Proactive management of dropped calls in a wireless communication system

• US 7,076,245 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Satapathy, Durga Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torres, Marcos L
• Application Number:
  US10/101,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 455/421, 455/423, 455/67.13, 455/67.11, 455/424, 455/567, 370332-333, 370241-242
• US Class Current: 455/421
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for proactively managing dropped calls in a wireless communication system. A determination is made that a mobile station is about to experience a dropped call, based on consideration of factors such as received signal strength or location of the mobile station. In response to the determination, a user of the mobile station is then warned that the call is about to be dropped.

Claims

1. In a wireless communications system in which a mobile station communicates with a base station via an RF air interface, wherein communications from the mobile station to the base station over the RF air interface define a base station (BS) received signal strength, and wherein a call drop is expected to occur when the BS received signal strength falls to a call-drop level, a method of managing dropped calls comprising:

monitoring the BS received signal strength of the wireless communication system;

setting a threshold warning level to a level above the call-drop level by an extent sufficient to allow for a predetermined duration of time between when the received BS received signal strength falls below the threshold warning level and when the BS received signal strength falls to the call-drop level;

determining that the BS received signal strength falls below the threshold warning level; and

in response to a determination that the BS received signal strength falls below the threshold warning level, warning a user of the mobile station that the call is about to be dropped.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing the threshold warning level in response to a call-drop event occurring less than the predetermined duration after the BS received signal strength falls below the threshold warning level.