Provision of telecommunications control program data pursuant to preliminary data exchange between system elements

• US 6,349,204 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1998
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Goetz, Ian, Davis, John R., Coxon, Mark C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US08/973,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/69, 455/68, 455/186.1, 455/517, 455/435, 455/466, 455/63, 455/62, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0014 by adapting the source coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

During connection set up between a mobile telephone and a base station, program data is acquired from the network for controlling its mode of operation. The mobile telephone and base station each have a memory for storing program data relating to one or more modes of operation. The base station transmits a signal indicative of a preferred mode of operation and the mobile responds with a signal indicative of whether its memory already contains program data for this mode of operation. If not, then the base station transmits the required program data. The base station and mobile telephone then operate in this preferred mode. If the mobile is not so capable (for example because it has insufficient memory), the process is repeated with different mode control programs until the most appropriate mutually compatible program is identified. If a call attempt is initiated before this process is complete, the process is curtailed, such that the base station and mobile telephone identify programs already stored in the memory, but make no attempt to load a new program, as this could delay call set-up.

Claims

1. A method of setting up a telecommunications connection between a first element and second element of a telecommunications system in which at least the first element is capable of transmitting codec program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element for controlling the operation of the second element, the method comprising:

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection being set up and determining existing signaling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate codec program data to use for communication between the first and second elements,

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the codec program data already available to each element; and

if the second element does not already have available to it the identified codec program data, transmitting the codec program data over the telecommunications connection from the first element to the second element.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first element is a cellular radio fixed base station and the second element is a cellular radio mobile station.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first and second elements are telecommunications terminals.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the program data transmitted from one network element to the other is configured such that it can only be used for telecommunications transactions between those two network elements.

5. A method of setting up a telecommunications connection between a first element and second element of a telecommunications system in which at least the first element is capable of transmitting program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element for controlling the operation of the second element, the method comprising:

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection being set up and determining then existing signaling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the first and second elements;

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element; and

if the second element does not already have available to it the identified program data, transmitting the program data over the telecommunications connection from the first element to the second element;

wherein the first and second elements each have a memory for storing program data relating to one or more modes of operation; and

the method further comprises;

transmitting a signal over the telecommunications connection indicative of a proposed mode of operation from the first element to the second element;

detecting the initial signal at the second element;

transmitting a response signal over the telecommunications connection from the second element to the first element, the response signal having a first characteristic if the memory in the second element does not contain program data for the proposed mode of operation indicated by the signal, and having a second characteristic if the memory already contains the program data;

transmitting the program data over the telecommunications connection from the first element to the second element if the first characteristic is detected; and

operating the elements according to the proposed mode if either the first or the second characteristic is detected.

6. A method of setting up a telecommunications connection between a first element and second element of a telecommunications system in which at least the first element is capable of transmitting program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element for controlling the operation of the second element, the method comprising:

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection being set up and determining then existing signaling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the first and second elements,

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element; and

if the second element does not already have available to it the identified program data, transmitting the program data over the telecommunications connection from the first element to the second element;

wherein the method further comprises a process for selecting the proposed mode of operation, the process comprising;

identifying the type of connection to be made;

selecting a mode of operation suitable for the said connection type, for which the first element has the necessary program data;

exchanging signals over the telecommunications connection between the first element and the second element to determine what resources are available to the second element; and

if the second element does not have appropriate resources for supporting the necessary program data, repeating the mode selection and signal exchange steps for further modes of operation until a mode of operation compatible with the capabilities of the second element is identified.

7. A method as in claim 6 in which signals are initially exchanged over the telecommunications connection to determine whether the second element has appropriate resources for the selected program.

8. A method of setting up a telecommunications connection between a first element and second element of a telecommunications system in which at least the first element is capable of transmitting program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element for controlling the operation of the second element, the method comprising:

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection being set up and determining then existing signalling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the first and second elements,

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element; and

if the second element does not already have available to it the identified program data, transmitting the program data over the telecommunications connection from the first element to the second element;

wherein if the second element does not already have the identified program data and a call attempt is in progress, the transmission of program data is interrupted, and the mode selection and signal exchange steps are repeated for further modes of operation until a mode of operation for which both elements are already programmed is identified.

9. A method of setting up a telecommunications connection between a first element and second element of a telecommunications system in which at least the first element is capable of transmitting program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element for controlling the operation of the second element, the method comprising:

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection being set up and determining then existing signalling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the first and second elements,

exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element; and

if the second element does not already have available to it the identified program data, transmitting the program data over the telecommunications connection from the first element to the second element;

wherein the mode of operation is an analogue/digital speech encoder/decoder process.

10. A first element of a telecommunications system having:

means for storing codec program data suitable for controlling the operation of a second element;

means for exchanging data with said second element relating to existing signalling qualities and/or conditions and for responsively selecting the most appropriate codec program data to use for communication between the first and second elements when setting up a call to the second element over a telecommunications connection; and

means for exchanging information over the said telecommunications connection relating to the codec program data already available to each element;

means for transmitting the selected codec program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element if the second element does not already have available to it the selected codec program data.

11. An element as in claim 10 being a cellular radio fixed base station control system.

12. An element as in claim 10 being a telecommunications terminal.

13. A first element of a telecommunications system having:

means for storing program data suitable for controlling the operation of a second element;

means for exchanging data with said second element relating to then existing signalling qualities and/or conditions and for responsively selecting the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the first and second elements when setting up a call to the second element over a telecommunications connection; and

means for exchanging information over the said telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element;

means for transmitting the selected program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element if the second element does not already have available to it the selected program data;

a memory for storing program data relating to one or more modes of operation;

means for transmitting a signal over the telecommunications connection indicative of a proposed mode of operation to the second element;

means for detecting a response signal received from the second element over the telecommunications connection, the response signal having a first characteristic if the memory in the second element does not contain program data for the proposed mode of operation indicated by the signal, and having a second characteristic if the memory already contains the program data; and

means for transmitting the program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element if the first characteristic is detected; and

means for operating according to the proposed mode if either the first or the second characteristic is detected.

14. A first element of a telecommunications system capable of receiving codec program data for controlling its operation over a telecommunications connection from another element, said first element comprising:

means for exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the codec program data already available to each element, and for exchanging data over the telecommunications connection to determine existing signalling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate codec program data to use for communication between the elements; and

means for receiving the codec program data over the telecommunications connection from the other element if the element does not already have available to it the identified codec program data, and for storing the said data.

16. An element as in claim 14 further comprising:

means for transmitting a signal to indicate if the element has appropriate resources to operate according to the selected mode of operation.

17. An element as in claim 14 being a telecommunications terminal.

18. An element as in claim 17, being a cellular radio mobile station.

15. A first element of a telecommunications system capable of receiving program data for controlling its operation over a telecommunications connection from another element, said first element comprising:

means for exchanging data over the telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element, and for exchanging data over the telecommunications connection to determine existing signalling qualities and/or conditions to identify the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the elements; and

means for receiving the program data over the telecommunications connection from the other element if the element does not already have available to it the identified program data, and for storing the said data;

a memory for storing program data relating to one or more modes of operation;

means for detecting a signal received over a telecommunications connection indicative of a proposed mode of operation,

means for transmitting a response signal over the telecommunications connection to the other element, the response signal having a first characteristic if the memory in the second element does not contain program data for the proposed mode of operation indicated by the signal, and having a second characteristic if the memory already contains the program data;

means for receiving program data over the telecommunications connection from the other element; and

means for operating the element according to the proposed mode.

19. A first element of a telecommunications system having:

means for storing program data suitable for controlling the operation of a second element;

means for exchanging data with said second element relating to existing signalling qualities and/or conditions and for responsively selecting the most appropriate program data to use for communication between the first and second elements when setting up a call to the second element over a telecommunications connection; and

means for exchanging information over the said telecommunications connection relating to the program data already available to each element;

means for transmitting the selected program data over the telecommunications connection to the second element if the second element does not already have available to it the selected program data;

wherein the mode of operation is an analogue/digital speech encoder/decoder process.

20. A method of setting up a telecommunications connection between first and second elements in a telecommunications network using a selected compatible and most suitable one of plural modes of communication programs for such connection, said method comprising:

(i) exchanging and processing preliminary data over said telecommunications network between said first and second elements relating to then existing signalling qualities and/or conditions on the connection being set up to identify;

(a) the most appropriate one of plural possible modes of communication programs for current use in communicating between said elements, and

(b) the modes of communication program data availability and capability of use at said elements;

(ii) if the selected most appropriate mutually compatible mode of communication program is not already available at both elements, transmitting the most appropriate mutually compatible mode of communication program between the elements to make it available at both elements; and

(iii) effecting telecommunications between said elements using said most appropriate mutually compatible mode of communication program.

21. A method as in claim 20 wherein said plural modes of communication programs include plural different voice codec programs.