Intelligent dynamic channel allocation scheme for a mobile communications network

• US 6,188,905 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Agrawal, Dharma P., Rudrapatna, Ashok N., Agrawal, Prathima
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US08/941,043
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452, 455/456, 455/457, 455/442, 455/440, 455/437
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/008375 based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Intelligent allocation of wireless resources can help avoid the problems of dropped calls in a mobile communications network. A service for allocating resources is designed to develop profiles of subscribers'"'"' mobility. That is, profiles are developed for routes, traveled by subscribers at certain days and times. For example, some subscribers commute to and from work at relatively fixed times. By compiling this information in the profile and tracking the movement of the subscriber, the mobile network can anticipate the subscriber'"'"'s movement into a next cell. Thus, wireless resources in the next cell can be reserved prior to the anticipated handover of an ongoing call involving the subscriber. Thus, uninterrupted service can be maintained and dropped calls can be avoided.

Claims

1. A method for intelligently allocating wireless resources in a mobile communications network, said network including a plurality of cells, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a profile for a subscriber, wherein the profile includes predetermined path information identifying a path through an area covered by the network;

receiving a signal, from the subscriber, indicating that the profile is to be used in a call involving the subscriber;

allocating wireless resources assigned to a first cell in which the subscriber is located at a first time associated with the call;

tracking a path traveled by the subscriber through the mobile communications network;

anticipating a second cell to which the subscriber will enter from the first cell based on the profile and the path tracked; and

reserving wireless resources in the second cell prior to handing off the call at a second time associated with the call.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless resources include a voice channel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless resources include a data channel.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless resources include a multimedia channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of storing a profile includes the step of gathering data bearing on arrival time of the subscriber in the second cell from the first cell during the call.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the data includes time of journey from locations in the first cell to the second cell at different rates of speed.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of tracking includes estimating location and travel time of the subscriber.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of reserving wireless resources includes allocating a radio channel for an ongoing call involving the subscriber, the radio channel being selected from a subset of radio channels available for communications between mobile units and a base station in the second cell.

9. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of handing off the call to the wireless resources reserved in the second cell, when the subscriber enters the second cell.

10. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of handing off the call to the wireless resources reserved in the second cell, when the subscriber enters the second cell and handover criteria is satisfied.

11. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of updating the profile during the call.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of tracking includes tracking a location of the subscriber using a global positioning system.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of tracking includes tracking a location of the subscriber using a profile database.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is established after the predetermined path information is stored.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of anticipating includes performing statistical analysis using the profile to identify the second cell.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined path information corresponds to a vehicular path between two points.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined path information is unique to the subscriber.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined path information includes information for a plurality of paths of the subscriber, and the signal includes a selection of one of the plurality of paths of the subscriber.

14. In a mobile communications network having a plurality of cells, each of the cells assigned a base station, and a resource allocation service for subscribers, a method for intelligently allocating wireless resources to authorized subscribers, said method comprising the steps of:

storing at least one profile for a subscriber;

allocating wireless resources assigned to a first cell in which the subscriber is located when a call is established involving the subscriber; and

determining whether the subscriber is authorized to receive the resource allocation service and whether predefined conditions are satisfied for implementation of the resource allocation service;

wherein if the predefined conditions are satisfied and the subscriber is authorized,

tracking a path traveled by the subscriber through the network;

anticipating a second cell to which the subscriber will enter from the first cell based on the profile and the path tracked; and

reserving wireless resources in the second cell prior to handing off the call.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of anticipating, includes selecting a profile from the at least one profile which best matches the conditions of the call.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein if the subscriber is not authorized or if the predefined conditions are not satisfied, processing the call involving the subscriber normally.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the predefined conditions include time-of-day and location of the subscriber.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein if the subscriber is authorized, updating the profile or creating a new profile.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of tracking includes tracking a location of the subscriber using a global positioning system.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of tracking includes tracking a location of the subscriber using a profile database.

35. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one profile includes predetermined path information.

21. A method of creating a profile for a subscriber of wireless services in a mobile communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

gathering first data bearing on a subscriber'"'"'s arrival time in a first cell from a second cell during a first call;

storing the first data in a first profile;

gathering second data bearing on a subscriber'"'"'s arrival time in the first cell from the second cell during a second call;

comparing the first data and the second data; and

either updating the first profile when the first data and the second data include similar data, or storing the second data in a second profile when the first data and the second data fail to have similar data.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first and second data include time of journey from locations in the first cell to the second cell and path traveled.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first and second data include time-of-day and day-of-week.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first and second data include data related to a location and travel time of a subscriber.

25. The method according to claim 24, where the position of a subscriber is estimated using a global positioning system.

26. The method according to claim 24, where the position of a subscriber is estimated using a profile database.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first and second data include data related to traffic conditions and weather conditions.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein the first and second data include data related to a mobile unit user.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein the similar data includes path traveled.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the similar data further includes time-of-day.

37. The method of claim 21, wherein the first profile is a temporary profile, and the method further comprises the step of converting the first profile from a temporary profile to an active profile if the first profile contains a statistically significant number of entries.