System for broadcasting messages from a mobile radio terminal

• US 6,091,961 A
• Filed: 12/11/1997
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Khalil, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ GUTIERREZ, RAFAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/989,031
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/426
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A system for broadcasting messages from a terminal in a mobile radio network offering a service for broadcasting messages from the network, in addition to a point to point type message transmission service, includes a device for indicating that a point to point type message from a terminal is to be broadcast and a device for reacting to any such indication by converting the point to point type message into a message to be broadcast by the network.

Claims

1. In a mobile radio network, a message broadcast system, comprising:

a terminal operating in a mobile radio network and originating a message for broadcast having a broadcast indicator and a point-to-point message format;

said network receiving said message for broadcast from said terminal and responding to said broadcast indicator by converting said message for broadcast from said point-to-point format to a broadcast format; and

said network broadcasting said message for broadcast in said broadcast format over a broadcast control channel of said network, thereby enabling at least two terminals to determine that said message for broadcast is intended for them.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said message for broadcast in said point-to-point format further includes control information and wanted information, said control information indicating whether said message for broadcast in said broadcast format should include said wanted information;

said mobile radio network cooperates with an external message service center and

an external message broadcast center; and

said conversion of said message for broadcast from said point-to-point message format to said broadcast format is performed by;

said external message service center detecting said broadcast indicator, said external message service center producing broadcast message data based on said control information, said broadcast message data including said wanted information only when said control information indicates said message for broadcast should include said wanted information,

said external message service center forwarding said broadcast message data to said external message broadcast center as enabling data,

said external message broadcast center receiving said enabling data, and

said external message broadcast center producing, from said enabling data, said message for broadcast in said broadcast format.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said external message service center provides said broadcast message data to said external message broadcast center using at least one other network.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said terminal comprises means for capturing said control information.

5. A method for a message service center in a mobile radio network to cooperate in the conversion of a message, originated by a terminal, from a point-to-point format to a broadcast format, comprising:

receiving said message originated by said terminal, said message being a message for broadcast to a plurality of intended recipients, said message for broadcast having a broadcast indicator and said point-to-point message format, said message in said point-to-point format further including control information and wanted information, said control information indicating whether said message in said broadcast format should include said wanted information;

detecting said broadcast indicator;

producing broadcast message data based on said control information, said broadcast message data including said wanted information only when said control information indicates said message for broadcast should include said wanted information; and

forwarding said broadcast message data to an external message broadcast center as enabling data.

6. The message service center of claim 5 including means for analyzing said control information.

7. A method for a message broadcast center in a mobile radio network to cooperate in the conversion of a message, originated by a terminal, from a point-to-point format to a broadcast format, said message being a message originated by said terminal having a plurality of intended recipients, a broadcast indicator, control information, and wanted information, said control information indicating whether said message in said broadcast format should include said wanted information, said method comprising:

receiving from an external message service center, enabling data including broadcast message data based on said control information;

producing from said enabling data said message in said broadcast format; and

broadcasting said message in said broadcast format, simultaneously, to said plurality of intended recipients over a broadcast control channel.