Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-27
2001-03-06
Bost, Dwayne D. (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S445000, C455S425000, C455S450000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06198923
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for transmitting items of information between mobile stations and a communication network, a communication network operating according to the method, and a mobile station operating according to the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Communication networks, for example the mobile radiotelephone network according to the GSM standard (Global System for Mobile Communication), enable communication connections to mobile stations of mobile subscribers via a radio interface. The communication network is provided with radio-based components in a radio-based subsystem and with switching-oriented means in a switching-based subsystem. The communication connections are set up, maintained and dismantled by transmitting and receiving items of signaling information and traffic information (e.g. in the form of speech or data) in both transmission directions via the radio interface. The access of the mobile subscribers to the communication network ensues by means of the mobile stations, which can communicate in wireless fashion with radio stations (base stations) arranged in distributed fashion at the network side.
During the commissioning (i.e., bringing “on line”) of the mobile station into the communication network, only the basic characteristics of the mobile station, such as for example transmission power, encryption algorithm, support of a short message service, are transmitted. It is not known to the communication network whether a mobile subscriber whose SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card is in principle cleared for particular services (e.g., data services or fax services) can also actually use these services. This has the consequence that, for example, telefax calls or data calls coming in from the communication network via the radio interface are provided to the mobile station in question by the call without insurance that a successful data transmission will occur between the communication network and the mobile station. This is because if the mobile station is not equipped with the additional device or devices necessary to receive the data, the data call cannot be accepted by the mobile station and the transmitted data cannot be made available as an output. The data call must thus be rejected by the mobile station, and corresponding signaling information must be sent back to the communication network. The lack of knowledge of the relevant technological possibilities at the mobile station for the use of additional services leads to an unnecessary network load, because resources have to be provided for the transmission of traffic information without resulting in a successful transmission of this information. This is particularly disadvantageous in communication networks with a radio interface, since the transmission capacity and the radio-based resources available via air are limited, and generally form a bottleneck in the transmission of information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a communication network and mobile station wherein the allocation of resources at the network for the transmission of information via the radio interface in the use of services can take place more effectively.
The above object is achieved in the method according to the invention, wherein equipment information (i.e., equipment messages, equipment designators) about each of the additional devices connected to a particular mobile station is provided by that mobile station and is sent to the communication network, and the equipment information of the mobile station received by the communication network is stored and checked before the allocation of switching-based and/or radio-based resources for a connection setup to the mobile station. Thus the communication network is informed about the equipping of the mobile stations with additional devices, so that it can be decided at the network, before the occupation and allocation of components and transmission capacity, whether it makes sense to execute a particular service (such as for example the telefax or data service) to the mobile station, or, alternatively, to reject this immediately, because, on the basis of the equipment information stored for it, the mobile station is not capable of receiving the traffic information in the form which is proposed to be sent via the radio interface. Instead of the occupation of resources, in particular the radio interface, for an unsuccessful transmission of information, these resources can be used in the meantime for other services that will be successful. By means of the evaluation of the equipment information stored in the communication network, concerning connected additional devices, it is possible to carry out the transmission of information more economically, within the network, and in particular the allocation of resources is conserved.
The communication network according to the invention includes a receiver stage which receives the equipment information concerning the additional devices connected to a particular mobile station, as well as a memory arrangement for storing and checking the equipment information received from the mobile station before the allocation of switching-based and/or radio-based resources. In this way, the connection setup for the transmission of information to the mobile station can be successfully carried out at the network, dependent on the stored equipment information, or, alternatively, can be prevented, without occupation of resources. The mobile station according to the invention includes components for providing the equipment information concerning the connected additional devices and a transmitter stage which transmits the equipment information to the communication network, which stores the received equipment information in a manner associating the equipment information with the mobile station that transmitted it and which checks the stored equipment information before the allocation of switching-based and/or radio-based resources.
Preferably the equipment information is transmitted in a signaling message at least during the commissioning of the mobile station into the communication network. In addition, according to another embodiment of the invention, the equipment information can be transmitted in a signaling message after the commissioning of the mobile station into the communication network. It is particularly advantageous if the items of equipment information are transmitted in the signaling message as soon as a change of equipping with additional devices is determined by the mobile station. The communication network is thereby made capable from the outset of obtaining information concerning the additional devices connected to the mobile station, and is thus able to recognize, for example, a change of equipment in relation to the additional devices immediately during operation. In this latter version, the transmission of the signaling message from the mobile station to the communication network also ensues without a change of location of the mobile subscriber.
In an embodiment of the invention, the equipment information is used to signal to the communication network whether and which additional devices are connected to the mobile station, and/or for what purpose the mobile station with at least one connected additional device is used by the subscriber. In a further embodiment of the invention, the additional devices are connected via interface terminals of the mobile station, via which the operational readiness of the additional devices and/or the change of equipment is signaled to the mobile station.
In another embodiment of the invention, a message determined according to the GSM standard, into which the equipment information is inserted, is employed as a signaling message. Alternatively, a new message (not determined in the GSM standard), which contains the equipment information, can be used.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the storage of the equipment information ensues by means of a home location regis
Bost Dwayne D.
Gary Erika A.
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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