JPH0669849A - Mobile object communication system provided with testing function and testing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a test control method for confirming the normality of radio zone switching processing by simulating the movement of a mobile station over the radio zones of plural base stations. CONSTITUTION:Test terminals 103 and 104 enabling the change of transmission outputs are controlled from the side of an operation system 109 through a test control link and after a base station A101 and the test terminal A103 spread a radio link, the transmission output of the test terminal 103 is lowered. At the same time, the test terminal B104 starts transmission with the same carrier and time slot and the movement of a mobile station 110 from a radio zone 1 05 of the base station A to a radio zone 106 of a base station B is simulated. Thus, the normality of radio zone switching processing at the base station A101, base station B102 and line control equipment 107 can be confirmed without actually moving the test terminals.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a test control method and a test function suitable for test automation and labor saving in a mobile communication system, especially for failure search, analysis and preventive maintenance when a terminal moves. The present invention relates to a mobile communication system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the prior art, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-1 is used.
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 06232, the line test mainly confirms normality / abnormality of a wireless line between a line test pseudo mobile station (test terminal) and a base station of a line control station. In the prior art, unique identification information is assigned to the test terminal, and when the test terminal does not receive the line test command from the base station on a regular basis, a line test is performed using the identification information to check the line error. Has been detected.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned prior art, since the base station under test and the pseudo mobile station have a one-to-one connection, the normality of a single wireless section can be confirmed, but the base station is spread over a plurality of base stations. It is impossible to use a pseudo mobile station to confirm the normality of the wireless zone switching process in the section. In addition, as a method for confirming this function, a method in which a maintenance person actually moves with a tester and performs a test is inefficient. That is, according to the above-mentioned conventional technique, when an abnormality is found in the line due to a subscriber's declaration or the like, the abnormality in the wireless section between the mobile station and the base station can be isolated when the maintenance person searches for a failure. This is a problem because there is no method for confirming the range including the network function, such as the case where the wireless zone switching process is not normally performed in the section extending over the base station. In addition, there is a problem in that the confirmation of the function cannot be automated because human intervention is required in performing a regular test at night for preventive maintenance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a test control method and a test function that efficiently enable a test of whether or not the switching processing of the wireless zone in the section extending over a plurality of base stations is normal, that is, a network function confirmation test. It is to provide a mobile communication system having.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a test terminal for wireless transmission / reception in a mobile communication system in which a line control device switches a base station received by movement of a mobile terminal for wireless transmission / reception. And a test device for performing various tests of the mobile communication system, the test device comprising: a base station switching instruction means for instructing to switch the receiving base station; It is achieved by providing a determination means for determining whether or not they match.

In this case, each base station to be tested has the test terminal, and the test terminal of one base station lowers the transmission level to the base station when instructed. And the test terminal of the other base station starts transmission to the base station when instructed, and the base station switching instruction means is the test terminal of one base station for switching the receiving base station. Instruct to lower the transmission level.

Further, the test terminal is provided with a variable directional antenna which is provided at a position capable of transmitting and receiving with a plurality of base stations and which changes the directivity when transmitting and receiving when instructed,
The base station switching instructing means may instruct the test terminal to change the directivity so as to be directed to another base station in order to switch the receiving base station.

Further, the base station switching instruction means further includes an attenuator provided in the base station for lowering the reception level when instructed, and the base station switching instructing means causes the attenuator to lower the reception level for switching the reception base station. May be instructed as follows.

Alternatively, the base station switching instruction means is provided in the base station and has a function of artificially lowering the reception level so as to instruct the line control device to switch the reception base station. You may set the program.

Further, it may have an input means for receiving a test start instruction, or a test instruction means for periodically giving a test start instruction.

Further, it is possible to further have an output means for outputting the judgment result of the judgment means.

[0012]

In order to simulate the movement of the test terminal, the base station switching instructing means gives an instruction so that two consecutive
By lowering the reception level of one of the base stations in one area relatively, the mobile station moves away, and by raising the reception level of the other base station relatively, the mobile station approaches.

As a method of varying the reception level at the base station, a function of lowering the transmission level to the base station when instructed by the test terminal is provided, and the base station switching instructing means gives an instruction.

As another method, a variable directivity antenna for varying directivity when transmitting / receiving when instructed by a test terminal is provided, and the variable directivity antenna is provided at a position where transmission / reception with a plurality of base stations is possible. Instruct from the station switching instruction means.

Alternatively, as another method, an attenuator is provided in the base station so that the base station switching instructing means gives an instruction to lower the reception level.

As another method, the base station switching instruction means instructs the direct line control device to switch the receiving base station.

The determining means determines whether or not the processing for switching matches a predetermined operation, and the output means determines
The judgment result of the judgment means is output.

This makes it possible to shorten the test time, save labor, and automate the test.

Further, by the test instructing means periodically instructing the start of the test, it is possible to carry out the automatic periodic test, and it is possible to enhance the reliability of the network.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a mobile communication system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an example of a test control sequence for confirming the normality of the wireless zone switching process with the same configuration.

In FIG. 1, a base station A 101 and a base station B 102 are base stations under test, which wirelessly transmit and receive signals to and from mobile terminals within a wireless zone, and are connected to a switch 108 via a line controller 107. . The wireless zone 105 of the base station A and the wireless zone 106 of the base station B are shown by dotted lines. In addition, base station A101 and base station B
A test terminal for line testing can be connected to 102 via a test control link. Test control link A111
The test control link B112 is a line for transmitting a control signal for line test. Also, the test control link A11
1 and the test control link B112 may use 2B + D D channels on the line in ISDN. The line control device 107 connects a plurality of base stations,
It manages which base station each mobile terminal is in in the wireless zone, and gives an instruction of the base station and the line channel when connecting the call line. The exchange 108 exchanges the telephone line with the other party. The mobile terminal 110 includes a transmitter for transmitting to a base station, a receiver for receiving a signal from the base station, an antenna, a voice encoding / decoding unit for encoding / decoding a voice signal, and a transmitter. It has a handset and a control unit. The test terminal A 103 installed in the base station A and the test terminal B 104 installed in the base station B have the functions of the normal mobile terminal 110,
Further, the transmission power for the line test can be controlled by the operation system. The test device 113 is
It has a base station switching instruction means for instructing to switch the receiving base station and a judgment means for judging normality / abnormality of wireless zone switching, and a test for confirming the normality of wireless zone switching can be performed. Then, the operation system 109 directs the test. The judging means judges normality / abnormality by judging whether or not there is a predetermined notification or monitoring result in the test sequence described later. Further, the test apparatus 113 may have a function of monitoring the call processing of the line control apparatus 107 and a function of performing a normal line test. When the test is performed, a call is made to a remote test terminal. Alternatively, the test device 113 may directly make a call via the line control device 107. The operation system 109 is an input means and receives an instruction to start a test. In addition, the operation system 109 and /
Alternatively, the test apparatus 113 may include an output unit that outputs the test result. The output means may include a display means such as a display and a printing means such as a printer. In FIG. 1, the operation system 10
9 is connected to the exchange 108 as a maintenance terminal, and the test device 113 is shown to be built in the line control device 107, but the operation system 109 and the test device 113 are provided outside and the exchange 108 or You may make it test by connecting to the line controller 107.

In FIG. 1, the process in which the mobile station 110 moves from the radio zone 105 of the base station A to the radio zone 106 of the base station B during communication will now be described with reference to the test terminal 103 installed in the base station A and the base station B. A test method for wireless zone switching, which is simulated by using the test terminal 104 installed in the above, will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a test control sequence in this embodiment. The sequence shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2 means that the test apparatus 113 controls the test terminal A and the test terminal B via the test control link A111 and the test control link B112,
The sequence indicated by the solid line indicates transmission / reception via a normal wireless communication line.

In accordance with the test control sequence shown in FIG. 2, the operation system 109 accepts a command for a wireless zone switching process confirmation test and instructs the test apparatus 312 to start the test. This operation can be performed automatically or periodically according to the contents programmed in advance. The test device 113 in the line control device 107
When the test instruction 201 is given, the command instructs the test terminal A103 installed in the base station A to make a test call using the test control link A111 that is logically independent of the communication channel. The destination of the test call may be another mobile terminal, or a pseudo mobile terminal may be provided in the test apparatus 113 to be the destination. Test terminal A103
Starts a calling operation when instructed, and the line control device 107 and the exchange 108 on the network side establish a wireless link with the test terminal A 103 as in the normal call processing. After completing the connection between the test terminal A103 and the base station A101, the test apparatus 113 issues the transmission output reduction instruction 202 via the test control link A111 with the test terminal A103 by the base station switching instruction means. By this instruction, test terminal A1
03 lowers the transmission output to near the limit reception level at the base station A 101. Further, the base station switching instruction means lowers the gain of the receiving circuit inside the base station A101 by means of inserting an attenuator, for example, as a method of relatively lowering the reception level instead of the transmission output lowering instruction 202. Produces similar results. In addition, in the base station A, a method of logically simulating a decrease in the reception level by interrupting a test program or the like instead of physically lowering the reception level can be considered. Base station A10
In No. 1, as a normal operation, the electric field strength from the test terminal A 103 is monitored, a change in the reception level due to a decrease in the output of the test terminal A is detected, and the upper level line controller 107 is notified. The test apparatus 113 checks the reception level change notification from the base station A101 by the judging means (CHECK203).

Next, as a normal operation, the line control device 107 receives the change in the reception level from the base station A101, and therefore the carrier of the test terminal A103 is notified to the base station adjacent to the wireless zone 105 of the base station A101. Instruct the monitoring of. The test apparatus 113 sends the test terminal A 103 to the test terminal B 104 via the test control link B 112.
It is instructed to start transmitting the radio wave with the same time slot, carrier, and terminal ID (transmission start instruction 204). The base station B102 receives the carrier from the test terminal B104, recognizes that the test terminal A103 has moved into its own area, and reports the monitoring result to the line controller 107. The test apparatus 113 checks that there is a monitoring result from the base station B102 (CHECK205). In response to this report, the line control device 107 issues a channel switching instruction 206 to the base station A101 to a free channel in the base station B102, and the base station A101 tests the test terminal A103.
Sends a channel switching instruction to. The test terminal A103 confirms that this instruction comes (CHECK 207).
The test terminal A 103 sends a channel switching confirmation response indicating that the channel switching instruction has been received to the test apparatus 113 using the test control data link A 111. The determination in CHECK 207 may be made when the test apparatus 113 receives a channel switching confirmation response. Test equipment 113
Sends an instruction through the test control data link B111 to the test terminal B104 to transmit using the same channel and the same terminal ID as the channel switching instruction 206 issued to the base station A101 (channel switching instruction 208). The test terminal B104 starts transmission of the synchronization burst in response to the channel switching instruction 208, and establishes a call channel connection with the base station B102. The base station B102 recognizes from the terminal ID included in this synchronization burst that the carrier is the carrier of the test terminal B104 that simulates the test terminal A103, and issues a connection request to the line controller 107. The test apparatus 113 checks that this connection request has been correctly made (CHECK209). The line controller 107 switches the call path and issues a connection permission to the base station B102, and the test terminal B confirms the connection completion (CHECK210). Finally, the line control device 107 gives an instruction to the base station A101 to release the old communication channel, confirms this at the test terminal A103 (CHECK 211), and a series of test sequences is completed. The test result is output from the output means of the operation system 109. As a test result, the above-mentioned check items may be judged by the judging means and the judgment results may be output respectively. If there is no abnormality, only normal is output, or if there is an abnormality, there is an abnormality. Output check items. Further, in the case where the test is conducted regularly, the output may be made only when there is an abnormality.

By performing the test control in the sequence as described above, the base station A 101, the base station B 102 and the line control device 107 can be operated without actually moving the test terminal.
It is possible to confirm the normality of the wireless zone switching process accompanying the movement of the terminal.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a mobile communication system according to the second embodiment, in which the variable directional antenna 3 is used.
Test terminal 303 with a test control link 305
1 is connected to the line control device 107 via
The configuration can be similar to that shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows an example of a test control sequence for confirming the normality of the wireless zone switching process with the same configuration. In this embodiment,
As the base station switching instruction means, instead of lowering the transmission output at the test terminal, the wireless zone is switched by changing the direction of the antenna using the test terminal 303 equipped with the variable directional antenna 304.

In FIG. 3, the mobile terminal 110 is the base station A.
The process of moving from the wireless zone 105 of the base station B to the wireless zone 106 of the base station B, the test terminal 3 equipped with the variable directional antenna 304 installed in the portion where the two zones overlap.
A method of pseudo-reproducing using 03 will be described.

In accordance with the test control sequence shown in FIG. 4, the operation system 109 receives the command for the wireless zone switching process confirmation test and sends a test instruction to the test device 312 in the line control device 107. The test apparatus 113 determines the directivity of the variable directional antenna 304 to the test terminal 303 via the test control link 305 to the base station A10.
Instruct to control for 1 and make a test call. Similar to the first embodiment, the base station A 101 and the line control device 107
Is to establish a wireless link with the test terminal 303 in the same procedure as the normal call processing. After completing the connection between the test terminal 303 and the base station A, the test apparatus 113 sends an antenna directivity change instruction 402 to the test terminal 303, and the test terminal 30
3 directs the directivity of the antenna, which was facing the base station A101, to the base station B106. At the base station A101, since the reception level is lowered, the reception level change detection is notified to the higher level line control device 107. The test apparatus 113 confirms that the reception level change notification is correctly reported from the base station A 101 (CHECK403). Line control device 1
07 receives the reception level change detection notification, the base station A1
01 to the base station in the wireless zone adjacent to 01
The instruction from 03 to monitor the carrier is issued. At this time, the antenna of the test terminal 303 is directed toward the base station B106, so that the reception level at the base station B106 increases. The base station B106 reports to the line control device 107 that the reception level has risen in its own wireless zone as a monitoring result. The test apparatus 113 checks that this monitoring result is normally reported (CHECK404). The line controller 107 receives the monitoring result from the base station in the wireless zone adjacent to the base station A101, and receives the optimum base station B10.
6 is selected, and the channel switching instruction to the designated empty channel in the base station B106 is issued by the test terminal 303 using the channel in which the wireless link is currently established through the base station A101.
Send out. The test terminal 303 checks that this switching instruction has been issued (CHECK405), and starts transmitting the synchronization burst to the base station B106 at the instructed carrier and time slot. This allows the base station B106
Issues a path connection request to the line controller 107,
This connection request is confirmed by the test device 113 (CH
ECK406). The line control device 107 uses the base station B10.
6 to issue a connection permission to the base station B106, and the base station B106
Notify 3 of connection completion. The test terminal 303 checks the reception of the connection completion (CHECK 407) and finally checks the reception of the old speech channel release instruction from the line control device 107 (CHECK 408).

As a method of changing the directivity of the antenna, a method of mechanically rotating the antenna having directivity,
There are a method of changing by switching the combination using a plurality of directional antennas, a method of changing by controlling the output phase using multiple antennas,
Both are applicable to this embodiment. The normality of the wireless zone switching process can be confirmed by the above procedure.

As described above, according to the above embodiment,
The normality of the wireless zone switching process of the base station and the line controller can be confirmed using the test control link without actually moving the test terminal. As a result, the test time can be shortened, the test can be automated, and the maintenance cost of the mobile communication system can be reduced. In addition, periodical automatic testing is effective for preventive maintenance of the system and improves reliability.

[0033]

According to the present invention, it is possible to test whether or not the switching process of the wireless zone in the section extending over a plurality of base stations is normal.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a mobile communication system in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a test control sequence in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a test control sequence in one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Base station A, 102 ... Base station B, 103 ... Test terminal A installed in base station A, 104 ... Test terminal B installed in base station B, 105 ... Radio zone of base station A, 10
6 ... Radio zone of base station B, 107 ... Line control device, 1
08 ... switchboard, 109 ... operation system, 11
0 ... Mobile station, 111 ... Test control link A, 112 ... Test control link B, 113 ... Test device, 201-210 ... Information content on test control sequence, 303 ... Test terminal, 3
04 ... Variable directional antenna, 305 ... Test control link,
401-408 ... Information content on the test control sequence.

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A mobile communication system in which a line control device switches a base station received by the movement of a mobile terminal that transmits and receives wirelessly, and a test terminal that wirelessly transmits and receives, and various tests of the mobile communication system. And a base station switching instruction means for instructing to switch the receiving base station, and a determination for determining whether or not the processing for switching matches a predetermined operation. A mobile communication system having a test function, comprising: 2. The base station to be tested according to claim 1, wherein each base station to be tested has the test terminal, and the test terminal of one base station sets a transmission level to the base station when instructed. Then, the test terminal of the other base station starts transmission to the base station when instructed, and the base station switching instructing means sets the base station of one base station to switch the receiving base station. A mobile communication system having a test function, characterized by instructing a test terminal to reduce a transmission level. 3. The test terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a variable directional antenna which is provided at a position capable of transmitting and receiving to and from a plurality of base stations and which changes a directivity when transmitting and receiving when instructed. In order to switch the receiving base station, the base station switching instructing means instructs the test terminal to change the directivity so as to be directed to another base station. Mobile communication having a test function. system. 4. A base station according to claim 1, wherein
A test, further comprising an attenuator for lowering the reception level when instructed, wherein the base station switching instruction means instructs the attenuator to switch the reception base station to lower the reception level. A mobile communication system having a function. 5. The mobile communication system having a test function according to claim 1, wherein the base station switching instructing means is provided in the base station and has a function of artificially lowering the reception level. 6. A mobile communication system having a test function according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, further comprising input means for receiving a test start instruction. 7. A mobile communication system having a test function according to claim 2, further comprising a test instructing means for periodically instructing an instruction to start a test. 8. A mobile communication system having a test function according to claim 1, further comprising output means for outputting a result of the determination made by said determination means. 9. A test method for testing a switching process in a mobile communication system, wherein a base station which receives by movement of a mobile terminal which transmits and receives wirelessly is switched by a line control device, wherein a test terminal provided in each base station is used. The test method is characterized in that the switching output is controlled to simulate terminal movement to test the switching process. 10. A test method for testing a switching process in a mobile communication system, wherein a base station, which receives by movement of a mobile terminal which transmits and receives by radio, is switched by a line control device. Test the switching process by simulating the movement of the terminal by controlling the directivity of the antenna of the test terminal equipped with a variable directivity antenna that is provided at a position where transmission and reception are possible and that changes the directivity when transmitting and receiving when instructed. Test method characterized by.