Data communication network for minimizing toll-charge dependent links and method of operation

• US 6,538,561 B2
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: USA Mobility Wireless, Inc. (Spok Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebLink Wireless, Inc. (Spok Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Angus, Allan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/224,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.44, 340/7.21, 340/7.24, 340/7.25, 340/7.26, 340/7.27, 340/7.28, 455/12.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.4, 455/38.3, 455/574, 455/575, 455/428, 370/238
• US Class Current: 340/7.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00

Abstract

There is disclosed an inbound message receiving system for use in a wireless messaging system. The inbound message receiving system comprises: 1) a source base transceiver station capable of receiving a wireless message from a source mobile station disposed in a coverage area of the base transceiver station; and 2) a first satellite transceiver coupled to the base transceiver station and capable of transmitting the wireless message to a satellite. The use of a satellite uplink that is closely associated with the base transceiver station allows all wireless messages to be relayed directly to a central message processor without requiring the wireless messages to be transported via long-distance lines or other toll-charge bearing communication lines.

Claims

1. For use in a wireless messaging system, an inbound message receiving system comprising:

a source base transceiver station for receiving a wireless message from a source mobile station disposed in a coverage area of said base transceiver station;

a first satellite transceiver coupled to said base transceiver station for transmitting said wireless message to a satellite;

a local communication link for coupling said source base transceiver station to said first satellite transceiver and transferring said wireless message, wherein said local communication link does not include a portion that is part of a long-distance network subject to long-distance fees; and

a message server for receiving from said satellite said wireless message and processing said wireless message and determining therefrom at least one target base transceiver station associated with a target mobile station to which said wireless message is directed.

2. The inbound message receiving system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said satellite is a geosynchronous satellite.

3. The inbound message receiving system as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a second satellite transceiver for receiving from said satellite said wireless message and for forwarding said wireless message to said target mobile station through said target base transceiver.

4. The inbound message receiving system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mobile station is an alphanumeric paging device.

5. The inbound message receiving system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mobile station is a telemetry device operable to perform two-way paging.

6. The inbound message receiving system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said source mobile station communicates with said source base transceiver station by means of a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol operating in a narrowband PCS spectrum.

7. The inbound message receiving system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said source base transceiver station is coupled to an interface for receiving wireless messages from a wireline connection to a public switched telephone network.

8. A wireless messaging infrastructure comprising:

a plurality of base transceiver stations for receiving wireless messages from a plurality of source mobile stations disposed in coverage area of said plurality of base transceiver stations;

a plurality of satellite transceivers, each of said plurality of satellite transceivers coupled to at least one of said base transceiver stations and capable of transmitting said wireless messages to a satellite;

at least one local communication link for coupling at least one of said plurality of source base transceiver stations to at least one of said plurality of satellite transceivers and transferring said wireless messages, wherein said at least one local communication link does not include a portion that is part of a long-distance network subject to long-distance fees; and

a message server for receiving said wireless messages from said satellite and determining for each of said wireless messages at least one target base transceiver station associated with a target mobile station to which said each wireless message is directed.

9. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 wherein said satellite is a geosynchronous satellite.

10. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a central satellite transceiver coupled to said message server for receiving from said satellite said wireless messages.

11. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 wherein said mobile station is an alphanumeric paging device.

12. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 wherein said mobile station is a telemetry device operable to perform two-way paging.

13. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 wherein said plurality of source mobile stations communicate with said plurality of source base transceiver stations by means of a time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol.

14. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 wherein said plurality of source mobile stations and said plurality of source base transceiver stations operate in a narrowband PCS spectrum.

15. The wireless messaging infrastructure as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said plurality of source base transceiver stations is coupled to an interface for receiving wireless messages from a wireline connection to a public switched telephone network.

16. For use in a wireless messaging infrastructure comprising a message server and a plurality of base transceiver stations for receiving wireless messages, a method of processing an inbound wireless message comprising the steps of:

receiving the wireless message in a selected one of the plurality of base transceiver stations from a source mobile station;

transmitting the wireless message from the selected base transceiver station to a first satellite transceiver via a local communication link coupling said source base transceiver station to said first satellite transceiver, wherein said local communication link does not include a portion that is part of a long-distance network subject to long-distance fees; and

transmitting the wireless message from the first satellite transceiver to the message server via an inbound satellite link.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 including the further step of transmitting the wireless message from the message server to a target base transceiver station via an outbound satellite link.

18. For use in a wireless messaging system, an outbound message transmitting system comprising:

a target base transceiver station for transmitting a wireless message to a target mobile station disposed in a coverage area of said target base transceiver station;

a first satellite transceiver coupled to said target base transceiver station for receiving said wireless message from a satellite;

a local communication link for coupling said target base transceiver station to said first satellite transceiver and transferring said wireless message, wherein said local communication link does not include a portion that is part of a long-distance network subject to long-distance fees; and

a message server for transmitting to said satellite said wireless message and processing said wireless message and determining therefrom said target base transceiver station associated with said target mobile station to which said wireless message is directed.

19. The outbound message transmitting system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said target mobile station is an alphanumeric paging device.

20. The outbound message transmitting system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said target mobile station is a telemetry device operable to perform two-way paging.