Method and apparatus for measuring and optimising the quality of data transmission

A method for testing the functioning of downlink data communication in a cellular radio system, comprising the steps of:

• sending a test signal from a base station to at least one mobile station,
• receiving the test signal sent by the base station at a mobile station,
• comparing the test signal received at the mobile station to a known form of the test signal,
• producing and temporarily storing at the mobile station, information about errors which were detected in the received test signal during the comparing step,
• sending information representing the stored information about errors from the mobile station to a base station,
• receiving-the information sent by the mobile station at a base station,
• storing in the cellular radio system the information received by the base station,
• generating a test signal which is a synchronization sequence in a downlink burst transmitted by the base station and which is transmitted, via a base station of the cellular radio system, to a mobile station of the cellular radio system,
• generating and storing at the mobile station information describing the occurrence of errors in the test signal received by the mobile station,
• transmitting from the mobile station to the base station a first error message describing the occurrence of errors within a given block of data of the test signal received by the mobile station, and
• transmitting from the base station to a certain control unit a second error message describing the first error message received from the mobile station of the cellular radio system.

A method for testing the functioning of downlink data communication in a cellular radio system, comprising the steps of:

• sending a test signal from a base station to at least one mobile station,
• receiving the test signal sent by the base station at a mobile station,
• comparing the test signal received at the mobile station to a known form-of the test signal,
• producing and temporarily storing at the mobile station information about errors which were detected in the received, test signal during the comparing step,
• sending information representing the stored information about errors from the mobile station to a base station,
• receiving the information sent by the mobile station at a base station,
• storing in the cellular radio system the information received by the base station,
• generating a test signal which is transmitted, via a base station of the cellular radio system, to a mobile station of the cellular radio system,
• generating and storing at the mobile station information describing the occurrence of errors in the test signal received by the mobile station,
• transmitting from the mobile station to the base station a first error message describing the occurrence of errors within a given block of data of the test signal received by the mobile station and a first location message describing the location of the mobile station, and
• transmitting from the base station to a certain control unit a second error message describing the first error message received from the mobile station of the cellular radio system.

A system for measuring the general quality of data transmission in a cellular radio system, said system comprising a base station subsystem and a mobile station, comprising:

• in the base station subsystem, means for generating a test signal and for transmitting it via a base station of the cellular radio system to the mobile station of the cellular radio system,
• in the mobile station, means for generating and storing data describing the occurrence of errors in the test signal received by the mobile station,
• in the mobile station means for transmitting a first error message to the base station subsystem, said first error message describing the occurrence of errors in a certain block of data in the test signal received by the mobile station, and
• a control unit for collecting such error data that describes the error messages received by the base station subsystem of the cellular radio system from the mobile stations;
• and
• in the base station subsystem means for generating data describing a location and for transmitting said data to the control unit.