System Identification value (TSID value) to represent a test system and associated test activities within the communication network, said test system including network communication resources under test;
storing the TSID value in an internal memory in at least one conventional mobile station operating in the communication system, thereby associating the at least one conventional mobile station with the test system;
determining whether a particular conventional mobile station within the coverage area of the test system is associated with the test system by determining whether the particular conventional mobile station has the TSID value stored in its internal memory;
providing communication resources under test to the particular conventional mobile station, upon determining that the mobile station is associated with the test system;
and
performing the associated test activities utilizing the network communication resources under test and the conventional mobile station.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for testing a communication system

Life of this patent

System and method for testing a communication system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17