Method and system for optimizing performance of a mobile communications system

• US 20030087635A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheffield, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,099,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Call data collected from the switch at a Mobile Telephone Switching Office is combined with location information of a mobile unit to generate information reports concerning the electromagnetic coverage of a geographic region. The collection of call data from the switch permits consideration of uplink information in the analysis of system performance. The uplink information reflects performance of specific equipment that is in use by the wireless customer. This uplink information may be combined with downlink and location information to remove from the performance evaluation transient effects associated with, for example, local terrain and other physical impairments.

Claims

1. A method of determining performance of a wireless communication system at a plurality of locations, the method comprising:

during a voice call by a mobile device, receiving location data in software via the wireless communication system, wherein the location data indicates locations of the mobile device;

generating performance data regarding the voice call via a switch in the wireless communication system; and

correlating the location data with the performance data with the software.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a visual depiction of the location data correlated with the performance data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the location information is communicated via a CDPD network technique.

4. A method of determining performance of a wireless telecommunications system at a plurality of locations, the method comprising:

during a voice call from a wireless device, electronically storing location data indicating locations for the wireless device, wherein the location data is stored at a location local to the wireless device;

generating performance data regarding the voice call via a switch within the telecommunications system, wherein the performance data indicates the performance of the wireless telecommunications system at the locations during the voice call;

receiving in software the performance data regarding the voice call, wherein the software is executing at a location local to the wireless device; and

correlating in software the location data with the performance data.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

generating a visual depiction of the location data correlated with the performance data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the visual depiction is generated in real time during movement of the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the performance data is communicated via a CDPD network technique.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following to evaluate the performance of a wireless communication system:

collecting location information indicating locations of a mobile device engaged in a voice call over the wireless communication system;

collecting performance information indicating performance of the mobile device as it moves to the locations; and

correlating the location information with the performance information.

9. A method comprising:

receiving at a cell site a wireless signal from a mobile wireless system;

determining at least one of signal strength and signal error of the wireless signal;

communicating the at least one of signal strength and signal error to the mobile wireless system; and

the mobile wireless system correlating the at least one of signal strength and signal error with location information collected by the mobile wireless system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the location info is collected via a global positioning system (GPS).

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

communicating the at least one of signal strength and signal error through a data switch before communicating the at least one of signal strength and signal error to the mobile wireless system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the data switch is part of a cellular digital packet data (CDPD) network.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

with software, presenting a visual correlation of the at least one of a signal strength and signal error with the location information.