HK1075571A - Wireless network optimization through remote device data - Google Patents

Description

Wireless network optimization with remote device data

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to computer networks and communications across wireless networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to the collection and analysis of remote device data on a wireless network for use in optimizing network functionality, management, and performance.

Background

Wireless networking connects one or more wireless computer devices to other computer devices without a direct electrical connection, such as a copper wire or optical cable. Wireless computer devices communicate data, typically in the form of packets, over a wireless or partially wireless computer network and open a "data" or "communication" channel on the network so that the device can send and receive data packets. Computer devices typically have computer device resources, such as programs and hardware components, that individually use open communication connections to send data over a network or receive data over a network.

In wireless networking, a peer-to-peer (i.e., point-to-point) wireless network means that each computer is able to communicate directly with the other computers on the network. The cellular telecommunications network may be a wireless network in which cellular devices transmit voice or data packets over the cellular network. However, some wireless networks are client/server architectures and have an access point, which is a wired controller that receives data from or transmits data to the wireless adapters installed in each computer. There are generally six types of wireless computer networks: cellular or Personal Communication Systems (PCS), satellite, bluetooth, Infrared Data Association (infra Data Association), homerf (swap), and broadband Data/WECA (Wi-Fi) or 802.11.

CDMA/WCDMA/UMTS, AMPS and/or TDMA/GSM cellular networks, digital and/or analog satellite systems. The use of bluetooth is not widespread and is not expected to replace high speed data networks between computers. The infrared data association (IrDA) is a standard for computer devices to communicate using infrared light pulses, similar to the way remote controls operate. Since IrDA computer devices use infrared light, they rely on having each other in direct line of sight. Currently, IrDA-based networks are capable of data transmission at speeds of up to 4 megabits per second (Mbps). HomeRF, where RF stands for radio frequency, is based on a standard called the shared radio access protocol (SWAP), which is a hybrid standard that includes 6 voice channels based on the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) standard and the IEEE802.11 wireless ethernet specification for data. The SWAP device will hop 50 per second and transmit at 1 Mbps. In most cases, SWAP-based networks are point-to-point. The Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) is basically compatible with a variant of the IEEE802.11 specification known as IEEE802.11 b. The specification is directed to Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) transmission because it enables higher data transmission rates to be achieved. In 802.11b, devices communicate at a rate of 11Mbps, whenever possible.

There are a variety of diagnostic tools that can be used with existing wireless networks that can provide feedback and performance data to technicians to optimize the network among different nodes in the network. In cellular networks, one way to collect network data is to equip automobiles with diagnostic equipment and drive them through the cell coverage area and record connectivity to cellular base stations. However, this method is expensive and time consuming to implement, and often does not allow data to be obtained for the full coverage area of the cell.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a system and method for economically optimizing the various nodes of a wireless network in real-time, non-real-time, using optimal data reflecting the true geographic coverage area of the network. The system and method should not cause disruption of existing data communications while occurring across the wireless network. Furthermore, such a system should not require a large number of additional implementation devices, such as separate cars and analysis devices. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a system and method for optimizing current wireless networks.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is a system, method and program for optimizing a wireless network having at least data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto, and at least one computer device being a remote wireless device such as a cellular telecommunications device. In the system, a plurality of wireless devices are remotely located from each other and selectively communicate with other computer devices across a wireless network, each wireless device including a computer platform, and at least one network optimization application is resident on the computer platform of each wireless device, wherein the application causes the wireless device to selectively transmit network status data for the wireless device to another computer device on the wireless network. The wireless network is then optimized by utilizing the transmitted data from the wireless device, either in an automated, real-time manner, or in a predetermined manner, or in a user-interactive manner.

The method for optimizing the wireless network comprises the following steps: establishing a wireless network having at least data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto, at least one computer device being a remote wireless device comprising a computer platform; selectively transmitting network status data from at least one wireless device to at least one other computer device on a wireless or wired network; receiving the transmitted network data at the at least one other computer device; and optimizing or just better understanding the characteristics of the wireless network based on the received network status data. The optimization or understanding step may be performed on a computer device, such as a server, that receives the network status data, or may be performed on another computer device of the network. Network optimization or effecting changes to the network may also be done in a conventional manner, such as moving antennas, etc., as the receipt of data in this unique manner allows for better network understanding. The method further comprises the following steps: transmitting the optimization data back to the one or more wireless devices; and improving the wireless device according to the optimization data.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and method for optimizing a wireless network based on real-time data collected, transmitted and automated as well as store and forward data. The invention also has the following advantages: a wireless network, such as a cellular telecommunications network, can be optimized without compromising network functionality or without using external monitoring equipment. Network optimization data is collected directly by a user terminal of a wireless network. A network optimization application (or software agent) can be downloaded to the wireless device and generate valuable data therefrom relative to actual operation within the wireless network coverage area.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the drawings, detailed description and claims.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a representative illustration of one embodiment of a wireless network having a partial LAN with multiple computer devices in communication with each other via the network.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the hardware components of a system embedded on a cellular wireless network that provides communication between different wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, and computer devices.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process executing on a network status data collection server in communication with a wireless device over a network.

Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a process executing on a wireless device receiving a software agent that transmits network status data to the server of fig. 3.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components throughout, FIG. 1 shows a wireless network 10 having a plurality of computer devices 12, 18, 20, 22 in a wireless network area 28. The wireless network 14 is connected to a LAN-based network 28 through an interface 26, preferably including at least one network status data collection and management server 16, wherein the server 16 selectively downloads software applications or agents to the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 through the wireless interface 26 so that the wireless devices can send network status data back to the server 16 as further described herein. Such computer devices can include wireless devices such as cellular telephone 12, personal digital assistant 18, pager 20, which is shown here as a two-way text pager, or even a separate computer platform 22 that has a wireless communication portal 22 or that may have a wired connection 24 to a network or the internet. Thus, the systems and methods can be performed on any form of computer device computer module including a wired or wireless communication portal, including without limitation, wireless modems, PCMCIA cards, access terminals, personal computers, access terminals, telephones without a display screen or keyboard, or any combination or sub-combination thereof.

Over the LAN network 30, the server 16 can communicate with a separate storage 32 regarding network status and optimization data. The server 16 and its corresponding PC or data access can provide a ready view of the network status data collected from the wireless devices in any format such as a table, map, graphical view, plain text, or any other display means known to those skilled in the art. Thus, the server 16 (or servers) sends software agents or applications to the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 in the wireless network area 28 so that the wireless devices return current data, such as user ID, geographic location, network ID, system ID, model ID, resident software, etc. The wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 then transmit the requested data to the server 16 or other computer device on the network, where at least the wireless network 14 can be optimized, if desired, even in real-time. Additionally, there may be a separate data management server 34 that resides and works together to provide useful formats of data to parties and/or a separate layer of control of data flow between the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 and the server 16 or data storage 32.

The use of cellular telecommunication pathways has become more frequent because wireless devices, such as cellular telephone 12, are being produced with increased computing capabilities and are becoming more and more similar to personal computers and hand-held Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) capable of communicating packets including voice and data over wireless networks. These "smart" cellular telephones have installed on their local computer platform an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows software developers to create software applications that run on the cellular telephone and that also controls some functions on the device. Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating in detail the components of a cellular wireless network and the interrelation of the components of the system of the present invention. The cellular wireless network is merely exemplary and can include any system whereby remote modules, such as wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 communicate over-the-air (over-the-air) between and among each other and/or between and among components of a wireless network 14, including, without limitation, wireless network carriers and/or servers.

In a cellular data network with any other components required to provide cellular telecommunication services, there is a network status data collection server 16, a network status and optimization database 32 and other data management servers 34. The server 16 and/or data management server 34 communicate with the carrier network through a data manager 40, through a data link such as the internet, a secure LAN, WAN, or other network. The carrier network controls messages (typically data packets) sent to a Message Service Controller (MSC) 42. The carrier network communicates with the MSC42 using a network, the Internet, and/or POTS (plain ordinary telephone system). Typically, data is transferred by a network or internet connection between the carrier network and the MSC42, and voice information is transferred by POTS. The MSC42 is connected to a plurality of base stations (BTS) 44. In a similar manner to the carrier network, the MSC42 is typically connected to the BTS44 by the network and/or internet for data transfer and POTS for voice information. Finally, the BTS44 broadcasts messages wirelessly to wireless devices, such as cellular telephone 12, by Short Message Service (SMS), or other wireless transmission methods known to those skilled in the art.

Each wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12, has a computer platform 50 that is capable of receiving and executing software applications and displaying data transmitted from the application download server 16 or other network server 34. The computer platform 50 also includes an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)52, or other processor, microprocessor, logic circuit, or other data processing device. The ASIC52 is installed at the time of manufacture of the wireless device and is not normally upgradeable. The ASIC52 or other processor executes the Application Programming Interface (API) layer 54 that interfaces with all resident programs in the memory 56 of the wireless device. The memory can include read-only or random-access memory (RAM and ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, flash cards, or any memory common to computer platforms. The computer platform 50 also includes a local database 58 that can hold software applications, files, or data not currently in use in the memory 56, such as software applications downloaded from the application download server 16. The local database 58 is typically comprised of one or more flash memory cells, but may be any secondary or tertiary storage device as known in the art, such as magnetic media, EPROM, EEPROM, optical media, tape, or soft or hard disk. As further described herein, ultimately, the local database 58 can hold a resident copy of the network optimization application or agent.

The system for optimization of a wireless network 14 pushes at least one network optimization application to reside, at least temporarily, on the computer platform 50 of each wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, such that wireless device selectively transmits network status data for that wireless device to another computer device on the wireless network, wherein the wireless network 14 has at least data communication between the computer devices selectively connected thereto, has a plurality of wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 that are remote from each other and wherein each device selectively communicates with other computer devices in the wireless network, such as the server 16. The network status data can include criteria such as signal strength, Ec/Io, latitude, longitude or other geographic data, time, FER, BER, RSSI, PN, system ID or network ID, model ID, etc., and can capture status data of the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, such as idle, data or voice call, dormant or running, where the status data is generated from the operation of the wireless device. In addition, the network status data can allow for specific troubleshooting of devices within the wireless network 14 based on the collected network status data. The network optimization application or agent can be permanently stored in the local database 58 of the wireless device computer platform 50 or can be only temporarily stored in the memory 56 of the wireless device computer platform 50 so that it can be executed once (or n times) to communicate network state data.

In one embodiment, the network optimization application transmits network status data from the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 to the server 16 across the wireless network 14 when requested. Optionally, network status data is communicated from the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 to the wireless network 14 over an open communication connection, such that the network status data is "piggybacked" over an open connection, such as a voice or data call in the cellular telephone 12. In a cellular network structure such as that shown in fig. 2, network status data can be transmitted to the server 16 by short message service.

The flow chart shown in fig. 3 represents a specific process of a procedure executed on the server 16 for optimizing the wireless network 14. A request to send a network optimization application (agent) is sent to the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, as shown at step 70, and the server 16 determines whether permission to transmit the agent has been received from the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, as shown at decision 72. If the server 16 has not received a license, the process ends. Otherwise, if the server 16 has received permission at decision 72, the network optimization agent is transmitted to the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, as shown at step 74, and the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 is prompted to transmit network status data to the server 16, as shown at step 76.

A determination is made as to whether the network status data has been received by the server 16, as shown at decision 78. If no network status data has been received, an error is returned to the calling process, as shown in step 80, and the process ends. Otherwise, if the network status data has been received by the server 16 at decision 78, the wireless network 14 is optimized using the collected network status data, as shown at step 82. The optimization may occur on the particular server 16 that collects the network status data, or alternatively, the optimization may occur on another computer device, such as the data management server 34, or other wireless device, such as the PC22 on the wireless network 14.

As will be detailed herein, although this step is preferred and not necessary for operation of the present invention, the server 16 also sends network optimization data back to the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, as shown at step 84, so that the device can improve its functionality to conform to the optimal network. After the optimization data is transmitted to the wireless device in step 84, a determination is made as to whether the wireless device has the necessary agents for future network status data transmissions, as shown in decision 86. If the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 has a suitable network optimization application or agent that transmits network status data, the process returns to step 76 and the wireless device is selectively prompted to transmit network status data, if necessary. Otherwise, if the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 does not have the necessary network optimization application or agent, the process returns to step 70 and attempts to download the specific application or agent onto the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 after soliciting the required end-user permission.

Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a process executing on the computer platform 50 of the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 that cooperates with the process executing on the server 16 shown in the flow chart of fig. 3. The wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 receives the request and prompts the user to download a network optimization application or agent, as shown at step 90. It should be noted that: such a prompt may come from an application installed at the time of manufacture of the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 and prompting its end user for permission to download during device configuration or at some other predetermined time. A determination is then made as to whether the end user accepts the download, as shown at decision 92. If not, the server 16 is notified that the end-user refuses to download the network optimization application or agent, as shown at step 94, and the download process terminates. Otherwise, if the end-user accepts the download at decision 92, the network optimization application or agent is downloaded (and more preferably installed immediately after downloading), as shown at step 96.

As represented by decision block 98, a determination is then made as to whether network status data has been requested, such request coming from server 16, at step 70 in FIG. 3. If a request has not been made, the thread returns to decision 98 to enter a wait state until network state data is requested. Otherwise, if network status data has been requested at decision 98, the network status data is transmitted to the requesting server 16 or other computer device on the wireless network 14, as shown at step 100. It is then determined whether network optimization data has been sent from the server 16, as shown at decision 102. This step corresponds to the network optimization data transmission step 84 of the server 16 in fig. 3 and is just one embodiment of optimizing the network through wireless device modification. If network optimization data has been received in decision block 102, the performance of the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 is improved based on the received data, as shown in step 104. If no network optimization data has been received in decision block 102, or after the wireless device has been modified in step 104, the process returns to determine whether network status data has been requested in decision block 98. If the network optimization application or agent is only temporary, the process ends after step 104 and will only resume after the network optimization application is re-downloaded, i.e., return to step 90.

Accordingly, the present system provides a method for optimizing a wireless network 14, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a wireless network 14 having at least data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto, at least one of the computer devices being a remote wireless device such as the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 including the computer platform 50 and having its end user; selectively communicating network status data from the at least one wireless device to at least one other computer device, such as a network status data collection server 16 on the wireless network 14; receiving, by at least one other computer device, the transmitted network data; and optimizing the wireless network 14 based on the received network status data. The step of optimizing the wireless network 14 can be performed on at least one computer device, such as the server 16, that receives the network status data, or on another computer device (wireless or LAN-based) on the network.

Preferably, the step of communicating network status data occurs while executing a network optimization application resident on the computer platform 50 of at least one wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12. In one embodiment, the step of transmitting network status data by at least one of the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 transmits the network status data to the server 16 across the wireless network 14. The step of transmitting the network status data can transmit the network status data over the open communication connection if the wireless device opens a communication connection from the at least one wireless device to the wireless network 14. And if the wireless network is a cellular telecommunications network as shown in fig. 2, the step of transmitting the network status data can transmit the cellular network status data from a cellular device, such as cellular telephone 12, to server 16 via the cellular telecommunications network, and can do so via short message service.

The method may further comprise the steps of: collecting, by a computer device such as server 16, the optimized network data; transmitting the optimized network data to at least one of the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 over the wireless network 14 (step 84 in FIG. 3); receiving, by at least one of the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22, the optimized network data (decision block 102 in fig. 4); and improving operation of the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 based on the received optimized network data (step 104 in fig. 4). If end-user permission is required before downloading and/or using or allowing use of the application or agent, the method can further comprise the steps of: as shown at step 70 in fig. 3, prior to downloading the network optimization application, prompting an end user of at least one of the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 for acceptance of the network optimization application; and then proceeds to the step of downloading the network optimization application to at least one of the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 (step 74). The method can also include the steps of: the end user of at least one of the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22 is identified using any method known in the art, such as a MIN, PIN, device ID, or specific user ID.

The wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22, which may be part of the system or separate from the system, has at least one network optimization application resident (permanently or temporarily) on its computer platform 50 that is capable of selectively communicating network state data for the wireless device to another computer device (e.g., server 16) on the wireless network 14. If the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 is implemented as described above, the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 transmits network status data to the wireless network 14 over an open communication connection, such as an open voice or data call. As shown in fig. 2, if the wireless device is a cellular telephone 12 and the wireless network is a cellular telecommunications network, then the network status data can be transmitted by short message service.

In view of the method being executable on the computer platform of the wireless device 12, 18, 20, 22 and the server 16, the system may be implemented with a program resident on a computer readable medium, where the program directs the computer device 12, 18, 20, 22 with the device platform 50 to perform the steps of the method. Such a program can be executed on any single computer platform or in multiple threads on multiple computer platforms. Further, the present invention includes a program that instructs a computer device such as the server 16 to execute the steps of: the network is optimized by collecting and processing network status data from the wireless devices 12, 18, 20, 22.

The computer readable medium may be the memory 56 of the computer platform 50 of the cellular telephone 12 or other wireless device 18, 20, 22 or may be in a local database, such as the local database 58 of the device platform 50. Further, the computer readable medium may be a secondary storage media that is loadable onto a wireless device computer platform, such as a magnetic disk or tape, optical disk, hard disk, flash memory, or other storage media as is known in the art.

In the context of fig. 3 and 4, the methods of the present invention may be implemented, for example, by operative portions of the wireless network 14 and/or LAN30, such as the device platform 50 and server 16, executing a sequence of machine-readable instructions. The instructions can reside in various types of signal bearing media, or in data storage primary, secondary, and tertiary media. For example, the media may comprise RAM (not shown) accessible by, or residing within, the components of the wireless network 14 or LAN 30. Whether contained in RAM, a diskette, or other secondary storage media, the instructions may be stored on a variety of machine-readable data storage media, such as DASD storage (e.g., a conventional "hard disk" or a RAID array), magnetic tape, electronic read-only memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM), flash memory cards, an optical storage device (e.g., CD-ROM, WORM, DVD, digital optical tape), paper "punch" cards, or other suitable data storage media including digital and analog transmission media.

While the above disclosure shows exemplary embodiments of the invention, it should be noted that: various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Furthermore, although elements of the invention may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

Claims (40)

1. A system for wireless network optimization, comprising:

a wireless network having at least data communication from a computer device selectively connected thereto;

a plurality of wireless devices remote from each other, each device selectively communicating with other computer devices over the wireless network, each wireless device including a computer platform and having an end user thereof; and

at least one network optimization application resident on the computer platform of each wireless device that causes that wireless device to selectively transmit network state data for that wireless device to another computer device on the wireless network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network optimization application transmits the network status data from that wireless device to a server across the wireless network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network status data is communicated over an open communication connection from the wireless device to the wireless network.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone and the wireless network is a cellular telecommunications network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the network status data is transmitted to the server via short message service.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the network optimization application is transmitted to the computer platform of the wireless device over the wireless network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the end user of the wireless device is prompted to accept or provide permission for the network optimization application prior to downloading the network optimization application from the wireless network or hosting the application for use.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the server collects network status data from a plurality of wireless devices and optimizes the wireless network based on the collected data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the network optimization data is transmitted to the plurality of wireless devices.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the network optimization application identifies the end-user of the wireless device.

11. A system for wireless network optimization, comprising:

network means for providing a wireless network for at least transmitting data;

a plurality of wireless communication means for at least transmitting data to other computer devices over the wireless network; and

optimization means for optimizing the wireless network, the network optimization means residing on each wireless communication device.

12. A system for wireless network optimization, comprising:

network means for providing a wireless network for at least transmitting data;

a plurality of wireless communication means for at least transmitting data to other computer devices over the wireless network; and

an optimization device to optimize the wireless network, the network optimization device residing on the network device.

13. A method for optimizing a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

establishing a wireless network having at least data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto, at least one computer device being a remote wireless device comprising a computer platform and having an end user thereof;

selectively transmitting network status data from at least one wireless device to at least one other computer device on the wireless network;

receiving the transmitted network data in the at least one other computer device; and

optimizing the wireless network based on the received network status data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of optimizing the wireless network is performed on the at least one computer device receiving the network status data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of communicating network status data is performed by executing a network optimization application resident on said computer platform of said at least one wireless device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of transmitting the network status data from the at least one wireless device transmits the network status data to a server across the wireless network.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: opening a communication connection from the at least one wireless device to the wireless network, and wherein the step of transmitting network status data transmits the network status data over the open communication connection.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless network is a cellular telecommunications network and the step of transmitting network status data transmits cellular network status data to the server over the cellular telecommunications network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of transmitting network status data transmits network status data from said cellular device to said server via short message service.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

collecting, at the computer device, the optimized network data;

transmitting the optimized network data to the at least one wireless device over the wireless network;

receiving the optimized network data at the at least one wireless device; and

improving operation of the wireless device based on the received optimized network data.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

downloading the network optimization application to the at least one wireless device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

prompting the end user of the at least one wireless device to accept the network optimization application prior to downloading the network optimization application.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

identifying the end user of the at least one wireless device.

24. A method for optimizing a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

establishing a wireless network, wherein the wireless network at least has data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto;

a transmitting step for selectively transmitting network status data from at least one computer device to at least one other computer device on the wireless network;

a receiving step of receiving the transmitted network data in the other computer device; and

an optimization step for optimizing the wireless network based on the received network status data.

25. A wireless device for selectively communicating with other computer devices across a wireless network, the wireless device including a computer platform and having an end-user thereof, and at least one network optimization application resident on its computer platform, causing selective communication of network status data of the wireless device to another computer device on the wireless network.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the network status data is communicated over an open communication connection from the wireless device to the wireless network.

27. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone and the wireless network is a cellular telecommunications network.

28. The wireless device of claim 27, wherein the network status data is transmitted via short message service.

29. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the network optimization application is downloaded to the computer platform of the wireless device over the wireless network.

30. The wireless device of claim 29, wherein the end user of the wireless device is prompted to accept the network optimization application prior to downloading the network optimization application from the wireless network.

31. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless device further receives network optimization data from another computer device over the wireless network and improves operation of the wireless device based on the received data.

32. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the network optimization application identifies the end-user of that wireless device within the network status data.

33. A program on a computer readable medium, which when executed, instructs a server on a wireless network having at least data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto, at least one computer device being a remote wireless device comprising a computer platform and having an end user thereof, to perform the steps of:

selecting to receive network status data for the at least one wireless device; and

optimizing the wireless network based on the received network status data.

34. The program of claim 33, wherein the step of optimizing the wireless network is performed on the server receiving the network status data.

35. The program of claim 33, further instructing the server to perform the steps of:

downloading the network optimization application onto the at least one wireless device.

36. The program of claim 35, further instructing the server to wait for end user permission before downloading the network optimization application.

37. A program on a computer readable medium, which when executed, instructs a wireless device on a wireless network having at least data communication between computer devices selectively connected thereto to perform the steps of:

selectively collecting network status data for the wireless device; and

selectively transmitting the collected network status data from the wireless device to at least one other computer device on the wireless network.

38. The program of claim 37, further instructing the wireless device to perform the steps of:

opening a communication connection from the at least one wireless device to the wireless network, and wherein the step of transmitting network status data transmits the network status data over the open communication connection.

39. The program of claim 37, further instructing the wireless device to perform the steps of:

receiving optimized network data of another computer device over the wireless network; and

modifying operation of the wireless device based on the received optimized network data.

40. The program of claim 37, further instructing the wireless device to perform the steps of:

the end user is identified within the network status data.