Advertising wireless coverage areas based on device altitude

• US 8,639,265 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Vargantwar, Sachin R., Shah, Maulik K., Gauba, Maneesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sabouri, Mazda
• Application Number:
  US13/372,838
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel

Abstract

In order to provide wireless service to wireless communication devices (WCDs) at different altitudes (e.g., on different levels of a high-rise structure), a radio access network (RAN) may include antennas aimed to direct coverage at different heights. The RAN may advertise the presence of wireless coverage areas that provide elevated coverage primarily to the WCDs above a threshold altitude. Similarly, the RAN may advertise the presence of wireless coverage areas that provide ground floor coverage primarily to WCDs below the threshold altitude. In this way, when a WCD is handed off to a new wireless coverage area, that wireless coverage area may be suited to provide coverage at the WCD'"'"'s altitude.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an altitude of a wireless communication device (WCD);

if the determined altitude of the WCD is determined to be above a threshold altitude, a radio access network (RAN) transmitting only a first set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers to the WCD; and

if the determined altitude of the WCD is determined to be below the threshold altitude, the RAN transmitting only a second set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers to the WCD;

wherein the second set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers and the first set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers are mutually exclusive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the altitude of the WCD comprises receiving an indication of the altitude from the WCD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the altitude of the WCD comprises:

receiving a report of signal strengths received by the WCD, wherein each signal strength in the report is associated with a respective wireless coverage area; and

based on the report of signal strengths received by the WCD, estimating the altitude of the WCD.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein most of the identifiers in the first set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the identifiers in the first set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein most of the identifiers in the second set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the identifiers in the second set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of wireless coverage area identifiers is arranged in a first ordered list, and wherein wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude appear in the first ordered list before wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second set of wireless coverage area identifiers is arranged in a second ordered list, and wherein wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude appear in the second ordered list before wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude.

10. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

data storage; and

program instructions, stored in the data storage that, upon execution by the processor, cause the computing device to (i) determine an altitude of a wireless communication device (WCD), (ii) if the determined altitude of the WCD is determined to be above a threshold altitude, instruct a radio access network (RAN) to transmit only a first set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers to the WCD, and (iii) if the determined altitude of the WCD is determined to be below the threshold altitude, instruct the RAN to transmit only a second set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers to the WCD;

wherein the second set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers and the first set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers are mutually exclusive.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein determining the altitude of the WCD comprises receiving an indication of the altitude from the WCD.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein determining the altitude of the WCD comprises:

receiving a report of signal strengths received by the WCD, wherein each signal strength in the report is associated with a respective wireless coverage area; and

based on the report of signal strengths received by the WCD, estimating the altitude of the WCD.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein most of the identifiers in the first set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein all of the identifiers in the first set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein most of the identifiers in the second set of wireless coverage area identifiers identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude.

16. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the first set of wireless coverage area identifiers is arranged in a first ordered list, and wherein wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude appear in the first ordered list before wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the second set of wireless coverage area identifiers is arranged in a second ordered list, and wherein wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are below the threshold altitude appear in the second ordered list before wireless coverage area identifiers that identify respective wireless coverage areas that serve WCDs that are above the threshold altitude.

18. A method comprising:

obtaining a first altitude of a first wireless communication device (WCD) served by a wireless wide area network coverage area;

determining that the first altitude is above a threshold altitude;

in response to determining that the first altitude is above the threshold altitude, transmitting only a first set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers to the first WCD;

obtaining a second altitude of a second WCD served by the wireless wide area network coverage area;

determining that the second altitude is below the threshold altitude; and

in response to determining that the second altitude is below the threshold altitude, transmitting only a second set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers to the second WCD;

wherein the second set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers and the first set of wireless wide area network coverage area identifiers are mutually exclusive.