Method and system of providing data service according to a user's future location

• US 9,693,200 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Dunkin, Andrew, Javaid, Usman, Lioulis, Nikolaos
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US14/777,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 455436, 455442
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0083 Determination of parameters used for hand-off, e.g. generation or modification of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00837 Determination of triggering parameters for hand-off
• 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 40/34 Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for controlling data service for a user of a telecommunication network. The method comprising: retrieving data associated with historical behavior of the user within the network; predicting, based on said data and on a current user location within the network, a future user location within the network; performing a determination of network capability at the future user location; and modifying, in response to the determination, a configuration of the network and/or a service parameter associated with the user. A network element, system and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for controlling data service for a user of a telecommunication network, the method comprising:

retrieving data associated with historical behavior of the user within the telecommunication network;

predicting, based on said data and on a current user location within the telecommunication network, a future user location within the telecommunication network;

performing a determination of network capability at the future user location to identify a degradation in telecommunication network link quality at the determined future user location;

modifying, in response to the identified degradation in network link quality, a configuration of the telecommunication network and/or a service parameter associated with the user; and

performing, in response to the step of modifying, at least two of the following;

prioritizing specified data services over other data services;

communicating service-related data from the telecommunication network to user equipment associated with the user for storage in the user equipment, such that the service-related data is cached in the user equipment for use during a time period when the user is in the determined future user location within the network; and

maintaining any calls and web-browsing sessions provided by the telecommunications network at a pre-determined level.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step is performed in accordance with a profile of the user.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the modifying step is performed based on a data service requested by the user.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising tracking the user within the telecommunication network using information about handover and cell connections.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating a probable user route between the current user location and the future user location.

6. A method according to claim 1, in which the predicting step includes predicting a series of future locations, the method further comprising calculating a probable user route based on the series.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising detecting user deviation away from the route.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising, in response to detection of user deviation away from the route, recalculating the route.

9. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step includes providing instructions to a base station of the telecommunication network.

10. A method according to claim 1, in which the base station is a base station located between the current user location and the future user location wherein the future user location is a white spot.

11. A method according to claim 1, in which the base station is a base station located adjacent the future user location within the telecommunication network.

12. A method according to claim 1, in which the historical behavior includes or is based on cell connections, cell measurements and/or requested data services.

13. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises tilt adjustment of a base station of the telecommunication network.

14. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises beam steering.

15. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises configuration of handover parameters.

16. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises expanding a cell range of the telecommunication network.

17. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises increasing transmit power of a base station of the telecommunication network.

18. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises adjusting resources scheduled to the user.

19. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises traffic steering.

20. A method according to claim 1, in which the modifying step comprises identifying that the user is a priority user.

21. A method according to claim 1, in which the predicting step comprises performing statistical analysis on the data.

22. A network element of a telecommunication network adapted to control data service for a user, the network element adapted to carry out the steps of a claim 1.

23. A telecommunications network comprising a network element according to claim 22, a user equipment, a radio access network comprising a base station and a core network.

24. A computer program product comprising non transitory computer readable memory comprising instructions which when executed by one or more of processors of a telecommunications network cause a network element of the telecommunication network to perform the method steps of claim 1.