Communication method and system

• US 20030092390A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Haumont, Serge
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A telecommunication system comprises a mobile station, or handset, usable by a user, at least one switching centre connectable to the mobile station. The system is arranged such that when an attempt to establish a connection between the mobile station and the switching centre fails, information relating to the cause of the connection failure is provided to the mobile station. The mobile station is able to provide this information to a help centre.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising a first node usable by a user, at least one second node, said first node being connectable with the second node, said system being arranged such that when a connection failure occurs between said first node and said second node, information relating to the cause of said connection failure is provided to said first node, said first node comprising means for providing information relating to said connection failure to a third node.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third node is arranged to provide assistance to said first node.

3. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said information provided to the first node causes the first node to request if the user requires assistance from the third node.

4. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said third node sends information to change at least one setting of the first node.

5. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said third node is arranged to send a message to the first node advising as to the cause of the failure.

6. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a connection is established between the first node and the third node so that the user is able to communicate with a helper at the third node.

7. A communication system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said third node communicates with said first node via said second node.

8. A communication system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said third node is arranged to ensure that said user receives the charges associated with said assistance.

9. A communication system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said communication system is a wireless telecommunications system.

10. A communication system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said communication system is a cellular telecommunications system.

11. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said communications system supports voice connections.

12. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said communication system supports data connections.

13. A communications system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said communications system is a GPRS system.

14. A communications system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said second node is a SGSN.

15. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said information is provided by a SMS service.

16. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first node comprises user equipment.

17. A communications system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said user equipment comprises a mobile station.

18. A communication system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said communication system is a wired telecommunications system.

19. A communications system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said connection failure occurs for one or more of the following reasons:

incorrect information input by said user to said first node;

an unavailable service requested by said user;

the user does not subscribe to a requested service;

incorrect settings of said first node; and

errors at the second node or any other node.

20. A communication method comprising the steps of:

determining when a connection failure occurs between a first node and a second node;

providing information relating to the cause of said connection failure to the first node; and

providing information relating to the connection failure from the first node to a third node.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 further comprising the step of providing assistance to the first node.

22. A node for use in a communication system comprising said node and at least two further nodes, said node and one of said further nodes being connectable, wherein said node is arranged to receive information when a connection failure occurs between said node and said one of said further nodes, said node comprises means for providing information relating to the cause of said connection failure to another one of said further nodes.

23. A node as claimed in claim 22, wherein said node comprises means for receiving assistance from said another of said further nodes.

24. A node for use in a communications system, said communications system further comprises a first further node and a second further node which are connectable, said node comprising means for receiving information from the first further node when a connection failure occurs, said information relating to the cause of said connection failure, said node being arranged to provide assistance to said first further node in response to said information.