System and method for identifying coverage holes in a wireless network

• US 20040203855A1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Jeyakesavan, Dronamraju, Nanditha D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,113,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

In a mobile station capable of accessing a wireless network, an apparatus for reporting call drop (or service loss) location information associated with the mobile station to a server accessible via a communication network coupled to the wireless network. The apparatus comprises: 1) a memory capable of storing mobile station current position information; and 2) a controller, coupled to the memory, capable of determining a geographic location of the mobile station at the time an ongoing call is dropped by the mobile station (or a service loss occurs) and storing the geographic location in the memory, wherein the controller is further capable of establishing a connection with the server at a later point in time and transmitting the geographic location over the wireless network to the server.

Claims

1. For use in a mobile station capable of accessing a wireless network, an apparatus for reporting call drop location information associated with said mobile station to a server accessible via a communication network coupled to said wireless network, said apparatus comprising:

a memory capable of storing mobile station current position information; and

a controller, coupled to said memory, capable of determining a geographic location of said mobile station at the time an ongoing call is dropped by said mobile station and storing said geographic location in said memory, wherein the controller is further capable of establishing a connection with said server at a later point in time and transmitting said geographic location over the wireless network to said server.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said controller is further capable of determining a drop time at which said ongoing call is dropped by said mobile station and storing said drop time in said memory, wherein the controller is further capable of transmitting said drop time over the wireless network to said server.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) device coupled to said controller, wherein said controller determines said geographic location and said drop time using said GPS device.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said controller is further capable of encrypting said geographic location and said drop time prior to transmission to said server.

5. For use in a mobile station capable of accessing a wireless network, an apparatus for reporting service loss location information associated with said mobile station to a server accessible via a communication network coupled to said wireless network, said apparatus comprising:

a memory capable of storing mobile station current position information; and

a controller, coupled to said memory, capable of determining a geographic location of said mobile station at the time a control channel is lost by said mobile station and storing said geographic location in said memory, wherein the controller is further capable of establishing a connection with said server at a later point in time and transmitting said geographic location over the wireless network to said server.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said controller is further capable of determining a service loss time at which said ongoing call is dropped by said mobile station and storing said service loss time in said memory, wherein the controller is further capable of transmitting said service loss time over the wireless network to said server.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) device coupled to said controller, wherein said controller determines said geographic location and said service loss time using said GPS device.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said controller is further capable of encrypting said geographic location and said service loss time prior to transmission to said server.

9. For use in a mobile station capable of accessing a wireless network, a method for reporting call drop location information associated with the mobile station to a server accessible via a communication network coupled to the wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a geographic location of the mobile station at the time an ongoing call is dropped by the mobile station;

storing the geographic location in a memory;

establishing a connection with the server at a later point in time; and

transmitting the geographic location over the wireless network to the server.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

determining a drop time at which the ongoing call is dropped by the mobile station; and

storing the drop time in the memory, wherein the controller is further capable of transmitting the drop time over the wireless network to the server.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the mobile station comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device and the steps of determining the geographic location and the drop time are performed using the GPS device.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising the step of encrypting the geographic location and the drop time prior to transmission to the server.

13. For use in a mobile station capable of accessing a wireless network, a method for reporting service loss location information associated with the mobile station to a server accessible via a communication network coupled to the wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a geographic location of the mobile station at the time when a control channel is lost by the mobile station;

storing the geographic location in a memory;

establishing a connection with the server at a later point in time; and

transmitting the geographic location over the wireless network to the server.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

determining a service loss time at which the control channel is lost by the mobile station; and

storing the service loss time in the memory, wherein the controller is further capable of transmitting the service loss over the wireless network to the server.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the mobile station comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device and the steps of determining the geographic location and the service loss time are performed using the GPS device.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the step of encrypting the geographic location and the service loss time prior to transmission to the server.

17. A wireless network comprising a plurality of base transceiver stations capable of communicating with mobile stations located in a coverage area of said wireless network, wherein said wireless network is operable to receive from selected ones of said mobile stations geographic location data indicating positions of said selected mobile stations at the time at least one of a service loss event and a call drop event occurred and wherein said wireless network transmits said received geographic location data to a server capable of identifying radio frequency coverage holes in said coverage area of said wireless network.

18. The wireless network as set forth in claim 17 wherein said wireless network is capable of transmitting to a first one of said selected mobile stations an enable message operable to cause said first selected mobile station to transmit said geographic location data to said wireless network after said first selected mobile station re-establishes a wireless connection to said wireless network after said at least one of a service loss event and a call drop event.

19. The wireless network as set forth in claim 17 wherein said wireless network is capable of transmitting to a first one of said selected mobile stations a disable message operable to disable said first selected mobile station from transmitting said geographic location data to said wireless network after said first selected mobile station re-establishes a wireless connection to said wireless network after said at least one of a service loss event and a call drop event.

20. The wireless network as set forth in claim 17 wherein said server is capable of generating a two-dimensional map identifying said radio frequency coverage holes in said coverage area of said wireless network.