Generating and analyzing mobility vectors to determine subscriber behavior

• US 9,497,653 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ozkan, Mehmet
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Suhail
• Application Number:
  US14/090,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for generating and analyzing mobility vectors to determine subscriber behavior. A processor can execute an analysis engine. The analysis engine can obtain a log from a data collection device associated with a cellular network. The log can include subscriber data, cell identifier data, and time data. The analysis engine can identify a subscriber represented by the subscriber data and determine a vector associated with the subscriber. The vector can represent a movement of the subscriber within the cellular network. The analysis engine can store vector data that corresponds to the vector determined.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, at a processor executing an analysis engine, a log from a data collection device associated with a cellular network, the log comprising subscriber data, cell identifier data, and time data;

identifying, by the processor, a subscriber represented by the subscriber data;

determining, by the processor and based on the cell identifier data and the time data, a vector associated with the subscriber, wherein the vector comprises a list of cell identifiers that correspond to two cells of the cellular network, wherein the two cells were visited by a device associated with the subscriber, wherein the vector represents a movement of the device, and wherein the time data represents a time at which a handoff associated with the device occurred between a first of the two cells and a second of the two cells;

analyzing, by the processor, the vector to calculate a status associated with the subscriber at a cell of the vector determined, wherein the status is based on a distance travelled by the subscriber in the cell, which is based on a distance calculated between an entry point and an exit point associated with the cell; and

storing, by the processor, status data that represents the status determined.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber data identifies the subscriber, wherein the cell identifier data identifies a cell of the cellular network with which the device associated with the subscriber communicated, and wherein the time data identifies a time at which the device communicated with the cell.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by the processor, vector data that corresponds to the vector determined; and

storing, by the processor, the status data as a portion of the vector data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the status indicates that the subscriber is one of mobile and stationary.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

retrieving, by the processor, the status data associated with the subscriber;

determining, by the processor, a behavior associated with the subscriber if the subscriber is located at the cell; and

storing, by the processor, behavior data that represents the behavior determined, wherein the behavior data is stored as a further portion of the vector data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the behavior indicates that at a time at which the subscriber was located within the cell, the subscriber was one of

located at home,

located at work, or

travelling.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a further subscriber that is located within a cell;

determining, by the processor, an origination cell associated with the further subscriber, wherein the origination cell comprises a first cell identified by a first cell identifier included in a further vector associated with the further subscriber, and wherein the origination cell comprises one of a work cell and a home cell;

determining, by the processor, that the cell and the origination cell do not match; and

determining, by the processor, that the further subscriber is a visitor when located at the cell in response to determining that the cell and the origination cell do not match.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a travel vector associated with the cellular network, the travel vector comprising a plurality of cells corresponding to a travel route through a geographic location covered by the plurality of cells;

storing, by the processor, data defining the travel vector as part of the vector data;

identifying, by the processor, a further subscriber that is located at one of the plurality of cells associated with the travel vector; and

identifying, by the processor, the further subscriber as a travelling subscriber.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a determination that the further subscriber is the visitor is used for capacity planning.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein in response to determining that the further subscriber is the visitor, an advertisement for the further subscriber is determined and transmitted.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

obtaining a log from a data collection device associated with a cellular network, the log comprising subscriber data, cell identifier data, and time data,

identifying a subscriber represented by the subscriber data,

determining, based on the cell identifier data, a vector associated with the subscriber, wherein the vector comprises a list of cell identifiers that correspond to two cells of the cellular network, wherein the two cells were visited by a device associated with the subscriber, wherein the vector represents a movement of the device, and wherein the time data represents a time at which a handoff associated with the device occurred between a first of the two cells and a second of the two cells,

analyzing the vector to calculate a status associated with the subscriber at a cell of the vector determined, wherein the status is based on a distance travelled by the subscriber in the cell, which is based on a distance calculated between an entry point and an exit point associated with the cell, and

storing status data that represents the status determined.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the log comprises data defining handoffs between cells of the cellular network, and wherein the data collection device comprises a home location register associated with the cellular network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

storing vector data that corresponds to the vector determined;

storing the status data as a portion of the vector data;

retrieving the status data associated with the subscriber;

determining a behavior associated with the subscriber if the subscriber is located at the cell; and

storing behavior data that represents the behavior determined, wherein the behavior data is stored as a further portion of the vector data.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

identifying a further subscriber that is located within a cell;

determining an origination cell associated with the further subscriber, wherein the origination cell comprises a first cell identified by a first cell identifier included in a further vector associated with the further subscriber, and wherein the origination cell comprises one of a work cell and a home cell;

determining that the cell and the origination cell do not match; and

determining that the further subscriber is a visitor when located at the cell in response to determining that the cell and the origination cell do not match.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a determination that the further subscriber is the visitor is used for capacity planning.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein in response to determining that the further subscriber is the visitor, an advertisement for the further subscriber is determined and transmitted.

17. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a log from a data collection device associated with a cellular network, the log comprising subscriber data, cell identifier data, and time data;

identifying a subscriber represented by the subscriber data;

determining, based on the cell identifier data, a vector associated with the subscriber, wherein the vector comprises a list of cell identifiers that correspond to two cells of the cellular network, wherein the two cells were visited by a device associated with the subscriber, wherein the vector represents a movement of the device, and wherein the time data represents a time at which a handoff associated with the device occurred between a first of the two cells and a second of the two cells;

analyzing the vector to calculate a status associated with the subscriber at a cell of the vector determined, wherein the status is based on a distance travelled by the subscriber in the cell, which is based on a distance calculated between an entry point and an exit point associated with the cell; and

storing status data that represents to the status determined.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

storing vector data that corresponds to the vector determined;

storing the status data as a portion of the vector data;

retrieving the status data associated with the subscriber;

determining a behavior associated with the subscriber if the subscriber is located at the cell; and

storing behavior data that represents the behavior determined, wherein the behavior data is stored as a further portion of the vector data.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

identifying a further subscriber located within a cell;

determining an origination cell associated with the further subscriber, wherein the origination cell comprises a first cell identified by a first cell identifier included in a further vector associated with the further subscriber, and wherein the origination cell comprises one of a work cell and a home cell;

determining that the cell and the origination cell do not match; and

determining that the further subscriber is a visitor when located at the cell in response to determining that the cell and the origination cell do not match.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 19, wherein a determination that the further subscriber is the visitor is used for capacity planning.

21. The computer storage medium of claim 19, wherein in response to determining that the further subscriber is the visitor, an advertisement for the further subscriber is determined and transmitted.