Assessing performance and quality of a mobile communication service

• US 8,396,468 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krinsky, Jeffrey A., Sarkar, Falguni
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Justin
• Application Number:
  US11/227,972
• Time in Patent Office: 2,735 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1, 379/265.07, 707/3, 455/24, 4554141-4322, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A call quality monitoring system allows a user of a mobile device to report on call quality or otherwise provide information relating to the quality of a wireless communication experience. The call quality monitoring system may allow the mobile device user to establish or accept a call placed on the wireless communication network. The call quality monitoring system may provide at least partially-automated user-feedback process for the user to specify information about the quality of the call from a device from which the call was placed or from a device located at or near a location of the call. The call quality monitoring system may collect information provided by the user in association with specifying information about the quality of the call.

Claims

1. A method for assessing quality of a wireless communication experience, the method comprising:

establishing a voice call between a wireless mobile device and a first device;

detecting an activation of a button on the wireless mobile device while the voice call is in progress;

responsive to detecting the activation of the button, executing a user interface application on the wireless mobile device;

collecting, while the voice call between the wireless mobile device and the first device is in progress, call quality information via the user interface application;

transmitting to a second device, while the voice call between the wireless mobile device and the first device is in progress, the call quality information collected via the user interface application, wherein analysis of the call quality information occurs at the second device while the call between the wireless mobile device and the first device is in progress; and

presenting, by the user interface application, a first user-selectable option to provide additional call quality information immediately and a second user-selectable option to provide the additional call quality information at a later time.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting location data for the wireless mobile device to the second device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting to the second device the call quality information comprises transmitting the call quality information as text to the second device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the call in multiple call quality categories.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the user interface application allows a user to rate the call in multiple call quality categories by entering information using a keypad of the wireless mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting to the second device the call quality information comprises transmitting the call quality information as codes to the second device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface application provides an option to collect the call quality information each time call quality is below a level acceptable to the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the call in multiple call quality categories;

and wherein the multiple call quality categories include categories selected from a group consisting of sound quality, noise interference, call connection, call disconnection, call set up time, and call quality consistency.

9. A mobile communications device comprising:

a transceiver configured to;

establish a voice call with a first device, and

transmit to a second device, while the voice call with the first device is in progress, call quality information collected from via a user interface application, wherein analysis of the call quality information occurs at the second device while the call is in progress; and

a processor configured to;

detect an activation of a button on the mobile communication device while the voice call with the first device is in progress,

responsive to detecting the activation of the button, execute the user interface application,

collect the call quality information via the user interface application while the voice call with the first device is in progress; and

present, by the user interface application, a first user-selectable option to provide additional call quality information immediately and a second user-selectable option to provide the additional call quality information at a later time.

10. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to generate location data, and wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the location data to the second device while the voice call with the first device is in progress.

11. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the call quality information as text to the second device.

12. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the user interface application comprises an application running on the mobile communications device used for establishing or accepting the voice call.

13. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the second device is a server computer associated with a wireless communication network.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the call in multiple call quality categories.

15. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the call in multiple call quality categories by entering information using a keypad of the mobile communications device.

16. A mobile communications device comprising:

a transceiver configured to;

initiate data communications with a first device, and

transmit to a second device, while the data communications with the first device are in progress, call quality information collected via a user interface application, wherein analysis of the call quality information occurs at the second device while the data communications with the first device are in progress; and

a processor configured to;

detect an activation of a button on the mobile communication device while the data communications with the first device are in progress,

responsive to detecting the activation of the button, execute the user interface application,

collect the call quality information from an user via the user interface application while the data communications with the first device are in progress, and

present, by the user interface application, a first user-selectable option to provide additional call quality information immediately and a second user-selectable option to provide the additional call quality information at a later time.

17. The mobile communications device of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured to generate location data, and wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the location data to the second device while the data communications with the first device are in progress.

18. The mobile communications device of claim 16 wherein the user interface application receives call quality information via a keypad configured on the mobile communications device.

19. The mobile communications device of claim 16 wherein the user interface application comprises an automated questioning system.

20. The mobile communications device of claim 16, wherein the user interface application collects objective call quality information and subjective call quality information.

21. The mobile communications device of claim 16, wherein the user interface application allows the user to rate the call in multiple call quality categories.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method comprising:

establishing a voice call between a wireless mobile device and a first device;

detecting an activation of a button on the wireless mobile device while the voice call is in progress;

responsive to detecting the activation of the button, executing a user interface application on the wireless mobile device;

collecting, while the voice call between the wireless mobile device and the first device is in progress, call quality information via the user interface application;

transmitting to a second device, while the voice call between the wireless mobile device and the first device is in progress, the call quality information collected via the user interface application, wherein analysis of the call quality information occurs at the second device while the call between the wireless mobile device and the first device is in progress; and

presenting, by the user interface application, a first user-selectable option to provide additional call quality information immediately and a second user-selectable option to provide the additional call quality information at a later time.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the user interface application allows a user to specify that at least one condition from a group of conditions occurred during the voice call, the group of conditions comprising:

unintended disconnection of the call, unwanted noise during the call, an unusually long call connection time, poor sound quality during the call, and inability to establish the call.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the user interface application provides a mechanism for allowing the user to rate a voice call experience in at least one category using a numerical rating scale.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the user interface application provides a mechanism for allowing the user to report on a voice call experience in at least one category using a yes/no response.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the user interface application provides a mechanism for allowing the user to report on a voice call experience using user'"'"'s own words.