Call results failure classifications

• US 20080248795A1
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Telephia Incorporated (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Hannan, Kevin, Petersen, David, Stapleton, Padraig
• Application Number:
  US11/784,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20080248795A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A method of classifying a call failure. In one embodiment, an indication of a call failure is received and the cause of the failed call is automatically identified and classified. In one embodiment, identifying the cause of a call failure comprises determining signal characteristics, determining network resource availability, and determining cellular structure characteristics. In one embodiment, a call failure is classified as coverage failure if the signal strength is below an acceptable threshold or if a wireless device initiates a call and receives no response from the network or when the signal interference is above an acceptable threshold. In one embodiment, a call failure is classified as capacity failure if a network is unable to accommodate a wireless device with a communication channel or resources. A call failure is classified as operational failure if the call failure is related to mistakes in a configuration file defining and identifying cellular structures.

Claims

1. A method of classifying a call failure in a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving said call failure indication;

in response to said received call failure indication, automatically identifying the cause of said call failure;

in response to said identification, automatically classifying said call failure; and

outputting said call failure classification.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said call failure indication is received from a group comprising a wireless device, a mobile switching center and a base station controller.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said identification comprises:

determining signal characteristics, wherein said signal characteristics comprise signal strength and signal interference;

determining said wireless network resource availability, wherein said resource availability comprises availability of communication channel; and

determining cellular structure characteristics, wherein said cellular structure characteristics comprise configuration parameters defining said cellular structure and defining neighboring cellular structures.

4. The method as described in claim 3, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when said signal strength is below an acceptable threshold.

5. The method as described in claim 3, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when a wireless device initiates a call and receives no response from said wireless network.

6. The method as described in claim 3, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when said signal interference is above an acceptable threshold.

7. The method as described in claim 3, wherein said call failure is classified as a capacity failure when said wireless network is unable to allocate a communication channel to a wireless device.

8. The method as described in claim 3, wherein said call failure is classified as a capacity failure when said wireless network is unable to allocate communication resources to a wireless device.

9. The method as described in claim 3, wherein said call failure is classified as an operational failure when said configuration parameters fail to properly define said cellular structure or fail to properly identify neighboring cellular structures.

10. A computer-useable medium having computer-readable program code stored thereon for causing a computer system to execute a method for classifying a call failure, said method comprising:

receiving said call failure indication;

in response to said received call failure indication, automatically identifying the cause of said call failure;

in response to said identification, automatically classifying said call failure; and

outputting said call failure classification.

11. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 10, wherein said call failure indication is received from a group comprising a wireless device, a mobile switching center and a base station controller.

12. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 10, wherein said identification comprises:

determining signal characteristics, wherein said signal characteristics comprise signal strength and signal interference;

determining said wireless network resource availability, wherein said resource availability comprises availability of communication channel; and

determining cellular structure characteristics, wherein said cellular structure characteristics comprise configuration parameters defining said cellular structure and defining neighboring cellular structures.

13. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 12, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when said signal strength is below an acceptable threshold.

14. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 12, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when a wireless device initiates a call and receives no response from said wireless network.

15. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 12, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when said signal interference is above an acceptable threshold.

16. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 12, wherein said call failure is classified as a capacity failure when said wireless network is unable to allocate a communication channel to a wireless device.

17. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 12, wherein said call failure is classified as a capacity failure when said wireless network is unable to allocate communication resources to a wireless device.

18. The computer-useable medium as described in claim 12, wherein said call failure is classified as an operational failure when said configuration parameters fail to properly define said cellular structure or fail to properly identify neighboring cellular structures.

19. A computer system comprising a processor coupled to a bus, a transmitter/receiver coupled to said bus, and a memory coupled to said bus, wherein said memory comprises instructions that when executed on said processor implement a method for classifying a call failure, said method comprising:

receiving said call failure indication;

in response to said received call failure indication, automatically identifying the cause of said call failure;

in response to said identification, automatically classifying said call failure; and

outputting said call failure classification.

20. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said call failure indication is received from a group comprising a wireless device, a mobile switching center and a base station controller.

21. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said identification comprises:

determining signal characteristics, wherein said signal characteristics comprise signal strength and signal interference;

determining said wireless network resource availability, wherein said resource availability comprises availability of communication channel; and

determining cellular structure characteristics, wherein said cellular structure characteristics comprise configuration parameters defining said cellular structure and defining neighboring cellular structures.

22. The computer system as described in claim 21, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when said signal strength is below an acceptable threshold.

23. The computer system as described in claim 21, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when a wireless device initiates a call and receives no response from said wireless network.

24. The computer system as described in claim 21, wherein said call failure is classified as a coverage failure when said signal interference is above an acceptable threshold.

25. The computer system as described in claim 21, wherein said call failure is classified as a capacity failure when said wireless network is unable to allocate a communication channel to a wireless device.

26. The computer system as described in claim 21, wherein said call failure is classified as a capacity failure when said wireless network is unable to allocate communication resources to a wireless device.

27. The computer system as described in claim 21, wherein said call failure is classified as an operational failure when said configuration parameters fail to properly define said cellular structure or fail to properly identify neighboring cellular structures.