METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USING USSD OVER A COMMON CHANNEL

• US 20140106794A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Atarius, Roozbeh
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. Embodiments can enhance and improve USSD based messaging options. In an example, a USSD GW is equipped to determine that an USSD based message is able to be communicated using a common channel, and send the USSD based message as part of a USSD session to a MSC with a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element of the message to a MS using the common channel. In another example, a MSC is equipped to receive an USSD based message that includes a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element to a MS using a common channel. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. A method of communications, comprising:

determining that an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message is able to be communicated using a common channel; and

sending, by a USSD gateway (USSD GW), the USSD based message as part of a USSD session to a mobile switching center (MSC) with a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element of the message to a mobile station (MS) using the common channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement from the MSC indicating that the informational element was successfully received by the MS.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a USSD session release message to prompt the USSD GW to release the USSD session; and

releasing the USSD session in response to receipt of the USSD session release message.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the acknowledgement includes a USSD session release informational element to prompt the USSD GW to release the USSD session;

and releasing the USSD session in response to receipt of the USSD session release informational element.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the sending further comprises initiating a timer, and wherein the receiving further comprises stopping the timer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a request for an address for the MS to a home location register (HLR); and

receiving a message including the address for the MS from the HLR.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a machine-to-machine (M2M) triggering message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the USD based message is a USSD data burst message (DBM) and wherein the informational element is a USSD Notify informational element.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein message is send using a SMS Delivery Point-To-Point (SMDPP) format, and the service indicator is a code division multiple access (CDMA) M2M service indicator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the USSD based message is determined to be able to be communicated using the common channel when a size of the informational element is smaller than a threshold size.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deciding whether the USSD based message is to be communicated using the common channel or an access channel; and

wherein the determining further comprising determining to use the common channel based on the decision.

12. A method of communications, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile switching center (MSC), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message from a USSD gateway (USSD GW) that includes a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element to a mobile station (MS) using a common channel;

determining that the informational element is to be communicated to the MS using the common channel; and

sending the informational element to a base station to be transmitted to the MS using the common channel.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement from the base station indicating that the informational element was successfully received by the MS.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a USSD session release message to prompt the USSD GW to release a USSD session; and

sending the USSD session to the USSD GW.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the USSD session release message is received using an ADDS transfer message.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the acknowledgement includes a USSD session release informational element to prompt the USSD GW to release a USSD session;

and sending the USSD session in response to receipt of the USSD session release message.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the informational element is sent to the base station using an ADDS page message.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the USSD based message is received from the USSD GW using a SMS Delivery Point-To-Point (SMDPP) format.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the service indicator is a code division multiple access (CDMA) M2M service indicator.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the USSD based message is a USSD data burst message (DBM), and wherein the informational element is a USSD Notify informational element.

21. A method of communications, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile station (MS), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message with an informational element using a common channel;

processing the informational element; and

transmitting an acknowledgement indicating that the informational element was successfully processed.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting a USSD session release message using an access channel.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the acknowledgement includes a USSD session release informational element to prompt a USSD GW to release a USSD session.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the USSD based message is a USSD data burst message (DBM), and wherein the informational element is a USSD Notify informational element.

25. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

means for determining that an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message is able to be communicated using a common channel; and

means for sending, by a USSD gateway (USSD GW), the USSD based message as part of a USSD session to a mobile switching center (MSC) with a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element of the message to a mobile station (MS) using the common channel.

26. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

means for receiving, by a mobile switching center (MSC), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message from a USSD gateway (USSD GW) that includes a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element to a mobile station (MS) using a common channel;

means for determining that the informational element is to be communicated to the MS using the common channel; and

means for sending the informational element to a base station to be transmitted to the MS using the common channel.

27. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

means for receiving, by a mobile station (MS), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message with an informational element using a common channel;

means for processing the informational element; and

means for transmitting an acknowledgement indicating that the informational element was successfully processed.

28. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

determining that an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message is able to be communicated using a common channel; and

sending, by a USSD gateway (USSD GW), the USSD based message as part of a USSD session to a mobile switching center (MSC) with a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element of the message to a mobile station (MS) using the common channel.

29. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving, by a mobile switching center (MSC), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message from a USSD gateway (USSD GW) that includes a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element to a mobile station (MS) using a common channel;

determining that the informational element is to be communicated to the MS using the common channel; and

sending the informational element to a base station to be transmitted to the MS using the common channel.

30. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving, by a mobile station (MS), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message with an informational element using a common channel;

processing the informational element; and

transmitting an acknowledgement indicating that the informational element was successfully processed.

31. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

determine that an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message is able to be communicated using a common channel; and

send, by a USSD gateway (USSD GW), the USSD based message as part of a USSD session to a mobile switching center (MSC) with a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element of the message to a mobile station (MS) using the common channel.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive an acknowledgement from the MSC indicating that the informational element was successfully received by the MS.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive a USSD session release message to prompt the USSD GW to release the USSD session; and

release the USSD session in response to receipt of the USSD session release message.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the acknowledgement includes a USSD session release informational element to prompt the USSD GW to release the USSD session, wherein the processing system is further configured to release the USSD session in response to receipt of the USSD session release informational element.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

initiate a timer; and

stop the timer.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

send a request for an address for the MS to a home location register (HLR); and

receive a message including the address for the MS from the HLR.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the message is a machine-to-machine (M2M) triggering message.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the USD based message is a USSD data burst message (DBM) and wherein the informational element is a USSD Notify informational element.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein message is send using a SMS Delivery Point-To-Point (SMDPP) format, and the service indicator is a code division multiple access (CDMA) M2M service indicator.

40. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the USSD based message is determined to be able to be communicated using the common channel when a size of the informational element is smaller than a threshold size.

41. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

decide whether the USSD based message is to be communicated using the common channel or an access channel; and

determine to use the common channel based on the decision.

42. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

receive, by a mobile switching center (MSC), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message from a USSD gateway (USSD GW) that includes a service indicator prompting the MSC to communicate an informational element to a mobile station (MS) using a common channel;

determine that the informational element is to be communicated to the MS using the common channel; and

send the informational element to a base station to be transmitted to the MS using the common channel.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive an acknowledgement from the base station indicating that the informational element was successfully received by the MS.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive a USSD session release message to prompt the USSD GW to release a USSD session; and

send the USSD to the USSD GW.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the USSD session release message is received using an ADDS transfer message.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the acknowledgement includes a USSD session release informational element to prompt the USSD GW to release a USSD session, and wherein the processing system is further configured to send the USSD session in response to receipt of the USSD session release message.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the informational element is sent to the base station using an ADDS page message.

48. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the USSD based message is received from the USSD GW using a SMS Delivery Point-To-Point (SMDPP) format.

49. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the service indicator is a code division multiple access (CDMA) M2M service indicator.

50. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the USSD based message is a USSD data burst message (DBM), and wherein the informational element is a USSD Notify informational element.

51. An apparatus for communications, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

receive, by a mobile station (MS), an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) based message with an informational element using a common channel;

process the informational element; and

transmit an acknowledgement indicating that the informational element was successfully processed.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

transmit a USSD session release message using an access channel.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the acknowledgement includes a USSD session release informational element to prompt a USSD GW to release a USSD session.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the USSD based message is a USSD data burst message (DBM), and wherein the informational element is a USSD Notify informational element.