Route navigation for optimal mobile coverage

Abstract

A utility within a mobile device or other device computes and provides an optimal mobile coverage route. The device receives a stating point/location and a destination point/location. The mobile device downloads a provider's mobile coverage information, accesses historical data stored by the mobile device, and obtains user feedback from the provider. The optimal mobile coverage route is then computed at the device, and the optimal mobile coverage route is provided via one of the following: a web site, or a text message (SMS) to, a voice operated feed, or any direct feed to the user of the mobile device. The computed optimal mobile coverage route is then used by the user of the mobile device when communicating with another mobile device while travelling from the starting point to the end point.

1 . A method of determining an optimal mobile device coverage route, the method comprising:
 receiving a starting point for a travel route, said staring point being a physical location from which a mobile device is to be carried;   receiving an end point for the travel route;   receiving one or more additional parameter data for use in computing the optimal mobile device coverage route;   dynamically computing the optimal mobile device coverage route between the starting point and the end point utilizing the one or more additional parameter data; and   outputting the optimal mobile device coverage route.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optimal mobile device coverage route is a route of travel along which the mobile device has a highest overall average quality of service and experiences a lowest number of dropped calls and a highest overall signal strength when traversing the route between the starting point and the end point. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving one or more additional parameter data comprises:
 downloading a service provider's mobile coverage information;   accessing historical data stored by the mobile device, representing quality of service data of the previous coverage provided by the service provider to the mobile device.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the receiving one or more additional parameter data comprises:
 obtaining available user feedback from a service provider, said user feedback indicating historical quality of service of the coverage received by other users of the service provider; and   calculating said optimal mobile device coverage route utilizing the starting point, destination point, historical data, available user feedback, and the provider's mobile coverage information.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing of said optimal mobile device coverage route includes a time-based component, the method further comprising:
 determining a time of travel for the mobile device, wherein the time of travel defaults to a current time when no actual time data is received;   retrieving historical coverage data corresponding to the time of travel; and   performing the computing with an adjustment for the historical coverage data corresponding to the time of travel.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an input of a tolerance level for less than 100% of full coverage;   adjusting an algorithm for computing the optimal mobile device coverage route based on the tolerance level; and   performing the computing via the adjusted algorithm.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a user interface for entry into and receipt of one or more of the data;   generating an output including a graphical map of the optimal mobile coverage route; and   enabling access to the user interface and the output via a web service, wherein the receiving and computing steps are completed via the web service.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving and computing steps are implemented within a tracking system. 
   
   
       9 . A computer program product comprising a computer storage medium and program instructions that when executed on a processing device enables the device to complete functions for determining an optimal mobile device coverage route, the program instructions comprising instructions for:
 receiving a starting point for a travel route, said staring point being a physical location from which a mobile device is to be carried;   receiving an end point for the travel route;   receiving one or more additional parameter data for use in computing the optimal mobile device coverage route, wherein the optimal mobile device coverage route is a route of travel along which the mobile device has a highest overall average quality of service and experiences a lowest number of dropped calls and a highest overall signal strength when traversing the route between the starting point and the end point;   dynamically computing the optimal mobile device coverage route between the starting point and the end point utilizing the one or more additional parameter data; and   outputting the optimal mobile device coverage route.   
   
   
       10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions for receiving one or more additional parameter data comprises instructions for:
 downloading a service provider's mobile coverage information;   accessing historical data stored by the mobile device, representing quality of service data of the previous coverage provided by the service provider to the mobile device.   
   
   
       11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein the program instructions for receiving one or more additional parameter data comprises instructions for:
 obtaining available user feedback from a service provider, said user feedback indicating historical quality of service of the coverage received by other users of the service provider; and   calculating said optimal mobile device coverage route utilizing the starting point, destination point, historical data, available user feedback, and the provider's mobile coverage information.   
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions for computing of said optimal mobile device coverage route includes instructions for:
 determining a time of travel for the mobile device, wherein the time of travel defaults to a current time when no actual time data is received;   retrieving historical coverage data corresponding to the time of travel; and   performing the computing with an adjustment for the historical coverage data corresponding to the time of travel.   
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , further comprising program instructions for performing the functions of:
 receiving an input of a tolerance level for less than 100% of full coverage;   adjusting an algorithm for computing the optimal mobile device coverage route based on the tolerance level; and   performing the computing via the adjusted algorithm.   
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further comprises instructions for:
 generating a user interface for entry into and receipt of one or more of the data;   generating an output including a graphical map of the optimal mobile coverage route; and enabling access to the user interface and the output via a web service, wherein the receiving and computing functions are completed via the web service.   
   
   
       15 . A device comprising:
 a processing device;   a utility executing on the processor and including program instructions that when executed on the processing device enables the processing device to complete functions for determining an optimal mobile device coverage route, the program instructions comprising instructions for:
 receiving a starting point for a travel route, said staring point being a physical location from which a mobile device is to be carried; 
 receiving an end point for the travel route; 
 receiving one or more additional parameter data for use in computing the optimal mobile device coverage route, wherein the optimal mobile device coverage route is a route of travel along which the mobile device has a highest overall average quality of service and experiences a lowest number of dropped calls and a highest overall signal strength when traversing the route between the starting point and the end point; 
 dynamically computing the optimal mobile device coverage route between the starting point and the end point utilizing the one or more additional parameter data; and 
 outputting the optimal mobile device coverage route. 
   
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the program instructions for receiving one or more additional parameter data comprises instructions for:
 downloading a service provider's mobile coverage information;   accessing historical data stored by the mobile device, representing quality of service data of the previous coverage provided by the service provider to the mobile device.   
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions for receiving one or more additional parameter data comprises instructions for:
 obtaining available user feedback from a service provider, said user feedback indicating historical quality of service of the coverage received by other users of the service provider; and   calculating said optimal mobile device coverage route utilizing the starting point, destination point, historical data, available user feedback, and the provider's mobile coverage information.   
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the program instructions for computing of said optimal mobile device coverage route includes instructions for:
 determining a time of travel for the mobile device, wherein the time of travel defaults to a current time when no actual time data is received;   retrieving historical coverage data corresponding to the time of travel; and   performing the computing with an adjustment for the historical coverage data corresponding to the time of travel.   
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising program instructions for performing the functions of:
 receiving an input of a tolerance level for less than 100% of full coverage;   adjusting an algorithm for computing the optimal mobile device coverage route based on the tolerance level; and   performing the computing via the adjusted algorithm.   
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the utility further comprises instructions for:
 enabling access to the device from a remote client via a network;   generating a user interface for entry into and receipt of one or more of the data;   generating an output including a graphical map of the optimal mobile coverage route; and enabling access to the user interface and the output via a web service, wherein the receiving and computing functions are completed via the web service.