Clearinghouse System and Method for Determining Availability of Carrier-Based Services and Enhancing the Quality, Operation and Accessibility of Carrier-Based Networks

• US 20100250269A1
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Original Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Inventors: Rappaport, Theodore S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A computerized system, method and process allows telecommunications carriers to find, evaluate and select locations for equipment through direct access to end users, while providing citizens the opportunity to offer the use of their dwelling or other assets to carriers. The system and method further provides a computerized mechanism for (a) creating an inventory and marketplace for available properties for use in telecommunications networks, (b) providing quality and/or performance monitoring and control for wireless communication systems based on data in the clearinghouse, and (c) providing localized content over wireless networks using the clearinghouse.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

means for receiving end user location information and quality or service information of one or more communications networks for end users of said one or more communications networks, said quality or service information comprising coverage, outage or performance information of said one or more communications networks;

means for storing said end user location information and said quality or service information;

means for managing, controlling and updating said means for storing; and

means for providing access to quality or service information stored by said means for storing.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for providing access to quality or service information comprises means for reporting quality or service information to one or more carriers.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for generating a recommended operating band, operating mode, communications network or carrier for an end user communications device based on end user location information received by said means for receiving.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said means for generating a recommended operating band, operating mode, communication network or carrier is further based on quality or service information received by said means for receiving.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for providing end user access to quality or service information stored by said means for storing to end users of said one or more communications networks.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said means for providing end user access comprises means for reporting quality or service information to said end users.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for providing access to quality or service information stored by said means for storing to a party or parties other than end users and carriers of said one or more communications networks.

8. A method of collecting and providing access to quality or service information associated with one or more communications networks, comprising:

using a computer, receiving for end users of one or more communications networks end user location information and quality or service information of said one or more communications networks, said quality or service information comprising coverage, outage or performance information of said one or more communications networks;

storing, by action of said computer, said end user location information and said quality or service information in a memory or database;

managing, controlling and updating by action of said computer said memory or database; and

providing access to quality or service information stored in said memory or database to one or more users through a communications interface coupled to said computer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said one or more users comprises one or more end users of said one or more communication networks.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said one or more users comprises one or more carriers.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein providing access to quality or service information stored in said memory or database includes reporting quality or service information to said one or more carriers.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising by action of said computer:

processing said quality or service information; and

generating quality or availability-of-service information of services offered by said one or more carriers.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said quality or availability-of-service information comprises quality or availability-of-service information of services offered by a plurality of carriers.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said quality or availability-of-service information is location specific.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said computer comprises a server configured to generate and serve data from end user location information and quality or service information stored in said memory or database.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said data comprises a recommended operating band, operating mode, communications network and/or carrier for end users.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said server comprises a web server and said data is formatted as one or more web pages served to said end users.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said computer is configured to serve said data to one or more carriers.

19. The method of claim 8 wherein providing access to quality or service information stored in said memory or database comprises providing access to a party or parties other than end users and carriers of said one or more communications networks.

20. A system for collecting and providing access to quality or service information of one or more communications networks, comprising:

a computer configured to receive for end users of one or more communications networks end user location information and quality or service information of said one or more communications networks, said quality or service information comprising coverage, outage or performance information of said one or more communications networks;

a memory or database configured to store the received end user location and quality or service information; and

an interface through which one or more users access quality or service information stored in said memory or database.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said one or more users comprises one or more end users of said one or more communication networks.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said one or more users comprises one or more carriers.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said computer is configured to report quality of service information stored in said memory or database to said one or more carriers.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said computer is further configured to:

process said quality or service information; and

generate quality or availability-of-service information of services offered by said one or more carriers.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said quality or availability-of-service information comprises location-specific quality or availability-of-service information of services offered by a plurality of carriers.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein said computer comprises a server configured to generate and serve data from end user location information and quality or service information stored in said memory or database.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said data comprises a recommended operating band, operating mode, communications network and/or carrier for end users.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said server comprises a web server and said data is formatted as one or more web pages served to said end users.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein said computer is configured to serve said data to one or more carriers.

30. The system of claim 20 wherein said computer is configured to provide access to quality or service information stored in said memory or database, via said interface, to a party or parties other than end users and carriers of said one or more communications networks.

31. A method of building and providing access to a database for extending the use of, or improving the operation of, carrier-based networks, comprising:

collecting, using a computer, carrier information of one or more carriers and property information associated with property available for possible use by said one or more carriers;

storing in a database, by action of said computer, said carrier information and said property information; and

providing access to carrier information and property information stored in said database through an electronic interface coupled between said computer and the Internet.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising, using said computer, negotiating a business transaction between a carrier and an end user of a service provided by said carrier using property information stored in said database.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein providing access to carrier information and property information stored in said database comprises granting access to one or more parties other than said one or more carriers and end users of carrier-based services provided by said one or more carriers.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said one or more parties comprises one or more content providers.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said one or more parties comprises one or more advertisers.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein collecting said carrier information comprises collecting information concerning availability of services provided by said one or more carriers.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein collecting said carrier information comprises collecting information concerning quality or services provided by said one or more carriers.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein collecting said carrier information comprises collecting infrastructure information relating to infrastructure used by said one or more carriers.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein said electronic interface comprises a human viewable web-page.

40. The method of claim 31 wherein said electronic interface comprises internet addressing without a visible web page interface.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein providing access to carrier information and property information stored in said database comprises granting access to said one or more carriers.

42. The method of claim 31 wherein providing access to carrier information and property information stored in said database comprises granting access to end users one or more carrier-based services provided by said one or more carriers.

43. A clearinghouse system, comprising:

a clearinghouse database configured to store property information and carrier infrastructure information of carrier infrastructure dispersed over a geographical region, said carrier infrastructure information including information of carrier infrastructure installed or attached to dwellings or premises of property owners in said geographical region;

a computer configured to manage and update said clearinghouse database, said computer having a server configured to serve data based on carrier infrastructure information stored in said clearinghouse database; and

an interface through which property information is received by said computer and stored in said clearinghouse database.

44. The clearinghouse system of claim 43, further comprising a carrier interface through which one or more carriers access property information stored in said clearinghouse database.

45. The clearinghouse system of claim 43 wherein said property information includes information about property available for possible use by a carrier of a carrier-based service.

46. The clearinghouse system of claim 45 wherein said property information further includes information of property that is subject to contractual, legal, government or zoning restrictions.

47. The clearinghouse system of claim 43 wherein said computer is configured to match a property need or property specification of a carrier with one or more property records stored in said clearinghouse database.

48. The clearinghouse system of claim 43 wherein said computer is configured to receive and store in said clearinghouse database coverage or reception quality information of end users of one or more communications networks.

49. The clearinghouse system of claim 48 wherein said computer is further configured to serve coverage or reception quality data using coverage or reception information stored in said clearinghouse database.

50. The clearinghouse system of claim 43 wherein said computer is configured to receive and store in said clearinghouse database service information of a plurality of different services provided by one or more carriers over one or more networks.

51. The clearinghouse system of claim 50 wherein said computer is further configured to serve service data using service information stored in said clearinghouse database.

52. The clearinghouse system of claim 43 wherein said computer is configured to receive and store in said clearinghouse database bandwidth and capacity information of one or more communications networks.

53. The clearinghouse system of claim 52 wherein said computer is further configured to serve bandwidth and capacity data using bandwidth and capacity information stored in said clearinghouse database.

54. The clearinghouse system of claim 43 wherein said computer is configured to receive and store in said clearinghouse database coverage or reception quality information of one or more communications networks.

55. The clearinghouse system of claim 54 wherein said computer is further configured to serve coverage or reception quality data using coverage or reception quality information stored in said database.

56. A clearinghouse system, comprising:

means for storing property information and carrier infrastructure information of carrier infrastructure dispersed over a geographical region, said carrier infrastructure information including information of carrier infrastructure installed or attached to dwellings or premises of property owners in said geographical region;

means for processing said property and carrier infrastructure information;

means for receiving property information for processing by said means for processing and storing by said means for storing; and

means for serving data based on carrier infrastructure information stored by said means for storing.

57. The clearinghouse system of claim 56, further comprising means for providing one or more carriers access to property information stored by said means for storing.

58. The clearinghouse system of claim 56 wherein said property information includes information about property available for possible use by a carrier of a carrier-based service.

59. The clearinghouse system of claim 58 wherein said property information further includes information of property that is subject to contractual, legal, government or zoning restrictions.

60. The clearinghouse system of claim 56, further comprising means for matching a property need or property specification of a carrier with one or more property records stored in said clearinghouse database.

61. The clearinghouse system of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving and storing coverage or reception quality information of end users of one or more communications networks.

62. The clearinghouse system of claim 61, further comprising means for serving coverage or reception quality data using coverage or reception information received and stored by said means for receiving and storing coverage or reception quality information.

63. The clearinghouse system of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving and storing service information of a plurality of different services provided by one or more carriers over one or more networks.

64. The clearinghouse system of claim 63, further comprising means for serving service data using service information received and stored by said means for receiving and storing service information.

65. The clearinghouse system of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving and storing bandwidth and capacity information of one or more communications networks.

66. The clearinghouse system of claim 65, further comprising means for serving bandwidth and capacity data using bandwidth and capacity information received and stored by said means for receiving and storing bandwidth and capacity information.

67. The clearinghouse system of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving and storing coverage or reception quality information of one or more communications networks.

68. The clearinghouse system of claim 67, further comprising means for serving coverage or reception quality data using coverage or reception quality information received and stored by said means for receiving and storing coverage or reception quality information.

69. A method of collecting and providing access to property and network information, comprising:

collecting, using a computer, property information and carrier infrastructure information of carrier infrastructure dispersed over a geographical region, said carrier infrastructure information including information of carrier infrastructure installed or attached to dwellings or premises of property owners in said geographical region;

storing, by action of said computer, said property information and carrier infrastructure information in a memory or database;

managing, controlling and updating, by action of said computer, said memory or database; and

providing access to property information stored in said memory or database.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein providing access to property information stored in said memory or database comprises providing access to one or more carriers.

71. The method of claim 69 wherein said property information includes information about property available for possible use by a carrier of a carrier-based service.

72. The method of claim 71 wherein said property information further includes information of property that is subject to contractual, legal, government or zoning restrictions.

73. The method of claim 69, further comprising, by action of said computer, matching a property need or property specification of a carrier with one or more property records stored in said memory or database.

74. The method of claim 73, further comprising serving matched property need or matched property specification data to one or more carriers.

75. The method of claim 69, further comprising, by action of said computer, receiving and storing in said memory or database coverage or reception quality information of end users of one or more communications networks.

76. The method of claim 75, further comprising serving coverage or reception quality data using coverage or reception information stored in said memory or database.

77. The method of claim 69, further comprising, by action of said computer, receiving and storing in said memory or database service information of a plurality of different services provided by one or more carriers over one or more networks.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising serving service data using service information stored in said memory or database.

79. The method of claim 69, further comprising, by action of said computer, receiving and storing is said memory or database bandwidth and capacity information of one or more communications networks.

80. The method of claim 79, further comprising serving bandwidth and capacity data using bandwidth and capacity information stored in said memory or database.

81. The method of claim 69, further comprising, by action of said computer, receiving and storing in said memory or database coverage or reception quality information of one or more communications networks.

82. The method of claim 81, further comprising serving coverage or reception quality data using coverage or reception quality information stored in said memory or database.