Fault monitoring by assessing spatial distribution of queries in a utility supply network

1. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of queries from a plurality of sources, each query being a query from a respective user device about the performance of the utility supply network and including a) a respective geographic location as determined by said user device, and b) a time;

determining an area surrounding each geographic location;

merging determined areas into a merged area extending over a spatial zone;

allocating to a group those queries having a geographic location in the merged area;

counting a number of unique users that have made queries in the group within a predetermined time window;

determining whether the number of unique users that have made queries in the group, from at least two of the plurality of sources, exceeds a threshold; and

subsequent to determining that the number exceeds the threshold, doing at least one of:

determining that equipment serving the spatial zone warrants fault-finding inspection; or

responding to at least one query with an indication that there appears to be a fault in the utility supply network related to the spatial zone.

2. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 1 , wherein, to be allocated to the group, a query must relate to a location within a predetermined distance of a location of a query that is already in the group.

3. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 1 , wherein the utility supply network is a mobile communications network and, to be allocated to the group, a query must relate to a location that falls within a coverage area of a predetermined base station of the utility supply network.

4. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the queries relate to a same location.

5. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to determining that equipment serving the spatial zone warrants fault-finding inspection, inspecting equipment serving the spatial zone for faults.

6. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 5 , further comprising, after inspecting equipment serving the spatial zone for faults, remedying a fault located in that equipment.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a size of the area determined around each geographic location depends on a type of the geographic location.

8. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of queries about a performance of the network, each query being a query at a respective time from a respective user device about the performance of the network in a respective location as determined by said respective user device;

counting a number of unique users that have made queries about a particular location in the utility supply network within a predetermined time window;

determining whether the number of unique users exceeds a threshold; and

subsequent to determining that the number of unique users exceeds the threshold, doing at least one of:

determining that equipment serving the particular location warrants fault-finding inspection; or

responding to a query about the performance of the network at the particular location with an indication that there appears to be a fault in the network related to the particular location.

9. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 8 , further comprising determining, from an identity associated with a user device used to submit a particular performance query for the particular location, that a user submitting the particular performance query is unique among the user or users that have already submitted a performance query for the particular location.

10. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 9 , wherein the identity is at least one of: an assigned number, an international mobile subscriber identity, an International Mobile Equipment Identifier or a Media Access Control address.

11. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 8 further comprising, subsequent to determining that equipment serving the particular location warrants fault-finding inspection, inspecting equipment serving the particular location for faults.

12. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network according to claim 11 , further comprising, after inspecting equipment serving the particular location for faults, remedying a fault located in that equipment.

13. A network monitoring tool for fault monitoring in a utility supply network, the tool comprising:

an input for receiving a plurality of queries from a plurality of sources, each query being a query from a respective user device about the performance of the utility supply network and including a) a respective geographic location determined by said respective user device, and b) a time; and

a data processor configured to:

determine an area surrounding each geographic location;

merge determined areas into a merged area extending over a spatial zone;

allocate to a group those queries having a geographic location in the merged area;

count a number of unique users that have made queries in the group within a predetermined time window;

determine whether the number of unique users that have made queries in the group, from at least two of the plurality of sources, exceeds a threshold; and

subsequent to determining that the number exceeds the threshold, do at least one of:

determining that equipment serving the spatial zone warrants fault-finding inspection; or

responding to at least one query with an indication that there appears to be a fault in the utility supply network related to the spatial zone.

14. A network monitoring tool according to claim 13 , wherein the data processor is configured such that, to be allocated to the group, a query must relate to a location within a predetermined distance of a location of a query that is already in the group.

15. A network monitoring tool according to claim 13 , wherein the utility supply network is a mobile communications network and, the data processor is configured such that, to be allocated to the group, a query must relate to a location that falls within a coverage area of a predetermined base station of the utility supply network.

16. A network monitoring tool according to claim 13 , wherein a plurality of the queries relate to a same location.

17. The network monitoring tool of claim 13 , wherein a size of the area determined around each geographic location depends on a type of the geographic location.

18. A network monitoring tool for fault monitoring in a utility supply network, the tool comprising:

an input for receiving a plurality of queries about a performance of the network, each query being a query at a respective time, from a respective user device about the performance of the network in a respective location determined by said respective user device; and

a data processor configured to:

count a number of unique users that have made queries about a particular location in the network within a predetermined time window;

determine whether the number of unique users exceeds a threshold; and

subsequent to determining that the number exceeds the threshold, do at least one of:

determining that equipment serving the particular location warrants fault-finding inspection; or

responding to a query about the performance of the network at the particular location with an indication that there appears to be a fault in the network related to the particular location.

19. A network monitoring tool according to claim 18 , wherein the data processor is further configured to determine, from an identity associated with a user device used to submit a particular query for the particular location, that a user submitting the particular query is unique among the user or users that have already submitted a query for the particular location.

20. A network monitoring tool according to claim 19 , wherein the identity is at least one of: an assigned number, an international mobile subscriber identity, an International Mobile Equipment Identifier or a Media Access Control address.

21. A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of queries about a performance of the utility supply network, each query being a query at a respective time from a respective user device about the performance of the network in a respective geographical location as determined by said user device;

allocating to a group, based on the respective geographical location and the respective time of each query, those queries that both fall within a predetermined time window and exhibit a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another, wherein geographical locations of the queries in the group define a zone;

counting a number of unique users that have made queries in the group within the predetermined time window;

determining whether the number of unique users that have made queries in the group exceeds a threshold; and

subsequent to determining that the number exceeds the threshold, doing at least one of:

determining that equipment serving the zone warrants fault-finding inspection; or

responding to a query about the performance of the network at a location within the zone with an indication that there appears to be a fault in the utility supply network related to the zone.

22. A network monitoring tool for fault monitoring in a utility supply network, the tool comprising:

an input for receiving a plurality of queries about a performance of the utility supply network, each query being a query at a respective time from a respective user device about the performance of the utility supply network in a respective geographical location determined by said respective user device; and

a data processor configured to:

allocate to a group, based on the respective geographical location and the respective time of each query, those queries that both fall within a predetermined time window and exhibit a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another, wherein geographical locations of the queries in the group define a zone;

count a number of unique users that have made queries in the group within the predetermined time window;

determine whether the number of unique users that have made queries in the group exceeds a threshold; and

subsequent to determining that the number exceeds the threshold, do at least one of:

determining that equipment serving the zone warrants fault-finding inspection; or

responding to a query about the performance of the network at a location within the zone with an indication that there appears to be a fault in the network related to the zone.