Method and system for selecting a coverage area in which a mobile station should operate

• US 8,855,662 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Peden, Mark, Jethwa, Piyush, Koller, Gary, Youngs, Simon, Reeves, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/897,673
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.2, 455/452.1, 455/446, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

A method and system for selecting a coverage area in which a given mobile station should operate. The system will receive user ratings of call quality per coverage area. The system will then use the received user ratings as a basis to select a coverage area in which the given mobile station should operate. The system will then cause the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area. By using these user ratings as a basis to select a coverage area in which the given mobile station should operate, the system can help improve call quality overall for users, thus increasing user satisfaction with wireless performance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a system receiving user ratings of call quality per coverage area, wherein each user rating of the user ratings comprises a rating of quality of a previously-completed call of a user and is associated with a coverage area that was serving a mobile station of the user during the previously-completed call;

the system using the received user ratings of call quality per coverage area as a basis to select a coverage area in which a given mobile station should operate; and

the system causing the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area comprises causing the given mobile station to originate a call in the selected coverage area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area comprises causing the given mobile station to undergo a handoff from a first coverage area to the selected coverage area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is a radio access network (RAN).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is the given mobile station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of overall call quality.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of call clarity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of call volume.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the system receiving user ratings of call quality per coverage area comprises a radio access network (RAN) collecting the user ratings from a plurality of mobile stations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving user ratings of call quality per coverage area comprises the given mobile station collecting the user ratings from a user of the mobile station.

11. A radio access network (RAN) comprising:

an antenna that radiates to define a plurality of coverage areas, each of the coverage areas serving a plurality of mobile stations;

a memory configured to store program instructions and user ratings of call quality per coverage area, wherein each user rating of the user ratings comprises a rating of quality of a previously-completed call of a user and is associated with a coverage area that was serving a mobile station of the user during the previously-completed call; and

a processor capable of executing the program instructions to;

(i) receive the user ratings of call quality per coverage area;

(ii) use the received user ratings of call quality per coverage area as a basis to select a coverage area in which a given mobile station should operate; and

(iii) cause the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area.

12. The RAN of claim 11, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of overall call quality.

13. The RAN of claim 11, wherein causing the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area comprises causing the given mobile station to originate a call in the selected coverage area.

14. The RAN of claim 11, wherein causing the given mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area comprises causing the given mobile station to undergo a handoff from a first coverage area to the selected coverage area.

15. The RAN of claim 11, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of call clarity.

16. The RAN of claim 11, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of call volume.

17. A mobile station comprising:

a wireless-communication interface;

a processor; and

data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the processor to;

(i) receive user ratings of call quality per coverage area from a user of the mobile station, wherein each user rating of the user ratings comprises a rating of quality of a previously-completed call of the user and is associated with a coverage area that was serving the mobile station during the previously-completed call;

(ii) use the received user ratings of call quality per coverage area as a basis to select a coverage area in which the mobile station should operate; and

(iii) cause the mobile station to operate in the selected coverage area.

18. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of overall call quality.

19. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of call clarity.

20. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein at least one of the user ratings comprises a rating of call volume.