Download and display of system tags in wireless communication systems

• US 20040204136A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Uchida, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information

Abstract

Techniques for downloading and displaying system tags by wireless terminals based on roaming status. A tag includes texts and/or graphics. The system tags include home system tags and roaming system tags, which include group tags and specific tags. A home system tag is associated with one or multiple home systems, a group tag is associated with one or multiple roaming indicator values, and a specific tag is associated with one or multiple SID values. A terminal is provided with home system tag, group tags, and specific tags. The terminal displays the home system tag when obtaining service from the home system and a roaming system tag when obtaining service from a roaming system. The particular roaming system tag to be displayed is dependent on the roaming indicator value and the SID value for the roaming system. The system tags may be downloaded to the terminal via over-the-air signaling.

Claims

1. A method of displaying system tags by a wireless terminal, comprising:

determining if a serving system for the terminal is one of at least one home systems for the terminal;

if the serving system is one of the at least one home systems;

displaying a home system tag if the serving system is one of the at least one home systems; and

if the serving system in not one of the at least one home systems;

determining availability of a roaming system tag for the serving; and

displaying the roaming system tag if available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes

ascertaining a system identification (SID) value for the serving system, and

ascertaining whether the SID value for the serving system is included in a set of SID values for which roaming system tags are available.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the roaming system tag associated with the SID value for the serving system is displayed if available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further includes

ascertaining a roaming indicator value for the serving system, and

ascertaining whether the roaming indicator value for the serving system is included in a set of roaming indicator values for which roaming system tags are available.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the roaming system tag associated with the roaming indicator value for the serving system is displayed if available.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining includes

ascertaining a roaming indicator value for the serving system, and

ascertaining whether the roaming indicator value for the serving system is included in a set of roaming indicator values for which roaming system tags are available, and wherein the roaming system tag associated with the roaming indicator value for the serving system is displayed if available and if the roaming system tag associated with the SID value for the serving system is not available.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a roaming display indication associated with the roaming system tag for the serving system if the tag is available; and

displaying a roaming indicator in accordance with the roaming display indication.

8. A method of downloading system tag information in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a first message requesting current configuration information for system tags stored by a terminal, wherein the system tags are suitable for display based on roaming status of the terminal;

sending a second message with the requested current configuration information; and

receiving a third message for at least one system tag to be downloaded to the terminal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending a fourth message to acknowledge receipt of the at least one system tag.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the system tags stored by the terminal include at least one home system tag and at least one roaming system tag, and wherein each of the system tags is associated with one or more systems.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one roaming system tag includes at least one group tag and at least one specific tag, wherein each of the at least one group tag is associated with one or more roaming indicator values, and wherein each of the at least one specific tag is associated with one or more system identification (SID) values.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one group tag is included in a first list and the at least one specific tag is included in a second list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein an entire list of one or more group tag is downloaded to the terminal if selected, and wherein an entire list of one or more specific tags is downloaded to the terminal if selected.

14. A wireless terminal comprising:

at least one home system tag suitable for display if the terminal communicates with a home system associated with the home system tag; and

at least one roaming system tag suitable for display if the terminal communicates with a roaming system associated with the roaming system tag, wherein the at least one home system tag and the at least one roaming system tag are updatable for the terminal.

15. The terminal of claim 14, wherein each of the at least one roaming system tag is further associated with a roaming display indication, and

wherein if one of the at least one roaming system tag is displayed then a roaming indicator is displayed in accordance with the roaming display indication associated with roaming system tag being displayed.

16. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the at least one roaming system tag includes at least one specific tag, and wherein each of the at least one specific tag is associated with one or more system identification (SID) values.

17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the at least one specific tag is stored in a first list that is downloadable to the terminal.

18. The terminal of claim 14, wherein the at least one roaming system tag includes at least one group tag, and wherein each of the at least one group tag is associated with one or more roaming indicator values.

19. The terminal of claim 18, wherein the at least one group tag is stored in a second list that is downloadable to the terminal.

20. A terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a memory unit operative to store a plurality of system tags suitable for display based on roaming status of the terminal; and

a controller operative to ascertain current roaming status of the terminal, identify one of the plurality of system tags based on the current roaming status, and direct display of the identified system tag.

21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the current roaming status of the terminal is ascertained based on a system identification (SID) value and a network identification (NID) value received for a serving system and one or more pairs of SID and NID values for one or more home systems for the terminal.

22. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the controller is further operative to supervise downloading of one or more system tags during a system tag downloading operation.

23. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the wireless communication system is a CDMA communication system.

24. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for determining if a serving system for the terminal is one of at least one home systems for the terminal;

means for displaying a home system tag if the serving system is one of the at least one home systems if the serving system is one of the at least one home systems; and

means for determining availability of a roaming system tag for the serving if the serving system in not one of the at least one home systems; and

means for displaying the roaming system tag if available.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

means for determining a roaming display indication associated with the roaming system tag for the serving system if the tag is available; and

means for displaying a roaming indicator in accordance with the roaming display indication.

26. An apparatus in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a first message requesting current configuration information for system tags stored by the apparatus, wherein the system tags are suitable for display based on roaming status of the apparatus;

means for sending a second message with the requested current configuration information; and

means for receiving a third message for at least one system tag to be downloaded to the apparatus.