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

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.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12 / 208,007, filed on Sep. 10, 2008, which claims the benefit of provisional Application No. 60 / 971,175, filed on Sep. 10, 2007, provisional Application No. 60 / 977,582, filed on Oct. 4, 2007, and provisional Application No. 61 / 028,261, filed on Feb. 13, 2008.BACKGROUND[0002]Many companies own or lease towers, and have expertise in the positioning (sighting), leasing, designing and / or building of towers and other equipment that are used in providing or installing telecommunications networks. American Tower, Crown Castle, InnerWireless and America Connect, are examples of companies that own, lease, use, or construct towers or distributed antenna systems in and around towers or buildings to enable wireless communications services to be distributed by various users, including without limitation either their own company or their customers, such as AT&T Wireless, Vodaphone, Sprint, or pu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a system, method, process, and apparatus that helps carriers and end users better understand and efficiently acquire wireless network infrastructure locations. It allows for the democratization of the site acquisition process and provides a clearinghouse for customers and carriers to exploit the knowledge of available infrastructure sites. The invention also allows for real-time or non-real-time monitoring and control of wireless networks based on the location of individual users. It helps improve the quality and efficiency of wireless services and offers localized advertising and site-specific content. Overall, the invention helps reduce costs, improve service quality, and provide greater value to customers and carriers."

Problems solved by technology

It is the complexity of tower height, tower engineering and installation, antenna design and radio propagation fundamentals, and town ordinances and restrictions in neighborhoods, combined with the often secretive nature of a network operator's approach to coverage and quality issues, that has led to the current state of affairs, where specific companies and high priced consultancies serve as tower owners or brokers, and where specific, specialized companies provide for the telecom carrier detailed technical or electrical services, such as antenna engineering or propagation design, or access to building structures or towers, at higher costs than what telecom companies would likely pay if they otherwise could deal directly with their end customers in a non-confusing and trusted way.

However, Google, AntennaSearch, and everyone else for that matter, has not offered a clearinghouse that allows any citizen or any carrier to exploit a database of wants and needs in order to create a marketplace for determining available infrastructure sites, and furthermore has not exploited such a clearinghouse in order to provision, monitor, or control wireless networks for the benefit of end users or carriers, nor has anyone further exploited such a database to offer localized advertising or site-specific content.

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