The Mac Observer

Skip navigational links

You're viewing an article in TMO's historic archive vault. Here, we've preserved the comments and how the site looked along with the article. Use this link to view the article on our current site:
Apple Files Patent for Predicting Dropped Mobile Phone Calls

Apple Files Patent for Predicting Dropped Mobile Phone Calls

by , 1:50 PM EDT, May 30th, 2008

An Apple patent application has been filed that provides for a dynamic warning of an impending dropped cell phone call. The filing describes a technique to give the caller a warning of how much time they have left before the call is dropped.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filing was made on November 27, 2006 and posted by the USPO on Friday.

The filing by Michael M. Lee et al says, in part, "In order to provide notice of poor signal quality, some wireless devices have a one-way signal strength indicator that is a rough estimator of quality of the radio frequency signal between the covering base station and the receiving wireless device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,414 to Coverdale et al. selectively provides to a user a signal strength indication using one or more pre-selected criteria.

"Unfortunately, however, this signal strength indicator provides the user with an indication of the signal quality only at that particular moment in time which is usually too late to take corrective measures in order to avoid the lost wireless signal or at least mitigate the effects of the lost signal when, or if, it occurs."

In one of the embodiments, an out of range warning can provide the user with an estimate of time before the signal is lost and possible corrective action. Warnings can take the form of a vibration, or audible and visual warnings.

The projected "out of range" condition could happen if, for example, the caller is in a moving vehicle. A warning could alert the caller to pull over to avoid going out of signal range. In addition, the patent discusses the conditions under which the warning is issued, for example only when it would affect a call in the "here and now." In addition, the patent filing proposes that the "warning can be wirelessly transmitted to any other person currently in communication with the user of the wireless device indicating that the call may be dropped."

Hopefully, there won't be a rash of rear-end collisions some day as iPhone users in cars hit their brakes to avoid a lost signal.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Bosco Posts: 1002 Joined: 03 Jun 2002
Subject: Not first to patent this!

I filed a patent 10 years ago on an algorithm that could predict dropped calls. Here is the pseudo-code:

if network = AT&T then
call will probably drop in 20 seconds.
end if

Close Name:tbone1 -   TMO Staff Posts: 3981 Joined: 13 Jul 2001
Subject: Simple, really

"If you are using AT&T in the Indianapolis area, it WILL be dropped." How tough can that algorithm be? I don't know where Bosco lives, but around here, it's as certain as an Andretti not winning the Indy 500.

Close Name:insidethenebulous Posts: 5 Joined: 31 Aug 2006
Subject: Cancel or Allow...

I'd be getting this message every few minutes and not due to the iPhone but due to the sux @$$ service I get from AT&T. I love my phone but I do wish I could switch to T-Mobile or Alltell.

Comment on this Article


You cannot edit your comments.   You cannot delete your comments.

Comments are currently closed. Please email the author instead.


Recent Headlines - Updated July 6th

Mon, 11:17 AM
Ted Landau's User Friendly View - Apple’s LED Cinema Display: A Too Short Story
11:11 AM
Product News - Photo Recovery for Mac Adds Photoshop Support
10:39 AM
Hot Forum Topic - iPhones in Education
8:47 AM
News - Apple Employee Injured in Store Shooting
Fri, 10:29 AM
News - Apple Warns of Learning Interchange Security Breach
7:30 AM
News - Happy Fourth of July!
Thu, 6:07 PM
TMO Scoop - Psystar Moves to Drop Bankruptcy Ahead of Apple Legal Battle
5:37 PM
News - Uncomfirmed Reports Say Apple & Nvidia On The Outs
4:57 PM
News - Microsoft Sick Over Barf Ad
4:09 PM
Product News - KRK Ships R6 Passive Studio Monitor for Recording
3:45 PM
John Martellaro's Blog - Particle Debris (week ending 7/2)  Juiced, Joost and Goosed
3:12 PM
Product News - ExactScan 2 Pro Released

The Mac Observer Reader Specials

  • __________
  • Buy Stuff, Support TMO!
  • Podcast: Mac Geek Gab
  • Podcast: Apple Weekly Report
  • TMO on Twitter!