Enabling improvement in cellular network coverage
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsShiv Kumar, Paritosh Bajpay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method that has cellphones report to the cellular network signal strength and location information when the signal strength falls below a chosen threshold. Each cellphone maintains a log file of entries, each of which specifies a location and a signal strength (that is below the chosen threshold) and on a regular basis sends the information in the log file to the cellular network's provider. The provider uses the information sent by the cellphones to identify geographic regions where signal conditions are poor, and that enables the provider to upgrade its network.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- on entering a network of a Home Network Provider (HNP), a cell phone receiving a signal strength threshold and time information from the HNP;
- receiving signals at the cellphone from n base stations of the Home Network Provider (HNP), where n≧1;
- determining signal strength of one of said signals received from said n base stations;
- in response to said signal strength being below the signal strength threshold, appending to a log file information about said signal strength and information about geographic location of said cellphone;
- said cellphone sending said log file in response to one or more conditions being satisfied, the one or more conditions including that a number of entries in said log file is above a predetermined number;
- when said sending is deemed successful by receiving a confirmation message within a preselected time period, said cell phone resetting said log file and if said confirmation message is not received within said preselected time period, resending said log file;
- and
- in response to said signal strength being above the signal strength threshold waiting to redetermine signal strength according to the time information provided by the Home Network Provider.
A method comprising:
- on entering a network of a Home Network Provider (HNP), a cell phone receiving a signal strength threshold and time information;
- determining signal strength of one of a plurality of signals received from one or more base stations of the home network provider;
- in response to said signal strength being below said signal strength threshold, appending to a log file information about said signal strength and information about geographic location of said cellphone;
- said cellphone sending said log file in response to one or more conditions being satisfied, the one or more conditions including that a number of entries in said log file is above a predetermined number;
- and
- in response to said signal strength being above the signal strength threshold, waiting to redetermine signal strength according to the time information received by the cell phone.
A method comprising:
- on entering a network of a Home Network Provider (HNP), a cell phone receiving a signal strength threshold and time information from the HNP;
- receiving signals at the cellphone from one or more base stations of the Home Network Provider (HNP);
- determining signal strength of one of said signals received from said one or more base stations;
- in response to the determined signal strength being below the signal strength threshold, appending to a log file information about said signal strength and information about geographic location of said cellphone;
- said cellphone sending said log file in response to one or more conditions being satisfied, and
- in response to said signal strength being above the signal strength threshold, waiting to redetermine signal strength according to the time information provided by the Home Network Provider.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.