Multi-tier quality of service wireless communications networks

• US 10,064,089 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Privilege Wireless LLC (General Patent Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Privilege Wireless LLC (General Patent Corporation)
• Inventors: Poltorak, Alexander, Kaminsky, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Holliday, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US15/642,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/42 Dynamic individual rates per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8011 using class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7407 class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/267 : taking into account the information rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 : based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

The present invention pertains to improved communication quality of service in communication networks. A customer may pay different fees for different tiers of service relating to voice quality and bandwidth access. Higher service tiers may guarantee that a specific vocoder or bit rate is used; or guarantee that communication is supported by parameters such as maximum allowed dropped calls rate, jitter and latency. Availability may be guaranteed per the contract between subscribers and service providers. Different tiers may be associated with customers'"'"' records for billing purposes. High end devices may be afforded higher voice quality by comparing a given device to a look up table indicating what service level is associated therewith. A calling device or a receiving device may ask the other device to change the vocoder or bit rate to ensure a higher quality call. The user may also change the quality level before or during a call.

Claims

1. A method of providing telecommunication service in a multi-tier wireless communication network, comprising:

providing, by the wireless communication network, a plurality of Quality-of-Service (“

QoS”

) levels, each of the plurality of QoS levels corresponding to a different QoS level of communication between a wireless mobile station and a base station of the wireless communication network, and each of the plurality of QoS levels also corresponds to a different tier of service in the multi-tier wireless communication network;

receiving, by the wireless communication network, a selection from the wireless mobile station, during communication between the wireless mobile station and another mobile station, of one of the plurality of QoS levels for use with the wireless mobile station; and

storing, by the wireless communication network, the selected QoS level in a computerized customer record associated with the wireless mobile station in a computer-operated database;

wherein the selected QoS level corresponds to a predetermined level of network protection between the wireless mobile station and the other mobile station involved in the communication, the predetermined level of network protection supporting availability of a particular vocoder rate exceeding a threshold amount; and

wherein the received selected one of the plurality of QoS levels for use with the wireless mobile station includes an indication to globally change services levels for other devices of the customer so that the wireless mobile station and the other devices of the customer are provided a common service level of guaranteed resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network is a WiFi communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network reserves a predetermined bandwidth for at least some of the plurality of QoS levels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network reserves a predetermined protection level for one or more of the plurality of QoS levels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network reserves a predetermined maximum allowed latency for at least some of the plurality of QoS levels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network reserves a predetermined maximum allowed jitter level for at least some of the plurality of QoS levels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network reserves a predetermined maximum allowed dropped call rate for at least some of the plurality of QoS levels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-tier wireless communication network is a cellular communication network.

9. A multi-tier wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station including a receiver, a transmitter and an antenna operatively connected to the receiver and the transmitter;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the multi-tier wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers; and

wherein the multi-tier wireless communication system is configured to have a plurality of QoS levels, each of the plurality of QoS levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different tier in an overall multi-tier service structure;

wherein each quality level of communication is a quality level of an audio signal to be sent or received by a mobile station of a given customer that corresponds to a predetermined value on a speech quality scale;

wherein the quality level of the audio signal is adjustable, at the mobile station during communication with another mobile station, in accordance with a particular tier of service chosen by the given customer for the mobile station; and

wherein, upon adjustment of the quality level of the audio signal during the communication with the other mobile station according to an instruction received from the given customer, the customer record database is updatable to reflect the chosen tier of service for the mobile station, and when the customer record database is updated, the chosen tier of service applies to the mobile station and one or more other devices associated with a record of the given customer.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined value comprises a range of values.

11. The multi-tier wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein the audio signal quality level further corresponds to a vocoder bit rate.

12. The multi-tier wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein the audio signal quality level further corresponds to a minimum guaranteed bandwidth of a user'"'"'s mobile station.

13. The multi-tier wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein the audio signal quality level further corresponds to particular communication channel availability as per a contract with a service provider.

14. The multi-tier wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein the audio signal quality level further corresponds to at least one of a maximum allowed value for signal latency, jitter and dropped call rate of a received signal at the user'"'"'s mobile station, the audio quality level being guaranteed by a service contract between the user and a service provider.