KR19990035894A - One-way message transfer system upgrade device - Google Patents

Abstract

Response confirmation devices 20, 22, which are coupled to the paging network controller 10 of the one-way message transmission system to upgrade the one-way message transmission systems 10, 14, BS1 to BS3 of the response confirmation system with minimal additional cost and effort. 24, 26) are provided. The response acknowledgment device includes a receiver 22 for monitoring a message sent to the secondary station 18 on the downlink, another receiver 20 for receiving a response from the secondary station on the uplink, and a message and response. A response acknowledgment network controller 26 for matching and sending an acknowledgment to be sent to the unidirectional system to relay the response to the intended recipient. The acknowledgment network controller 26 labels the message sent on the downlink. This label is used to match messages and replies.

Description

One-way message transfer system upgrade device

In one example, a known answer back paging system is disclosed in PCT patent publication WO 96/14716. In its basic form, the example system requires a paging network controller (PNC) to arrange the messages to be sent to a given recipient. Recipients receiving the call can send a simple response via a low-power transmitter built into the pager.

Many operators of unidirectional paging systems that operate in accordance with certified protocols such as POCSAG (known as CCIR wireless paging code number 1) or the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) (ETSI) are known as two-way paging systems. You want to upgrade their system to make it work. However, these operators are reluctant to deploy equipment that is currently installed and tested, and replace it with new, unproven equipment that is expensive and contains large variations.

The present invention relates to message transmission, and more particularly to an interactive paging system.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a response acknowledgment messaging device (enclosed by broken lines) made in accordance with the present invention used in conjunction with a unidirectional paging system.

2 is a schematic block diagram of an acknowledgment messaging device having a single downlink and uplink receiver.

3 is a schematic block diagram of an auxiliary station configured with a response confirmation pager.

4A and 4B show how the invitation signal and the acknowledgment signal transmitted on the downlink are combined.

5 is a diagram illustrating transmission of an invitation signal, a CDMA response, and an analysis of a response.

6 illustrates an interlaytm operation of the CDMA response of the system.

Like reference numerals in the drawings indicate like elements.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an interactive transmission system which is inexpensive and easy to upgrade.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an acknowledgment message device for use as a one-way message transmission, in which a plurality of messages are transmitted by a primary station on the downlink to a plurality of auxiliary stations, each auxiliary The station has means for sending a message address addressed (addressed) to the secondary station on the uplink, and the acknowledgment messaging device comprises means for monitoring messages on the downlink and each response on the downlink. Means are provided for matching individual transmitted messages.

Means for monitoring messages on the downlink may include radio means tuned to the frequency of the downlink. By using a separate wireless receiver it is not necessary to establish an electrical connection directly to the unidirectional message transmission system.

The response acknowledgment messaging device further comprises relay means for relaying an outgoing message to the intended recipient or a response matched to an uplink message. The relay means may comprise means for forwarding the recovered response or message to the unidirectional message transmission system or means for sending electronic mail (mail). Alternatively, the response or message may be stored so that the intended recipient can continue to retrieve it in a manner similar to a telephone answering service.

A storage means may be provided for storing the partial origination of the downlink message and the identification of the downlink message, the message being sent to the recipient for forward transmission of a response or no response forward transmission for erasing the identification. Means of responding may be provided. By eliminating the identification in this way, the storage size can be kept to a minimum.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an acknowledgment messaging device for connecting to a one-way paging system having a main station for transmitting signals on the downlink, wherein the acknowledgment messaging device is controlled by the main station in a two-way pager. Means for sending a message, wherein the interactive pager has means for deriving from the control message an indication when initiating the transmission of the uplink message, and the acknowledgment messaging device is adapted to receive and decode the uplink message. Means, means for causing the primary station to send an acknowledgment message to the interactive pager, and means for forwarding the uplink message to the intended recipient.

First, a unidirectional message transmission will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

The unidirectional message transmission system includes a paging network controller (PNC) having a message entry port 12 for receiving relevant messages and pager numbers directly from subscribers with PCs and modems or from operators of personal computers (PCs). It is included. PNCs that contain directory holding information, such as valid protocols such as pager radio identity code (RIC), region to be paged, frequency, pager type, e.g. POCSAG (or CCIR radio paging code number 1) and ERMES. 10) is a data packet forwarded to a paging area controller (PAC 14) that combines the message with the associated RIC along with other relevant information. PAC 14 sorts the data into code words and adds error detection check bits to the code words combined in batches. Each batch is headed by a sync code word. The concatenated batch of data messages is relayed to base station transmitters B1, B2, B3 operating in quasi-synchronous mode at the downlink frequency. Receive-only or unidirectional pager 16 programmed to operate according to a given protocol is powered according to a battery saving protocol to detect pre-aligned frames and sync code words to enable detection of messages addressed in the unidirectional pager. In the case of a message for a pager exceeding the duration of the frame, it remains in an excited state.

With respect to the response confirmation messaging device shown in dashed lines, an interactive pager 18 capable of sending a short response to a message may also have one or more depending on the configuration features of the path in each signal path and the specific local location depending on the base station. It is possible to receive messages on the downlink frequency from base stations BS1, BS2, BS3.

When the interactive pager 18 confirms that the message is sent with the RIC, it receives the message and decodes it. If the user wishes to send a simple response by the integrated keypad then the user selects a pre-stored response and sends his response over the uplink with different parking numbers from the downlink when invited by the control message from the PAC 16. send. Response signals from a plurality of bidirectional pagers can be transmitted simultaneously in a frame of a CDMA signal or a time slot, and one slot can be used as a response.

At least two uplink receivers (Rx _U ) 20A, 20B receive a response signal and at least two downlink receivers (Rx _C ) 22A, 22B may receive a base so that each message can determine which message to relay. Provided for receiving a batch of message code words and addresses sent by one of the stations BS1, BS2, BS3. Outputs from receivers 20A, 20B, 22A, 22B are landed to response acknowledgment area controller (AAC) 24 that combines the response and / or corresponding messages received by Rx _d 20A and 20B and Rx _U 22A and 22B. Relayed by line link The output from the AAC 24 is relayed to an acknowledgment network controller (ANC) 26. At ANC 26, the response is interpreted and the message and response match. Optionally, the response is also interpreted at ANC 26 and the label in the downlink message matches the message and response to the caller's identification, such as the pager number or E-mail address of the caller.

The response is relayed and made available to the intended recipient in several ways. The ANC 26 is coupled with the PNC 10 via an interface 28. This interface allows the ANC 26 to route the response along with the pager number of the recipient intended for the PNC 10 to enable the response relay by the unidirectional paging system. Optionally, via the input / output port, the ANC forwards the e-mail to the intended recipient or sorts the responses to be stored for subsequent retrieval by the intended recipient, for example by contacting the storage device by way of a message reply service. do. Optionally, an unresponsive signal, such as a service request, can be transmitted on the uplink and made available to the intended recipient in the same way as the response signal.

If it is desired to send a message that requires a response from the interactive pager 18, the operator of the message sends a pager number and message to the ANC 26 via the input / output port 30. The ANC 26 handles the received data in the same way as a one-way paging message, for example a control field, such as a label, and a pager number forwarded to the PNC 10 that determines the RIC to be appended to the message and other information as described above. Append to the message. A stream (column) of messages is forwarded by the base stations BS1, BS2, BS3 to the PAC 14 for alignment in a batch structure in standby form for transmission.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 2 includes a buffer storage device 32 which stores pager numbers and related messages received by the input / output port 30. The microcontroller 34 attaches a control field containing the label used to identify the message to the pager number / message and forwards it to the PNC 10 via the interface 28. The microcontroller 34 is operated according to the program stored in the program storage device 35.

The downlink message received by Rx _d 22 is applied to the input of the matching end 36. The CDMA uplink message received by Rx _d 20 is applied to a single interpretation stage 38 where the code stored in the code storage device 40 is multiplied by each message until the message is decoded or despread. When each response is recovered it is applied to another input of matching stage 36 if it matches an individual downlink message. Next, other matching techniques will be described.

The response, along with at least the label that the microcontroller 34 attaches, is forwarded to the microcontroller where the label is compared to the label given in the message initially sent to the PNC 10 and a matching pager number is identified if a match is made. As described above, the microcontroller 34 may deliver the message according to the intended receiver's command according to the pre-store command.

With reference to FIG. 3, the interactive pager includes a receiver 42 coupled to a decoder 44 coupled to the control processor 46. The processor 46 operates according to the program stored in the read only memory 48. The processor also includes an address storage device (not shown) that includes the specific address of the pager. In the case of a pager that receives a message, the message is stored in random access memory 50. The messages are sequentially displayed on the LCD panel 54 with the coupling driver 52 connected to the control processor 46. An alarm device comprising an acoustic transducer 56, a light emitting transducer 58, and a vibrator 60 is connected to the control processor 46. The keypad 62 provides a human machine interface so that the user instructs the processor to execute various functions of displaying a message stored, for example, on the panel 54. Transmitter 64 is coupled to the output of processor 46 and to antenna 66. The receive power control stage 68 is coupled between the receiver 42 and the processor 46 to perform battery conservation in accordance with the following provisioned paging protocol. In the case of a pager transmission response signal as a spread spectrum signal, the control processor 46 stores a plurality of pseudo random codes, each code representing a particular response selected by the user operating the keypad 62. Once the selected code is relayed to the transmitter 64 for forward transmission, the power control signal is supplied by the processor 46 via the control line 70.

One method of operating a response confirmation system in which a response is transmitted as a CDMA signal will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. Base stations BS1, BS2, BS3 send a sequence of connection messages M1 through M14 in batches, each batch starting with a sync code word S. Although not shown, each of the messages M1 to M14 includes the address of the pager to which the message points. Once the transmission is complete, an invitation is made by the PNC 10 to the interactive pager 18 to send a response. Once the response has been received and interpreted, it is likely that not all messages will respond due to the far / near impact of the relatively strong CDMA signal blocking the relatively weak CDMA signal. Thus, the PNC 10 sends another invitation to pager 18 that does not respond positively to the transmission / retransmission message in a positive response to a successful matching response. One way of sending out the invitation message simultaneously informing the pager that the response was successfully interpreted is shown in FIG. 4B. The invitation signal INV2 has a field FD as the number of corresponding elements when there is a message allocated one-to-one. Thus element 3 corresponds to message M3. If the first invitation signal INV1 is transmitted, all bits in the field FD are zero indicating that no response has been received. However, after the first analysis, the positive response changes the bits in the elements 1,3,4,9,11,13 of the field FD from "0" to "1" so that the messages M1, M3, MM4, M9, M11, M13 Sent to the addressed pager. Another bit changes when more messages are answered positive.

The number of periods in which the invitation signal is transmitted may be fixed. However, if it is determined that the number of successfully decoded responses exceeds the statistically determined threshold, further iterations are stopped.

5 shows an example of an operation sequence following the transmission of a message sequence. As shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, the response includes a CDMA signal transmitted simultaneously. The first invitation signal INV1 is transmitted on the downlink. The pager detecting the addressed mesh responds to the invitation signal INV1 by sending a code sequence within a predetermined time slot RES1. The search routine SCH begins following expiration of the time slot. In the retrieval routine, the spreading codes stored in the ANC code storage device 40 (FIG. 2) are successively compared with the response code sequence and the responses to specific messages in the mesh are identified one by one. However, as described above, only a relatively strong response signal is detected and this signal is excluded from the next search. The invitation, response, and search cycles are repeated several times, each beginning with the invitation signals INV2, INV3, and the like.

In a practical system, the majority of the bidirectional phasers 18 (FIG. 1) are some distance from the antenna of the receiver 20, which means that the phasers have low power at the antenna. Thus, although the durations of the time slots RES1, RES2, RES3 are the same, as shown, the variable slot length is dependent on the expected number of responses, for example, the low number of relatively high power responses and the high number of relatively low power responses. It is therefore desirable to be allocated. Short slots are initially allocated to effectively exclude a small number of strong powers that compete for low noise and interference. Long slots are then allocated to accommodate the weak received power that competes for a large level of noise and interference.

If desired, the bidirectional pager 18 controls power at the transmitter to reduce the strength of the response signal and reduces the number of invitation / response cycles between power controls.

6, which is an improvement of the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 5, divides the pager population into two groups and interleaves the transmission of the invitation and message for one group Gp1 on the downlink by interpreting the response on the uplink from the other group Gp2. Shows that.

One way to divide the pager group is to designate the odd numbered pager as one group Gp1 and the even numbered pager as another group Gp2. An alternative method is to measure the strength (RSSI) of the received downlink signal for the bidirectional pager 18 and use a preset threshold to determine which one of the two groups belongs to.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to a digital paging system, the present invention can be used in a cellular or cordless telephone system having facilities for two-way paging.

Those skilled in the art can implement other variations of embodiments from the foregoing disclosure. Such modifications include the manufacture and use of already known design features, message transmission systems or components thereof and include other features usable in addition to or in place of the features described above. Although the claims are composed of specific combinations of features, the scope of the disclosure of this application is also the generality of whether the invention relates to the same invention as claimed in any of the claims, or to alleviate all or any identical technical problems with the invention. And any novel feature or novel feature combination that discloses clarity or connotation. The applicant hereby may claim that new claims are formulated with such features and / or combinations of features between the duration of any further derived application or the duration of the present application.

The present invention can be used to upgrade a unidirectional communication system to a bidirectional system without making any major changes to existing installed equipment.

Claims (9)

In a response acknowledgment message device for use as a one-way message transmission, a plurality of messages are sent by the primary station on the downlink to the plurality of secondary stations, with each secondary station transmitting a designated address to the secondary station on the uplink. Means for monitoring messages on the downlink, and means for matching each response with an individual message sent on the downlink. Response verification messaging device. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for relaying a response matching the recipient. 3. A response acknowledgment messaging device according to claim 2, wherein said response relay means comprises an E-mail transmission means. 3. A response acknowledgment messaging device according to claim 2, wherein said response relay means comprises means for forwarding a recovery response to the one-way message transmission system, whereby the response is transmitted as a one-way paging signal. 2. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein storage means for storing a downlink message and an identification of the original path of the downlink message is provided, wherein a non-response or forward response to the message at the receiver for erasing the identification from the storage means is provided. And means for responding are provided. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for matching a response signal to the transmitted message generates an acknowledgment signal that is forwarded on the downlink to the primary transmission station, and in response to the matching of all acknowledgment responses, the matching means is uplinked. And means for generating at least one invitation message relayed to the primary transmission station on the downlink inviting the secondary station not receiving an acknowledgment to send / retransmit the response on the reply. . In a response acknowledgment messaging device for connecting to a unidirectional paging system having a main station for transmitting a signal on a downlink, means for causing the main station to send a control message in a bidirectional pager, the bidirectional pager being an uplink message Means for deriving from the control message an indication when initiating the transmission of the message, the acknowledgment messaging device comprising means for receiving and decoding the uplink message, and the main station sending an acknowledgment message to the interactive pager; Means for transmitting and means for forwarding an uplink message to an intended recipient. 8. The response of claim 7, wherein the uplink message is transmitted as a CDMA signal and the receiving and decoding means comprises means for performing a code search on the received uplink signal to despread the message. Check messaging device. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the main station sends a message on the downlink, the message invites a two-way pager to send a response to the message on the uplink, and means for matching the message response is provided, A response is acknowledged by the main station, and by the matching means the main station sends another control message inviting a two-way pager that does not receive a positive response to send / receive a response. Device.