System for determining wireless coverage using location information for a wireless unit

• US 6,522,888 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Garceran, Julio Antonio, Hanson, Kathryn W., Matusevich, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/387,604
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/422, 455/456, 455/457, 455/436, 455/440, 455/439, 455/67.7, 455/424, 701/207
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

A system for determining coverage in a wireless communications systems uses location information for a wireless unit and collects information on communications between the wireless unit and the wireless communications system in association with the location information. The wireless communications system determines and/or receives location information for the wireless unit along with other information associated with the location information. The information by location can be used to represent the coverage of a geographic region. For example, during communications between a serving base station and a wireless unit, the serving base station could receive and/or determine signal quality measurements of a forward link and/or of a reverse link at a particular location. Additionally, neighboring base stations can monitor the communications and determine and/or receive location information for the location of the wireless unit along with the information associated with or corresponding to the location of the wireless unit. The associated information can be linked with additional parameters, such as wireless unit type, wireless unit identity, frequency, operating conditions and/or base station identity.

Claims

1. A method of determining coverage of a wireless communications system for a particular geographic area, said method comprising:

obtaining location information including at least a current location of a wireless unit operating in said wireless communications system;

obtaining an identity characteristic for said wireless unit, including at least an equipment type for said mobile unit;

obtaining at least one measurement on at least one signal between said wireless unit at said current location and at least one base station;

storing said measurement and said identity characteristic in association with said location information;

processing said stored location, measurement and identity characteristic information for a plurality of locations to provide an RF coverage database for said particular geographic area;

adjusting RF transmission parameters for identified wireless units at given locations based on said RF coverage database.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the steps of:

determining said location information at said wireless unit; and

sending said location information and said measurement from said wireless unit to said base station.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of determining includes:

using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver integrated with said wireless unit to obtain said location information at said wireless unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining location information includes:

performing by a wireless unit at said location at least one signal quality measurement on at least one signal received from said base station.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving by a base station said location information from said wireless unit.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving by a base station said measurement from said wireless unit resulting from a measurement of at least one signal quality measurement on at least one signal received from said base station.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing by said base station at least one signal quality measurement from at least one signal received from said wireless unit at said location.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing includes:

storing said measurement by said location information and wireless unit identity.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing includes:

storing said measurement by said location information, said identity characteristic and traffic load for a base station.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing includes:

storing said measurement by said location information, said identity characteristic and base station identity.

11. The method of claim 1 comprising:

providing a location trigger; and

performing said steps of obtaining in response to said location trigger.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said identity characteristic further includes a wireless unit identity for said wireless unit.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said wireless unit identity is manifested as a wireless unit identification number for said wireless unit.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said wireless unit identity is manifested as an electronic serial number for said wireless unit.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said wireless unit identity is manifested as a phone number for said wireless unit.

16. A method of determining coverage of a wireless communications system for a particular geographic area, said method comprising:

obtaining location information including at least a current location of a wireless unit operating in said wireless communications system;

obtaining at least one measurement on at least one signal between said wireless unit at said location and at least one base station in response to a location trigger, and

determining a proximity to said location trigger based on said location information;

storing said measurement in association with said location information;

processing said stored location and measurement information for a plurality of locations to provide an RF coverage database for said particular geographic area;

adjusting RF transmission parameters for wireless units at given locations based on said RF coverage database.