System and method for virtual citizen's band radio in a cellular network

• US 6,477,366 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Evanyk, Walt, Alperovich, Vladimir, Valentine, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/401,562
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/422, 455/432, 455/433, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/428, 455/560
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for creating “virtual Citizen'"'"'s Band (CB) radio channel groups” within a cellular network. In a first embodiment, the virtual channel groups are built within the Mobile Switching Center (MSC). Each mobile subscriber participant is associated with the other mobile subscriber participants in the MSC, using a transaction identifier and conference bridges. Each group can be monitored, and each individual participants communication link can be controlled independently to facilitate individual disconnection. In a second embodiment, the virtual channel groups are built directly over the air. Participating mobile subscribers within range of each other can communicate directly with one another, using the same forward and reverse traffic channels.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for providing at least one network-defined virtual channel group to mobile stations within a cellular network, comprising:

a select one of said mobile stations within said cellular network for sending a request to join a designated one of said at least one network-defined virtual channel group;

means for providing to said select mobile station a list of said at least one network-defined virtual channel group for said select mobile station to select from; and

a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said select mobile station for receiving said request and assigning a traffic channel to said select mobile station for communicating with other mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group, said assigned traffic channel being associated with said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said mobile switching center further comprises at least one conference bridge for connecting said select mobile station to said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said mobile switching center assigns a transaction identifier to said select mobile station to associate said select mobile station with said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 2, further comprising:

a monitoring node connected to said designated network-defined virtual channel group via said at least one conference bridge, said monitoring node for monitoring speech content of all of said mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 4, wherein said monitoring node sends a request to said mobile switching center to disconnect an improper one of said mobile stations from said designated network-defined virtual channel group in response to a determination that said speech content associated with said improper mobile station meets predetermined conditions.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said mobile switching center sends a warning message to said improper mobile station in response to receiving said request from said monitoring node.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 5, wherein said mobile switching center disconnects said improper mobile station from said designated network-defined virtual channel group in response to receiving said request from said monitoring node.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said mobile switching center sends a notification message to said improper mobile station when said mobile switching center disconnects said improper mobile station.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said mobile switching center stores information associated with the disconnection of said improper mobile station from said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 9, wherein said mobile switching center prevents said improper mobile station from re-joining said designated network-defined virtual channel group based on said information.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said request comprises an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data message.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said means of providing includes a display on said select mobile station, said list being provided on said display, said select mobile station selecting said designated network-defined virtual channel group on said select mobile station.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 12, wherein said means for providing includes means for receiving by said select mobile station, said list including a set of virtual channel identifiers from said mobile switching center, said set of virtual channel identifiers including at least an indication of said designated network-defined virtual channel group selected by said select mobile station.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 1, further comprising:

a home location register associated with said select mobile station for storing information associated with said network-defined virtual channel groups that said select mobile station has subscribed to.

15. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said select mobile station communicates directly with the other mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group over said assigned traffic channel, said select mobile station and said other mobile stations all being assigned said assigned traffic channel.

16. The telecommunications system of claim 15, wherein said select mobile station disconnects from said designated network-defined virtual channel group by sending a release message to said mobile switching center.

17. A method for allowing mobile stations to connect to at least one network-defined virtual channel group within a cellular network, comprising the steps of:

providing to a select one of said mobile stations a list of at least one network-defined virtual channel group for said select mobile station to choose from;

sending a request to join a designated one of said at least one network-defined virtual channel group from said select mobile station to a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said mobile station within said cellular network;

assigning a traffic channel associated with said designated network-defined virtual channel group to said select mobile station; and

communicating, by said select mobile station, with other mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group, using said assigned traffic channel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of communicating further comprises the step of:

connecting said select mobile station to said designated network-defined virtual channel group using at least one conference bridge.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of connecting further comprises the step of:

assigning a transaction identifier associated with said network-defined virtual channel group to said select mobile station to associate said select mobile station with the other mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

monitoring speech content provided by all of said mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

determining that said speech content associated with an improper one of said mobile stations meets predetermined conditions; and

sending a request to disconnect said improper mobile station from said designated network-defined virtual channel group to said mobile switching center.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

sending a warning message from said mobile switching center to said improper mobile station in response to receiving said request to disconnect.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

disconnecting, by said mobile switching center, said improper mobile station from said designated network-defined virtual channel group in response to receiving said request to disconnect.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of disconnecting further comprises the step of:

sending a notification message from said mobile switching center to said improper mobile station when said mobile switching center disconnects said improper mobile station.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

storing information associated with said step of disconnecting said improper mobile station from said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of:

preventing said improper mobile station from rejoining said designated network-defined virtual channel group based on said information.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of providing further comprises the steps of:

displaying said list on a display of said select mobile station; and

selecting said designated network-defined virtual channel group on said select mobile station.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of providing further comprises the step of:

receiving, by said select mobile station, said list including a set of virtual channel identifiers from said mobile switching center, said set of virtual channel identifiers including at least an indication of said designated network-defined virtual channel group selected by said select mobile station.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

verifying that said select mobile station is allowed to join said designated network-defined virtual channel group.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of verifying further comprises the step of:

receiving from a home location register associated with said select mobile station, information associated with said network-defined virtual channel groups that said select mobile station has subscribed to.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of verifying further comprises the step of:

providing, by said select mobile station, to said mobile switching center, information associated with said network-defined virtual channel groups that said select mobile station has subscribed to.

32. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of communicating further comprises the steps of:

assigning said assigned traffic channel to said select mobile station and other mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group; and

communicating directly between said select mobile station and said other mobile stations participating in said designated network-defined virtual channel group over said assigned traffic channel.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of:

sending a release message from said select mobile station to said mobile switching center to disconnect from said designated network-defined virtual channel group.