Localized special services in a mobile communications system

• US 6,516,193 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tuohino, Markku, Salmela, Seija, Kokkola, Tommi, Vuoristo, Sirpa
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/331,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435, 455/436, 455/450, 455/452, 455/445, 455/458
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method and arrangement for controlling the local operation of a mobile station are characterized in that a mobile station specific group of special cells is formed from selected network cells. The information on a group of special cells is transmitted to the mobile station via a radio path and the operation of the mobile station is controlled on the basis of the group of special cells.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the local operation of a mobile station, the method comprising:

the mobile station sending a request for location updating, if the mobile station notes that its location area has changed;

forming a mobile-station-specific group of localized cells from selected network cells, wherein the localized cells provide at least one of the following;

a locally tailored service;

a special price or tariff for a call; and

a special restriction on the mobile station'"'"'s connectivity to the localized cells;

transmitting information on said group of localized cells to the mobile station via a radio path; and

controlling the operation of the mobile station on the basis of said group of localized cells.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in order to control the operation of the mobile station on the basis of said group of special cells,

the information on special cells related to the mobile station in question is fetched from said group of special cells,

information fetched on special cells is transmitted to the mobile station, and

information on special cells is utilized in the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the information on special cells is stored in the memory of the mobile station, and

a special cell is indicated in the mobile station on the basis of said information on special cells.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein in order to indicate a special cell in a mobile station,

information on special cells is compared with the information on a current cell of the mobile station, and

a user is informed of the mobile station being in a special cell, if the current cell is found in the information on special cells.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein to inform the user the mobile station provides a tone and/or information on the special cell is shown on the display of the mobile station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information on special cells is transmitted to the mobile station in at least one of the following ways:

a) as an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data message;

b) in the location updating signaling;

or

c) as a short message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein information on special cells is transmitted to the mobile station by storing it in a SIM card of the mobile station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein connection of the mobile station to a network is either allowed or barred depending on whether or not said group of special cells correspondingly includes a cell to which the mobile station can connect.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein connection of the mobile station to a cell is either allowed or barred by correspondingly accepting or rejecting the request for location updating sent by the mobile station.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile station camps/does not camp on a cell on the basis of the information on special cells stored in the mobile station.

11. An arrangement for controlling local operation of a mobile station, said arrangement comprising means for processing location updating, wherein the arrangement further comprises:

a group of localized cells formed for the mobile station, wherein the localized cells provide at least one of a locally tailored service, a special price or tariff for a call, or a special restriction on the mobile station'"'"'s connectivity to the localized cells;

means for processing said group of localized cells;

means for transmitting information on said group of localized cells to the mobile station via a radio path; and

means for controlling the operation of the mobile station on the basis of a list.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein the means for processing said group of special cells comprise:

means for fetching information on special cells, needed for the mobile station, from said group of special cells; and

means for transmitting said information on special cells to the mobile station.

13. A database of a mobile communications system, wherein the database comprises a group of localized cells formed for a mobile station, wherein the localized cells provide at least one of a locally tailored service, a special price or tariff for a call, or a special restriction on the mobile station'"'"'s connectivity to the localized cells.

14. The database of claim 13, wherein the group of special cells of the mobile station comprises a list of a subscriber'"'"'s preferred cells.

16. The database of claim 14, wherein the database is located in the mobile station, preferably in its SIM card.

15. The database of 14, wherein it is located either in a home location register of the mobile communication system or in an intelligent network.

17. A mobile station, which is arranged to send a request for location updating, the mobile station comprising:

first means for storing a group of localized cells, wherein the localized cells provide at least one of a locally tailored service, a special price or tariff for a call, or a special restriction on the mobile station'"'"'s connectivity to the localized cells; and

second means for utilizing the stored group of localized cells.

18. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein said second means comprise:

means for comparing information on the group of special cells with information on a current cell of the mobile station; and

means for informing a user of the information on special cells achieved as the result of the comparison.

19. The mobile station of claim 18, wherein the mobile station is arranged to give an audible and/or visual indication, when a cell of the mobile station changes in such a manner that at least either an old cell or a new cell is a special cell.

20. A location updating method, in which a mobile station sends a request for location updating to a network in order to update its location information, the request for location updating is transmitted to a visitor location register in order to update the location area of the mobile station, a message on location updating is sent from the visitor location register to a home location register in order to update the location information of the mobile station, location updating is carried out in the home location register, the home location register acknowledges completion of location updating to the visitor location register, and a message on completion of location updating is sent to the mobile station, wherein the method comprises sending a service request from the visitor location register in order to ask for information on special cells of the mobile station, and sending said information on special cells to the mobile station.

21. The location updating method of claim 20, wherein said service request is sent to an intelligent network.

22. The location updating method of claim 21 wherein the information on special cells is sent from the intelligent network to the visitor location register.

23. The location updating method of claim 22, wherein the information on special cells is sent from the visitor location register to the mobile station as a short message, an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data message, or as attached to the message on completion of location updating.

24. The location updating method of claim 21, wherein said service request is sent to the home location register.

25. The location updating method of claim 24, wherein the information on special cells is sent

from the home location register to the mobile station as an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data message, or

from the home location register to the visitor location register as attached to an acknowledgment message on completion of location updating, and from the visitor location register to the mobile station as attached to the message on completion of location updating.

26. The location updating method of claim 25, wherein the request for location updating is accepted or rejected depending on whether the location area indicated in the request for location updating contains cells that belong to said group of special cells.

27. A handover method from an old cell to a new cell, in which a mobile station sends measurement information to a first base transceiver station serving it, and the base transceiver station transmits said information to the base station controller after an optional post-processing, and on deciding to change a second base transceiver station to serve the mobile station, the base station controller sends a handover command to the mobile station through the first base transceiver station, wherein

a group of special cells has been defined for the mobile station,

if at least either the old cell or the new cell is a special cell, extra information on this is included in or directly associated with the handover command, and the extra information is used for controlling the operation of the mobile station, and

the group of special cells is associated with an information element, which if in a certain state, indicates that at least part of the information on the group of special cells is to be transmitted to the base station controller at the beginning of a call.

28. The handover method of claim 27, wherein in response to said extra information the mobile station provides an audible and/or visual indication for its user.

29. The handover method of claim 28, wherein in response to said extra information the mobile station rejects the handover command.

30. The handover method of claim 27, wherein said extra information is divided into at least two types, and the mobile station rejects the handover command, if the extra information is of a certain type.