Frame-based network condition indicator for user equipment including for 5g or other next generation user equipment

Abstract

The disclosed technology is directed towards a frame-based indicator that can convey current network condition information and the type and quality of service currently available. The frame-based indicator can fit the shape of a user equipment, such as surrounding the display screen. The frame can be used to indicate various network information, including, but not limited to signal power, signal quality, noise, type of band available, network speeds and network latency. Network quality and types of services can be differentiated by frame size, frame pattern, frame color, frame color intensity, frame background gradient, frame flash pattern, frame animation, and so forth. The operating system and application programs can use the frame-based indicator to convey the various network-related information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A user equipment, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions which, when executed by the processor of the user equipment subscribed to a communication network, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 rendering of a frame-based indicator, via a rectangular display screen of the user equipment, wherein the frame-based indicator visibly conveys current network condition information relating to a user program executing on the user equipment, wherein the frame-based indicator comprises a first display area that wraps continuously along at least three sides of a border of the rectangular display screen and surrounds a portion of a second display area of the rectangular display screen that does not convey the current network condition information, and different display characteristics of the frame-based indicator concurrently indicate different parts of the current network condition information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the current network condition information comprises at least one of: signal power information, or signal quality information. 
     
     
         3 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the different display characteristics comprises at least one of frame size, frame thickness, frame texture pattern, frame color, or frame color intensity. 
     
     
         4 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the different display characteristics are user customizable. 
     
     
         5 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the current network condition information is indicative of a quality of service the user program is predicted to experience. 
     
     
         6 . The user equipment of  claim 1 , wherein the rendering of the frame-based indicator occurs for a defined amount of time from initiation of the executing of the user program. 
     
     
         7 . The user equipment of  claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise, in response to expiration of the defined amount of time, terminating the rendering of the frame-based indicator, wherein the second display area is expanded to encompass a part of the rectangular display screen previously occupied by the first display area. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 executing, by a mobile device comprising a processor, a user application; and   displaying, by the mobile device, via a rectangular display screen, a frame-based indicator that indicates the current network condition information relating to the user application, wherein the frame-based indicator comprises a first display area that wraps continuously along at least three sides of a border of the rectangular display screen and surrounds a portion of a second display area of the rectangular display screen that does not indicate the current network condition information, and different display characteristics of the frame-based indicator concurrently indicate different parts of the current network condition information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the current network condition information comprises at least one of: noise information, or type of available band information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the different display characteristics comprises at least one of frame opacity, frame shadow, or frame background gradient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the different display characteristics are user customizable. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the current network condition information is indicative of a performance the user application has been predicted to experience. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the rendering of the frame-based indicator occurs for a defined amount of time upon initiation of the executing of the user application. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to expiration of the defined amount of time, terminating, by the mobile device, the displaying of the frame-based indicator, wherein the second display area is expanded to encompass a part of the rectangular display screen previously occupied by the first display area. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of user equipment, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 initiating execution of a program; and   outputting a frame-based indicator, via a rectangular display screen of the user equipment, wherein the frame-based indicator conveys current network condition information relating to the program, displayed on the rectangular display screen, wherein the frame-based indicator comprises a first display area that wraps continuously along at least three sides of a border of the rectangular display screen and surrounds a portion of a second display area of the rectangular display screen that does not convey the current network condition information, and different display characteristics of the frame-based indicator concurrently indicate different parts of the current network condition information.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the current network condition information comprises at least one of network speed information, network congestion information, or network latency information. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the different display characteristics comprises at least one of frame flashing rate, frame flashing pattern, or frame animation. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the different display characteristics are user customizable. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the current network condition information is indicative of a quality of service the program is predicted to experience. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the outputting of the frame-based indicator occurs for a defined amount of time after initiation of displaying of the program.