US7505765B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for gathering data from wireless communications networks
Assignee: Nielsen Co US LLC
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Filing: 2006-02-24
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Granted: 2009-03-17
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Expires: 2026-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for gathering data from wireless communication networks, the wireless communication network including a plurality of cell sites, mobile subscriber units, and a mobile telephone switching office. The data gathering system comprises a plurality of data gathering nodes and a control center. Each data gathering node comprises multiple receivers, with each receiver gathering data from a different wireless communication network. Stored data at the control center is processed to generate marketing information on each wireless communication network.
Inventors
- 👤 Tom Frangione
- 👤 Mark Heidohrn
- 👤 John Oyler
- 👤 Alan Peyrat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W24/00; H04W24/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks, comprising: a plurality of data gathering nodes, wherein each of the wireless communication networks is associated with a different wireless communications provider, wherein each of the data gathering nodes monitors communications of each of the wireless communication networks, and wherein each of the data gathering nodes comprises: an antenna system; and a plurality of receivers tuned to gather data from the plurality of wireless communication networks, wherein each of the receivers is coupled to the antenna system; and a control center coupled to the data gathering nodes, wherein the control center is to process data received from the data gathering nodes to generate at least one of marketing information or usage characterization information associated with the wireless communication networks.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks, comprising: a plurality of data gathering nodes, wherein each of the wireless communication networks is associated with a different wireless communications provider, wherein each of the data gathering nodes monitors communications of each of the wireless communication networks, and wherein each of the data gathering nodes comprises: an antenna system; and a plurality of receivers tuned to gather data from the plurality of wireless communication networks, wherein each of the receivers is coupled to the antenna system; and a control center coupled to the data gathering nodes, wherein the control center is to process data received from the data gathering nodes to generate at least one of marketing information or usage characterization information associated with the wireless communication networks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the data gathering nodes further comprises a local processor and storage device; coupled to the plurality of receivers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the local processor is to encrypt portions of data gathered by the receivers into unique subscriber identifiers prior to storage of the gathered data in the storage device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a network linkage coupled between the receivers and the control center, wherein the network linkage is to send stored data from the receivers to the control center.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 4 , wherein the network linkage comprises a modem.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the receivers comprise a number of receivers equal to the number of wireless communication networks from which data is to be gathered, and wherein each of the receivers at a data gathering node is to gather data from a wireless communication network that is different from other wireless communication networks from which data is gathered by the other receivers at the data gathering node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the control center further comprises a relational database to store data gathered by the data gathering nodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 7 , wherein the relational database utilizes event type, cell location, market location, carrier location, and frequency band relational tables to cross-reference index value meanings in a user information table for events.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising an offline storage media to archive and backup data gathered by the data gathering nodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a data mining application to process data gathered by the data gathering nodes to generate the marketing information or usage characterization information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein the marketing information or usage characterization information comprises information associated with a subscriber share, a call share, a number of new subscribers, or a number of churning subscribers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the control center is to transmit instructions to modify receiver data gathering settings for each of the receivers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the data gathering nodes is in each of a plurality of location areas of each of the wireless communication networks to gather data from a group of cell sites, and wherein each data gathering node is to gather data until data has been gathered for all cells in a cell group of each wireless communication network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 wherein, the data gathering nodes are fixed, transportable, or a combination of fixed and transportable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the receivers is to encrypt portions of data gathered by each receiver into unique subscriber identifiers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the receivers is to generate a unique subscriber identifier for each different subscriber based on a radio frequency fingerprint of a signal associated with the subscriber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the receivers is to filter data gathered by that receiver to remove private or extraneous data before sending the data to the control center.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
106 words
A system for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks, comprising: means for gathering data from a plurality of geographic locations in a plurality of wireless communication networks, wherein each of the wireless communication networks is associated with a different wireless communications provider, wherein the means for gathering monitors communications of each of the wireless communication networks, and wherein the means for gathering comprises; means for receiving signals at each of a plurality of cell groups; and means for gathering data from the wireless communication networks at each of the cell groups; and means for storing data gathered from the plurality of geographic locations.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
106 words
A system for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks, comprising: means for gathering data from a plurality of geographic locations in a plurality of wireless communication networks, wherein each of the wireless communication networks is associated with a different wireless communications provider, wherein the means for gathering monitors communications of each of the wireless communication networks, and wherein the means for gathering comprises; means for receiving signals at each of a plurality of cell groups; and means for gathering data from the wireless communication networks at each of the cell groups; and means for storing data gathered from the plurality of geographic locations.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 18 further comprising means for processing the data gathered from the geographic locations to generate at least one of marketing information or usage characterization information.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks comprising: deploying a plurality of data gathering nodes at geographic locations in a plurality of wireless communication networks, wherein each of the data gathering nodes monitors communications of each of the wireless communication networks; gathering data at the data gathering nodes from each of the wireless communication networks; and processing the data at a control center to generate at least one of marketing information or usage characterization information.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks comprising: deploying a plurality of data gathering nodes at geographic locations in a plurality of wireless communication networks, wherein each of the data gathering nodes monitors communications of each of the wireless communication networks; gathering data at the data gathering nodes from each of the wireless communication networks; and processing the data at a control center to generate at least one of marketing information or usage characterization information.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
111 words
A system for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks, comprising: a plurality of data gathering nodes to monitor the wireless communication networks, wherein each of the wireless communication networks is associated with a different wireless communications provider, wherein the data gathering nodes are separate from the wireless communication networks, and wherein each of the data gathering nodes comprises a plurality of receivers tuned to gather data from the plurality of wireless communication networks; and a control center coupled to the data gathering nodes, wherein the control center is to process data received from the data gathering nodes to generate market share information associated with the wireless communication networks.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
111 words
A system for gathering data from a plurality of wireless communication networks, comprising: a plurality of data gathering nodes to monitor the wireless communication networks, wherein each of the wireless communication networks is associated with a different wireless communications provider, wherein the data gathering nodes are separate from the wireless communication networks, and wherein each of the data gathering nodes comprises a plurality of receivers tuned to gather data from the plurality of wireless communication networks; and a control center coupled to the data gathering nodes, wherein the control center is to process data received from the data gathering nodes to generate market share information associated with the wireless communication networks.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5784442A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2012-03-16 | 2012-09-15 | 2013-03-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2016-03-16 | 2016-09-15 | 2017-03-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2020-03-16 | 2020-09-15 | 2021-03-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |