Method And System For Providing Route Alternatives While Using A Cell Phone
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLisa Anne SEACAT, Kulvir S. Bhogal, Robert Peterson
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Abstract
A method and system in accordance with the present invention integrates information from cell phone coverage maps with a user's GPS system, thereby making possible the suggestion of alternative routes based on coverage strength and chances of dropping calls in different geographical areas. The method and system in accordance with the present invention can also generate warnings if a user is approaching an area of low or nonexistent coverage, so that the user can take action, such as utilizing a different route or telling the party on the line that the connection may be dropped or disconnected.
Claims15
A method for providing route alternatives when utilizing a cell phone comprising:
- combining a geographical positioning system (GPS) with cell route coverage area information;
- defining an initial route from a beginning to a destination;
- utilizing the combined GPS and cell route coverage area information to determine the cell phone coverage on the initial route;
- determining if the cell phone coverage is less than acceptable on the initial route;
- and
- changing the route based upon the cell phone coverage information if the cell phone coverage is less than acceptable to a route which has been determined to be acceptable via the cell phone coverage information.
A system comprising:
- a global positioning system (GPS);
- and
- a cell phone coverage information combined with the information from the GPS, combining a geographical positioning system (GPS) with cell route coverage area information;
- defining an initial route from a beginning to a destination;
- utilizing the combined GPS and cell route coverage area information to determine the cell phone coverage on the initial route;
- determining if the cell phone coverage is less than acceptable on the initial route;
- and changing the route based upon the cell phone coverage information if the cell phone coverage is less than acceptable to a route which has been determined to be acceptable via the cell phone coverage information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.