Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-13
2001-10-16
Hunter, Daniel (Department: 2684)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
C455S466000, C455S422100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304752
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for transmitting messages in mobile communication systems, particularly control of transmission of messages between mobile communication stations and fixed location communication stations in a mobile telephone system.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Modern mobile telephone systems have, in addition to supporting transmissions that are critical with respect to real-time, such as e.g. voice-calls, the ability to convey non real-time critical messages to and from mobile communication stations. Typical examples are the so-called Short Message Service in the GSM system and the possibility to send and receive fax and electronic mail messages with a mobile telephone.
When incorporating more and more capabilities for non real-time critical message transfer in mobile communication networks, it is necessary to incorporate easy-to-use functions for keeping track of outgoing and incoming messages. Since radio communication in a mobile communication network is impaired by many factors, such as changes in signal strength, multipath fading, user switching off the equipment etc., transfer is often interrupted for shorter or longer time periods. In an environment with many interruptions of communication, a user of present technology in mobile communication stations must constantly monitor the progress of transmission of each and every message. If contact is lost for even a short period of time during the transmission, the message is lost. Usually the message which is to be transmitted is stored in the mobile communication station, and can easily be retrieved. But it must be retransmitted on a n explicit command from the user. In a situation when many messages are to be transmitted and the radio environment is marred by repeated degradation it is obvious that it is a tedious task for a user to monitor the transmission and several times having to re-transmit messages.
In WO 95/03679 is disclosed a method and an apparatus for controlling data transfer in cellular communication systems. Problems with overcrowded communication channels are ameliorated. This is done by associating priority codes with each data transmission. The communication system monitors the communication conditions in the system, including crowding of channels. If overcrowding is detected, the system decides, based on the priority code, if the data transmission is to be ceased.
A drawback of the invention presented in WO 95/03679 is that it addresses the situation of overcrowding, and is thus dependent on monitoring functions in a cell site (i.e. a radio base station).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A statement of the problem, in general terms, addressed by the present invention is how to facilitate the control of when a message is transmitted to or from a mobile communication station. Particularly the problem is how to control and monitor transmission of multiple non real-time critical messages in situations when transmission is prematurely interrupted.
Within the scope of the general problem, as stated above, a number of sub-problems can be identified. Initially, there is a problem of how to supply a user of a mobile communication station with an ability to preset a time for transmission of a message, freeing the user from further interaction until the message has been transmitted. Secondly, there is a problem of supplying the user with an ability to enable and disable automatic transmission of messages that have preset times for transmission and also enabling the user to change the time of transmission.
The present invention addresses the problems as described above, having a purpose of facilitating control and monitoring of non-voice message transmission in a mobile communication system. No particular preference is expressed with respect to the type of communication system. The invention can be applied in digital systems such as, for example, GSM, PCS, D-AMPS or CDMA systems, as well as analog systems such as AMPS, TACS and NMT.
The invention is realized by methods and means to create and edit information blocks associated with the messages, together with methods and means to monitor and control transmission of the messages.
A method according to the invention relates to transmission of messages from a first communication station to a second communication station. The first communication station is capable of controlling transmission, capable of keeping track of current time, capable of message generation and capable of transmitting. At least one message containing textual data is generated in the first communication station together with an information block which is associated with the message. An inventive method comprises a step of generating in said information block a transmission time stamp, said time stamp comprising information about a point in time when the message is to be transmitted. In another step a comparison of the transmission time stamp with the current time is made, followed by an interpretation of the result of the comparison and as a consequence of the interpretation commencing a transmission of the message from the first communication station to the second communication station. Editing of the information block is also possible.
An advantage of the invention is that it is possible for a user of a communication station to create messages, store the messages along with information about when the message is to be transmitted, and then leave the responsibility of transmission of the messages to the communication station in accordance with the inventive method and means.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, referring to drawings as specified below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5396537 (1995-03-01), Schwendeman
patent: 5455965 (1995-10-01), Shaughnessy et al.
patent: 5826030 (1998-10-01), Herbert
patent: 5878397 (1999-03-01), Stille et al.
patent: 5930239 (1999-07-01), Turcotte
patent: 6134618 (2000-10-01), Herbert
patent: 506430 C2 (1997-11-01), None
International Search Report dated May 5, 1998.
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Chow C.
Hunter Daniel
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
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