Method and Apparatus for Relating to Quality of Service in Wireless Networks

• US 20120329472A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey, Liu, Cheng P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A method for adapting quality of service to dynamics of a wireless telecommunications network is provided. The method includes collecting data relating to operation of an element in the network, wherein the collected data comprises radio-frequency (RF) data relating to operation of the network. The method also includes pre-calculating, from the collected data, a dynamic operational characteristic of the network, wherein the pre-calculating includes pre-calculating from the collected data to obtain a geometrical determination based on a geographical location of a wireless communications device within the network. The method further includes making available the pre-calculated characteristic of the network to an application of the device using the network, including storing the characteristic at a pre-calculation server accessible by the device so the device can selectively retrieve the characteristic, and updating the characteristic at a frequency based on a trigger related to volatility of the RF data being collected.

Claims

1. A method, for allowing an application of a wireless communications device to adapt to a dynamic of a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

determining, by a processor, using data relating to operation of an element of the wireless telecommunications network, a dynamic operational characteristic of the wireless telecommunications network; and

making available, to an application of the wireless communications device, the dynamic operational characteristic for use by the application to adapt operation of the application based on the dynamic operational characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein making the dynamic operational characteristic available to the application of the wireless communications device comprises storing the dynamic operational characteristic at a server accessible by the wireless communications device so that the wireless communications device can selectively retrieve the dynamic operational characteristic from the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises location information associated with the element of the wireless telecommunications network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location information includes at least one piece of information selected from a group consisting of map-based information and geometric information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises radio-frequency information relating to operation of the element of the wireless telecommunications network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising updating the dynamic operational characteristic at a timing based on a volatility of the radio-frequency information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic comprises an anticipated dynamic variation in the wireless telecommunications network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the dynamic operational characteristic comprises determining the dynamic operational characteristic based on a location of the wireless communications device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic is determined in response to a trigger associated with a frequency of operation of the element in the wireless telecommunications network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic indicates a probabilistic determination of future dynamic operation of the wireless telecommunications network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic indicates a projected trend for use by the application of the wireless communications device in advance of a condition anticipated by the projected trend.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic indicates a historical comparison for use by the application of the wireless communications device to adapt operation of the application according to a historically-repeatable quality, of the wireless telecommunications network, indicated by the historical comparison.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic indicates a measure indicating stability of the wireless telecommunications network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic indicates multiple modes for use by the application of the wireless communications device to select an appropriate mode of the multiple modes.

15. A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for allowing an application of a wireless communications device to adapt to a dynamic of a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

determining, using data relating to operation of an element of the wireless telecommunications network, a dynamic operational characteristic of the wireless telecommunications network; and

making available, to an application of the wireless communications device, the dynamic operational characteristic for use by the application to adapt operation of the application based on the dynamic operational characteristic.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein:

the data comprises radio-frequency information relating to operation of the element of the wireless telecommunications network; and

the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the operations further comprising updating the dynamic operational characteristic at a timing based on a volatility of the radio-frequency information.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the dynamic operational characteristic indicates at least one item selected from a group consisting of:

an anticipated dynamic variation in the wireless telecommunications network;

a probabilistic determination of future dynamic operation of the wireless telecommunications network;

a projected trend for use by the application of the wireless communications device in advance of a condition anticipated by the projected trend;

a historical comparison for use by the application of the wireless communications device to adapt operation of the application according to a historically-repeatable quality, of the wireless telecommunications network, indicated by the historical comparison;

a measure indicating stability of the wireless telecommunications network; and

multiple modes for use by the application of the wireless communications device to select an appropriate mode of the multiple modes.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the dynamic operational characteristic based on a location of the wireless communications device.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the dynamic operational characteristic in response to a trigger associated with a frequency of operation of the element in the wireless telecommunications network.

20. A system, for allowing an application of a wireless communications device to adapt to a dynamic of a wireless telecommunications network, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage device being in operative communication with the processor and having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining, using data relating to operation of an element of the wireless telecommunications network, a dynamic operational characteristic of the wireless telecommunications network; and

making available, to an application of the wireless communications device, the dynamic operational characteristic for use by the application to adapt operation of the application based on the dynamic operational characteristic.