INFORMING MOBILE STATIONS OF AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE

• US 20100062747A1
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, John, Lin, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates

Abstract

A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message is provided. The method includes identifying a geographic area, or zone, comprising at least one base station associated with a cell. A standard registration message associated with each cell in the zone is modified, which modifying results in a modified registration message with a command that is directed towards instructing mobile stations (MSs) that are already registered in the zone to re-register with the zone. The modified registration message then is broadcast from the base station. In response to the transmitting of the modified registration message, the method performs a processing of registration request messages sent from each of the MSs to the base station. In response to the processing, an acknowledge registration message is transmitted to each of the MSs, which acknowledge registration message includes data informing each of the MSs of the important message.

Claims

1. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, the method comprising:

Identifying a zone comprising at least one base station associated with a cell, the zone corresponding to the geographic area;

Modifying a standard registration message associated with each cell in the zone, the modifying resulting in a modified registration message with a command that is directed towards instructing mobile stations that are already registered in the zone to re-register with the zone;

Broadcasting the modified registration message from the base station;

Processing a registration request message, sent from each of the mobile stations to the base station, in response to the transmitting of the modified registration message; and

Transmitting to each of the mobile stations an acknowledge registration message in response to the processing, wherein acknowledge registration message includes data informing each of the mobile stations of the important message.

2. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes changing a distance from base station value that is indicative of a maximum distance a mobile station can be from its currently registered base station before it must attempt re-registration with a cell.

3. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes changing a minimum required signal strength value that is indicative of a maximum distance a mobile station can be from its currently registered base station before it must attempt re-registration with a cell.

4. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein modifying includes changing a cell identifier for cells in the zone.

5. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the changing the cell identifier is characterized by incrementally changing cell identifiers for cells in the zone.

6. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the incrementally changing cell identifiers for cells in the zone is characterized by prioritizing the changing of the cell identifiers for cells that are at the centre of the geographic area.

7. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes reducing a period for re-registration timer value.

8. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the period for re-registration timer value is incrementally reduced.

9. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standard registration message includes a system information block.

10. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data informing each of the mobile stations of the important message includes a monitor command to listen to a channel where the important message is broadcast.

11. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 10, wherein the monitor command includes timing information for listening to the channel where the important message is broadcast.

12. A method for informing mobile stations in a geographic area of an important message, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the command in the modified registration message is also directed towards instructing unregistered mobile stations that are in the zone to register with the zone.

13. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, the method comprising:

Processing, by the mobile station, a modified registration message transmitted from a base station, the modified registration message being different from an immediately preceding registration message received by the mobile station;

Transmitting, to the base station, a registration request message, the transmitting being in response to the processing of the modified registration message; and

Processing data received in an acknowledge registration message transmitted from the base station, wherein the data informs the mobile station of the important message.

14. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the modified registration message includes a modified distance from base station value that is indicative of a maximum distance the mobile station can be from the base station before it must attempt re-registration with a cell.

15. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wherein the modified registration message includes a modified minimum required signal strength value that is indicative of a maximum distance the mobile station can be from base station before it must attempt re-registration with a cell.

16. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wherein the modified registration message includes a different cell identifier.

17. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein modified registration message includes a reduced a period for re-registration timer value.

18. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data informing the mobile station of the important message includes a monitor command to listen to a channel where the important message is broadcast.

19. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the monitor command includes timing information for listening to the channel where the important message is broadcast.

20. A method for informing a mobile station of an important message, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data informing the mobile station of the important message identifies a canned message stored in a memory of the mobile station.