Qualifying locations for fixed wireless services

• US 9,775,129 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• 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:
  US15/284,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20170026931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 device comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor configured to execute one or more of the instructions to;

generate a first file that specifies current signal quality at different points within an area,

generate, based on the first file, a second file that specifies predicted future signal quality at the different points within the area,

determine a first signal quality at a location based on the first file,

determine a second signal quality at the location based on the second file,

select a tier of service, of fixed wireless services, for the location based on the first signal quality and the second signal quality, and

transmit information associated with the tier of service to a computer terminal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein, when selecting the tier of service, the processor is configured to execute the one or more of the instructions to:

select a first tier of service, as the tier of service, when the first signal quality is greater than a first value and the second signal quality is greater than or equal to the first value, and

select a second tier of service, as the tier of service, when the first signal quality or the second signal quality is less than the first value and greater than a second value.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the tier of service comprises:

types of the fixed wireless services that are available at the location and prices associated with the types of the fixed wireless services, or

information specifying that an actual signal quality needs to be determined at the location to determine which one or more of the types of the fixed wireless services are available at the location.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the prices associated with the types of the fixed wireless services are higher when the tier of service is a first tier of service than when the tier of service is a second tier of service.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the one or more of the instructions to:

determine premises information associated with a premises of the location; and

adjust, based on the premises information, at least one of the first signal quality and the second signal quality before selecting the tier of service.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein, when generating the second file, the processor is configured to execute the one or more of the instructions to:

determine at least one of network loading information or network reconfiguration information,

wherein the network loading information comprises information about predicted growth of traffic in a portion of a cellular network associated with the area, and

wherein the network reconfiguration information comprises information regarding plans to add new cell units to the portion of the cellular network, and

generate the second file further based on at least one of the network loading information or the network reconfiguration information.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein, when generating the first file, the processor is further configured to execute the one or more of the instructions to:

calculate a presence of interference at the different points; and

generate the first file based on the presence of interference.

8. A method comprising:

generating, by one or more processors configured to execute one or more instructions stored in a memory, first values that specify current signal quality at different points within an area,

generating, by the one or more processors, based on the first values, second values that specify predicted future signal quality at the different points within the area,

determining, by the one or more processors, a first signal quality at a location based on the first values,

determining, by the one or more processors, a second signal quality at the location based on the second values,

selecting by the one or more processors, a tier of service, of fixed wireless services, for the location based on the first signal quality and the second signal quality, and

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

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the tier of service further comprises:

selecting, by the one or more processors, a first tier of service, as the tier of service, when the first signal quality is greater than a first quality value and the second signal quality is greater than or equal to the first quality value, and

selecting, by the one or more processors, a second tier of service, as the tier of service, when the first signal quality or the second signal quality is less than the first quality value and greater than a second quality value.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information associated with the tier of service comprises:

types of the fixed wireless services that are available at the location and prices associated with the types of the fixed wireless services, or

information specifying that an actual signal quality needs to be determined at the location to determine which one or more of the types of the fixed wireless services are available at the location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the prices associated with the types of the fixed wireless services are higher when the tier of service is a first tier of service than when the tier of service is a second tier of service.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining premises information associated with a premises of the location; and

adjusting, by the one or more processors, based on the premises information, at least one of the first signal quality and the second signal quality before selecting the tier of service.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the second values comprises:

determining, by the one or more processors, at least one of network loading information or network reconfiguration information,

wherein the network loading information comprises information about predicted growth of traffic in a portion of a cellular network associated with the area, and

wherein the network reconfiguration information comprises information regarding plans to add new cell units to the portion of the cellular network, and

generating the second values further based on at least one of the network loading information or the network reconfiguration information.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the first values comprises:

calculating, by the one or more processors, a presence of interference at the different points; and

generating, by the one or more processors, the first values based on the presence of interference.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

generate a first file that specifies current signal quality at different points within an area,

generate, based on the first file, a second file that specifies predicted future signal quality at the different points within the area,

determine a first signal quality at a location based on the first file,

determine a second signal quality at the location based on the second file,

select a tier of service, of fixed wireless services, for the location based on the first signal quality and the second signal quality, and

transmit information associated with the tier of service to a device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions that cause the processor to select the tier of service further comprise:

one or more instructions that cause the processor to;

select a first tier of service, as the tier of service, when the first signal quality is greater than a first value and the second signal quality is greater than or equal to the first value, and

select a second tier of service, as the tier of service, when the first signal quality or the second signal quality is less than the first value and greater than a second value.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the tier of service comprises:

types of the fixed wireless services that are available at the location and prices associated with the types of the fixed wireless services, or

information specifying that an actual signal quality needs to be determined at the location to determine which one or more of the types of the fixed wireless services are available at the location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the prices associated with the types of the fixed wireless services are higher when the tier of service is a first tier of service than when the tier of service is a second tier of service.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor to:

determine premises information associated with a premises of the location; and

adjust, based on the premises information, at least one of the first signal quality and the second signal quality before selecting the tier of service.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions that cause the processor to generate the second file further comprise:

one or more instructions that cause the processor to;

determine at least one of network loading information or network reconfiguration information,

wherein the network loading information comprises information about predicted growth of traffic in a portion of a cellular network associated with the area, and

wherein the network reconfiguration information comprises information regarding plans to add new cell units to the portion of the cellular network, and

generate the second file further based on at least one of the network loading information or the network reconfiguration information.