Qualifying locations for fixed wireless services

• US 9,485,667 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kamdar, Kamlesh S., Aguirre, Sergio, Kamel, Raafat Edward, Kotecha, Lalit R., Townley, Scott Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US13/208,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0226 based on location or mobility handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A device receives an address from a computer terminal; determines a location associated with the address; and determines a current signal quality at the location by referencing a file that represents an area that includes the location. The device further determines whether the location qualifies for a fixed wireless service based on the current signal quality. The device also transmits information to the computer terminal. The information indicates whether the location qualifies for the fixed wireless service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a device, a signal quality at a location, wherein determining the signal quality at the location includes determining a highest available radio frequency (RF) signal strength at the location;

determining, by the device and based on the signal quality, whether the location qualifies to receive a fixed wireless broadband service via installation of an outdoor broadband unit;

transmitting, by the device, a notification that indicates that the location does not qualify to receive the fixed wireless broadband service when the location does not qualify to receive the fixed wireless broadband service; and

when the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless broadband service;

selecting a tier of service for the location based on the signal quality; and

transmitting, by the device, information associated with the tier of service.

2. The method of claim 1, where determining the signal quality at the location comprises:

receiving an address of the location from a device associated with a customer or at a point of sale of a provider of the fixed wireless broadband service,

determining latitude and longitude information for the location based on the address, and

determining the signal quality based on the latitude and longitude information and a file that specifies signal quality at different geographic points.

3. The method of claim 1, where the signal quality comprises a current signal quality at the location, and where the method further comprises:

determining a predicted future signal quality at the location,

where determining whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless broadband service is further based on the predicted future signal quality.

4. The method of claim 1, where the information associated with the tier of service comprises one or more of:

types of fixed wireless broadband services that are available at the location,

packages of fixed wireless broadband services that are available at the location, or

prices associated with the types of fixed wireless broadband services or the packages of fixed wireless broadband services.

5. The method of claim 1, where determining whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless broadband service comprises:

determining premises information associated with a premises at the location, and

determining whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless broadband service based on the premises information.

6. The method of claim 5, where the premises information comprises one or more of:

a type of distance between the location and a nearest cell unit,

a type of terrain associated with the location, or

a height of an installation area of the premises to be used for equipment for the fixed wireless broadband service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving RF information associated with cell units within an area that includes the location, where the RF information comprises one or more of;

a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),

a received signal strength indication (RSSI),

a reference signal received power (RSRP),

a reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or

path loss; and

generating, based on the RF information associated with the cell units, a file that specifies signal quality at different points within the area,

where determining the signal quality at the location comprises;

referencing the file to determine the signal quality at the location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving interference information associated with the area, where the interference information comprises one or more of;

information about obstructions in the area, or

information about undesired signals from other cell units, and

where generating the file is further based on the interference information.

9. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an address from a device;

determining a location associated with the address;

determining a current signal quality at the location by referencing a file that represents an area that includes the location, wherein determining the current signal quality at the location includes determining a highest available radio frequency (RF) signal strength at the location;

determining whether the location qualifies to receive a fixed wireless service, via installation of an outdoor broadband unit, based on the current signal quality; and

when the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service;

selecting a tier of service for the location based on the signal quality; and

transmitting information associated with the tier of service to the device.

10. The media of claim 9,

where the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service when the current signal quality is greater than a threshold.

11. The media of claim 9, where the method further comprises:

receiving information associated with cell units within the area; and

generating the file based on the information associated with the cell units.

12. The media of claim 11,

where the information associated with the cell units comprises one or more of:

one or more types of antennas used by the cell units,

heights of the antennas,

transmitter power associated with the cell units,

terrain characteristics associated with locations of the cell units,

traffic loads associated with the cell units, or

RF parameters associated with the cell units, and

where the RF parameters comprise one or more of;

a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),

a received signal strength indication (RSSI),

a reference signal received power (RSRP),

a reference signal received quality (RSRQ), or

path loss.

13. The media of claim 9, where the method further comprises:

determining a predicted future signal quality at the location by referencing a different file that represents the area, and

where determining whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service is further based on the predicted future signal quality.

14. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a signal quality at a location, wherein, when determining the signal quality at the location, the processor is further configured to determine a highest available radio frequency (RF) signal strength at the location;

determine, based on the signal quality, whether the location qualifies to receive a fixed wireless service via installation of an outdoor broadband unit;

transmit a notification that indicates that the location does not qualify for the fixed wireless service when the location does not qualify to receive the fixed wireless service; and

when the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service;

select a tier of service for the location based on the signal quality; and

transmit information associated with the tier of service.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein, when determining the signal quality at the location, the processor is further configured to:

receive an address of the location from a device associated with a customer or at a point of sale of a provider of the fixed wireless service,

determine latitude and longitude information for the location based on the address, and

determine the signal quality based on the latitude and longitude information and a file that specifies signal quality at different geographic points.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the signal quality comprises a current signal quality at the location, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a predicted future signal quality at the location,

wherein, when determining whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service, the processor is further configured to determine whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service based on the predicted future signal quality.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the information associated with the tier of service comprises one or more of:

types of fixed wireless services that are available at the location,

packages of fixed wireless services that are available at the location, or

prices associated with the types of fixed wireless services or the packages of fixed wireless services.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein, when determining whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service, the processor is further configured to:

determine premises information associated with a premises at the location, and

determine whether the location qualifies to receive the fixed wireless service further based on the premises information.