Service discovery in a wireless communication system

• US 20070135159A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sinivaara, Hasse
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for discovering services for a wireless multimode terminal with a plurality of radio interfaces. In order to improve the efficiency of a wireless multimode terminal in terms of power consumption and user-friendliness, an indication is sent to a multimode terminal in the mobile network, the indication indicating that services may be locally available for the multimode terminal via at least one short-range wireless network. The indication is received in the multimode terminal, and information is collected, based on the indication, about services available via at least one short-range wireless network. Based on the information collected, a service list is then compiled, the list describing at least one service available locally in one or more short-range wireless networks.

Claims

1. A method for discovering services for a wireless multimode terminal with a plurality of radio interfaces, the method comprising the steps of:

in a mobile network, sending an indication to a multimode terminal operably connected to the mobile network, the indication indicating that services may be locally available via at least one short-range wireless network;

receiving the indication in the multimode terminal;

based on the indication, collecting service information about services for the multimode terminal available through at least one short-range radio interface of the multimode terminal; and

based on the service information collected, compiling a service list describing at least one service available through the at least one short-range radio interface.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the collecting step includes the steps of:

attempting to detect at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network through at least one short-range radio interface of the multimode terminal; and

gathering the service information through the at least one short-range radio interface.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the attempting and gathering steps are performed for one short-range radio interface at a time.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of controlling the multimode terminal to a power save state with respect to a short-range radio interface after service information is collected through that short-range radio interface or if no network is detected through that short-range radio interface.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the attempt step includes attempting to detect short-range wireless networks corresponding to all short-range radio interfaces of the multimode terminal.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing user preference data in the multimode terminal;

based on the preference data and the service information collected in the collecting step, selecting one short-range wireless network; and

establishing communications with the short-range wireless network selected.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the indication includes instructive information for the collecting step.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the instructive information includes at least one network address.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the service information is collected through a radio interface by which the multimode terminal is operably connected to the mobile network.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the collecting step includes the steps of:

extracting the at least one network address from the indication; and

gathering the service information based on the at least one network address.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the network address is an IP address.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein the instructive information indicates at least one short-range radio interface for each service available locally.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the collecting step includes the steps of:

attempting to detect at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network through at least one of the at least one short-range radio interface indicated by the instructive information; and

gathering the service information through the at least one of the at least one short-range radio interface.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of presenting the service list to a user of the multimode terminal.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the compiling step includes compiling the service list according to user preference data.

16. A method of according to claim 14, wherein the presenting step further includes presenting a required connectivity standard for each of the at least one service.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the service list includes service providers corresponding to the at least one service.

18. A method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of querying the user of the multimode terminal if any of the at least one service is to be accessed.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sending step includes sending the indication as part of system information sent in the mobile network.

20. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of maintaining a service database in the mobile network, the service database including service-related data for the indication.

21. A system for discovering services for a wireless multimode terminal, the system including in a mobile network:

indication means for sending an indication to a multimode terminal operably connected to the mobile network, the indication indicating that services may be locally available for the multimode terminal via at least one short-range wireless network;

the system further including in the multimode terminal;

a first radio interface with a mobile network and at least one short-range radio interface;

reception means for receiving the indication through the first radio interface;

information collection means, responsive to the reception means, for collecting service information about services available via at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network, and

service indication means for compiling a service list based on the service information collected, the service list describing at least one service available via the at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the information collection means are configured to attempt to detect the at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network in response to the indication.

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein the indication means are configured to send the indication as system information sent to terminals in the mobile network.

24. A system according to claim 21, wherein the indication means are configured to send instructive information for the information collecting means.

25. A system according to claim 21, wherein the service list includes information about a connectivity standard for the at least one service.

26. A system according to claim 21, wherein the information collection means are configured to retrieve the service information from a network address included in the indication.

27. A wireless multimode terminal, the multimode terminal including:

a first radio interface operably connectable to a mobile network;

at least one short-range radio interface,

reception means for receiving an indication through the first radio interface, the indication indicating that services may be locally available for the multimode terminal via at least one short-range wireless network;

information collection means, responsive to the reception means, for collecting service information about services available via at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network; and

service indication means for compiling a service list based on the service information collected, the service list describing at least one service available via the at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network.

28. A wireless multimode terminal according to claim 27, wherein the information collection means are configured to attempt to detect the at least one of the at least one short-range wireless network in response to the indication.

29. A wireless multimode terminal according to claim 28, wherein the information collection means are configured to activate one short-range radio interface at a time.

30. A wireless multimode terminal according to claim 29, wherein the information collection means are further configured to control an activated short-range radio interface to a power save state after service information is collected through the activated short-range radio interface or if no network is detected through the activated short-range radio interface.

31. A wireless multimode terminal according to claim 27, wherein the information collection means are configured to retrieve the service information from a network address included in the indication.