MXPA97007477A - Operation of the user group in a station - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for completing a call in a communication system with a mobile station that is participating in a group of users, wherein a number of mobile stations participating in the user group is less than a total number of subscribers. mobile stations in the system, comprising the steps of: establishing a user group identification code that is capable of distinguishing from mobile station identification numbers assigned to mobile stations in the system, wherein the group identification code of users defines a group of users in which designated mobile stations in the system may selectively require participation, transmitting a page message from the system to mobile stations participating in the user group, using the user group identification code , when you have requested a call in the user group, generate an indication of specific user group page in the mobile stations participating in the user group, to indicate that the page message has been received, to transmit a page response message to the system from the mobile stations, whose users recognize the page indication and granting a concession of a channel for the required call to the mobile station, by sending the page response message that was first received, to the

Description

OPERATION OF THE USUARI GROUP IN ONE MOBILE STATION Field of the Invention The present invention relates: D? _. method for transmitting messages between mobile stations and a central switching system, and more particularly with a method for transmitting messages so that only a subscriber's apparatus of the general population of mobile stations is allowed to receive and potentially respond to messages t Answered Background of the Invention In a typical cellular radio station, a geographic area, for example, a metropolitan area, is divided into several smaller areas of contiguous radio coverage called "cells". The cells are supplied by series of fixed base radio stations called "base stations". The base stations are connected to a mobile switching center (CCM) and controlled by this mobile switching center (CCM). The CCM in its view: connects to a public telephone line switching network wired (wires) (RTCP). Telephone users [mobile subscribers] in the cellular radio system are provided with portable telephone units (movable stations) (hand-held i, transportable (carried by hand) or movable (mountable in the car) that communicate voice and / or information with the CCM through a nearby base station. The CCM switches calls between wire lines and mobile subscribers, controls signals to mobile stations, collects billing statistics, and provides system operation, maintenance, and testing.

Figure 1 illustrates the architecture of a conventional cellular radio system constructed in accordance with the Standard Advanced Mobile Phone System (STMA). In Figure 1, an arbitrary geographic area can be seen divided into a plurality of contiguous radio coverage areas, or Ci-Clü cells. For purposes of illustration, while the system of Figure 1 shows to include only ten cells, the number of cells may be greater in practice. Associated with each of the cells and located in each of the cells, C1-C10 is a base station designated by correspondence to one of a plurality of base stations B1-B10. As is well known in the art, each of the Bl-BlO base stations includes a plurality of channel units, each comprising a transmitter, a receiver and a controller.

In Figure 1, the Bl-BlO base stations are located in the center of the C1-C10 cells respectively, and are equipped with omni-directional antennas that transmit equally in all directions. In this case, all the channel units in each of these base cords Bl-B10 are connected to an antenna. However, in other configurations of the cellular radio system, the base stations B1-B10 may be located near the periphery or conversely away from the centers of the C1-10 cells and may illuminate the C1-C10 cells with radio signals aviation. For example, the base station may be equipped with three directional antennas; each covers a sector cell of 120 degrees as illustrated in Figure 2. In this case, some channel units will be connected to an antenna that covers a sector cell; other channel units will be connected to another antenna that covers another sector cell, and the remaining channel units will be connected to the remaining antennas that cover the remaining sector cells. Therefore, in Figure 2 the base station serves three sector cells. However, it is not always necessary that the three sector cells exist and only one sector cell will be used to cover, for example, a road or highway.

Returning to Figure 1, each of the Bl-BlO base stations are connected by voice and data that are linked to a mobile switching center CCM 20, which in turn is connected to a central office (not illustrated) in a public switching telephone network (RTCP) or a similar installation, for example, a 'integrated services digital network (ISDN). The modes of connections and relevant transmissions between the mobile switching centers CCM 20 and the Bl-Blü base stations, or between the mobile switching center CCM 20 and the STMA or ISDN, are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and They may include twisted wire pairs, coaxial cables, fiber optic cables or micro-wave radio channels that operate in either digital or analog mode. In addition, the link of the time and the data can be provided by the operator or tenant from a telephone company (telco).

Continuing with reference to Figure 1, a plurality of mobile stations M1-M10 can be found within the C1-C10 cells. Again, while only 10 mobile stations are shown in Figure 1, the actual number of mobile stations can be much greater in practice and will generally exceed the number of base stations. Furthermore, while none of the mobile stations M1-M10 can be found in any of the C1-C10 cells, the absence or presence of the MI-MIO mobile stations in any of the C1-C10 cells in particular, depends on the desire individual of each of the mobile subscribers, who can travel from one location in one cell to another, or from a cell to an adjacent cell or the surrounding area.

Each of the MI-MIO mobile stations includes a transmitter, or receiver, a controller and a subscriber's input, for example, a manual telephone set, as is well known in the art. Each of the mobile stations M1-M10 is assigned a mobile identification number (NIM), which in the United States is a digital representation of the number of the mobile subscriber's telephone directory. The MIM defines the subscription of the mobile subscriber in the radio path and is sent from the mobile station to the CCM 20 where the call originates, and from the CCM 10 to the mobile station at the termination of the call. Each of the mobile stations MÍ-M10 is also identified by an electronic serial number (SE) which is a factory set, "non-changeable" number designed to protect it against unauthorized use of the mobile station. Where the call originates, for example, the mobile station will send the NSE to the CCM 20. The CCM 20 will compare the received USE to a "black list" of the NSEs of the mobile stations that have been reported as stolen. If you find one that corresponds, you will be denied access to the stolen mobile station.

Each of the C1-C10 cells is distributed in a subscriber apparatus of the radio frequency (RF) channels assigned to the entire cellular system by the governmental authority concerned, for example, the Federal Communications Commission (CCF) in the United States. Each RF channel subscriber apparatus is divided into several voice or reading channels that are used to carry the voice conversations and at least one warning / access or control channel that is used to carry supervisory data messages between each of them. the Bl-BlO base stations and the MIO mobile stations in their coverage area. Each FR channel comprises a plex channel (bidirectional radio transmission path) between the base station and the mobile station. The FR channel consists of a pair of separate frequencies, one for transmission from the base station (reception by the mobile station) and one for transmission by the mobile station (reception by the base station). Each channel unit in the Bl-BlO base stations normally operates on one of the preselected radio channels that are distributed to the corresponding cell, ie the transmitter TX and the receiver PX of the channel node are tuned to a pair for transmit and receive frequencies respectively, which does not change. However, the transceiver (TX'RX) of each mobile station M1-M10 can be tuned to any of the radio channels specified in the system.

In typical wireline systems, remote stations and control centers are connected by fiber optic and copper circuits that have a capacity to pass information and integrity of operation that is generally significantly better than the ability to send information and integrity of operation that is provided by an air inferiase in a cellular telephone system. As a result, the consistency that is required to handle any communication link protocol selected by the wireline systems is of secondary importance. In cellular telephone systems, an inter-air communication link protocol is required in order to allow a mobile station to communicate with a cellular switching system. A communication link protocol is used to initiate and receive cell phone calls.

The electromagnetic spectrum available to use cell phone systems is to limit it and divide it into Harpadas channels. The individual channels are used as a communication link, either under compartment bases or under dedicated or reserved bases. When individual channels are used as communication links under a compartment base, the multiple mobile stations can either listen or hold for the same channels. In the sustaining situation, each shared channel can be used by a plurality of mobile stations that are held to obtain the exclusive use of the channel for a limited period of time. On the other hand, when individual channels are used as communication links under dedicated bases, a single mobile station is assigned to the exclusive use of the channel for as long as it is needed.

In light of the generally reduced information throughput capacity and operating integrity provided by an individual channel in a channel sharing situation in a cellular telephone media, the selection of an efficient air interface protocol to serve as the The basis for the communication link and its economic use through cellular applications becomes of utmost importance. EJ. Communication link protocol is commonly referred to as a layer 2 protocol within the communications industry and its functionality includes the delimitation and message structure of higher layers. Currently, the structure mechanisms of the layer 2 protocol of padding of sites and signaling characteristics are commonly used in wireline networks to structure the messages of higher layers, to which they are referred to as messages of layers 3. These layer 3 messages can be sent for communication between the peer entities of layers 3 that reside within the mobile stations and the cellular switching systems. The specific types of messages from layers 3 and their exchange sequence between a mobile station and a cellular switching system is what defines a cellular application.

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting messages between mobile stations and a central switching system, and more particularly to a method for transmitting these messages, such that only a subscriber aparate of the general population of mobile stations receive and potentially respond to these messages. This subscriber apparatus of the general population of mobile stations can be considered as a user group that has requirements of embresía that must be satisfied to be able to participate in the group of users.

Compendium of the Invention In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating the user group is disclosed, whereby a single member of the user group is considered to be the winner of a terminal call attempt of the user's group and as such the terminal call is transmitted.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for terminating a call in a cellular communication system to a mobile station that is part of a user group. First, a user group identification code is assigned to a first plurality of mobile stations, wherein this first plurality is less than the total number of mobile stations in the system. A warning message from the cellular system to the user's group is transmitted using the identification code of the user's group when a terminal call has been requested to the user's group. From there, a specific warning indication of the user's group is generated in the first plurality of mobile stations in response to having received the warning message. From there, a warning message is transmitted to the cellular system from the mobile stations in which the users know the indication of the warning. Finally, a channel assignment for this call is transmitted to the mobile station which sends the first warning message received in the cellular system.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be described in more detail below, referring to the preferred embodiments of the invention, given only by way of example, and illustrating it with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates the architecture of a conventional cellular radio system; Figure 2 illustrates a cell of sector three that can be used in the system shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary mobile radio cellular telephone system; Figure 4 illustrates a group ID structure of the protocol user of layer 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 illustrates a flow chart of a method for a user group operation from a mobile switching center in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and; Figure 6 illustrates a flow chart of a method for a user group operation from a mobile station perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description Although the above description focuses on systems that comply with IS-54B and its successors, the principles of the present invention apply equally to a variety of wireless communication systems, eg, satellite radio and cellular systems, regardless of the particular mode of operation) analogous, digital, dual fashion, etc.,) the access technique (FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, FDMA hybrids (TDMA / CDMA / etc.,), or architecture (monoelecules, microcelules, picocells, etc.) As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the logical channel carrying the speech and / or information can be implemented in different ways at a physical layer level.The physical channel can be a band (FDMA) relatively narrow FR, a time trace on the radio frequency (TDMA), a unique code sequence (CDMA) or a combination of the above For the purposes of the present invention, the term "channel" means any physical channel that can ede carry speech and / or information, and is not limited to any particular mode of operation, access technique or system architecture.

Figure 3 depicts a block diagram of a mobile radio mobile telephone system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The system illustrates an exemplary base station 110 and a mobile station 120. The base station 110 includes a control and a processing unit 130 which is connected to the mobile switching center CCM 140 which in turn is connected to a switching telephony network public (not illustrated).

The base station 110 for a cell includes a plurality of voice channels which is handled by means of a voice receiver 150 which is controlled by the control and the processing unit 130. Likewise, each base station includes a transmitter receiver of the control channel 160 that may be capable of handling more than one control channel. The transmitter receiver of the control channel 160 outputs control information to the control channel of the base station or cell to mobile phones locked to that control channel.

When the mobile 120 is a free mode, the mobile periodically scans the control channels of the base stations as the base station 110 to determine which cell to close or to camp. The mobile 120 receives the absolute and relative information that is emitted on a control channel in its voice and transmitter receiver of control channel 170. Then, the processing unit 180 evaluates the information of the received control channel that includes the characteristics of the candidate cells and determines which mobile cell should be blocked. The information of the received control channel does not only include the absolute information in reference to the cell with which it is associated, but also contains the relative information in reference to other cells next to the cell with which the control channel is associated.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a mobile subscriber may request his participation in a user group in a variety of ways. For example, a mobile station may be pre-registered for the operation of the user's group within one or more specific user groups, as a result of subscribing to the service in its CCM database. This mobile station could then attempt to activate the operation of the user's group by requesting the participation of a specific user group during registration with any visited CCM that issues support for the operation of the user's group in general. When a CCM receives a record in which the mobile subscriber requests that the mobile station be actively included in a specific user group, the servicing CCM can contact the CCM base to determine whether or not the required mobile station can activate the operation of the mobile station. User group for the group of the required user. The CCM database informs the visited CCM of the decision of the CCM base to either approve or deny the service for the group of the required user. If the CCM base decides to approve the request, the CCM that is in service sends back a registration acceptance message to the mobile station that requested it. If the mobile station does not receive a registration acceptance message, the mobile station will know that this request has been denied and will not activate the operation of the user's group for that user's group.

In order to send messages from layer 3 to different user groups, a user group identity field (CIGU) can be included in the SPACH layer 2 protocol. Using this group identity, the communication system can notify the entire group in any given warning area by sending only a warning message. An ID (identification) structure of the user's group is illustrated in Figure 4. A further description of the layer 2 protocol can be found in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 08/331, 816 and 08 / 332,114; both are incorporated herein by reference. Next, the present invention will be described from two different perspectives: from the perspective of a CCM; and one from the perspective of a mobile station. First, the operation of the user group from the perspective of the CCM will be described with reference to Figure 5 and then the operation of the user group from the perspective of the mobile station will be described with reference to Figure 6.

In current cellular systems, mobile stations are allowed to roam the areas covered by the CCM while it is not the CCM base and also within other cellular systems administered by other cellular operators. When a mobile station wanders, the mobile station will register with the CCM responsible for the area in which the mobile station is located in step S100. During the registration, the mobile station pu < = to request activation for a specific user group as described above. If a roving mobile station successfully registers a user group operation to a visited MCC, the visited MCC can track the mobile station's registered stops in accordance with the identity of the mobile station (IDEM) and the assigned identification ID for the group. of the user (IDGUj in step S110.) A CCM that tracks the location of an OVI station using IDEM and IDGU will maintain a list of all the warning areas in which there is one or more mobile stations that have registered the operation of the group of the user for a specific I GU As a result, a CCM can trace multiple IDGUs in parallel, from which each tracked UGDI can be moved to a different set of warning areas.

When a mobile station registers with a visited CCM, the location of the mobile station is sent back to the CCM base where it is stored. As a result, when the CCM base receives a warning request for a specific user group in the S120 pass, the request for a warning may go through one or more visited CCMs, which serve the areas in which the mobile stations that have an activated user group have wandered. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the CCM base can specify whether a single call assignment should be made for a single mobile station or if each visited CCM can transmit a channel assignment to a mobile station, resulting in a conference. The visited CCMs then transmit, in step S130, a user group warning message to the appropriate radio channels (control channels) that are determined in accordance with the IDEM / IDGU trace carried out by the CCMs. Then the visited CCMs activate a warning response timer in step S140 and wait for the mobile station to send a warning response message in step Yes 50. If a response message is received before experiencing a time out condition , the CCM transmits a channel assignment, where the call takes place, to the mobile station identified by the first warning response message in step SI60. The CCM then transmits an IDGU specific release message in step S170, which informs the other mobile stations to abort the call attempt of the user group. Finally, the CCM completes the call process necessary for the winning rt-station in step S180.

However, if the CCM does not receive a warning response message in step SI 50 before the CCM determines that a time out condition has occurred in step S190, the CCM transmits a specific release message of IDGU in step S200, which indicates that all mobile stations in the user's group should abort the call attempt of the user's group.

In addition, the CCM may receive an unexpected warning response from the IDGU. For example, the CCM could receive a warning response message from a second mobile station after having transmitted the channel assignment to a first mobile station. When the CCM receives an unexpected message of warning response in step SZ 10, the CCM transmits a specific release message of IDGU in step S220 which indicates that all mobile stations in the user's group should abort the call attempt of the user's group.

The operation of the user group from the perspective of the mobile station will be described below with reference to Figure 6. When the mobile station receives a warning message from the user's group, in step S300, the mobile station determines whether the mobile station is activated in the group of the user identified in step S310. If the mobile station is not activated in the group of the identified user, then the mobile station ignores the warning message of the user group in step S320. However, if the mobile station is activated in the group of the identified user, the mobile station responds in step S330 by providing some form of alert to the user of the mobile station. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a special tone or signal is used to indicate that a call termination of the user's group is being attempted. The specific form of alerting the user of the mobile station (tones and cadences) can be identified in the received warning message. When a mobile station is in the process of alerting the user about the fact that a warning message has been received from the user's group, it is considered that the mobile station is in an alert state for the user's group. Upon entering the alert status of the user group, a mobile station operates a stopwatch in step S340. Then the mobile station waits for the user to have knowledge of the warning message of the user's group in step S350. While the mobile station waits for recognition, the mobile station determines whether a user group release message has been received or if there is a time out condition in steps S340 and S440. Whether a user group release message is received or there is a time out condition before the user is aware of the user group's warning message, the mobile station aborts the user group's call attempt. When a mobile station is in the alert state of the user's group and the user responds in step S350 to a special signal or warning tone by pressing at least one button, the mobile station restores the time-out timer in space S360 and transmits a warning response message to the CCM serving in step S370, wherein the warning response contains, among other information, the identity of the responding mobile station and its active IDGU. Of all the mobile stations that transmit a warning response message, only one mobile station (the winner) is granted an assignment in which the call takes place. In this way, the mobile station waits for a channel grant in step S380. While the mobile station waits for a channel grant, the mobile station determines whether a release message has been received from the user's group or whether a time out condition exists in steps S400 and S410. If a user group release message was received or if a time out condition exists before a channel assignment is received, the mobile station aborts the user's group call attempt. However, if the mobile station receives a channel assignment, the mobile station and the serving MCC complete the calling process in step S390.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since modifications can be made by those skilled in the art. The present invention contemplates each and every one of the modifications that remain within the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed and claimed herein.

Claims (13)

1. A method for completing a call in a cellular communication system made a mobile station that is part of a user group comprising the following steps: assigning an identification code of a user group to a first plurality of mobile stations, wherein the first plurality is less than the total number of mobile stations in the system; transmitting a viewing message from the cellular system to the user's group using the identification code of the user's group when a call has been requested by the user's group; generating a specific warning indication to the user's group in the first plurality of the mobile stations in response to receiving the warning message; transmitting a warning response message to the cellular system from mobile stations whose users are aware of the indication of the warning, and; granting a channel grant for the call to the mobile station that sends the first message of the received response in the cellular system.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of mobile stations are programmed with the identification codes of the user group.

3. A method according to claim 1, which further comprises the steps of: transmit release messages to mobile stations whose warning response messages are received after the channel has been granted to another mobile station; abort the call attempt of the user's grupc in a mobile station after receiving the release message.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein each warning response message contains the identity of the responding mobile station identity and the associated IDGU.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: Track the location of mobile stations that are part of a specific group of users that use both the IDGU information and the IDEM.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein a spatial signaling is used to provide the warning indication.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the warning message indicates the special signaling used in the warning indication.

8. A method for notifying a group of mobile stations belonging to a group of users in a cellular communication system, comprising the steps of: assigning a user group identification to said group of the mobile stations in this user group; receiving records from mobile stations in mobile switching centers when mobile stations roam through the cellular system, where the records from these mobile user group stations contain this group identification; issuing a warning message for the user group in the warning areas controlled by the mobile switching centers where the mobile stations of the user group have been registered; activating a warning response timer, wherein the mobile switching centers generate a user group release message in the event that none of the stations in the user group responds to the warning message within a predetermined period of time; generating a specific user group warning in the group of mobile stations in response to receiving the warning message; transmitting a warning response message to at least one of the mobile switching centers from the mobile stations whose users are aware of the warning indication, and; grant a channel assignment to the mobile station that sends the first received response message.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the group of mobile stations is pre-programmed with the group identification codes of the user.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: transmit release messages to mobile stations whose warning response messages are received after the channel has been granted to another mobile station: abort the user's group call attempt on a mobile station after receiving the release message.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein each warning response message contains the identity of the identity of the responding mobile station and the associated IDGü.

12. a method according to claim 8, wherein special signals are used to provide the warning indication.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the warning message indicates the special signaling that is used for the warning indication. RESUME OF THE INVENTION A method for completing a call in a cellular communication system to a mobile station that is part of a user group is disclosed. First, a user identification code is assigned to a first plurality of mobile stations, wherein the first plurality is less than the total number of mobile stations in the system. A warning message from the cellular system to the user's group is transmitted using a user group identification code when a termination call has been requested by the user group. Then a specific warning indication of the user group is generated in the first plurality of the mobile stations in response to the warning messages that are received. A warning response message is then transmitted to the cellular system from the mobile stations whose users are aware of the warning indication. Finally, a channel assignment is granted for the call to the mobile station that sends the first received warning message that is received in the cellular system.