Mobile station originated SMS using digital traffic channel

• US 6,097,961 A
• Filed: 11/06/1996
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Alanara, Seppo, Willhoff, Steven J
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/746,088
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/422, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452, 455/455, 455/509, 455/511, 455/550, 455/434, 455/31.2, 455/31.3
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method is disclosed for operating a user terminal, such as a cellular radiotelephone, of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a network through an RF interface. The method includes a first step of storing at least one message in a memory accessible by the mobile station. A second step transmits a Teleservice origination (e.g., a SMS origination) request from the mobile station to the network using a reverse digital control channel. The request specifies that a reverse digital traffic channel be assigned to the mobile station. A next step, executed in response to being assigned to a reverse digital traffic channel, transmits the at least one stored message to a SMS center that is coupled to the network, the at least one stored message being transmitted over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel. In a preferred embodiment of this invention the SMS origination request is transmitted using a random access channel, the step of transmitting the at least one stored message includes a step of bypassing a voice coder and a data modem within the mobile station, and the step of transmitting the at least one stored message is accomplished in an ARQ mode of operation. Also disclosed is a method to deliver Teleservice messages in a wireless communications system that are not constrained by any message length limitations imposed by the air interface or network layers supporting the wireless service.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile station of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a communications network through a wireless interface, comprising the steps of:

in response to a presence of at least one message to be transmitted by the mobile station,

determining in the mobile station if the at least one message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital control channel or over a reverse digital traffic channel;

in response to the mobile station determining that the at least one message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting a message origination request from the mobile station to the network using a reverse digital control channel, the request specifying that a reverse digital traffic channel be assigned to the mobile station; and

in response to being assigned to a reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting the at least one message to a message center that is coupled to the network, the at least one message being transmitted over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the message origination request is transmitted using a random access channel.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the at least one message includes a step of bypassing a voice coder within the mobile station.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the at least one message includes a step of bypassing a data modem within the mobile station.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the at least one message is accomplished in an ARQ mode of operation.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the message has a length that exceeds a specified maximum length of a message transport facility, and further comprising a step of partitioning the message into a plurality of segments each having a length equal to or less than the specified maximum length prior to the step of transmitting the at least one message.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of partitioning includes a step of compressing the message.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of partitioning includes a step of encrypting the message.

9. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of partitioning includes steps of:

compressing the message; and

encrypting the compressed message.

10. A method for operating a communications network of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a mobile station through a wireless interface, comprising the steps of:

determining in the mobile station if a Teleservices message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital control channel or over a reverse digital traffic channel;

in response to the mobile station determining that the Teleservices message is to be transmitted over the reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting a Teleservices origination message over a reverse digital control channel;

in response to receiving a Teleservice origination request from a mobile station over the reverse digital control channel, assigning a reverse digital traffic channel to the mobile station;

receiving at least one Teleservice message from the mobile station over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel; and

routing the received at least one Teleservice message to a message center that is coupled to the network.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the Teleservice origination request is received from a random access channel.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of receiving the at least one Teleservice message includes a step of bypassing a voice decoder within the communications network.

13. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of receiving the at least one Teleservice message includes a step of bypassing a data modem within the communications network.

14. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of receiving the at least one Teleservice message is accomplished in an ARQ mode of operation.

15. A method for operating a communications network of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a mobile station through a wireless interface, comprising the steps of:

in response to receiving a Teleservice origination request from a mobile station over a reverse digital control channel, assigning a reverse digital traffic channel to the mobile station;

receiving at least one Teleservice message from the mobile station over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel; and

routing the received at least one Teleservice message to a message center that is coupled to the network, wherein the Teleservice message has a length that exceeds a specified maximum length of digital control channel message transport facility, wherein the step of receiving receives the Teleservice message as a plurality of segments each having a length equal to or less than the specified maximum length, and further comprising the steps of reassembling the segments into the Teleservice message.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step of reassembling includes a further step of decompressing the reassembled Teleservice message.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step of reassembling includes a further step of decrypting the reassembled Teleservice message.

18. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step of reassembling includes the further steps of:

decrypting the reassembled Teleservice message; and

decompressing the decrypted Teleservice message.

19. A mobile station of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a communications network through a wireless interface, comprising:

a controller for storing at least one message in a memory accessible by the mobile station, said controller further determining if the at least one stored message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital control channel or over a reverse digital traffic channel; and

transmission circuitry, responsive to the controller determining that the at least one message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital traffic channel, for transmitting a SMS origination request from the mobile station to the network using a reverse digital control channel, the request specifying that a reverse digital traffic channel be assigned to the mobile station, said transmission circuitry being responsive to an assignment of a reverse digital traffic channel to the mobile station, for transmitting the at least one stored message to a SMS center that is coupled to the network, the at least one stored message being transmitted over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel.

20. A mobile station as set forth in claim 19, wherein the SMS origination request is transmitted using a random access channel.

21. A mobile station as set forth in claim 19, wherein said controller operates to bypass a voice coder within the mobile station when transmitting the at least one stored message.

22. A mobile station as set forth in claim 19, wherein said controller operates to bypass a data modem within the mobile station when transmitting the at least one stored message.

23. A mobile station as set forth in claim 19, wherein said transmission circuitry and said controller operate in an ARQ mode of operation when transmitting the at least one stored message.

24. A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said controller comprises means for at least one of compressing the SMS message or encrypting the SMS message prior to said transmission circuitry transmitting the stored SMS message.

25. A method for operating a wireless communications network to transmit a Teleservices message from a source to a destination, comprising the steps of:

inputting to a Teleservice Transmission Service (TTS) a Teleservices message to be transmitted, the Teleservices message being input through a first TTS Service Access Point (SAP);

partitioning the Teleservices message into a plurality of smaller message segments each having a maximum size that is equal to or less than a specified maximum length of a message unit for a digital control channel (DCCH) message transport facility;

outputting the message segments from the TTS through a second SAP to an air interface service for transmission to the destination;

transmitting a first message from the source to the destination for specifying at least a total number of message segments to be transmitted, the first message also conveying a first message segment;

transmitting one or more second messages from the source to the destination, each second message conveying a further message segment and also specifying at least a number of remaining message segments; and

transmitting a final message from the source to the destination, the final message conveying a last message segment and also specifying the end of the Teleservices message.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of partitioning includes a preliminary step of compressing the Teleservices message.

27. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of partitioning includes a preliminary step of encrypting the Teleservices message.

28. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the step of partitioning includes the preliminary steps of:

compressing the Teleservices message; and

encrypting the compressed Teleservices message.

29. A method as set forth in claim 28, wherein the step of transmitting the first message transmits information for specifying a type of compression that was applied to the Teleservices message, if any, and information for specifying a type of encryption that was applied to the Teleservices message, if any.

30. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the steps of transmitting each transmit information for specifying an identification of the Teleservices message.

31. A method as set forth in claim 25, and further comprising a step of receiving a response message from the destination, the response message including information for specifying, for each transmitted message segment, whether the message segment was correctly received.

32. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the steps of transmitting transmit the messages through the digital control channel (DCCH).

33. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the steps of transmitting transmit the messages through a digital traffic channel (DTC), and wherein the steps of transmitting each include a step of bypassing a voice coder in the source.

34. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the steps of transmitting transmit the messages through a digital traffic channel (DTC), and wherein the steps of transmitting each include a step of bypassing a data modem in the source.

35. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the Teleservice message is a SMS message.

36. A method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the Teleservice message is an OATS message.

37. A method for operating a mobile station of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a communications network through a wireless interface, comprising the steps of:

in response to a presence of a message to be transmitted by the mobile station,

determining in the mobile station if the message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital control channel or over a reverse digital traffic channel, the determination being based on a length of the message;

in response to the mobile station determining that the message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting a message origination request from the mobile station to the network using a reverse digital control channel, the request specifying that a reverse digital traffic channel be assigned to the mobile station; and

in response to being assigned to a reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting the message over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel.

38. A method for operating a mobile station of a type that is bidirectionally coupled to a communications network through a wireless interface, comprising the steps of:

in response to a presence of a message to be transmitted by the mobile station,

determining in the mobile station if the message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital control channel or over a reverse digital traffic channel, the determination being based on a user input;

in response to the mobile station determining that the message is to be transmitted over a reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting a message origination request from the mobile station to the network using a reverse digital control channel, the request specifying that a reverse digital traffic channel be assigned to the mobile station; and

in response to being assigned to a reverse digital traffic channel, transmitting the message over the assigned reverse digital traffic channel.