Wireless communication service management

• US 6,167,261 A
• Filed: 02/27/1997
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amin, Umesh J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Pablo N.
• Application Number:
  US08/810,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 455/461, 455/426, 455/422, 455/417, 455/403, 455/550, 455/412, 455/414, 379/56, 379/57, 379/58, 379/207, 379/211, 379/212, 370/289
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Network resources associated with a wireless communication network are assigned to a wireless communication device in accordance with its device type and required service type. A profile is associated with each wireless communication device, and includes a travelling class mark field which identifies the device type of the wireless communication device, and a service class mark field which identifies the required service for the wireless communication device. Different wireless communication devices are accommodated via different profiles. The profiles are permanently stored at a service control point which is accessible to a plurality of mobile service centers.

Claims

1. A method for managing network resources associated with a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

ascertaining, for a wireless communication device associated with a profile including a travelling class mark and a service class mark, a device type selected from a plurality of device types in accordance with the travelling class mark and a required service in accordance with the service class mark; and

assigning the network resources to the wireless communication device in accordance with the device type and the required service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a profile is associated with the wireless communication device, and the profile includes a travelling class mark field which identifies the device type of the wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the profile includes a service class mark field which identifies the required service for the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the network resources includes supplying a message stored in a mailbox at a rate depending on the required service.

5. A method for managing resources in a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

storing a profile including a travelling class mark and a service class mark for a wireless communication device in a service control point; and

providing the profile for the wireless communication device in response to a profile request from a mobile service center.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication device is one of a plurality of types of wireless communication devices, and the service control point is configured so that profiles for the same type of wireless communication device are stored together.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication device is one of a plurality of types of wireless communication devices, and the profile is one of a plurality of types of profiles, the type of profile corresponding to the type of wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the profile includes a travelling class mark identifying the type of the wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the travelling class mark indicates whether the wireless communication device is a data device, a voice device or a multimedia device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing a polling frequency in the profile data record when the travelling class mark indicates that the wireless communication device is a data device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of storing billing information in the profile data record, the length of the billing information depending on the value of the travelling class mark.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the profile includes a service class mark identifying the type of service available to the wireless communication device.

13. A service control point for managing resources in a wireless communication network, comprising:

a storage for storing a profile including a travelling class mark and a service class mark for a wireless communication device in a service control point; and

an interface for providing the profile for the wireless communication device in response to a profile request from a mobile service center.

14. The service control point of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device is one of a plurality of types of wireless communication devices, and the storage is configured so that profiles for the same type of wireless communication device are stored together.

15. The service control point of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device is one of a plurality of types of wireless communication devices, and the profile is one of a plurality of types of profiles, the type of profile corresponding to the type of wireless communication device.

16. The service control point of claim 15, wherein the profile includes a travelling class mark identifying the type of the wireless communication device.

17. The service control point of claim 15, wherein the profile includes a service class mark identifying the type of service available to the wireless communication device.

18. A method for a mobile service center (MSC) to obtain information about a wireless communication device and wireless communication service for the wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

determining that the wireless communication device is in the area served by the MSC, and

requesting, via a communication network, a profile including a travelling class mark and a service class mark for the wireless communication device from a service control point which permanently stores the profile,

wherein the MSC lacks profiles for wireless communication devices permanently associated therewith.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein there are a plurality of service control points, and further comprising the step of determining from which of the service control points the profile should be requested.

20. A mobile service center (MSC) for use in a wireless communication network, comprising:

an interface for requesting a profile including a travelling class mark and a service class mark for a wireless communication device from a service control point; and

a location register for temporarily storing profiles received from the service control point,

wherein the MSC lacks profiles for wireless communication devices permanently associated therewith, and the MSC lacks a storage for permanently storing profiles.

21. The MSC of claim 20, wherein the wireless communication network includes a plurality of service control points, and further comprising a processor for determining from which of the service control points the profile should be requested.