Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-17
2002-04-02
Trost, William (Department: 2746)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S466000, C455S412100, C379S373010, C379S373020, C379S373040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06366791
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems and methods for ringing mobile stations within a cellular network, and specifically to providing network ringing options to mobile subscribers.
2. Background of the Present Invention
Cellular telecommunications is one of the fastest growing and most demanding telecommunications applications. Today, it represents a large and continuously increasing percentage of all new telephone subscriptions around the world. There are currently two types of radio frequency access technologies for cellular systems: analog and digital technologies. Two common digital systems are the Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System (D-AMPS) and the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) system, which is perhaps the most widely used digital mobile cellular radio system.
With reference now to
FIG. 1
of the drawings, a sample GSM Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)
10
is illustrated. The PLMN
10
is composed of a plurality of areas
12
, each with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC)
14
and an integrated Visitor Location Register (VLR)
16
therein. The MSC/VLR areas
12
, in turn, include a plurality of Location Areas (LA)
18
, which are defined as that part of a given MSC/VLR area
12
in which a Mobile Station (MS)
20
may move freely without having to send update location information to the MSC/VLR area
12
that controls the LA
18
. Each LA
12
is also divided into a number of cells
22
. The MS
20
is the physical equipment, e.g., a car phone or other portable phone, used by mobile subscribers to communicate with the cellular network
10
, each other, and users outside the subscribed network, both wireline and wireless.
The MSC
14
is in communication with at least one Base Station Controller (BSC)
23
, which, in turn, is in contact with at least one Base Transceiver Station (BTS)
24
. The BTS
24
is the physical equipment, illustrated for simplicity as a radio tower, that provides radio coverage to the geographical part of the cell
22
for which it is responsible. It should be understood that the BSC
23
may be connected to several BTSs
24
, and may be implemented as a stand-alone node or integrated with the MSC
14
. In either event, the BSC
23
and BTS
24
components, as a whole, are generally referred to as a Base Station System (BSS)
25
.
With further reference to
FIG. 1
, the PLMN Service Area or cellular network
10
includes a Home Location Register (HLR)
26
, which is a database maintaining all subscriber information, e.g., user profiles, current location information, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers, and other administrative information. The HLR
26
may be co-located with a given MSC
14
, integrated with the MSC
14
, or alternatively can service multiple MSCs
14
, the latter of which is illustrated in FIG.
1
.
The VLR
16
is a database containing information about all of the MSs
20
currently located within the MSC/VLR area
12
. If an MS
20
roams into a new MSC/VLR area
12
, the VLR
16
connected to that MSC
14
will request data about that MS
20
from the HLR database
26
(simultaneously informing the HLR
26
about the current location of the MS
20
). Accordingly, if the user of the MS
20
then wants to make a call, the local VLR
16
will have the requisite identification information without having to reinterrogate the HLR
26
. In the aforedescribed manner, the VLR and HLR databases
16
and
26
, respectively, contain various subscriber information associated with a given MS
20
.
A current popular trend is to program the MS
20
to ring with popular music, instead of the normal ringing tone. There is a series of books published by Futabasha Publishers Ltd., such as the book entitled “Ringing-tone for Cellular Phones, Do Re Mi” that teaches mobile subscribers how to program the musical ringing tone(s) into their MSs
20
. For example, a mobile subscriber can program his or her MS
20
to ring with a popular song by inputting symbols and/or numbers into his or her MS
20
.
However, programming the MS
20
directly by the mobile subscriber is not easy. Different MSs
20
require different programming methods. Thus, if a mobile subscriber purchases a new MS
20
, the programming technique used before may not work anymore. Therefore, many mobile subscribers may want the option of an alternative ringing tone without having to buy a book and program the MS
20
by themselves.
In addition, with the demand for alternative ringing tones rising, many network operators are looking for ways to capitalize on this trend. By allowing the mobile subscribers to program the musical tones into their MSs
20
themselves, the network operators are losing out on a potential source of revenue.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to telecommunications systems and methods for allowing network operators to download ringing tone pattern(s) associated with one or more musical scores to mobile stations (MSs) according to the musical score selection of mobile subscribers associated with the MSs. Once executed, the ringing tone pattern provides a musical ringing tone on the MS, instead of the normal ringing tone. In addition, ringing tone patterns can be used to enhance the “distinctive ringing” function within the MS. Thus, instead of using distinctive ringing patterns to represent different called party numbers, different music can be used.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4866766 (1989-09-01), Mitzlaff
patent: 4868561 (1989-09-01), Davis
patent: 5452354 (1995-09-01), Kyronlahti et al.
patent: 5724411 (1998-03-01), Eisdorfer et al.
patent: 5870683 (1999-02-01), Wells et al.
patent: 5987323 (1999-11-01), Huotari
patent: 6094587 (2000-07-01), Armanto et al.
patent: 6138006 (2000-10-01), Foti
Boltz David
Evanyk Walt
Lin Janette Chen
Ericsson Inc.
Jenkens & Gilchrist P.C.
Nguyen Simon
Trost William
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