Method for informing about the properties of a communication network, a system and a mobile terminal

• US 20020168969A1
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jokinen, Paivi, Asikainen, Minna, Koskinen, Topi, Nyyssonen, Sami
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for informing a mobile terminal (MT) about the properties of a communication network (NW). The communication network (NW) comprises at least two base transceiver stations (BTS) which form at least two cells (C1-C9) whose properties affect the functions of the mobile terminal (MT) available in the range of the cell (C1-C9). The current serving base station is at least one base station (BTS) of the cell, through which the connection between the mobile terminal (MT) and the communication network (NW) is maintained. In the method, the location of the mobile terminal (MT) is determined, the properties of the cell (C1-C9) formed by at least said serving base station are examined, and information about at least one determined property of the cell (C1-C9) is transmitted to the mobile terminal (MT).

Claims

1. A method for informing a mobile terminal (MT) about the properties of a communication network (NW), which communication network (NW) comprises at least two base transceiver stations (BTS) which form at least two cells (C1-C9) whose properties affect the functions of the mobile terminal (MT) available within the range of the cell (C1-C9), and in which the current serving base station is at least one base station (BTS) of the cell, through which the connection between the mobile terminal (MT) and the communication network (NW) is maintained, wherein, the location of the mobile terminal (MT) is determined, the properties of the cell (C1-C9) formed by at least said serving base station are examined, and information about at least one determined property of the cell (C1-C9) is transmitted to the mobile terminal (MT).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of at least one other cell (C1-C9) close to the location of the mobile terminal (MT) are also determined, and information on this is transmitted to the mobile terminal (MT).

3. The method according to claim 1-, wherein said cell property information is presented to the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cell property information is used for controlling the use of functions of the mobile terminal (MT).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT) is determined, wherein the cells whose properties are determined are selected on the basis of the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the properties of the cell of the mobile communication network, required for the use of at least one active function, are determined in the mobile terminal (MT), and the properties of the cells in the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT) are compared with the properties of the cell of the mobile communication network, required for the use of said at least one active function.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the result of the comparison is used in the selection of a travel route which is advantageous in view of the operation of the active connection.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein if the comparison shows that the properties of the cell in the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT) are not suitable for using the application active in the mobile terminal (MT), a notification message is generated in the mobile terminal (MT) to inform about the change in the properties.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the result of the comparison is used in the selection of two or more travel routes which are advantageous in view of the operation of the active connection, wherein the user is informed about said advantageous travel routes.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein in connection with turning on of the mobile terminal (MT), the user is informed about the functions of the mobile terminal (MT) available in the cell corresponding to the location of the mobile terminal (MT).

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cell properties, at least the quality of service level is determined.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein it also comprises at least means (MSC) for determining the properties of at least one other cell (C1-C9) close to the location of the mobile terminal (MT), and means (BTS) for transmitting information about said at least one other determined property of the cell (C1-C9) to the mobile terminal (MT).

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein each cell comprises a base transceiver station (BTS), through which information is arranged to be transmitted between the mobile communication network (NW) and the mobile terminal (MT).

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein it comprises means (BTS, BSC, MSC) for determining the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT), and that the means (MSC) for examining the properties of at least the cell (C1-C9) corresponding to the location of the mobile terminal (MT) comprise means for selecting the cells to be determined on the basis of the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT).

17. The mobile terminal (MT) according to claim 16, wherein it comprises means (DP) for presenting said information about the cells to the user.

18. The mobile terminal (MT) according to claim 16, wherein it comprises means (RF, MEM) for determining the properties of the cell of the mobile communication network required for the use of at least one active function, and means (CONTROL) for comparing the properties of the cells in the direction of movement of the mobile terminal (MT) with the properties of the cell of the mobile communication network required for the use of said at least one active function.

19. The mobile terminal (MT) according to claim 18, wherein it comprises means (CONTROL) for using the results of the comparison in the selection of two or more travel routes advantageous in view of the operation of the active connection, and means (CONTROL, DP) for informing the user about said advantageous travel routes.

12. A system comprising a mobile terminal (MT), means (MSC, BSC, BTS) for informing the mobile terminal (MT) about the properties of a communication network (NW), which communication network (NW) comprises at least two base transceiver stations (BTS) which form at least two cells (C1-C9) whose properties affect the functions of the mobile terminal (MT) available within the range of the cell, and in which the current serving base station is arranged to be at least one base station (BTS) of the cell, through which the connection between the mobile terminal (MT) and the communication network (NW) is arranged to be maintained, wherein the system also comprises at least means (BTS) for determining the location of the mobile terminal (MT), means (MSC) for examining the properties of the cell (C1-C9) formed by at least said serving base station, and means (BTS) for transmitting information about at least one determined property of the cell (C1-C9) to the mobile terminal (MT).

16. A mobile terminal (MT) comprising means (RF) for receiving information about at least one property of a communication network (NW) in the mobile terminal (MT), which communication network (NW) comprises at least two base transceiver stations (BTS) which form at least two cells (C1-C9) whose properties affect the functions of the mobile terminal (MT) available within the range of the cell, and in which the current serving base station is arranged to be at least one base station (BTS) of the cell, through which the connection between the mobile terminal (MT) and the communication network (NW) is arranged to be maintained, wherein the mobile terminal (MT) also comprises at least means (BTS) for determining the location of the mobile terminal (MT), means (BTS) for transmitting information about the position of the mobile terminal (MT) to the mobile communication network (NW) which comprises means (MSC) for determining the properties of the cell (C1-C9) formed by at least said serving base station, and which terminal (MT) comprises means (RF) for receiving information about at least one determined property of the cell (C1-C9) from the mobile communication network (NW).