Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-28
2001-08-07
Vo, Nguyen T. (Department: 2682)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S445000, C455S012100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272339
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to satellite communication systems and, in particular, to satellite communication systems that provide paging services for subscribers having user terminals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional paging systems utilize terrestrial delivery systems to provide paging and short messages to and from user terminals. These messages may include the delivery of E-mail and other stored messages that are sent via the Internet. These systems are local in nature, or at best are national systems. The advent of Mobile Satellite Systems (MSS) allows an extension of these systems to a global delivery of paging and other messages. Prior satellite-based systems, such as one known as Iridium, require on-board satellite processing to deliver messages to users which are known to be in certain locations. In such systems a central database, or distributed databases, use the satellites to deliver the paging traffic.
However, these and similar systems are inefficient since the user may be indoors and blocked to the satellite, thus preventing the satellite from delivering the message. The user terminal may also be turned off, and unable to receive paging messages.
Also, in conventional paging systems a user cannot roam from one paging system to another, since the paging systems are typically so different as to render the pager from one system unable to operate in the other.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object and advantage of this invention to provide a communications system that enables users to receive paging messages through one of a satellite-based communications system or through a conventional terrestrial paging system, based at least in part on a location or availability of the user.
It is a further object and advantage of this invention to provide a communications system that enables users to receive stored page messages through one of a satellite-based communications system or through a conventional terrestrial paging system.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a communications system that enables paging users to roam freely over wide geographical areas, and to receive paging messages through one of a satellite-based communications system or through a conventional terrestrial paging system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other problems are overcome and the objects and advantages are realized by methods and apparatus in accordance with embodiments of this invention.
A satellite communication system in accordance with this invention delivers a page message from a user's home gateway to a delivering terrestrial gateway for future delivery of the paging message, or for recovery of the message by the user.
The use of this invention enables a user to roam between regions where there are incompatible paging systems, while allowing the user to employ a compatible terrestrial paging system if it is available.
A communications system in accordance with an embodiment of this invention includes at least one satellite, at least one terrestrial gateway capable of being bidirectionally coupled to the at least one satellite, at least one terrestrial paging system, and at least one user unit capable of being wirelessly coupled to the terrestrial gateway, through the at least one satellite, or to the terrestrial paging system. The gateway includes a paging system for receiving a page message for the user unit, for storing the received page message, and for selectively delivering the received page message to the user unit through one of the at least one satellite or through the terrestrial paging system. The gateway is bidirectionally coupled to the terrestrial paging system through the at least one satellite, a virtual gateway, and a pager interface unit. The pager interface unit includes a pager message and retrieval system for storing a page message until it is determined that the page message can be one of successfully delivered or not successfully delivered to the user unit via the terrestrial paging system. The gateway selectively delivers the received page message based on a content of at least one of a Home Location Register or a Visitor Location Register. The gateway selectively delivers the stored page message using at least one retry through an originally selected page message delivery route or through an alternate page message delivery route. The gateway is further responsive to an acknowledgement of page message delivery for recording the delivery of the page message for billing purposes. In like manner the pager interface unit is responsive to an acknowledgement of page message delivery through the terrestrial paging system for storing an indication of the delivery of the page message, and for transmitting the stored indication to the gateway through the virtual gateway and at least one satellite. For a case where the attempted delivery of the page message is unsuccessful, and at some future time, the system informs a user of the user unit of the existence of the stored page message and, in response to a request from the user, retrieves and delivers the stored page message.
In a further embodiment of this invention the user unit operates only with the terrestrial paging system, and all received and stored pages at the gateway (home gateway or roamed-to gateway) are delivered via the satellite, virtual gateway, and pager interface unit.
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“Digital Network Ori
Globalstar L.P.
Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle L.L.P.
Vo Nguyen T.
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