SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION SERVICES TO SUBSCRIBERS IN A GPRS NETWORK

• US 20090043820A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gazzard, Daryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing services, such as location-based services, in a GPRS network. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a database including local geographical information is stored in a BSS (Base Station System). The BSS transmits data in the database to at lease one MS on dedicated DPCHs in idle packet frames. The MS populates its database with the data while in idle mode and provides the location-based services to a subscriber using its database.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for providing information services to a subscriber in a GPRS network comprising:

a BTS including a storage area for storing a first database, the first database including data for providing the information services; and

a MS including a second database,

wherein the BTS transmits the data to the MS, the MS populates the second database with the data transmitted from the BTS, and the MS provides the information services to the subscriber using the second database in response to a request from the subscriber.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the storage area is accessed and modified by a central application managing the first database.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the BTS transmits the data in the first database to more than one MS.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the data is transmitted on a dedicated PDCH (packet data channel) in idle packet frames.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein the MS populates the second database while in idle mode.

6. The telecommunication system of claim 1, wherein the information services provide information related to a specific geographic location of the subscriber.

7. A telecommunications system for providing location-based services in a GPRS network comprising:

a central application managing databases, the databases including information needed to provide the location-based services;

a BTS including a storage area; and

a MS in communication with the BTS,

wherein the central application accesses and modifies the storage area of BTS to include the databases, the BTS transmits data of the databases to the MS, the MS then populates its database with the data transmitted from the BTS, and the MS provides the location-based services using its database in response to a request from a subscriber.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein the BTS transmits the data in the databases to more than one MS.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein the data in the databases is transmitted on a dedicated PDCH in idle packet frames.

10. A method for providing information services to a subscriber in a GPRS network comprising:

providing a storage area in a BTS; and

modifying the storage area in the BTS to include a first database, the first database including data needed to provide the information services,

wherein the BTS transmits the data to a MS including a second database, the MS populates the second database with the data and provides the information services to the subscriber using the second database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the BTS transmits the data on a dedicated PDCH in idle packet frames.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the BTS transmits the data packets to more than one MS.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the MS provides the information without connecting to the GPRS network.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the information services provide information related to a specific geographic location of the subscriber.