FI111435B - A method and system for providing a location-dependent service to a mobile station in a telecommunications network - Google Patents

Description

111435

A method and system for providing a location-dependent service to a mobile station in a telecommunications network

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to a method and system for providing location-dependent services in a telecommunications network by means of discrete messages, and in particular short messages, or short messages (SMS).

By telecommunication network is meant herein any telecommunication system that uses wireless communication when users move within the service area of the system, such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or the like.

The number of services offered in a wireless communication network can be increased by providing location-based value-added services, that is, value-added services tailored to the user's location. Such value-added services 15 include, for example, regional weather forecasts, local entertainment information, schedules, traffic conditions, locating nearest service points such as a pharmacy or police, and locating a mobile terminal user in an emergency.

The location of the mobile station in the telecommunications network area can be determined by several methods. Positioning typically uses measurement data provided by a mobile station active in a communication network, for example to perform a handover function and to monitor call quality. Such measurement information includes, but is not limited to, Cell ... Identity (CID), Location Area (LAC), Used Radio Channel and its Strength, Timing Advance, and Channels and Strengths of Surrounding Radio Cells. For example, the Any Time Interrogation (ATI) function of the Mobile Application Part (MAPv3) allows the GSM system to request the location of a mobile station from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) when there is a radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network. The ATI function provides cellular location with cellular accuracy, which is enough accuracy to provide most location-dependent value-added services. However, the positioning itself is not directly an object of the present invention and the positioning details are therefore not relevant to the present invention. Positioning is described in 3GPP spe-35 specification: 3G TS 22.071 v3.2.0, Location Services (LCS), Service Description, stagel.

2 111435

However, for example, the location information obtained with the ATI function is accurate (at cellular level) only when the GSM network has a radio connection to the mobile station (the mobile station is active) when requesting the location information. However, when short messages are sent or received from the mobile station, the radio connection is only on for a short period of time, and thus obtaining accurate location information is uncertain. Therefore, at least the current arrangements cannot reliably provide location-based services via short messages that would automatically determine the location of the mobile station.

In known solutions, location-dependent services can be used by defining the location area in the service request itself. For example, the user of the service must define for himself the location on the basis of which the location-dependent service is formed.

Figure 1 shows an example of a prior art signaling scheme. In step 1-1, a service request message identifying the desired service and location is sent from the mobile station via the Short Message Service Center (SMSC) to the service provider. In step 1-3, the service is established based on the given location and in step 1-6, a service message containing the requested service is returned to the mobile station via SMSC. This service request message may be, for example, "WEATHER 20 TAMPERE" which will receive a weather forecast for the Tampere region.

However, providing the above method with services based on more accurate location-specific information, such as the location and opening hours of the nearest hotel or restaurant, would increase the number of different areas, making it more difficult to use service bills. For the sake of the flexibility and convenience of location-dependent services, it would be expedient to be able to provide, via short messages, services which automatically determine the location of a mobile station.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus implementing the method so that the above problems can be solved. The objects of the invention are achieved by a method and system which are characterized by what is stated in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the fact that when the mobile station and the communication network communicate by means of discrete messages, preferably SMS messages, whereby the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network is only for a short time, the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network is prolonged. In other words, the radio link between the mobile station and the communication network is kept open for more than necessary to transmit a single discrete message.

In the method of the invention, discrete messages are transmitted between the mobile station and the service provider over a telecommunications network. The radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network is maintained for longer than would be necessary to transmit a single discrete message, and the location information of the 10 mobile stations is retrieved from the communication network during said radio connection. The location dependent service is then formed based on said location information and a service message containing the location dependent service is sent to the mobile station.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a service request message is sent from the mobile station requesting a location dependent service, and in response to the service request message, an acknowledgment message is delayed to extend the radio connection.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the radio connection is extended by sending a wait message to the mobile station instructing the mobile station 20 to wait for the next message. The wait message can be sent in response to a service request message, or it can be sent at the initiative of the service provider without sending a service request message from the mobile station.

An advantage of the method and system of the invention is that the location information of the mobile station is made available to the service provider when the mobile station and the communication network communicate by means of discrete messages.

In this way, location-based services can be provided via short messages that automatically determine the location of the mobile station. For example, in a GSM system, the invention is simple to implement and does not require major modifications, since standardized GSM features can be used in the invention.

List of figures

The invention will now be further described in connection with preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an example of a prior art Signa-35 warp diagram; 4, 111435

Figure 2A is a block diagram of a system according to the invention;

Fig. 2B is a signaling diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a signaling diagram of a method according to another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a signaling diagram of a method according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is described below in connection with the GSM system and short messages in order to better illustrate the features of the invention. However, the invention is applicable to any other similar system.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a system according to the invention comprising a communication network 20 comprising a MSC / VLR message center with a Visitor Location Register, a HLR (Home Location Register) connected to a MS, Station Subsystem) comprising one or more Base Stations (BS) and a Base Station Controller (BSC) through which the mobile station MS is connected to a communications network 20. The system further comprises a Service Control Point (SCP) through which the service provider 21 is connected to a communication network and a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) which transmits short messages between the mobile station and the service provider. According to the invention, the SMSC is adapted to determine or receive information on the need for location information of a mobile station (MS) and, based on this information, to keep the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network longer than necessary for transmitting one short message. All components of the system are known components of the GSM system, so they are not described in further detail herein.

Figures 2B, 3 and 4 show signaling diagrams according to some embodiments of the invention. Steps corresponding to each other are denoted by the same reference numerals in these signaling diagrams. The dashed bars on the left side of the signaling diagrams 35 illustrate the duration of the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network.

5, 111435

FIG. 2B is a signaling diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention wherein the radio connection between a mobile station and a service provider is prolonged by sending a wait message to the mobile station telling the mobile station to wait for the next message. A wait message is sent in response to the service request message.

In step 2-1, a service request message requesting location-dependent service is sent from the mobile station MS to the short message service center SMSC. The SMSC forwards the service request message to the service provider and acknowledges the service request message to the mobile station in step -10a-2-3. In response to the service request message, the service provider sends a wait request to the SMSC in step 2-4 stating that the location information of the mobile station (MS) is required and to which the SMSC responds in step 2-5 to a wait message telling the mobile station to wait for the next message. In the case of an exemplary GSM system, this to-15 is accomplished by setting the GSM More Messages to Send parameter in the waiting message, whereby the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network is not disconnected upon receipt of the waiting message. If needed, several such waiting messages can be sent to keep in touch for even longer. If multiple wait messages are transmitted, they are preferably overwritten in the mobile station over the previous waiting message. In the case of the GSM system, this is accomplished by setting TP-Protocol Identifier = Replace Short Message Type x in the waiting message. In step 2-6, the mobile station acknowledges the wait message received.

.. In steps 2-7 ... 2-12, during said radio connection, the service provider requests the location information of the mobile station MS from the SCP, which requests it by means of the ATI function to the HLR. and the location information is returned to the service provider via the same route. However, restoring the location information does not necessarily require asking for the user information 30 (Subscriber info), but the SCP may alternatively request the user information from the MSC / VLR using the PSI message only after the location information has been restored (step 2-12). Next, in step 2-13, the service provider sets up the requested location dependent service based on the received location information. In step 2-14, a service message 35 containing a location dependent service is transmitted to the mobile station MS and in step 2-16 the mobile station acknowledges the SMSC with the service message 6111435. Preferably, the service message is overwritten on the wait message in the mobile station in order to avoid unnecessarily filling the mobile station memory.

FIG. 3 is a signaling diagram of a method according to another embodiment of the invention, wherein the radio connection between a mobile station and a service provider is prolonged by delaying an acknowledgment message to be sent in response to a wait message to the mobile station.

As in FIG. 2B, in step 2-1, a service request message requesting a location-dependent service is sent from the mobile station MS to the short message service center SMSC. The SMSC forwards the service request message 10 to the service provider but, in step 2-2, detects from the service request message that location information is required. Because the location information is required, the SMSC does not yet acknowledge the service request message received towards the mobile station. Thus, the mobile station will wait for the acknowledgment and the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network is not disconnected. For example, in a GSM system, 15 radio connections can be kept open for about 10 seconds in this way, which is usually sufficient to request location information.

In steps 2-7 to 2-12, the service provider requests the location information of the mobile station MS during the radio connection, as explained in connection with Figure 2B. In step 3-3, the SMSC sends a delayed acknowledgment 20 to the mobile station in a service request message sent in step 2-1, as a result of which the radio connection between the mobile station and the communication network is terminated. In step 2-13, the service provider sets up the requested location dependent service based on the received location information, and in step 2-14, a service message containing the location dependent service is sent to the mobile station MS and acknowledged by the mobile station in step 2-16.

FIG. 4 is a signaling diagram of a method according to yet another embodiment of the invention wherein the radio connection between a mobile station and a service provider is prolonged by sending a wait message to the mobile station instructing the mobile station to wait for the next message. This method 30 is otherwise similar to the method shown in Fig. 2B, but now the service is transmitted at the initiative of the service provider without sending a service request message from the mobile station. For example, a user may request a specific location-dependent service on a regular basis to his or her mobile device, such as local weather or a traffic bulletin every morning. Such a service always applies to exactly 35 areas where the mobile station is located, even if the location of the mobile station varies from day to day.

7, 111435

In step 4-4, the service provider sends the SMSC a start request stating that the location information of the mobile station (MS) is required and in response to the SMSC sends a wait message in step 2-5 to the mobile station MS to wait for the next word the radio connection is maintained and the mobile station waits for the next short message.

In steps 2-7 to 2-12, during said radio connection, the service provider requests the location information of the mobile station MS as explained in connection with Figure 2B and in step 2-13, the service provider establishes the requested location-dependent service based on the received location information. Further, in step 2-14 the service message containing the location dependent service is transmitted to the mobile station MS and in step 2-16 the mobile station acknowledges the SMSC with the service message received. Preferably, the service message is overwritten on the wait message in the mobile station in order to avoid unnecessarily filling the mobile station memory.

It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above, but may vary within the scope of the claims.

• · <1 <1 · «

Claims (9)

111435 A method for delivering a location-dependent service to a mobile station (MS) in a communication network (20) connected to a mobile station (MS) and a service provider (21), comprising: transmitting discrete messages between the mobile station (MS) and the service provider (21) over a telecommunications network (20) characterized by: maintaining a radio link between the mobile station (MS) and the communication network (20) longer than necessary to transmit one discrete message, retrieving (2-7 ... 2-12) the location information of the mobile station (MS) from the communication network (20). 20) during said radio connection, establishing (2-13) a location-dependent service based on said location information, and sending (2-14) a service message containing the location-dependent service to the mobile station (MS). A method according to claim 1, characterized by transmitting (2-1) from the mobile station (MS) a service request message requesting a location dependent service, detecting (2-2) from the service request message that the location information of the mobile station (MS) is required, transmitting (2-3) ) for the mobile station (MS), an acknowledgment message in response to a service request message, and 25 in response to the need for location information, maintaining a radio link between the mobile station (MS) and the communication network (20) for longer than necessary to transmit a single discrete message. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that: · sending (2-1) from the mobile station (MS) to the service provider (21) a service request message requesting a location dependent service, sending (2-4) a wait request from the service provider (21) to the communication network (20). indicating that the location information of the mobile station (MS) is required, 35 and 111435 g of radio communication is maintained between the mobile station (MS) and the communication network (20) longer than would be required to transmit one discrete message by sending (2-5) a wait message , wherein the wait message tells the mobile station (MS) to wait for the next message. A method according to claim 1, characterized by transmitting (4-4) an initial request from the service provider (21) to the telecommunication network (20) stating that the location information of the mobile station (MS) is required and maintaining radio communication between the mobile station (MS) and the telecommunication network 20) sometimes longer than necessary to transmit a single discrete message by sending (2-5) to the mobile station (MS) a wait message in response to a start request in which the mobile station (MS) is instructed to wait for the next message. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a plurality of wait messages are transmitted to the mobile station (MS), and a new wait message is always written in the mobile station (MS) over the previous wait message. Method according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the service message is written on the wait message in the mobile station (MS). Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the discrete messages are short messages. A system for providing a location-dependent service to a mobile station (MS), comprising a communication network (20) to which the mobile station (MS) and a service provider (21) are connected, and a network element adapted to transmit discrete messages from the service provider (21) and the mobile station (MS). ), characterized in that the network element is adapted to: determine or receive information that the location information of the mobile station (MS) is required and, based on this information, maintain a radio connection between the mobile station (MS) and the communication network (20) to convey a discrete message. 111435 A system according to claim 8, characterized in that said network element is a short message service center (SMSC). 111435