Assessing performance and quality of a mobile communication service

• US 9,119,098 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless 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 YE
• Application Number:
  US13/773,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 455/421, 455/67.11, 455/422.1, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 comprising:

establishing, by a wireless mobile device, a first voice call with a first device;

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

upon termination of the first voice call, automatically initiating, by the wireless mobile device, a second voice call with the second device.

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 the call quality information to the second device 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 first voice call in multiple call quality categories.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the first voice 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 the call quality information to the second device 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 a user.

8. A mobile communications device comprising:

a memory comprising computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein, when executing the computer instructions, the processor effectuates operations comprising;

establishing a first voice call with a first device;

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

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

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

transmitting to a second device, while the first voice call with 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 first voice call with the first device is in progress; and

upon termination of the first voice call, automatically initiating a second voice call with the second device.

9. The mobile communications device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting location data for the mobile communications device to the second device.

10. The mobile communications device of claim 8, wherein the operation of transmitting the call quality information to the second device comprises transmitting the call quality information as text to the second device.

11. The mobile communications device of claim 8, wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the first voice call in multiple call quality categories.

12. The mobile communications device of claim 8, wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the first voice call in multiple call quality categories by entering information using a keypad of the mobile communications device.

13. The mobile communications device of claim 8, wherein the operation of transmitting the call quality information to the second device comprises transmitting the call quality information as codes to the second device.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 8, wherein the user interface application provides an option to collect the call quality information each time call quality is below a level acceptable to a user.

15. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

establishing a first voice call with a first device;

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

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

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

transmitting to a second device, while the first voice call with 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 first voice call with the first device is in progress; and

upon termination of the first voice call, automatically initiating a second voice call with the second device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting location data for the mobile communications device to the second device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operation of transmitting the call quality information to the second device comprises transmitting the call quality information as text to the second device.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the first voice call in multiple call quality categories.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user interface application allows a user to rate the first voice call in multiple call quality categories by entering information using a keypad of the mobile communications device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operation of transmitting the call quality information to the second device comprises transmitting the call quality information as codes to the second device.