METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION INTERFACE

• US 20090002367A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: ALEXIS, SEAN
• Application Number:
  US12/163,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002367A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

A system and method is provided which allows for user-interactive, multi-dimensional information about coverage areas of wireless service providers. Map data can be continually updated by third party mapping systems, and the coverage data can be continually updated by coverage data repositories maintained by the respective wireless service provider or other entity. Example systems provide users an opportunity to explore coverage areas in a two- or more-dimensional, interactive map including map data and coverage strength layers presented via a user interface.

Claims

1. A system for providing signal strength data, comprising:

a display screen;

a computer processor, the computer processor providing information to the display screen;

a user interface, the user interface being generated at least in part from information provided by the computer processor and being displayable on the display screen;

wherein the information includes data concerning a wireless signal strength of a network provider in a specific geographic area, the user interface displaying the information in a multi-dimensional view in response to at least one of;

a dynamic instruction and a preloaded instruction.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic instruction is derived from a request inputted via the user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the preloaded instruction is a stored instruction on a memory of the computer processor or an accessible remote memory source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer processor obtains the information from at least one of:

Internet, a remote information source, a server, and a computer-readable memory device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen and the computer processor are a standalone system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display of the specific geographic area is a three-dimensional view.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the dynamic instruction and the preloaded instruction is a display request for the specific geographic area based on at least one of the following parameters:

geographic coordinates, relative signal strength, relative signal weakness, and a commercial location with a certain signal strength.

8. A method for displaying a wireless signal strength, comprising:

providing an instruction to a computer processor via a user interface on a display, the instruction including a request for information of the wireless signal strength for at least one parameter;

receiving the information by the computer processor; and

displaying the information via a multi-dimensional graphical geographical view by the computer processor on the display, the multi-dimensional view being at least two-dimensional or greater.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the instruction is provided to the computer processor via the user interface by at least one of a manual input and an automatic input.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the manual input and the automatic input is from at least one of:

a computer-readable memory source, a remote source, an Internet source, a server, a manual-input device, a soft-key input device on the user interface, and a wireless device via a transport protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the display is a display screen, the display screen being provided as a stand alone-accessible device having access to the computer processor.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one parameter is at least one of:

a geographic coordinate, a geographic region, a relative signal strength, a landmark, a business entity, a relative signal weakness, and a residential location.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the manual input and the automatic input provides at least one of a dynamic instruction and a pre-loaded instruction.

14. A user interface of a communication device, comprising:

an input display allowing instructional input of a search parameter;

a multi-dimensional graphical geographical view generated by an associated computer processor being displayed via the user interface of the communication device,

wherein at least one wireless carrier signal strength is shown on the multi-dimensional graphical geographical view,

wherein the instructional input is effected via at least one of a soft-key function shown on the input display, a hard-key function via a keyboard device associated with the display, and a source remote to the input display.

15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the search parameter is at least one of a geographic coordinate, an address, a landmark name, a relative signal strength, a business entity, a relative signal weakness, and a residential location.

16. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the input display provides input fields for a location address.

17. The user interface of claim 14, further comprising:

a location name display allowing input of the search parameter which includes a request to view a specific location, the location name display showing a list of locations, the list of locations being filterable to provide a subset of locations for selection, and in response to a selection of the specific location from the list of locations, the corresponding geographical view is displayed by the user interface.

18. The user interface of claim 14, further comprising:

a map display allowing input of the search parameter which includes a request to explore a map, the map display being navigated using controls, and in response to use of the navigation controls the corresponding geographical view is displayed by the user interface, wherein the navigation controls are effected via at least one of a soft-key function shown on the map display, a hard-key function via a keyboard device associated with the map display, and a source remote to the map display.

19. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the navigation controls include at least one of a directional control, a tilt control, a zoom-in control, and a zoom-out control.