Multi-MVNO wireless service

• US 7,519,353 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Jim, White, Andrew, Gibson, Michael, Cerami, Rich, Stevens, Gilman
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/190,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 4554521-4522, 455/446, 455/423, 455/67.11, 455405-408, 455/456.1, 455/552.1, 455/445, 455/435.1, 455/432.1, 379/114.01, 379/114.02, 705/52
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining an optimal range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves are described. In some embodiments, mobile voice communications devices measure average power received from certain ranges of such frequencies, each range associated with a communications service provider. A cost may be associated with each range. An optimal range of frequencies may be determined based on these factors. Each device may also receive a set of data identifying the location of the device. Each device may transmit one or more communications signals to a CIP with such measurements and location information, and some of this information may be stored in a database.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system indicating an optimal range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves among a plurality of nonoverlapping ranges of frequencies of electromagnetic waves, the system comprising:

a mobile voice communications device configured to;

receive the plurality of nonoverlapping ranges of frequencies of electromagnetic waves; and

transmit a communications signal indicating an average power received for each range of the plurality; and

a controlled interface point in communication with the mobile voice communications device, configured to;

receive the communications signal indicating an average power received for each range of the plurality;

receive information from a database which associates a cost with each range in each of a plurality of geographic regions, wherein the cost associated with one or more of the ranges is different in a first geographic region than in a second geographic region among the plurality of geographic regions;

receive information indicating that the device is located in the first geographic region and is located outside the second geographic region;

determine the optimal range of frequencies based on the cost associated with each range of the plurality in the first geographic region and the average power received from each range of the plurality; and

transmit a communications signal indicating the optimal range of frequencies;

wherein each range of the plurality is associated with a different provider of communications services.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a cellular phone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a VoIP phone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the device is further configured to receive a set of data identifying the location of the device; and

to transmit a communications signal that includes the set of data;

the controlled interface point is further configured to receive the communication signal that includes the set of data, and to store the set of data in the database.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the set of data identifying the location of the device comprises GPS coordinate data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to:

receive a communications signal indicating the optimal range; and

establish a connection with the provider associated with the optimal range.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the controlled interface point is further configured to calculate probability of certain movement patterns of the device using a location-based heuristic engine; and

the optimal range of frequencies is further based on the probability of certain movement patterns of the device.

7. A method of determining an optimal range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves among a plurality of nonoverlapping ranges of frequencies of electromagnetic waves, which comprises:

providing a server computer system;

receiving a communications signal from a mobile voice communications device indicating an average power received for each range of the plurality;

receiving information which associates a cost with each range of the plurality from a database associated with the server computer system;

receiving information which associates a selected one of a plurality of security levels with each range of the plurality from a database associated with the server computer system;

determining the optimal range of frequencies based on the cost and the selected level associated with each range of the plurality and the average power received from each range of the plurality; and

transmitting a communications signal indicating the optimal range of frequencies;

wherein each range is associated with a different provider of communications services.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves comprises a wireless signal from a wireless carrier operating a cellular system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the ranges is associated with a provider offering cellular phone service via the at least one of the ranges.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the ranges is associated with a provider offering VoIP services via the at least one of the ranges.

11. The method of claim 7, which further comprises storing the average power received for each range of information in the database.

12. The method of claim 7, which further comprises receiving a communications signal containing a set of data identifying the location of the device.

13. The method of claim 12, which further comprises storing the set of data in the database.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of data comprises GPS coordinate data.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the communications signal indicating the optimal range of frequencies further comprises a direction to terminate an existing connection to a provider not associated with the optimal range.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the existing connection comprises an ongoing phone call, the ongoing phone call is transferred to the connection with the provider associated with the optimal range without disrupting the ongoing phone call.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of data is processed to calculate the probability of movement patterns of the device, and the optimal range of frequencies is further based on the probability of movement patterns.

18. The method of claim 7, which further comprises receiving a plurality of communication signals, each containing information from a different mobile voice communications device indicating:

an average power received for each range of the plurality; and

an other set of data identifying the location of the different device;

wherein the information received from the different device is stored in a database, and the optimal range of frequencies is further based on the information received from the different devices.

19. A method of creating a database comprising a cost and an average power received for each of a plurality of nonoverlapping ranges of frequencies of electromagnetic waves, in each of a plurality of geographic regions, which comprises:

identifying a plurality of geographic regions;

receiving a first communications signal from a first mobile voice communications device in a first geographic region, wherein the first signal;

indicates a first average power received for each range of the plurality; and

identifies the first device location;

determining that the first device is located in the first geographic region based on the first device location;

receiving a second communications signal from a second mobile voice communications device in a second geographic region, wherein the second signal;

indicates a second average power received for each range of the plurality; and

identifies the second device location;

determining that the second device is located in the second geographic region based on the second device location;

maintaining the database with information which associates a cost with each range of the plurality in the first geographic region, and associates a cost with each range of the plurality in the second geographic region, wherein the cost associated with one or more of the ranges is different in the first geographic region than in the second geographic region; and

populating the database with data comprising the average power received for each range of the plurality in the first geographic region and each range of the plurality in the second geographic region.

20. A method of claim 19, wherein each mobile voice communications device transmits the communication signal at regular time intervals.

21. A method of claim 19, wherein:

the first receiving step comprises receiving a plurality of communication signals, each signal of the plurality of signals containing information from a different mobile voice communications device in the first geographic region, the information in each signal of the plurality of signals indicating;

an average power received for each range of the plurality of ranges;

an other set of data identifying the location of the different device;

the first determining step comprises determining that each different device is located in the first geographic region based on the other set of data; and

the populating step further comprises populating the database with an average power received for each range of the plurality of ranges from the information in each signal of the plurality of signals, and further comprises calculating an average of the average power received for each range of the plurality of ranges.

22. A method of claim 21, wherein the database is queried by a mobile voice communications device in the first geographic region, and an optimal range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves is selected based on the cost associated with each range of the plurality of ranges in the first region, and the average power received for each range of the plurality of ranges from the information in each signal of the plurality of signals.

23. A mobile voice communications device, wherein the device is configured to:

receive a plurality of nonoverlapping ranges of frequencies of electromagnetic waves, each range associated with a different provider of communications services;

measure an average power received for each range;

transmit a communications signal indicating the average power received for each range and containing a set of data identifying a location of the device;

receive a communications signal indicating an optimal range determined by a server computer system, the optimal range based on;

the average power measured, a selected security level, and a cost associated with each range, wherein the cost associated with one or more of the ranges is different in a first geographic region than in a second geographic region among a plurality of geographic regions; and

the probability of movement patterns of the device calculated by processing changes in the location of the device; and

establish a connection with the provider associated with the optimal range.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the device comprises a VoIP phone.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the device comprises a cellular phone.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the device transmits the communications signal at regular time intervals.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is further configured to terminate an existing connection to a provider not associated with the optimal range.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the existing connection comprises an ongoing phone call, the ongoing phone call is transferred to the connection with the provider associated with the optimal range without disrupting the ongoing phone call.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein the device is further configured to receive a set of data identifying the location of the device.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the data which identifies the location of the device comprises GPS coordinate data.