Method for the delivery of area related messages in a mobile communication system

• US 20060271551A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Suojasto, Marko
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area in a communication system. In the method is specified for an application server a geographical area and a message for delivery. The geographical area is translated to a first set comprising at least one cell set. Each the cell set comprising at least one cell. A search is performed in the database server using at least the first set as search criterion. A search request is sent specifying a second set comprising at least one cell set to at least one serving node. A search is performed in a database comprised in the at least one serving node with the second set as a criterion. From the at least one serving node is provided in response a list comprising information on the subscribers in the area of the second set. Finally, the message is sent from the application server to the subscribers.

Claims

1. A method for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area in a communication system comprising at least a mobile station, at least one serving node, a database server and an application server, the method comprising:

specifying for the application server a geographical area and at least one message for delivery to subscribers in said geographic area;

translating the geographical area to a first cell set;

performing a search in said database server using said first cell set as search criterion;

as a result of the search, obtaining a list of subscribers within said first cell set; and

delivering said at least one message from said application server to the listed subscribers.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a list of subscribers further comprises:

sending a search request specifying a second cell set to at least one serving node;

performing a search in a database associated with said at least one serving node using said second cell set as a criterion;

providing from said at least one serving node in response a list of subscribers in the area of said second cell set;

3. The method according to claim 2, the method further comprising:

defining a monitoring period in said search request;

receiving a location update message in a first serving node among said at least one serving node;

determining in said first serving node whether said monitoring period has expired and whether the location update is from a subscriber in the area of said second set;

reporting said subscriber to said application server.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said serving node comprises at least one of a Mobile Services Switching Center (MSC), a Serving General Packet Radio Service Node (SGSN) and a Call State Control Function (CSCF).

5. A system for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area comprising:

at least one mobile station used by a subscriber;

an application server configured to define a geographical area and at least one message for delivery to a subscriber in said geographical area, said application server further adapted to translate the geographical area to a first cell set, and to request the delivery of said the message from said application server to the subscriber;

a database server configured to perform a search with said first cell set as search criterion, as a result of the search obtaining a list of subscribers within said first cell set, and reporting said list to the application server; and

wherein the application server delivers said message from said application server to the listed subscribers.

6. A system for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area, according to claim 5, further comprising:

at least one serving node configured to perform a search in a database in said serving node with a second cell set as a criterion and to provide in response a list comprising information on subscribers in the area of said second set; and

wherein said database server is further adapted to send a search request specifying the second cell set to the at least one serving node.

7. A system for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area, according to claim 6, wherein the database server includes in the search request a definition of a monitoring period and further said serving node adapted to determine whether said monitoring period has expired.

8. A system for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area, according to claim 7, wherein said serving node determines whether a location update is from a subscriber in the area of said second set.

9. A system for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area, according to claim 7, wherein said serving node further triggers location updates from subscribers in the cell set during said monitoring period.

10. A system for the delivery of messages to a specified geographical area, according to claim 6, wherein the serving node further comprises:

a location register;

a monitoring database;

a mobility management entity configured to report information on a location update for a monitoring database entity and to perform location updates to said location register, said information comprising a subscriber identity for the routing of messages to the mobile subscriber performing the location update; and

said monitoring database entity configured to perform a search in said monitoring database using said second cell set as a criterion and to provide in response a listing of subscribers in the area of said second cell set.

11. A network node for reporting subscribers in the area of at least one cell set comprising:

a location register;

a monitoring database;

a mobility management entity configured to report information on a location update for a monitoring database entity and to perform location updates to said location register, said information comprising a subscriber identity for the routing of messages to the mobile subscriber performing the location update; and

said monitoring database entity configured to perform a search in said monitoring database with said at least one cell set as a criterion and to provide in response a list comprising information on at least one subscriber in the area of said at least one cell set.

12. A computer program comprising code adapted to perform the following steps when executed on a computer processor:

reporting information on a location update for a monitoring database entity, said information comprising a subscriber identity for the routing of messages to the mobile subscriber performing the location update;

performing location updates to said location register;

receiving information on at least one cell set from a remote node;

performing a search in a monitoring database with said at least one cell set as a criterion; and

providing, in response to said remote node, a list of subscribers in the area of said at least one cell set.

13. The computer program according to claim 12, wherein said computer program is stored on a computer readable medium.

14. The computer program according to claim 13, wherein said computer readable medium is a removable memory card.

15. The computer program according to claim 13, wherein said computer readable medium is a magnetic or an optical disk.