Methods and apparatus for providing an interactive cell broadcast service

• US 6,522,877 B1
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (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): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US08/708,179
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/403, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/422, 455/515, 455/517, 455/426, 455/458, 455/558, 455/412, 370/496, 370/522, 370/347, 340/7.2, 340/7.21, 340/7.22, 340/7.23
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A method is disclosed for operating a cellular communications system of a type that comprises a Base Station/Mobile Switching Center/Internetworking function (BMI) and a plurality of mobile stations. The method includes the steps of transmitting a point-to-multipoint message (e.g., a Broadcast SMS message) from the BMI to the plurality of mobile stations; and, in at least some of the plurality of mobile stations, receiving the point-to-multipoint message and transmitting an acknowledgement to the BMI using a point-to-point message. The point-to-multipoint message includes an information element having a value for specifying one of (a) that a mobile station receiving the message is prohibited from responding to the message, (b) that a mobile station receiving the message must respond to the message, and (c) that a mobile station receiving the message may optionally respond to the message. Mobile stations receiving the message selectively respond or not respond to the message, at least as a function of the value of the information element.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless communications system of a type that comprises a Base Station/Mobile Switching Center/Interworking function (BMI), comprising the steps of:

transmitting a point-to-multipoint message from the BMI to a plurality of mobile stations, the point-to-multipoint message including an information element having a value for specifying one of (a) that a mobile station receiving the message is prohibited from responding to the message, (b) that a mobile station receiving the message must respond to the message, and (c) that a mobile station receiving the message may optionally respond to the message; and

in a mobile station, receiving the point-to-multipoint message and selectively responding or not responding to the message, at least as a function of the value of the information element.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising an initial step of transmitting a message to the plurality of mobile stations, the message including an information element for specifying that the BMI is capable of transmitting a point-to-multipoint message.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of responding includes a step of generating and transmitting a manual acknowledgement message.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of responding includes a step of originating a call to a telephone number that forms a portion of the point-to-multipoint message.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steps of transmitting and responding each use and R-Data message.

6. A mobile station for use in a wireless communications system of a type that comprises a Base Station/Mobile Switching Center/Interworking function (BMI), said mobile station comprising:

a receiver for receiving a Broadcast Short Message Service (SMS) message that is transmitted by the BMI;

a memory for storing the received Broadcast SMS message;

a user interface for presenting the stored Broadcast SMS message to the user and for entering a response from the user; and

a transmitter for transmitting a Manual Acknowledgment message to the BMI, the Manual Acknowledgment message indicating the user'"'"'s response to the presented Broadcast SMS message;

where the Broadcast SMS message includes an information element having a value for specifying one of (a) that a mobile station receiving the message is prohibited from responding to the message, (b) that a mobile station receiving the message must respond to the message, and (c) that a mobile station receiving the message may optionally respond to the message; and

where the mobile station is responsive to the information element for selectively requiring or not requiring that the user enter a response.

7. A mobile station as set forth in claim 6, wherein

the Broadcast SMS message contains a description of a service offer that is made available to a plurality of mobile stations;

the Manual Acknowledgment message indicates a user'"'"'s response to the offer; and

the transmission of the Manual Acknowledgment message is specified by the BMI to be one of mandatory or optional.