Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Auxiliary data signaling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-03
2001-09-18
Hunter, Daniel (Department: 2684)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Auxiliary data signaling
C455S412100, C455S414200, C455S422100, C455S445000, C455S459000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292669
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method used in a mobile communication system in which short messages may be sent amid actual signalling. One or more short message service centres providing short message services are linked to the mobile communication system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In addition to normal speech and data connections set up on traffic channels in digital mobile communication systems, short digital data messages, short messages, transferred on the control and signalling channels of the systems, may be sent amid actual signalling. A short message service centre is added in association with the mobile communication system for relaying short messages. In connection with a mobile originated short message, a subscriber creates the short message by means of the keyboard of a terminal, and the terminal submits the short message on a signalling channel via a base station and a mobile switching centre to the short message service centre. The short message service centre forwards the short message to another network, or on signalling channels via the mobile communication network to the terminal of another subscriber.
Services offered to subscribers via short messages also increase constantly. Several in e.g. voice and text mode delivered services may be offered to subscribers along with short messages. In addition to normal mobile terminating (MT) and mobile originated (MO) short messages, a subscriber may receive e.g. notices, ads, personal reminders, and may order information on sources offering these to his/her mobile station, and may transfer measuring results from one location to another, etc.
As the supply increases, an advantageous way to deal with the services is to arrange different kind of services to different short message service centres. By this time some implemented networks comprise several short message service centres, and as the selection of services increases, the number of short message service centres in a network will continue to grow. A number of short message service centres may be linked to a mobile communication network, e.g. one dealing with operations related to short messages and speech mail between mobile stations, another with telefax and e-mail operations, and a third with operations related to information services offered (e.g. weather report, stock exchange rates, sports results etc.).
Currently the addition of short message service centres to the network causes a subscriber extra work in connection with their use, because in order to be able to direct a message to the desired short message service centre, the user has to know and remember the addresses of available short message service centres and update the number of the short message service centre used by the mobile station so that it corresponds to the desired destination of the message. In practice, such activity is not required of a subscriber, but instead the services have to be offered in an as user friendly form as possible in order to be able to produce services profitably to an adequately large number of subscribers.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and easily implemented solution for routing a short message submitted by a subscriber to the desired short message service centre without the subscriber directly having to attend to the routing.
The object is achieved with a method according to claim
1
, and is characterized in that the method comprises steps wherein:
a database (DB) for storing identifiers and related routing information regarding short message services available to subscribers is connected to the mobile communication system,
an identifier associated with the desired service and supplied by the subscriber is included in a mobile (MS) originated short message,
said identifier is picked from the short message as a response to the received short message,
a database search is performed in said database (DB) connected to the mobile communication system by using at least said identifier picked from the short message as a search index, and
the message is sent to an address indicated by routing information obtained on the basis of the database search.
The invention also relates to a mobile switching centre according to the independent claim
7
, a short message service centre according to the independent claim
11
, and mobile communication systems according to the independent claims
14
and
15
.
Typically, the address of a short message service centre is stored in a mobile station. When a subscriber gives a transmission command, the short messages are primarily sent to said address. The invention is based on the idea that before transmission of a short message, the subscriber supplies an identifier related to the desired short message service. This identifier is easy to use or easy to remember. A database including information on routing information associated with the identification is added to the system. By means of the database the system is able to route the short message towards a secondary short message service centre offering the chosen service. At its simplest the identifier may be a menu choice or a prefix resembling an area code, easy for the subscriber to remember.
An advantage of the solution according to the invention is that a subscriber does not directly have to attend to the right routing of a short message to the service-associated short message service centre. A service-specific definition of the destination address of the short message does not have to be memorized or changed, even if the services were offered from separate units producing services. The invention provides a simple and easily implemented solution by means of which a subscriber can transparently use short message services of various units offering different services, and provides thus an essential improvement to prior art.
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Copy of International Search Report for PCT/FI98/00473.
Gustafsson Patrik
Meuronen Timo
Pihko Pete
Altera Law Group, LL
Hunter Daniel
Nokia Networks Oy
Woldetatios Yemane
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