Predictive mobile phone service disruption service

• US 8,023,964 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hadinata, Martinianus BudiTjahja, O'Connell, Brian Marshall, Lingafelt, Charles Steven, Walker, Keith Raymond, Moore, John Elbert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US12/060,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/421, 455/404.2, 455/440
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, a data processing system and a computer program product for a predictive mobile phone service disruption service. In one illustrative embodiment, the computer implemented method comprises monitoring a cellular call of a caller, calculating a location and vector of the caller, and determining whether the caller is approaching a drop zone. The computer implemented method responsive to determining the caller is approaching a drop zone, estimates a duration of a loss of service, and responsive to determining the caller is approaching a drop zone, selectively notifying the caller.

Claims

1. A method for a predictive mobile phone service disruption service, the method comprising:

a computer monitoring a call of a caller placed using a mobile phone;

the computer calculating a location and a vector of the caller;

the computer identifying a probable route of travel of a vehicle of the caller by querying road coordinates in a map database based on the location and the vector of the caller and obtaining an intended destination of the caller from a navigation unit associated with the vehicle;

the computer determining whether the caller is approaching a drop zone by searching a database containing a plurality of instances of dropped calls and one or more locations of the plurality of instances of dropped calls and comparing the location of the caller, the vector of the caller, and the probable route of travel of the vehicle with the one or more locations of the plurality of instances of dropped calls, wherein the drop zone is a geographical area having a history of dropped calls;

the computer, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, estimating a duration of a loss of service for the call of the caller associated with the drop zone based on the probable route of travel of a vehicle of the caller;

the computer, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, identifying an alternative route to reach the intended destination of the caller without entering the drop zone; and

the computer, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, notifying the caller of the duration of the loss of service estimate and the alternative route to reach the intended destination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the location and the vector of the caller comprises:

the computer estimating a travel direction of the caller; and

the computer estimating a speed of the caller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the caller is approaching the drop zone comprises:

the computer comparing data from cellular towers and a historical dropped call database with the location and the vector of the caller to identify a probability that the call will be dropped.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the computer, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, notifying the caller of a time that the call will be dropped if the user does not take the alternative route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the caller comprises:

the computer providing the caller with a set of options from which the caller may select an action.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the caller comprises:

the computer determining a response of the caller and updating the system.

7. A computer system for predictive mobile phone service disruption service, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to monitor a call of a caller placed using a mobile phone;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to calculate a location and a vector of the caller;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to identify a probable route of travel of a vehicle of the caller by querying road coordinates in a map database based on the location and the vector of the caller and obtaining an intended destination of the caller from a navigation unit associated with the vehicle;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, to determine whether the caller is approaching a drop zone by searching a database containing a plurality of instances of dropped calls and one or more locations of the plurality of instances of dropped calls and comparing the location of the caller, the vector of the caller, and the probable route of travel of the vehicle with the one or more locations of the plurality of instances of dropped calls, wherein the drop zone is a geographical area having a history of dropped calls;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to estimate a duration of a loss of service for the call of the caller associated with the drop zone based on the probable route of travel of a vehicle of the caller; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to notify the caller of the duration of the loss of service estimate and the alternative route to reach the intended destination.

8. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to calculate the location and vector of the caller estimate a travel direction of the caller and a speed of the caller.

9. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the caller is approaching the drop zone compare data from cellular towers and a historical dropped call database with the location and the vector of the caller to identify a probability that the call will be dropped.

10. The data processing system of claim 7 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to notify the caller of a time that the call will be dropped if the user does not take the alternative route.

11. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein program instructions to notify the caller provide the caller with a set of options from which the caller may select an action.

12. The data processing system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to notify the caller determine a response of the caller and update the system.

13. A computer program product for a predictive mobile phone service disruption service, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to monitor a call of a caller placed using a mobile phone;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to identify a probable route of travel of a vehicle of the caller by querying road coordinates in a map database based on the location and the vector of the caller and obtaining an intended destination of the caller from a navigation unit associated with the vehicle;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to monitor a location and vector of the caller;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, to determine whether the caller is approaching a drop zone by searching a database containing a plurality of instances of dropped calls and one or more locations of the plurality of instances of dropped calls and comparing the location of the caller, the vector of the caller, and the probable route of travel of the vehicle with the one or more locations of the plurality of instances of dropped calls, wherein the drop zone is a geographical area having a history of dropped calls;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to estimate a duration of a loss of service for the call of the caller associated with the drop zone based on the probable route of travel of a vehicle of the caller;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to identify an alternative route to reach the intended destination of the caller without entering the drop zone; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to notify the caller of the duration of the loss of service estimate and the alternative route to reach the intended destination.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to calculate the location and the vector of the caller estimate a travel direction of the caller and a speed of the caller.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to determine whether the caller is approaching the drop zone compare data from cellular towers and a historical dropped call database with the location and the vector of the caller to identify a probability that the call will be dropped.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices, responsive to determining that the caller is approaching the drop zone, to notify the caller of a time that the call will be dropped if the user does not take the alternative route.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to notify the caller provide the caller with a set of options from which the caller may select an action.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to notify the caller determine a response of the caller and update the system.