Event tagging for mobile networks

• US 9,596,671 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fix, Jeremy, Martinez, Francisco, Meredith, Sheldon Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US14/743,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/017 Detecting state or type of motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Improved network event tagging for mobile communications is described herein. By way of example, a mobile network can be configured to take periodic geographic positions of a mobile terminal operating within the mobile network. Network events occurring between the periodic geographic positions, otherwise partially unknown in position, can be estimated by referencing topographical information and estimating a route of travel of the mobile device. Estimated speed of the mobile device can be utilized to place the mobile device on a road network, cycling route, pedestrian walkway, or the like, and refine the estimated position of the mobile device at the time of the network event. Such estimates can be refined from traffic information or other real-time travel data. An estimated position of the mobile device can be output as an approximation of the network event to facilitate event modeling for the mobile network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a first data input indicative of a first geographic location of a mobile device at a first instance of time;

receiving, by the system, a second data input indicative of a second geographic location of the mobile device at a second instance of time;

estimating, by the system, a speed of the mobile device based at least in part on the first geographic location, the first instance of time, the second geographic location and the second instance of time;

receiving, by the system, event information at a third instance of time, wherein the event information represents a mobile communication network event affecting communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile device;

interpolating, by the system, a location of the mobile device at the third instance of time based at least on the speed of the mobile device, the first data input and the second data input; and

associating, by the system, the location of the mobile device at the third instance of time with the mobile communication network event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the system, a third data input indicative of a third geographic location of the mobile device at a fourth instance of time, wherein the fourth instance of time is later than the first instance of time and the second instance of time.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising estimating, by the system, a revised speed of the mobile device based at least in part on the third geographic location, the fourth instance of time and at least one of:

the second geographic location and the second instance of time;

or

the first geographic location and the first instance of time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining, by the system, a revised location of the mobile device at the third instance of time based at least on the revised speed of the mobile device, the third data input and at least one of:

the first data input or the second data input.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising associating, by the system, the revised location of the mobile device at the third instance of time with the mobile communication network event.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving, by the system, second event information at a fifth instance of time, wherein the second event information represents a second mobile communication network event affecting the communication between the mobile communication network and the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising extrapolating, by the system, a second location of the mobile device at the fifth instance of time, based at least on the speed of the mobile device, the third data input and one or more of:

the first data input or the second data input.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

employing, by the system, road network information in conjunction with the location of the mobile device or the speed of the mobile device to determine a road of a road network that coincides with the location of the mobile device at the third instance of time;

revising, by the system, the location of the mobile device utilizing geographic boundaries of the road of the road network; and

generating, by the system, revised location data for the mobile device indicative of a revised location of the mobile device at the third instance of time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

obtaining, by the system, vehicle speed information for the road of the road network at the third instance of time;

revising, by the system, the speed of the mobile device based at least in part on the vehicle speed information; and

generating, by the system, revised speed data indicative of a revised speed of the mobile device at the third instance of time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

further revising, by the system, the revised location of the mobile device at the third instance of time utilizing the revised speed data;

generating, by the system, second revised location data for the mobile device indicative of a second revised location of the mobile device at the third instance of time; and

associating, by the system, the mobile communication network event with the second revised location of the mobile device at the third instance of time.

11. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving location data comprising respective location information pertaining to a mobile device for distinct points in time;

determining a speed of the mobile device from the respective location information and the distinct points in time;

receiving a notification of a network event pertaining to the mobile device and a time of the network event;

estimating a position of the mobile device at the time of the network event utilizing the respective location information and the speed of the mobile device, the distinct points in time, and the time of the network event; and

generating output information that associates the position of the mobile device with a geographic location of the network event.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the mobile device is moving at a motor vehicle rate based on the speed of the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise refining the position of the mobile device or the speed of the mobile device utilizing road data of a road network and speed data of vehicles on the road network at the time of the network event.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the mobile device is moving at a cycling rate based on the speed of the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise refining the position of the mobile device at the time of the network event utilizing cycling route data of a cycling route map.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the mobile device is moving at a pedestrian rate based on the speed of the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise refining the position of the mobile device at the time of the network event utilizing pedestrian route data of a pedestrian map.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

acquiring navigational device-submitted location information pertaining to the network event from a navigational device system serving a navigational device associated with the mobile device; and

refining the position of the mobile device during the time of the network event as a function of the navigational device-submitted location information.

19. A method, comprising:

employing, by a system comprising a processor, a group of known geographic locations for a mobile device and associated respective times, and a speed of the mobile device to determine another location of the mobile device at a time of occurrence of a network event associated with the mobile device, wherein the group of known geographic locations for the mobile device exclude the other location determined from the group of known geographic locations and the associated respective times of the mobile device; and

outputting, by the system, the other location of the mobile device determined from the group of known geographic locations and the associated respective times as an estimated position of the network event for the time of occurrence.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining, by the system, a mode of travel for the mobile device at least in part from the speed of the mobile device;

identifying, by the system, routes of travel within a pre-determined vicinity of the group of known geographic locations that satisfy a first defined function with respect to the mode of travel;

fitting, by the system, the group of known geographic locations to the routes of travel and determining a best fit route of travel for the mobile device from the routes of travel;

and revising, by the system, the other location of the mobile device utilizing geographic data representing a geographic boundary of the best fit route of travel, resulting in an updated other location.