Apparatus and method for mobile station-assisted optimization of a wireless network

• US 20050136911A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sohn, Philip Y., Webb, Ronald J., Csapo, John S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) coverage server for use in a wireless network comprising base stations that communicate with mobile stations located in a coverage area of the wireless network. The RF coverage server receives from the mobile stations geographic location data indicating positions of the mobile stations when communication links to the wireless network were dropped. The RF coverage server identifies areas of good RF coverage and areas of poor RF coverage in the wireless network. The RF coverage server also identifies a first one of the mobile stations that frequently drops communication links to the wireless network when the first mobile station is disposed in the good RF coverage areas.

Claims

1. For use in association with a wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with mobile stations located in a coverage area of said wireless network, a radio frequency (RF) coverage server capable of receiving from said mobile stations geographic location data indicating positions of said mobile stations when communication links to said wireless network were dropped, wherein said RF coverage server is capable of identifying areas of good RF coverage and areas of poor RF coverage in said wireless network and wherein said RF coverage server is further capable of identifying a first one of said mobile stations that frequently drops communication links to said wireless network when said first mobile station is disposed in said good RF coverage areas.

2. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 1 wherein said RF coverage server determines that said first mobile station is faulty.

3. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 2 wherein said RF coverage server transmits an alert message to said first mobile station informing a user of said first mobile station that said first mobile station is faulty.

4. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 2 wherein said RF coverage server transmits an alert message to an operator of said wireless network informing said operator that said first mobile station is faulty.

5. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 2 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts a transmit power of a first base station to reduce a size of a first one of said poor RF coverage areas.

6. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 2 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts transmit powers of a first base station and a second base station to reduce a size of at least one of said poor RF coverage areas.

7. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 2 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts an electronic antenna of a first base station to perform beam steering in order to reduce a size of a first one of said poor RF coverage areas.

8. The RF coverage server as set forth in claim 2 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts electronic antennas of a first base station and a second base station to perform beam steering in order to reduce a size of at least one of said poor RF coverage areas.

9. A wireless network comprising:

a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with mobile stations located in a coverage area of said wireless network; and

a radio frequency (RF) coverage server capable of receiving from said mobile stations geographic location data indicating positions of said mobile stations when communication links to said wireless network were dropped, wherein said RF coverage server is capable of identifying areas of good RF coverage and areas of poor RF coverage in said wireless network and wherein said RF coverage server is further capable of identifying a first one of said mobile stations that frequently drops communication links to said wireless network when said first mobile station is disposed in said good RF coverage areas.

10. The wireless network as set forth in claim 9 wherein said RF coverage server determines that said first mobile station is faulty.

11. The wireless network as set forth in claim 10 wherein said RF coverage server transmits an alert message to said first mobile station informing a user of said first mobile station that said first mobile station is faulty.

12. The wireless network as set forth in claim 10 wherein said RF coverage server transmits an alert message to an operator of said wireless network informing said operator that said first mobile station is faulty.

13. The wireless network as set forth in claim 10 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts a transmit power of a first base station to reduce a size of a first one of said poor RF coverage areas.

14. The wireless network as set forth in claim 10 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts transmit powers of a first base station and a second base station to reduce a size of at least one of said poor RF coverage areas.

15. The wireless network as set forth in claim 10 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts an electronic antenna of a first base station to perform beam steering in order to reduce a size of a first one of said poor RF coverage areas.

16. The wireless network as set forth in claim 10 wherein said RF coverage server adjusts electronic antennas of a first base station and a second base station to perform beam steering in order to reduce a size of at least one of said poor RF coverage areas.

17. For use in association with a wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of communicating with mobile stations located in a coverage area of the wireless network, a method of optimizing the radio frequency (RF) coverage of the wireless network comprising the steps of:

receiving in a RF coverage server geographic location data transmitted by the mobile stations indicating positions of the mobile stations when communication links to the wireless network were dropped;

identifying in the RF coverage server areas of good RF coverage and areas of poor RF coverage in the wireless network; and

identifying in the RF coverage server a first one of the mobile stations that frequently drops communication links to the wireless network when the first mobile station is disposed in the good RF coverage areas.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17 further comprising the step of determining in the RF coverage server that the first mobile station is faulty.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the step of transmitting from the RF coverage server an alert message to the first mobile station informing a user of the first mobile station that the first mobile station is faulty.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 further comprising the step of transmitting from the RF coverage server an alert message to an operator of the wireless network informing the operator that the first mobile station is faulty.