Local control enhancement in a telecommunications systems

• US 5,884,172 A
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Sawyer, Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/994,659
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435, 455/422, 455/403
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method and system for providing support of local control functionality in a mobile telecommunications system independently of mobile station roaming status is provided. In the invention, upon receiving a registration access message a visited system accesses a database and determines whether the registering mobile station supports local control features supported by the system. If the mobile station and system support common local control features the system returns a local control registration confirmation message in place of the normal system registration confirmation message. The local control registration confirmation message confirms registration and also serves as an indication to the mobile station that the mobile station and system support common local control features. The mobile station and system may now function accordingly to allow use of the common local control features.

Claims

1. In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code for determining local control features supported by said mobile station, wherein said local control features are customizations of air interfaces to provide special local services within said system;

determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more of said local control features also supported by said system; and

responsive to the determination;

transmitting a first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are not supported; and

transmitting a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are supported.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said registration message transmitted from a mobile station comprises a first identification code and a second identification code, and, further, in which the step of determining comprises the steps of:

determining if said first identification code is contained in a list stored by said system; and

determining if said second identification code is within a stored range of values associated with said first identification code.

3. The method of claim 2 in which said first identification code comprises a manufacturer code and said second identification code comprises a mobile station serial number.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said step of determining further comprises the step of determining if said at least one identification code is contained in a list stored by said system.

5. The method of claim 4 in which said stored list comprises a list of manufacturer codes.

6. The method of claim 5 in which said manufacturer codes identify manufacturers of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

7. The method of claim 5 in which said manufacturer codes identify models of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

8. The method of claim 1 in which said second type registration confirmation message comprises an initial message assigning a voice channel for communications between said system and said mobile station.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of transmitting a local control message on said voice channel, said local control message comprising a data field.

10. The method of claim 9 in which said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of setting a common local control group flag in a home location register for said mobile station.

12. The method of claim 8 in which said step of determining comprises the steps of:

accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and

verifying a local control class of service stored in said home location register.

13. The method of claim 12 in which said step of verifying further comprises the step of determining if a common local group flag contained in said data base is set.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving in said system a second registration message transmitted from said mobile station;

determining whether said second registration message was received after having previously transmitted a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station; and

responsive to an affirmative determination;

transmitting said first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station.

15. In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code;

determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system; and

responsive to the determination;

transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported;

assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and

transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, and local control message comprising a data field, wherein said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

16. In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code for determining local control features supported by said mobile station, wherein said local control features are customizations of air interfaces to provide special local services within said system;

means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more of said local control features also supported by said system; and

means for transmitting a first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are not supported; and

means for transmitting a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are supported.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 in which said registration message transmitted from a mobile station comprises a first identification code and a second identification code, and, further, in which said means for determining comprises:

means for determining if said first identification code is contained in a list stored by said system; and

means for determining if said second identification code is within a stored range of values associated with said first identification code.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which said first identification code comprises a manufacturer code and said second identification code comprises a mobile station serial number.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 in which said means for determining further comprises means for determining if said at least one identification code is contained in a list stored by said system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 in which said stored list comprises a list of manufacturer codes.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 in which said manufacturer codes identify manufacturers of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 in which said manufacturer codes identify manufacturers of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 in which said second type registration confirmation message comprises an initial message assigning a voice channel for communications between said system and said mobile station.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising the steps of transmitting a local control message on said voice channel, said local control message comprising a data field.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 in which said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring system which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising means for setting a common local control group flag in a home location register for said mobile station.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for determining comprises:

means for accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and

means for verifying a local control class of service stored in said home location register.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 in which said means for verifying further comprises means for determining if a common local group flag stored in said home location register is set.

29. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving in said system a second registration message transmitted from said mobile station;

means for determining whether said second registration message was received after having previously transmitted a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station; and

means for transmitting said first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station in response to an affirmative determination.

30. In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code;

means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system;

means for transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported;

means for assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and

means for transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, said local control message comprising a data field, wherein said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

31. In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code;

means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system, wherein said means for determining includes;

means for accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and

means for verifying a local control class of service contained in said home location register;

means for transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported;

means for assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and

means for transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, said local control message comprising a data field.

32. In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code;

determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system, wherein said step of determining includes the steps of;

accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and

verifying a local control class of service contained in said home location register; and

responsive to the determination;

transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported;

assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and

transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, and local control message comprising a data field.