Selective prioritization of voice over data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9439061-B2
Application number	US-201113117792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2011
Priority date	May 27, 2011
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described herein for allowing a user or a service provider to selectively prioritize voice communications over data communications. By selectively prioritizing voice communications over data communications, the number of dropped calls in the mobile telecommunications network can be significantly reduced.

First claim

We claim:

1. A mobile device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving a selection of a voice prioritized option,
establishing, over a voice-only radio access bearer, a voice session with another device,
collecting, during at least a portion of the voice session, uplink transmit power statistics associated with maintaining the voice session,
calculating a mean uplink transmit power from the uplink transmit power statistics,
calculating a standard deviation from the uplink transmit power statistics,
calculating a value for the mean uplink transmit power plus the standard deviation,
receiving a data request,
determining if the value calculated for the mean uplink transmit power plus the standard deviation at least meets a threshold value of uplink transmit power that is insufficient for the mobile device to support a multiple radio access bearer, wherein the multiple radio access bearer simultaneously supports both a voice component of the voice session and a data component of the data request,
in response to determining that the value does not at least meet the threshold value,
allowing establishment of the multiple radio access bearer,
transferring the voice session to the multiple radio access bearer, and
tearing down the voice-only radio access bearer, and

in response to determining that the value does at least meet the threshold value, denying establishment of the multiple radio access bearer.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device further comprises a display, and wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, the voice prioritized option in context of a first selectable graphical user interface element, and wherein receiving the selection of the voice prioritized option comprises receiving the selection of the voice prioritized option via the first selectable graphical user interface element.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the voice prioritized option is identified as a maximize voice coverage option.

4. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display of the mobile device, a voice only option in context of a second selectable graphical user interface element.

5. The mobile device of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, a normal option in context of a third selectable graphical user interface element.

6. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, a normal option in context of a second selectable graphical user interface element.

7. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the first selectable graphical user interface element is part of a settings application, a dialer application, or a software widget.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein receiving the selection of the voice prioritized option comprises receiving the selection of the voice prioritized option prior to the voice session being established, during establishment of the voice session, during the voice session, or after the voice session.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the threshold value of uplink transmit power comprises a percentage of a maximum uplink transmit power.

10. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise adjusting the threshold value depending upon a radio condition.

11. A mobile device comprising:
a display;
a processor; and
a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
presenting, on the display, a network settings graphical user interface comprising an input portion and a settings control options portion, the settings control options portion comprising a control settings remotely option,
receiving a selection of the control settings remotely option,
based upon receiving the selection of the control settings remotely option, receiving, from a server, a threshold value for a voice priority setting, wherein establishment of a multiple radio access bearer to simultaneously support both a voice component of a voice session and a data component of a data request is denied when the voice session is established and when a value associated with maintaining the voice session at least meets the threshold value,
storing the threshold value for the voice priority setting in the input portion of the network settings graphical user interface,
establishing, over a voice-only radio access bearer, the voice session with another device,
collecting, during at least a portion of the voice session, uplink transmit power statistics for the mobile device associated with maintaining the voice session,
calculating a mean uplink transmit power from the uplink transmit power statistics,
calculating a standard deviation from the uplink transmit power statistics,
calculating a value for the mean uplink transmit power plus the standard deviation,
receiving the data request,
determining if the value calculated for the mean uplink transmit power plus the standard deviation at least meets the threshold value,
in response to determining that the value for the mean uplink transmit power plus the standard deviation does not at least meet the threshold value,
allowing establishment of the multiple radio access bearer,
transferring the voice session to the multiple radio access bearer, and
tearing down the voice-only radio access bearer, and

in response to determining that the value for the mean uplink transmit power plus the standard deviation does at least meet the threshold value, denying establishment of the multiple radio access bearer.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the input portion of the network settings graphical user interface comprises a threshold input box and the voice priority setting comprises a threshold setting.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the threshold setting is a maximum uplink power threshold setting and the threshold value is a particular maximum uplink power that, when at least met, causes the mobile device to deny data requests.

14. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the threshold setting and the threshold value are associated with a received signal code power, a ratio of a received energy and an interference level, a carrier-to-noise ratio, or a received signal strength indicator.

15. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the server is operated by a service provider that is capable of providing a data service that supports data access for the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, from the server, an adjusted threshold value based upon a radio condition known to the server; and
replacing the value for the voice priority setting in the input portion of the network settings graphical user interface with the adjusted threshold value.

17. A mobile device comprising:
a display;
a processor; and
a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
presenting, on the display, a voice prioritized option in context of a first selectable graphical user interface element, wherein the voice prioritized option denies establishment of a multiple radio access bearer to simultaneously support both a voice component of a voice session and a data component of a data request when the voice session is established and when a value associated with maintaining the voice session

Assignees

• Austin Mark
• Kosseifi Mario
• Meredith Sheldon
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Austin Mark
• Kosseifi Mario
• Meredith Sheldon

Classifications

• H04W72/56 Primary

  based on priority criteria · CPC title

• H04W72/21

  in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network · CPC title

• H04W8/18 Primary

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• H04W48/18 Primary

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W52/146

  Uplink power control · CPC title