MXPA02001059A

MXPA02001059A - Method for performing wireless mobile instant messaging.

Info

Publication number: MXPA02001059A
Application number: MXPA02001059A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Bhuta Mahesh
Original assignee: Motorola Inc
Priority date: 2000-05-31
Filing date: 2001-05-24
Publication date: 2002-10-31
Also published as: BR0106709A; CN1381002A; CA2380815A1; KR20020016930A; KR100448947B1; AU2001269711A1; WO2001093047A1

Abstract

A first mobile station (102) is used to send a message to a second mobile station (118). The user of the first mobile station designates the second mobile station as the target, and composes a message either by recording speech or entering a text message on the first mobile station. The mobile station then transmits the message and target identifier to a fixed equipment network including an EBTS (104), BSC (106) and a mobile data gateway (108). The MDG uses dispatch calling resources to route the message without queuing or storing the message by obtaining the present location of the second mobile station from a dispatch visit location register (112). The MDG then routes the message similarly to setting up a dispatch call between the first and second mobile stations.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to wireless mobile communication systems, and more particularly to methods for sending messages between mobile communication devices and between mobile communication devices and customers using data network equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wireless mobile communications have had a profound impact on the way many people conduct their business, and have provided great convenience to the general public. However, in some situations, it may be inappropriate or otherwise undesirable to use a mobile communications device, such as during an important business meeting, or at any other time considered disruptive. It may still be desirable to transmit or receive a brief non-verbal message that is not necessarily any; vice among fixed computing stations, such as by email, or to a mobile device such as a people locator. Some methods are even provided for pseudoreal time response, such as the so-called online chat where multiple users can simultaneously join a discussion with little apparent latency. The instant messaging service, as it has been known, is a variety of online chat where the discussion is between two people located in 'remote stations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The instant messaging service and online chat involve, in general, activating a software program on a computer that connects to a network. The software program is a "client" of instant messaging service which runs on a general-purpose computer connected to a network. Upon activation, the target client requests the user account information, and connects to a message service server. The instant messaging service client transmits the account information to the message service server, together with the present network address of the machine that is currently used for the instant instant messaging service session. This will 10 allows the user to use different machines at different times with the same instant messaging service account, assuming that the machine has a copy of the instant messaging service client program and 15 connects to the network. An instant message is an alphanumeric text string composed of a first user, typically in a text entry window in the user's program infer, which is sent to a second user or a user. 20 group of users by the instant messaging service server. The server sends this message in advance to the customer of the final recipient and the client displays the message as soon as it is received. 25 The fact that the services of I n s t ant a n e n c o n d e n d e n d e d e d e d e d o rm on servers that queue messages indicates that there is always a server processing delay, which may be noticeable during peak message traffic times. Other types of message services, such as people location and email (e ail) also suffer from inherent send latency during periods of peak network activity. Wireless instant messaging service such as people location and email offer the benefit of mobility and may present minimal disturbances, unlike receiving a mobile phone call where the user joins a conversation with the calling party after to receive a call. Therefore, there is a need for a mobile instant messaging wireless service system for mobile clients that do not delay messages, even during peak traffic times.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The Figure shows a communications system for carrying out the wireless instant messaging service according to the invention.; Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for carrying out the wireless instant messaging service between mobile communications devices, according to the invention; and Figure 3 shows a diagram of a typical data packet that includes a header and a payload; Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of a method for determining whether a mobile station is currently online, according to the invention; Figure 5 shows a flow chart of a method for carrying out the wireless instant messaging service between a mobile station and a network chat client, in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of a method for performing the wireless instant message service between a mobile station and a network chat client, according to the invention. »» & DETAILED OF THE INVENTION Although the specification concludes with the claims defining the features of the invention that are considered novel, it is considered that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings, in which carry similar reference numbers. A brief description of the prior art is also considered useful. As mentioned previously, the prior art message service for wireless systems, and for many wired network systems, requires queuing at the server. By queuing on the server, it is understood that the message sent from the sender's computer is temporarily stored on a server before being sent. Examples of such systems include email, locating people, and internet chat message service. A chat server can also duplicate messages so that they can be routed to multiple users. Ed-based message service is determined by the amount of dedicated resources and the volume of message service traffic. Obviously, as the volume of traffic increases, there is more demand on the resources of the system, and at some point there are delays in the sending of messages. In addition, many systems 10 of message service are blind, such as people's location systems, understanding that the sender has no way of knowing if the intended recipient actually received the message. The present invention mitigates these problems by avoiding the use of a server, and providing feedback as to whether the intended recipient actually received the message sent or not. 20 through the use of a direct client client communication through the network In the modality the message is transmitted through the system without queuing in any server A benefit of using a distribution channel 25 instead of a more conventional duplex channel is that only half of the system resources used for a duplex connection are used because only a half-duplex connection is needed at any time. Referring now to Figure 1, a communications system 100 is shown to perform the wireless instant message service, in accordance with the invention. A mobile communications device or mobile station 102, connected through an aerial inferium 103 to a fixed equipment network including an enhanced base transceiver (EBTS) 104, is shown. The mobile station comprises a display means for displaying such information. as text and various icons, and an input medium such as an alphanumeric keyboard. It is a mobile wireless communication device, comprising that the mobile station can move from position to position within a service area and that it can maintain contact with the fixed equipment network when it is transferred to different base sites, as is known in the art. . In addition, the mobile station is capable of making both distribution and telephone calls, such as any of the devices, and - * »communications sold under the iDEN trademark, manufactured by Motorola, Inc. These devices have a" push to talk "feature that allows the mobile station to join calls from distribution with one or more stations. The EBTS is operably connected to a base site controller (BSC) 106, which controls one or more EBTS units at a given site to establish a service call. The BSC in turn is operably connected to, among other network devices, a mobile data access (MDG) 108. The BSC can also be operably connected to, for example, a mobile switching center (not shown), as known in the art, to establish duplex telephone calls through a public switched telephone network. By distribution call it is understood any type of semi-duplex communication in which the parties alternately speak and listen. This can happen between two mobile operators, or from one to many mobile operators in a so-called fast mode, as it is known in the Efe ** matter. As used herein, the term should not be confused with the most common meaning, and narrower understanding how it is used in, for example, public safety radio systems. The MDG 108 is operably connected to a distribution application processor (DAP) 110, which is a communications agent processor to facilitate calls from 10 distribution. These calls are semi-duplex, where only one station speaks at a time, and reception stations can only listen. A distribution call can be found between two or more stations. When a user of the mobile station wishes to initiate a distribution call, the system identifier of the station to which the user wishes to call, or the speech group identifier to which the user wishes to speak is selected in the 20 user station. After joining the "push to talk" button, the station sends the information to the DAP, which quickly locates the service cell (s) of the target stations when examining a data record. 25 distribution visit position (D-LVR) 112. l ** D ^ -VLR works substically in a way similar to that of a visit position register used in mobile telephony systems to maintain a point record of the service cell in which each connected mobile station is currently located . This facilitates the rapid routing of distribution calls to the cell or cells of the other stations to which the calling station is calling. As the mobile stations change positions, their cell affiliation is updated in the D-VLR. The MDG can also be connected to external networks, through, for example, an IP 120 router, which connects the wireless system 100 with a data network such as, for example, the Internet 122, where other servers exist. and network chat client machines 126. Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a flow chart 200 of a method for performing the wireless instant message service between the mobile communication devices, according to the invention. The method is explained with references to Figure 1. At the start 202, a first mobile station 102, a wireless air interface 103. This means that the mobile station 102 registers for service, and its present cell position is recorded in the D-VLR 112. When the user of the first mobile station decides to send an instant message, the user uses the mobile station to create a message. The mobile station comprises a keyboard and screen, as is known in the art, to facilitate the input of information to the fanumérica, and the user creates an alphanumeric message (202). However, it is contemplated that the message may be created by recording the voice of the users who speak a short message, and digitally encoding the recorded voice message for transmission. The user must also select an objective (206); a second mobile station used by the person to whom the user wishes to send the instant message. The user may select one of a database of target identifiers stored in a memory, preferably by selecting an alias associated with the objective indicator, or the user can »The target identifier directly.

The objective identifier is the identifier used by the communications system to 5 identify to which mobile station the user intends to send the message, and can be, for example, an internet protocol address (IP). Then the user uses the mobile station to transmit (208) the message. This 10 can be done, for example, by pressing a "push to talk" button on the mobile station. The objective identifier and subsequently the message are then transmitted to the fixed equipment network. The fixed equipment network includes all the 15 non-mobile components of communication systems, including EBTS 104, BSC 106, MDG 108, DAP 110, and so on. In the preferred embodiment, the air interface 103 is a time-division interface, comprising 20 that the mobile station transmits and receives data at specified time intervals, as is known in the art. The fixed equipment receives the target identifier first. The information is 25 receives in packets, such as the packet 300 in Figure 3, as it is known in the header 302 in each packet indicating what type of data is included in the payload 304 of the packet. Initially the information received from the mobile station indicates to the fixed equipment network that the mobile station is attempting to transmit an instant message by the designation in the header of the incoming packets. The fixed equipment network routes the incoming packets to the MDG 108. The MDG receives the information, sees that the mobile station is attempting to send an instant message, searches for the target identifier in the D-VLR to see if the target, a second mobile station , such as the mobile station 118, is currently available (210), and if so, to which cell it is currently connected. The MDG then directs the information to a second EBTS 116 (214), which is operating the service cell in which the second mobile station 118 is located, target. The EBTS 116 locates the second mobile station to alert it to the outgoing data, and to which channel the data will be transmitted (216). The second = | mobile station adjusts to the appropriate channel and lilfT begins to receive the instant message.

While it is receiving the instant message, or just after receiving the message, the second mobile station sends an acknowledgment back to the first mobile station (220), and displays the received message on an alphanumeric suitable screen (222).

Preferably, the second mobile station alerts the user to an audio or visual alert, or both after receiving the message. The message can be displayed at the request of users after receiving the alert, or it can be displayed automatically. Currently, the instant message is finished (224). There are few ways to handle the situation if the second mobile station is not currently available when the first mobile station starts sending the message. In one, the first mobile station can detect whether the second mobile station is accessible before sending the message, or even before the first user creating the message, as illustrated in Figure 4. * * '«*« - 16 example, the first user may be curious as to whether the second mobile station is in use, and therefore is able to receive an instant message. The first user only selects the identifier of the second mobile station from an appropriate operating mode from the first mobile station (400), and does some action, such as pressing a button of type "press to The identifier is sent to the MDG through the fixed equipment network (402) The MDG then searches for the identifier in the D-VLR (404) If the MDG does not find a record of the second mobile station in The D-VLR, can 15 returning a failure message (406) to the first mobile station. This is the same as would happen preferably in the previous case if the MDG did not find the identifier of the second mobile station in the D-VLR when the message The entire station was trying to send itself to the second mobile station. If the target identifier is found, the MDG returns an acknowledgment (408), and the user can then proceed to create a message. In a 25 alternative mode, the user can create the available tra the first mobile station can automatically repeat trying to send the message at pre-selected intervals. An alternate method occurs when the second mobile station 118 is listed in the D-VLR, but does not respond, either when it is located by the EBTS 116, or after the message is transmitted. Preferably, when the first mobile station transmits the message, a timer begins. If, after a pre-selected period of time, no acknowledgment has been received, the first mobile station displays a message of failure to the user. Due to the too low latency in transmitting a message from one mobile station to another with this method through such a fixed equipment network, it is contemplated that it will not take more than a few seconds to receive an appropriate acknowledgment. So if, for example, 5 seconds have elapsed and no acknowledgment has been received, the first mobile station will fail the transmission. It is also contemplated that the user wishes to send one, or another terminal or public, such as the Internet. As shown in Figure 1, the 5 MDG is connected to an IP 120 router, which connects the wireless communication system to the Internet 122 Also connected to the Internet. For example, there is a chat server 124, and a computer running an application program. of chat client 126. The chat client application program allows the user of the client program to access the chat server, preferably as soon as it is turned on, on the Internet using a unique name or identifier. Other users can access the chat server with similar programs and exchange messages through the server with others. The server receives the 0 message from a client, queues the message, then sends the message in advance to all the designated targets, in turn. The chat server works as a first-in-first-out queue for the 5 messages received from client machines. In the first case, a mobile station 102 is used to send a message to a network chat client 126. Figure 5 shows a flow chart of a method according to the invention for accomplishing this. First, as before, the user creates a message (500), which may be a recorded voice message or an alphanumeric message, and the chat client identifier, such as an IP address, or a unique name or other identifier used by the chat server. Of course, the network address of the chat server will also be included, although this can be provided by the message service application program in the mobile station. The mobile station sends the message to the fixed equipment network, which recognizes the designation as being an objective outside the wireless communications network, and addresses (502) the message to the IP 120 router. The IP router sends in advance the message to the chat server 124 over the Internet, which receives the message (504). After receiving the message, the chat server looks for the chat client, the particular chat client is currently inside the chat server (506). If not, a failure message is returned, and the mobile station (508) is redirected to 5. If the chat client is online, the message is sent in advance to the chat client. Figure 6 shows a flowchart a method according to the invention of the reverse direction, when a chat client sends a message to a mobile station. First the chat client 126 accesses the chat server 124 over the Internet. Then the user of the chat client creates and sends a message (602), designing it appropriately. This includes designing the particular wireless communications system, although this can be done simply by using a particular I-address of the MDG / IP router 20. The chat server recognizes the designation as one between a mobile station, and routes the message to the IP router, which sends it in advance to the MDG (604). The MDG then searches for the designated mobile station in 25 D-VLR (606). If the mobile station is not ready e, a failure message can be returned to the chat client (608). Otherwise, the message is sent in advance to the service cell in which the designated mobile station (610) is currently located, and the message is received in the mobile station (612) as described above. It is also contemplated that the mobile station may generate an acknowledgment after receiving the message, and send it back to the network chat client through the network. It is also contemplated that if no response is received after sending a message from any mobile station of the chat client, the device attempting to send the message may display a failure message within a period of time. Accordingly, the present invention solves the problem of latency and the expense of adding servers in order to avoid latency when sending messages between mobile stations in a manner similar to distribution calls, which are not formed in the queue. This is done by using existing resources in a new way. Particularly, the use of the station, and transmit the, to the oppression of a button, without storing the message in the system. The message can be recorded voice or alphanumeric text. In addition, the present invention allows the mobile station to exchange messages with network chat clients, through the Internet. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without being insulated from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

As an antecedent, property contained in the following claims is claimed as property: CLAIMS 1. A method for carrying out wireless instant message mobile service, characterized in that it comprises; create a message on a first mobile communications device; providing an objective identifier corresponding to a second mobile communication device, made in the first mobile communication device; transmit the message and the objective identifier to a fixed equipment network; determining, in the fixed equipment network, a target cell in which the second mobile communication device is currently located, without forming the message in the queue; direct the message to the target cell through the fixed equipment network; transmit the message to the second f »mobile communications device; and displaying the message on the second mobile communication device. 2. A method for carrying out the mobile instant messaging wireless service according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, if the second mobile communication device does not receive within a pre-selected period of time after transmission of the message, displaying a failure message on the first mobile communication device indicating that the message was not received. 3. A method for carrying out the instant messaging service between a mobile communications device, operating in a mobile communications system, and a data network client operably connected to a data network, characterized by the method 20 because it comprises: creating a message on the mobile communications device; provide an objective identifier corresponding to the data network client in the 25 mobile communications device; *** "transmit the message in the target identifier to a fixed computer network to address the message and the target identifier to an access, operably coupled to the access to the data network, and route the message through the network data to the data network client 4. A method for carrying out the instant message service according to claim 3, characterized in that the routing of the message through the data network includes addressing the message to a data service server. messages, the data network client is a message service server client of the message service 5. A method for carrying out the instant message service according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises: generating an acknowledgment in the data network client, and transmit the recognition back through the data network and the fixed equipment network to the mobile communication device 1. A method to carry out the The instant messaging service according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises: providing the data network client with a means to generate an acknowledgment; and displaying a failure message on the mobile communications device if no acknowledgment is received within a preselected period of time after the transmission has been completed. 7. A method for performing the instant message service according to claim 3, characterized in that the display of the fault message occurs 5 seconds after the transmission is complete. 8. A method for performing the instant message service between a mobile station, operating in a mobile communications system, and a network chat client operably connected to a data network, characterized in that the method comprises: creating a message in the network chat client; provide a mobile objective identifier n, made in the network ch'efe client; transmit the message and the objective identifier from the network chat client to a chat server; directing the message and the objective identifier from the chat server to a fixed computer network through a mobile data access; obtaining a current position of the mobile station corresponding to the objective identifier, made by the fixed equipment network; directing the message to a service cell containing the mobile station; and transmitting the message through an air interface coming from the service cell to the mobile station. 9. A method for performing the instant message service according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises: generating a recognition in the mobile station; and transmit the recognition back through the data network and the network of of network chat. carrying out the instant message service according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises: providing the mobile station with a means for generating an acknowledgment; and displaying a failure message in the network chat client if no acknowledgment is received within a preselected period of time after the transmission has been completed.