Abstract: An apparatus determining characteristics of radios within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, analyzer, and computer. The radio transmits RF signals, has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values having respective thresholds and a identifier, and has an air operating mode where signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals having characteristics correlating with the operating parameters. While the signals are received during the operating mode, the analyzer measures the signal characteristics and determines health of the radio by analyzing whether the measured characteristics transmitted are within the respective thresholds of the values, and concludes that health is acceptable if the measured characteristics are within the thresholds, and concludes that health is unacceptable if at least one measured characteristic is outside a threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health comprising base stations in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second health determining radios each receive the signal during normal over-the-air operation of radio and determine if the radio is authorized and, if so, determine the identifier, time-separated signal waveforms that are compared, operating characteristics from the compared waveforms, and a current location of the radio. Each of the radios determine health of the radio based on packet sniffing, a frequency deviation, or a range of deviations by analyzing the operating characteristics. After analysis results sent to the master controller from the radios indicate that the authorized radio is healthy, the master controller determines from the analysis results that a geographically unhealthy location of the network exists within the geographic area from which the authorized healthy radio transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health comprising base stations in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second health determining radios each receive the signal during normal over-the-air operation of radio and determine if the radio is authorized and, if so, determine the identifier, time-separated signal waveforms that are compared, operating characteristics from the compared waveforms, and a current location of the radio. Each of the radios determine health of the radio based on packet sniffing, a frequency deviation, or a range of deviations by analyzing the operating characteristics. After analysis results sent to the master controller from the radios indicate that the authorized radio is healthy, the master controller determines from the analysis results that a geographically unhealthy location of the network exists within the geographic area from which the authorized healthy radio transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus determining characteristics of radios within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, analyzer, and computer. The radio transmits RF signals, has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values having respective thresholds and a identifier, and has an air operating mode where signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals having characteristics correlating with the operating parameters. While the signals are received during the operating mode, the analyzer measures the signal characteristics and determines health of the radio by analyzing whether the measured characteristics transmitted are within the respective thresholds of the values, and concludes that health is acceptable if the measured characteristics are within the thresholds, and concludes that health is unacceptable if at least one measured characteristic is outside a threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health comprising base stations in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second health determining devices each receive the signal during normal over-the-air operation of radio and determine if the radio is authorized and, if so, determine the identifier, time-separated signal waveforms that are compared, operating characteristics from the compared waveforms, and a current location of the radio. Each of the devices determine health of the radio based on packet sniffing, a frequency deviation, or a range of deviations by analyzing the operating characteristics. After analysis results sent to the master controller from the devices indicate that the authorized radio is healthy, the master controller determines from the analysis results that a geographically unhealthy location of the network exists within the geographic area from which the authorized healthy radio transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining characteristics of a radio within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, and analyzer. The radio transmits RF signals and has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values defined by a regulatory agency, a manufacturer, a user and a provider, the values having respective thresholds, a unique identifier; and an over-the-air operating mode in which the signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals from the radio having characteristics correlating with the transmission operating parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining characteristics of a radio within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, and analyzer. The radio transmits RF signals and has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values defined by a regulatory agency, a manufacturer, a user and a provider, the values having respective thresholds, a unique identifier; and an over-the-air operating mode in which the signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals from the radio having characteristics correlating with the transmission operating parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health comprising base stations in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second health determining devices each receive the signal during normal over-the-air operation of radio and determine if the radio is authorized and, if so, determine the identifier, time-separated signal waveforms that are compared, operating characteristics from the compared waveforms, and a current location of the radio. Each of the devices determine health of the radio based on packet sniffing, a frequency deviation, or a range of deviations by analyzing the operating characteristics. After analysis results sent to the master controller from the devices indicate that the authorized radio is healthy, the master controller determines from the analysis results that a geographically unhealthy location of the network exists within the geographic area from which the authorized healthy radio transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health comprising base stations in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second health determining devices each receive the signal during normal over-the-air operation of radio and determine if the radio is authorized and, if so, determine the identifier, time-separated signal waveforms that are compared, operating characteristics from the compared waveforms, and a current location of the radio. Each of the devices determine health of the radio based on packet sniffing, a frequency deviation, or a range of deviations by analyzing the operating characteristics. After analysis results sent to the master controller from the devices indicate that the authorized radio is healthy, the master controller determines from the analysis results that a geographically unhealthy location of the network exists within the geographic area from which the authorized healthy radio transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining characteristics of a radio within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, and analyzer. The radio transmits RF signals and has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values defined by a regulatory agency, a manufacturer, a user and a provider, the values having respective thresholds, a unique identifier; and an over-the-air operating mode in which the signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals from the radio having characteristics correlating with the transmission operating parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining characteristics of a radio within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, and analyzer. The radio transmits RF signals and has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values defined by a regulatory agency, a manufacturer, a user and a provider, the values having respective thresholds, a unique identifier; and an over-the-air operating mode in which the signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals from the radio having characteristics correlating with the transmission operating parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying failed or suspect RF transmitting devices while the devices are in normal operation transmitting over-the-air RF signals, each of the RF transmitting devices including an identifier and being mobile, portable or stationary, includes an RF signal sensor receiving the RF signals and responsive thereto, an analyzer, and a GUI. The analyzer measuring signal parameters and determines operating characteristics of a device therefrom, determining the identifier, if each RF signal conforms to packet structure specifications, and bit-field information of each RF signal to discern therefrom a transmission type, measures RF frequency offset, correlates the bit-field information with the RF frequency offset utilizing the identifier; and repeats the last three steps to determine a range of RF frequency offset deviations over time. The GUI displays the range in a form used to identify an RF frequency offset range of the RF transmitting device.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health in a network comprising base station transceivers in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second devices each receive the transmitted signal during normal over-the-air operation of the radio, measure signal parameters, and determine operating characteristics of the radio from the parameters. Each of the devices produce a responsive received signal when the first operating characteristics determined by the first device indicate a healthy first radio and the second device produces a responsive received signal when the second operating characteristics determined by the second device indicate a healthy first radio. The devices determine respective signal parameters of the respective received signals. The received signals are time aligned to insure that the devices have determined the respective signal parameters of the same transmitted signal.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health in a network comprising base station transceivers in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second devices each receive the transmitted signal during normal over-the-air operation of the radio, measure signal parameters, and determine operating characteristics of the radio from the parameters. Each of the devices produce a responsive received signal when the first operating characteristics determined by the first device indicate a healthy first radio and the second device produces a responsive received signal when the second operating characteristics determined by the second device indicate a healthy first radio. The devices determine respective signal parameters of the respective received signals. The received signals are time aligned to insure that the devices have determined the respective signal parameters of the same transmitted signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying failed or suspect RF transmitting devices while the devices are in normal operation transmitting over-the-air RF signals, each of the RF transmitting devices including an identifier and being mobile, portable or stationary, includes an RF signal sensor receiving the RF signals and responsive thereto, an analyzer, and a GUI. The analyzer measuring signal parameters and determines operating characteristics of a device therefrom, determining the identifier, if each RF signal conforms to packet structure specifications, and bit-field information of each RF signal to discern therefrom a transmission type, measures RF frequency offset, correlates the bit-field information with the RF frequency offset utilizing the identifier; and repeats the last three steps to determine a range of RF frequency offset deviations over time. The GUI displays the range in a form used to identify an RF frequency offset range of the RF transmitting device.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying failed or suspect RF transmitting devices while the devices are in normal operation transmitting over-the-air RF signals, each of the RF transmitting devices including an identifier and being mobile, portable or stationary, includes an RF signal sensor receiving the RF signals and responsive thereto, an analyzer, and a GUI. The analyzer measuring signal parameters and determines operating characteristics of a device therefrom, determining the identifier, if each RF signal conforms to packet structure specifications, and bit-field information of each RF signal to discern therefrom a transmission type, measures RF frequency offset, correlates the bit-field information with the RF frequency offset utilizing the identifier; and repeats the last three steps to determine a range of RF frequency offset deviations over time. The GUI displays the range in a form used to identify an RF frequency offset range of the RF transmitting device.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health in a network comprising base station transceivers in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second devices each receive the transmitted signal during normal over-the-air operation of the radio, measure signal parameters, and determine operating characteristics of the radio from the parameters. Each of the devices produce a responsive received signal when the first operating characteristics determined by the first device indicate a healthy first radio and the second device produces a responsive received signal when the second operating characteristics determined by the second device indicate a healthy first radio. The devices determine respective signal parameters of the respective received signals. The received signals are time aligned to insure that the devices have determined the respective signal parameters of the same transmitted signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying failed or suspect RF transmitting devices while the devices are in normal operation transmitting over-the-air RF signals. The apparatus comprises an RF signal sensor receiving the RF signals from at least one of the devices that are mobile or portable. The sensor is responsive to the received RF signals. An analyzer determines RF frequency characteristics of the received RF signals from the at least one transmitting device, determines the respective identifier of the at least one transmitting device from the received RF signals, and uses the identifier from the received RF signals to correlate the RF frequency characteristics of the particular one of the transmitting devices. A graphical user interface displays at least one RF frequency characteristic in a form that can be used to identify transmitting devices that have failed and transmitting devices that are suspect.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining operating characteristics of radio-frequency (RF) transmitting devices while the devices are in normal operation transmitting over-the-air RF signals. The apparatus comprises at least one signal sensor for receiving the RF signals, each sensor responsive to the RF signals received at a plurality of antennas or received at a directional antenna, an analyzer for determining signal parameters of received RF signals and for determining operating characteristics of the transmitting devices from the signal parameters, wherein each RF signal includes an identifier of the transmitting device, the apparatus using the identifier to link operating characteristics determined from the RF signals to the transmitting device, and a graphical user interface for displaying the operating characteristics for each transmitting device.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a health of radio-frequency transmitters each transmitting a transmitted signal during normal operation. The apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving received signals, each received signal responsive to a transmitted signal, a first element for determining signal parameters of each received signal, the signal parameters responsive to an operating condition of a transmitter, each transmitted signal and each associated received signal including an identifier of the transmitter that transmitted the transmitted signal, the apparatus using the identifier to link determined signal parameters with the transmitter that transmitted the transmitted signal and a second element for determining a health of the transmitter that transmitted the transmitted signal, the health responsive to a relationship between one or more signal parameters and a selected value or a range of selected values for each signal parameter.