System and method for measuring user behavior and use of mobile equipment

• US 8,914,018 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Tatman, Lance A., Liu, Jerry J., Engel, Glenn R., Purdy, Glen L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US11/397,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,179 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/418, 455/67.11, 455/433, 455/426.1, 455/428, 455/466, 455/557, 455/427, 455/425, 455/422.1, 380/249, 370/335, 370/328, 370/252, 370/254, 379/100.17
• 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

In a communication network architecture including mobile equipment that employs multiple functions selectable for use by the user, the functions having respective measurable parameters, a service provider monitors the user'"'"'s behavior with, and use of, the mobile equipment. An agent, such as software installed on-board the mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the user'"'"'s behavior and use of the mobile equipment, and communicates the measured parameters to the service provider, over the communication network. The agent detects change of such user behavior and use, and accordingly changes parameters to measure and report on.

Claims

1. A parameter measurement system, for measuring parameters accessible by mobile communications equipment which communicates over a communication network from a site which is geographically remote from other components of the communication network, the mobile communications equipment employing multiple functions selectable for use by the user, the system comprising:

an agent, included within the mobile communications equipment, which;

(i) a transducer for sensing user behavior;

(ii) sets of parameters suitable for different network technologies, including a parameter set from which parameters are selected for measurement based on the sensed user behavior;

(iii) means for measuring predetermined parameters of operation of the uses of the mobile equipment at the geographically remote site by the user, the measuring means including means for associating, with a parameter measurement, at least one of (i) a date, and (ii) a time, of the parameter measurement;

(iv) means for changing measurement parameters to make parameter measurements appropriate for a detected change of use of the mobile communications equipment; and

(v) a transmitter for transmitting measured parameters over the communication network, wherein (a) the transducer comprises (i) a user interface sensor for sensing user manipulation of a user input interface, and (ii) an interpreter for interpreting when user manipulations of the user input interface represent a command for employing a function of the mobile communications equipment; and

(b) the agent configures parameter sensing responsive to the representation interpreted by the interpreter.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile communications equipment includes a processor, memory, and a wireless communication interface.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the mobile communications equipment includes one of (i) a cellular telephone, (ii) a portable computer, (iii) a handheld personal digital assistant unit, and (iv) a wireless transducer.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent includes parameter storage for accumulating measurements of the parameters, and storing the measurements as the measurements accumulate.

5. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein the agent stores the accumulated measurements of the parameters for one of (i) a predetermined period of time, (ii) until a predetermined quantity of parameters have been accumulated, and (iii) until a change in user behavior is detected.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent further comprises a processor for preprocessing the measured parameters before transmitting the measured parameters.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interpreter interprets the user manipulations of the user input interface to determine that the user is commanding an application program to start up.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein (i) the mobile communications equipment includes an operating system that interprets user manipulation of a user input interface as a command for employing a function of the mobile communications equipment;

and (ii) the interpreter operates in conjunction with the operating system to interpret when user manipulations of the user input interface represent a command for employing a function of the mobile communications equipment.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent further comprises a transmitter for transmitting the selected parameters over the communication network, responsive to a received request for transmission of the parameters.

10. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the agent further comprises a selector for selecting parameters for measurement, responsive to one of (i) a received command to do so;

and (ii) an elapsed time.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a service provider which is coupled for communication with the mobile communications equipment over the communication network, and which receives the measured parameters.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the service provider includes a node, coupled to the communication network to receive the measured parameters transmitted from the agent.

13. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the measuring means includes means for detecting a failed user attempt to employ one of (i) a home service provider service and (ii) a mobile communications equipment function.

14. A method for measuring parameters accessible by mobile communications equipment which communicates over a communication network from a site which is geographically remote from other components of the communication network, the mobile communications equipment employing multiple functions selectable for use by the user, the method being performed by the mobile equipment and comprising:

(i) sensing user behavior, wherein the mobile equipment includes sets of parameters including a parameter set from which parameters are selected for measurement based on the sensed user behavior;

(ii) measuring predetermined parameters of operation of the uses of the mobile communications equipment at the geographically remote site by the user, the measuring including associating, with a parameter measurement, at least one of (i) a date, and (ii) a time, of the parameter measurement;

(iii) changing measurement parameters to make parameter measurements appropriate for a detected change of use of the mobile communications equipment; and

(iv) transmitting measured parameters over the communication network, wherein;

(a) sensing includes (i) sensing user manipulation of a user input interface, and (ii) interpreting when user manipulations of the user input interlace represent a command for employing a function of the mobile communications equipment; and

(b) the method further comprises configuring parameter sensing responsive to the representation interpreted by the interpreting.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the mobile communications equipment includes a processor, memory, and a wireless communication interface.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the mobile communications equipment includes one of (i) a cellular telephone, (ii) a portable computer, (iii) a handheld personal digital assistant unit, and (iv) a wireless transducer.

17. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising accumulating measurements of the parameters, and storing the measurements as the measurements accumulate.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein storing includes storing the accumulated measurements of the parameters for one of (i) a predetermined period of time, (ii) until a predetermined quantity of parameters have been accumulated, and (iii) until a change in user behavior is detected.

19. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising preprocessing the measured parameters, and transmitting the measured and preprocessed parameters.

20. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein interpreting includes interpreting the user manipulations of the user input interface to determine that the user is commanding an application program to start up.

21. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein (i) the mobile communications equipment includes an operating system that interprets user manipulation of a user input interface as a command for employing a function of the mobile equipment;

and (ii) the interpreting takes place in conjunction with operation of the operating system, to interpret when user manipulations of the user input interface represent a command for employing a function of the mobile communications equipment.

22. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising transmitting the selected parameters over the communication network, responsive to a received request for transmission of the parameters.

23. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the agent further comprises a selector for selecting parameters for measurement, responsive to one of (i) a received command to do so;

and (ii) an elapsed time.

24. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein:

a service provider is coupled for communication with the mobile communications equipment over the communication network; and

the method further comprises the service provider receiving the measured parameters.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein:

the service provider includes a node, coupled to the communication network; and

the method further comprises the node receiving the measured parameters transmitted from the agent.

26. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the measuring includes detecting a failed user attempt to employ one of (i) a home service provider service and (ii) a mobile communications equipment function.