Mobile station and network having hierarchical index for cell broadcast service

• US 6,370,391 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Vanttila, Jaakko, Alanara, Seppo, Lietsalmi, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US09/691,331
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/45, 455/422, 455/426, 455/434, 455/515, 455/517, 455/412, 370/336, 370/337, 370/347, 340/7.46, 340/7.48
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

This invention provides for the use of an index message in a Cell Broadcast Service. An index message is considered to be a special type of Cell Broadcast message which contains general information about actual broadcast messages. The index message is transmitted in a predetermined logical S-BCCH subchannel, and contains information elements such as (a) message overviews or summaries for each cell broadcast message, (b) information concerning emergency messages, (c) information concerning the language used in different broadcast messages, (d) an alphanumeric broadcast domain operator name and a specific operator greeting, (e) information concerning changes in broadcast messages, and (f) information concerning subchannels.

Claims

1. A broadcast message controller for use in a wireless telecommunications system, said controller being responsive to a presence of a plurality of broadcast messages, individual ones of which belong to one of a plurality of different categories of broadcast messages, for transmitting over a forward transmission channel the plurality of broadcast messages on a first set of N broadcast message subchannels, where N is greater than one, said controller further transmitting, for said plurality of broadcast messages, broadcast message identification information and broadcast message transmission schedule information on at least one predetermined subchannel of a second set of M predetermined subchannels, where M is less than N.

2. A broadcast message controller as in claim 1, wherein said controller further transmits broadcast message change notification information on the second set of M predetermined subchannels.

3. A broadcast message controller as in claim 1, wherein said controller further transmits broadcast message language information on the second set of M predetermined subchannels.

4. A broadcast message controller as in claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of broadcast messages comprise Short Message Service messages.

5. A method for operating a wireless telecommunications system, comprising steps of:

for a plurality of broadcast messages, individual ones of which belong to one of a plurality of different categories of broadcast messages, transmitting over a forward transmission channel the plurality of broadcast messages on a first set of N broadcast message subchannels, where N is greater than one; and

transmitting, for said plurality of broadcast messages, broadcast message identification information and broadcast message transmission schedule information on at least one predetermined subchannel of a second set of M predetermined subchannels, where M is less than N.

6. A method as in claim 5, and further comprising a step of transmitting broadcast message change notification information on the second set of M predetermined subchannels.

7. A method as in claim 5, and further comprising a step of transmitting broadcast message language information on the second set of M predetermined subchannels.

8. A method as in claim 5, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of broadcast messages transmits at least some of the plurality of broadcast messages as Short Message Service messages.

9. A method for operating a wireless telecommunications system, comprising steps of:

storing, in a network element, a plurality of broadcast messages, individual ones of said plurality of broadcast messages belonging to one of a plurality of different types of categories of broadcast messages;

transmitting over a forward transmission channel the plurality of broadcast messages on a first set of N broadcast message subchannels, where N is greater than one; and

transmitting, for said plurality of broadcast messages, broadcast message summary information for summarizing a content of individual ones of said plurality of broadcast messages and also transmitting broadcast message transmission schedule information on at least one predetermined subchannel of a second set of M predetermined subchannels, where M is less than N.

10. A method as in claim 9, and further comprising a step of transmitting broadcast message change notification information on the second set of M predetermined subchannels.

11. A method as in claim 9, and further comprising a step of transmitting broadcast message language information on the second set of M predetermined subchannels.

12. A method as in claim 9, wherein the step of transmitting the plurality of broadcast messages transmits at least some of the plurality of broadcast messages as Short Message Service messages that solicit an acknowledgment from a recipient.