Mobile communications from computer aided dispatch system via a customer premises gateway for satellite communication system

• US 6,122,671 A
• Filed: 06/08/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Amsc Subsidiary Corp. (PetIQ, Inc.)
• Inventors: Farrar, Samuel A. Jr., Gruessing, Joseph A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US09/100,775
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 709/249, 709/204, 709/225, 709/224, 709/227, 709/238, 370/401, 370/903, 370/913
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/913 Wireless or radio

Abstract

A mobile satellite system includes a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for providing communication of satellite messages via a satellite. The mobile satellite system also includes a mobile communication system transmitting to and receiving messages from the mobile satellite system, and a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending to and receiving customer messages from the mobile communication system via the mobile satellite system. A central controller controls communication in the mobile satellite system. A customer premises gateway (CPG) system provides an interface between the CAD system and the central controller, enabling the mobile communication system to transmit the messages to the CAD system and enabling the CAD system to transmit the customer messages to the mobile communication system.

Claims

1. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for providing communication of satellite messages with a mobile communication system via a satellite, a central controller communicating with the mobile communication system via the satellite communication switching office, and a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending and receiving customer messages to/from the mobile satellite system via a customer premises gateway system, the customer premises gateway system comprising:

a middleware service provider supporting central controller communication services, satellite message communication services, and network management communication services, said middleware service provider configuring middleware services for invocation;

an Application Interface Agent (AIA) receiving outbound messages from the CAD system, and formatting the outbound messages as application programmer interface (API) calls to the middleware service provider, said AIA receiving inbound messages from the middleware service provider, interpreting the inbound messages, and delivering the inbound messages to the CAD system;

an application programmer interface (API) including a library of middleware functions and the API calls to invoke the middleware services of said middleware service provider;

a network manager performing message logging provided by said middleware service provider including logging control information for messages handled by said middleware service provider;

a communications driver including a communication protocol to interface with a physical transport medium of the CAD system; and

a central controller interface providing an interface between the CAD system and the central controller and providing the CAD system access to the mobile satellite system.

2. A customer premises gateway system according to claim 1, wherein said AIA further performing the functions:

(1) interfacing with the CAD system,

(2) receiving the outbound messages from the CAD system and translating the outbound messages into the API calls,

(3) retrieving the inbound messages from the central controller and transmitting the inbound messages to the CAD system,

(4) interpreting non-messages including data reports,

(5) enabling the CAD system to query network message status using message status capabilities,

(6) enabling the CAD system to delete individual messages or purge the inbound and outbound messages from a message queue,

(7) providing a message log,

(8) maintaining a table of CAD-IDs and Message-IDs, and

(9) maintaining a directory service used to determine a source of inbound data reports.

3. A customer premises gateway system according to claim 1, wherein said middleware service provider further performing the following functions:

(1) transmitting the inbound messages to said AIA,

(2) transmitting non-messages including data reports to said AIA,

(3) using Negative Delivery Notifications (NDNs) and Positive Delivery Notifications (PDNs) to update message status, and to generate service acknowledgments to said AIA,

(4) transmitting Message Reference Number (MRN), Time of Acceptance (TOA), and PDN information to said AIA,

(5) logging Interface Control Block (ICB) information and message contents from the inbound and outbound messages in a file,

(6) compressing the outbound messages for delivery over the mobile satellite system,

(7) assigning message priority to the outbound messages,

(8) providing end-to-end message delivery acknowledgment functionality.

4. A customer premises gateway system according to claim 1, wherein said communications driver further performing the following functions:

(1) interfacing with the central controller,

(2) providing direct X.25 access for X.121 addressed messages, immediately forwarded messages, and data reports, and

(3) providing Data Network Identifier (DNID) access for DNID addressed messages and the data reports when immediate forwarding is inactive.

5. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for providing communication of satellite messages with a mobile communication system via a satellite, a central controller communicating with the mobile communication system via the satellite communication switching office, and a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending and receiving customer messages to/from the mobile satellite system via a customer premises gateway system, a method of managing and transmitting the customer messages between the CAD system and the mobile satellite system comprising the steps of:

(a) supporting central controller communication services, satellite message communication services, and network management communication services,

(b) configuring middleware services for invocation;

(c) receiving outbound messages from the CAD system, and formatting the outbound messages as application programmer interface (API) calls,

(d) receiving inbound messages, interpreting the inbound messages, and delivering the inbound messages to the CAD system;

(e) invoking the middleware services via a library of middleware functions and the API calls;

(f) performing message logging including logging control information;

(g) interfacing with a physical transport medium of the CAD system;

(h) providing an interface between the CAD system and the central controller and providing the CAD system access to the mobile satellite system; and

(i) configuring access information for accessing the central controller.

6. A mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for providing communication of satellite messages via a satellite, the mobile satellite system comprising:

a mobile communication system transmitting to and receiving messages from the mobile satellite system;

a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending to and receiving customer messages from said mobile communication system via the mobile satellite system;

a central controller controlling communication in the mobile satellite system;

a customer premises gateway (CPG) system providing an interface between said CAD system and said central controller, enabling the mobile communication system to transmit the messages to said CAD system and enabling said CAD system to transmit the customer messages to the mobile communication system.

7. A mobile satellite system according to claim 6,

wherein said CPG system includes a CPG application and CPG middleware, and said mobile communication system includes a mobile application and mobile middleware,

wherein the CPG and mobile applications implement message generation and message presentation, and

wherein the CPG and mobile middleware implement message transmission and reception.

8. A mobile satellite system according to claim 6, wherein said CPG system performing the following functions:

supporting central controller communication services, satellite message communication services, and network management communication services,

configuring middleware services for invocation;

receiving outbound messages from the CAD system, and formatting the outbound messages as application programmer interface (API) calls,

receiving inbound messages, interpreting the inbound messages, and delivering the inbound messages to the CAD system;

invoking the middleware services via a library of middleware functions and the API calls;

performing message logging including logging control information;

interfacing with a physical transport medium of the CAD system;

providing an interface between the CAD system and the central controller and providing the CAD system access to the mobile satellite system; and

configuring access information for accessing the central controller.

9. A mobile satellite system according to claim 6, wherein said CPG system comprises:

a middleware service provider supporting central controller communication services, satellite message communication services, and network management communication services, said middleware service provider configuring middleware services for invocation;

an Application Interface Agent (AIA) receiving outbound messages from the CAD system, and formatting the outbound messages as application programmer interface (API) calls to the middleware service provider, said AIA receiving inbound messages from the middleware service provider, interpreting the inbound messages, and delivering the inbound messages to the CAD system;

an application programmer interface (API) including a library of middleware functions and the API calls to invoke the middleware services of said middleware service provider;

a network manager performing message logging provided by said middleware service provider including logging control information for messages handled by said middleware service provider;

a communications driver including a communication protocol to interface with a physical transport medium of the CAD system; and

a central controller interface providing an interface between the CAD system and the central controller and providing the CAD system access to the mobile satellite system.

10. A customer premises gateway system according to claim 9, wherein said AIA further performing the functions:

(1) interfacing with the CAD system,

(2) receiving the outbound messages from the CAD system and translating the outbound messages into the API calls,

(3) retrieving the inbound messages from the central controller and transmitting the inbound messages to the CAD system,

(4) interpreting non-messages including data reports,

(5) enabling the CAD system to query network message status using message status capabilities,

(6) enabling the CAD system to delete individual messages or purge the inbound and outbound messages from a message queue,

(7) providing a message log,

(8) maintaining a table of CAD-IDs and Message-IDs, and

(9) maintaining a directory service used to determine a source of inbound data reports.

11. A customer premises gateway system according to claim 9, wherein said middleware service provider further performing the following functions:

(1) transmitting the inbound messages to said AIA,

(2) transmitting non-messages including data reports to said AIA,

(3) using Negative Delivery Notifications (NDNs) and Positive Delivery Notifications (PDNs) to update message status, and to generate service acknowledgments to said AIA,

(4) transmitting Message Reference Number (MRN), Time of Acceptance (TOA), and PDN information to said AIA,

(5) logging Interface Control Block (ICB) information and message contents from the inbound and outbound messages in a file,

(6) compressing the outbound messages for delivery over the mobile satellite system,

(7) assigning message priority to the outbound messages,

(8) providing end-to-end message delivery acknowledgment functionality.

12. A customer premises gateway system according to claim 9, wherein said communications driver further performing the following functions:

(1) interfacing with the central controller,

(2) providing direct X.25 access for X.121 addressed messages, immediately forwarded messages, and data reports, and

(3) providing Data Network Identifier (DNID) access for DNID addressed messages and the data reports when immediate forwarding is inactive.

13. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for providing communication of satellite messages with a mobile communication system via a satellite, a central controller communicating with the mobile communication system via the satellite communication switching office, and a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending and receiving customer messages to/from the mobile satellite system via a customer premises gateway system, the customer premises gateway system comprising:

a middleware service provider supporting central controller communication services, satellite message communication services, and network management communication services, said middleware service provider configuring middleware services for invocation;

an Application Interface Agent (AIA) receiving outbound messages from the CAD system, and formatting the outbound messages as application programmer interface (API) calls to the middleware service provider, said AIA receiving inbound messages from the middleware service provider, interpreting the inbound messages, and delivering the inbound messages to the CAD system;

an application programmer interface (API) including a library of middleware functions and the API calls to invoke the middleware services of said middleware service provider;

a network manager performing message logging provided by said middleware service provider including logging control information for messages handled by said middleware service provider;

a communications driver including a communication protocol to interface with a physical transport medium of the CAD system; and

a central controller interface providing an interface between the CAD system and the central controller and providing the CAD system access to the mobile satellite system,

wherein said AIA further performing the functions;

(1) interfacing with the CAD system,

(2) receiving the outbound messages from the CAD system and translating the outbound messages into the API calls,

(3) retrieving the inbound messages from the central controller and transmitting the inbound messages to the CAD system,

(4) interpreting non-messages including data reports,

(5) enabling the CAD system to query network message status using message status capabilities,

(6) enabling the CAD system to delete individual messages or purge the inbound and outbound messages from a message queue,

(7) providing a message log,

(8) maintaining a table of CAD-IDs and Message-IDs, and

(9) maintaining a directory service used to determine a source of inbound data reports,

wherein said middleware service provider further performing the following functions;

(1) transmitting the inbound messages to said AIA,

(2) transmitting non-messages including data reports to said AIA,

(3) using Negative Delivery Notifications (NDNs) and Positive Delivery Notifications (PDNs) to update message status, and to generate service acknowledgments to said AIA,

(4) transmitting Message Reference Number (MRN), Time of Acceptance (TOA), and PDN information to said AIA,

(5) logging Interface Control Block (ICB) information and message contents from the inbound and outbound messages in a file,

(6) compressing the outbound messages for delivery over the mobile satellite system,

(7) assigning message priority to the outbound messages,

(8) providing end-to-end message delivery acknowledgment functionality,

wherein said communications driver further performing the following functions;

(1) interfacing with the central controller,

(2) providing direct X.25 access for X.121 addressed messages, immediately forwarded messages, and data reports, and

(3) providing Data Network Identifier (DNID) access for DNID addressed messages and the data reports when immediate forwarding is inactive.

14. A communication network including a communication switching office for providing communication of messages, the communication network comprising:

a mobile communication system transmitting to and receiving messages from the communication network;

a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending to and receiving customer messages from said mobile communication system via the communication network;

a central controller controlling communication in the communication network;

a customer premises gateway (CPG) system providing an interface between said CAD system and said central controller, enabling the mobile communication system to transmit the messages to said CAD system and enabling said CAD system to transmit the customer messages to the mobile communication system.

15. In a mobile satellite system, a central controller, and a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system sending and receiving customer messages to/from the mobile satellite system via a customer premises gateway system, the customer premises gateway system comprising:

a middleware services provider configuring middleware services;

an Application Interface Agent (AIA) receiving outbound messages from the CAD system, and formatting the outbound messages to the middleware service provider, said AIA receiving inbound messages from the middleware service provider and delivering the inbound messages to the CAD system;

an application programmer interface (API) invoking the middleware services of said middleware service provider;

a network manager performing message logging for messages handled by said middleware service provider;

a communication driver including a communication protocol to interface with a physical transport medium of the CAD system; and

a central controller interface providing an interface between the CAD system and the central controller and providing the CAD system access to the mobile satellite system.