Presenting wireless-telecommunications coverage areas

• US 8,355,600 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Boxberger, Scott D., Haught, Rickey Jack, Kullman, John Patrick, Martin, Mark Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Krasnic, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US12/475,906
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/284, 382/287, 382/291, 382/293, 382/294
• US Class Current: 382/294
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for displaying an area of wireless-telecommunications coverage of a geographic region by a plurality of images is provided. In embodiments, an image representing an amount of wireless-telecommunications coverage for a geographic region is referenced. A plurality of image data points, including corners, are mapped to real-world geographic coordinates to create a registered image. A plurality of colors, each representing a different wireless-telecommunications coverage area, are identified. A second image is created that includes only pixels associated with selected colors and, thus, only represents the wireless-telecommunications coverage areas associated with the selected colors.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for displaying an area of wireless telecommunications coverage (WTC) of a first geographic region by a plurality of images, the method comprising:

referencing a first image having a first corner and a second corner, wherein the first image represents a WTC area and includes;

(a) a first set of colored pixels that are a first color that depict a first area of WTC in said first geographic region,

(b) a second set of colored pixels that are a second color that depict a second area of WTC in said first geographic region;

utilizing a computer to register said first image with a real-world physical location to obtain an image perimeter, wherein said registering includes;

(a) associating said first corner with a first set of real-world geographic coordinates,

(b) associating said second corner with a second set of real-world geographic coordinates, and

(c) creating a registered image;

identifying a first pixel within said first set of colored pixels, wherein said first pixel is said first color and is associated with a first pixel location, wherein said first pixel location is a real-world geographic coordinate;

based on said first pixel location and said image perimeter, calculating a first pixel area for said first pixel, wherein said first pixel is a center of said first pixel area;

based on said first pixel area, determining a location of a plurality of first pixel area perimeter points, wherein said plurality of first pixel area perimeter points includes a first corner and a second corner of said first pixel area;

repeating said determining step for each pixel of said first and second sets of colored pixels of said first image to obtain a pixel area for each pixel;

creating a second image that depicts a single WTC area, wherein said single WTC area is either the first set of colored pixels or the second set of colored pixels and each pixel within said WTC area occupies the same pixel area in said second image as determined for said first image, and wherein said single WTC area is colored consistently with said first or second color; and

presenting said second image on a display device that is coupled to said computer.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein said area of WTC may be voice network coverage, roaming coverage, or broadband coverage.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein said first corner of the first image is a lower-left corner of said first image.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein said second corner of the first image is an upper-right corner of said first image.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein said registered image further includes at least one registered point that is not a corner of said first image.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including storing said first pixel location and said first color in a table associated with said first pixel.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including referencing a third image representing an amount of WTC area for a second geographic region adjacent to said first geographic region, wherein said WTC area includes said first WTC area and said second WTC area.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein said first WTC area is made up of the first set of colored pixels that are said first color and said second WTC area is made up of the second set of colored pixels that are said second color.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 7, further including creating a fourth image that depicts only said single WTC area such that said single WTC depicted in said fourth image is the same as said single WTC area depicted in said second image.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, further including stitching said second image and said third image together to create a single map representing said first WTC area of said geographic region and said second geographic region.