Method and system for using signal quality information

• US 8,090,377 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Patel, Labhesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US11/768,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 438/176, 438/571, 438/149, 438/977, 208/435, 257/284, 166/303, 455/428, 455/445, 455/414.1, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A method includes receiving destination information comprising a desired destination and receiving regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area. The method also includes determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving destination information comprising a desired destination;

receiving regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

determining a second route to the desired destination after receiving the destination information;

wherein determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises updating the second route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

wherein the area comprises a first region having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area; and

wherein determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises determining a first route to the desired destination to minimize travel time in the first region or to minimize travel distance in the first region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the first route to a mobile endpoint.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information further comprises determining a first route to the desired destination avoiding the first region.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving updated regional signal quality information comprising updated signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area; and

modifying the first route to the desired destination based on the updated regional signal quality information.

5. The method of claim 1:

further comprising receiving information identifying a service provider; and

wherein receiving regional signal quality information comprises receiving regional signal quality information associated with the identified service provider.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving location information associated with a mobile endpoint;

monitoring a location of the mobile endpoint based on the location information;

receiving regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

determining when a mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards a first region of the area having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area in which the mobile endpoint is located; and

communicating a notification to the mobile endpoint that the mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards the first region of the area.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving location information associated with a mobile endpoint;

monitoring a location of the mobile endpoint based on the location information, wherein the mobile endpoint is in a queue on a call;

receiving regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

determining when a mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards a first region of the area having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area in which the mobile endpoint is located; and

prioritizing the mobile endpoint in the queue on the call based on the determination that the mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards the first region of the area.

8. A system, comprising:

an interface operable to;

receive destination information comprising a desired destination; and

receive regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

wherein the processor is further operable to determine a second route to the desired destination after receiving the destination information;

wherein the processor operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises a processor operable to update the second route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

wherein the area comprises a first region having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area; and

wherein the processor operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises a processor operable to determine a first route to the desired destination to minimize travel time in the first region or to minimize travel distance in the first region.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further operable to communicate the first route to a mobile endpoint.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the processor operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information further comprises a processor operable to determine a first route to the desired destination avoiding the first region.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the interface is further operable to receive updated regional signal quality information comprising updated signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area; and

the processor is further operable to modify the first route to the desired destination based on the updated regional signal quality information.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the interface is further operable to receive information identifying a service provider; and

the interface operable to receive regional signal quality information comprises the interface operable to receive regional signal quality information associated with the identified service provider.

13. A system, comprising:

an interface operable to receive location information associated with a mobile endpoint;

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to monitor a location of the mobile endpoint based on the location information;

the interface further operable to receive regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

the processor further operable to;

determine when a mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards a first region of the area having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area in which the mobile endpoint is located; and

communicate a notification to the mobile endpoint that the mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards the first region of the area.

14. A system, comprising:

an interface operable to receive location information associated with a mobile endpoint;

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to monitor a location of the mobile endpoint based on the location information, wherein the mobile endpoint is in a queue on a call;

the interface further operable to receive regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

the processor further operable to;

determine when a mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards a first region of the area having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area in which the mobile endpoint is located; and

prioritize the mobile endpoint in the queue on the call based on the determination that the mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards the first region of the area.

15. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive destination information comprising a desired destination;

receive regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

wherein the code is further operable to determine a second route to the desired destination after receiving the destination information;

wherein code operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises code operable to update the second route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

wherein the area comprises a first region having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area; and

wherein code operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises code operable to determine a first route to the desired destination to minimize travel time in the first region or to minimize travel distance in the first region.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to communicate the first route to a mobile endpoint.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein:

code operable to determine a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information further comprises code operable to determine a first route to the desired destination avoiding the first region.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

receive updated regional signal quality information comprising updated signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area; and

modify the first route to the desired destination based on the updated regional signal quality information.

19. The medium of claim 15:

wherein the code is further operable to receive information identifying a service provider; and

wherein code operable to receive regional signal quality information comprises code operable to receive regional signal quality information associated with the identified service provider.

20. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive location information associated with a mobile endpoint;

monitor a location of the mobile endpoint based on the location information;

receive regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

determine when a mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards a first region of the area having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area in which the mobile endpoint is located; and

communicate a notification to the mobile endpoint that the mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards the first region of the area.

21. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive location information associated with a mobile endpoint;

monitor a location of the mobile endpoint based on the location information, wherein the mobile endpoint is in a queue on a call;

receive regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

determine when a mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards a first region of the area having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area in which the mobile endpoint is located; and

prioritize the mobile endpoint in the queue on the call based on the determination that the mobile endpoint is proximate to or heading towards the first region of the area.

22. A system, comprising:

means for receiving destination information comprising a desired destination;

means for receiving regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area;

means for determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

means for determining a second route to the desired destination after receiving the destination information;

wherein means for determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises means for updating the second route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information;

wherein the area comprises a first region having a lower signal quality than a signal quality of a second region of the area; and

wherein means for determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information comprises means for determining a first route to the desired destination to minimize travel time in the first region or to minimize travel distance in the first region.