Method and apparatus for use in detecting changes within wireless signal environment

An apparatus for use at a first electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a report indicative of a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment having been detected by a monitoring device deployed at a fixed predetermined position within a coverage area of a network service device;
• means for initiating an investigation of at least one of said threshold anomaly and/or said network service device by transmitting a message to a second electronic device requesting that said second electronic device attempt to monitor transmissions from said network service device and/or actively communicate with said network service device;
• and
• means for concluding said investigation by transmitting a status report regarding said wireless signaling environment to another electronic device, in response to a determination based, at least in part, on said investigation that said threshold anomaly represents a threshold change in status within said wireless signaling environment.

An electronic device comprising:

• a communication interface;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to said communication interface and configured to:
• obtain a report via said communication interface, said report being indicative of a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment having been detected by a monitoring device deployed at a fixed predetermined position within a coverage area of a network service device;
• initiate an investigation of at least one of said threshold anomaly and/or said network service device by sending a message via said communication interface to a second electronic device requesting that said second electronic device attempt to monitor transmissions from said network service device and/or actively communicate with said network service device;
• and
• in response to a determination based, at least in part, on said investigation that said threshold anomaly represents a threshold change in status within said wireless signaling environment, initiate transmission of a status report regarding said wireless signaling environment to another electronic device via said communication interface.

An article comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions executable by a processing unit of a first electronic device to:
• obtain a report indicative of a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment having been detected by a monitoring device deployed at a fixed predetermined position within a coverage area of a network service device;
• initiate an investigation of at least one of said threshold anomaly and/or said network service device by transmitting a message to a second electronic device requesting that said second electronic device attempt to monitor transmissions from said network service device and/or actively communicate with said network service device;
• and
• in response to a determination based, at least in part, on said investigation that said threshold anomaly represents a threshold change in status within said wireless signaling environment, initiate transmission of a status report regarding said wireless signaling environment to another electronic device.

A method comprising:

• at a monitoring device deployed at a fixed predetermined position within a coverage area of a network service device:
• detecting a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment at said fixed predetermined position by passively monitoring wireless signal transmissions within said wireless signaling environment;
• in response to detecting said threshold anomaly:
• transmitting a report indicative of said threshold anomaly to an electronic device,
• attempting to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device, and
• preparing feedback for transmission to said electronic device indicative of a result of said attempt to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device.

An apparatus for use in a monitoring device deployed at a fixed predetermined position within a coverage area of a network service device, the apparatus comprising:

• means for detecting a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment at said fixed predetermined position by passively monitoring wireless signal transmissions within said wireless signaling environment;
• and
• in response to detecting said threshold anomaly:
• means for transmitting a report indicative of said threshold anomaly to an electronic device,
• means for attempting to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device, and
• means for preparing feedback for transmission to said electronic device indicative of a result of said attempt to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device.

A monitoring device comprising:

• a communication interface;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to said communication interface and configured to:
• detect a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment at a fixed predetermined position of said monitoring device within a coverage area of a network service device through the passive monitoring of wireless signal transmissions within said wireless signaling environment;
• and
• in response to detecting said threshold anomaly:
• initiate transmission of a report indicative of said threshold anomaly to an electronic device via said communication interface,
• attempt to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device via said communication interface, and
• prepare feedback for transmission to said electronic device indicative of a result of said attempt to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device.

An article comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions executable by a processing unit of a monitoring device to:
• detect a threshold anomaly within a wireless signaling environment at said fixed predetermined position by passively monitoring wireless signal transmissions within said wireless signaling environment;
• and
• in response to detecting said threshold anomaly:
• initiate transmission of a report indicative of said threshold anomaly to an electronic device,
• attempt to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device, and
• prepare feedback for transmission to said electronic device indicative of a result of said attempt to subsequently actively communicate with said network service device.