Methods and systems for providing temporary identification numbers for mobile terminals

• US 6,577,874 B1
• Filed: 05/10/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Dailey, Timothy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US09/309,018
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/432, 455/435, 455/458, 455/461, 455/515, 455/518, 455/519, 455/521, 455/520, 455/524, 455/525, 370/432, 370/312, 370/338, 370/475, 370/327
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method of receiving digital messages from a mobile terminal at a radio base station of a communications system including a plurality of radio base stations is discussed. This method includes receiving a login message at the radio base station from the mobile terminal wherein the login message includes a caller address number for the mobile terminal and wherein the caller address number comprises a first number of bits. After receiving the login message, a temporary identification number is selected at the base station for the mobile terminal wherein the temporary identification number comprises a second number of bits less than the first number of bits. The temporary identification number is transmitted from the radio base station to the mobile terminal, and after transmitting the temporary identification number, a digital information message is received at the radio base station from the mobile terminal wherein the digital information message includes the temporary identification number and payload information. Related systems, base stations, and mobile terminals are discussed.

Claims

1. A method of receiving digital messages from a mobile terminal at a radio base station of a communications system including a plurality of radio base stations, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a login message at the radio base station from the mobile terminal wherein the login message includes a caller address number for the mobile terminal and wherein the caller address number comprises a first number of bits;

after receiving the login message, selecting at the radio base station a temporary identification number for the mobile terminal wherein the temporary identification number comprises a second number of bits less than the first number of bits;

transmitting the temporary identification number from the radio base station to the mobile terminal; and

after transmitting the temporary identification number, receiving at the radio base station a digital information message from the mobile terminal wherein the digital information message includes the temporary identification number and payload information.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of radio base stations are coupled through a switching center, the method further comprising the steps of:

saving the caller address number at the radio base station;

after receiving the digital information message at the radio base station, using the temporary identification number to determine the caller address number for the mobile terminal; and

sending the caller address number and the payload information to the switching center.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the digital information message is received over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the digital information message is received over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel of the IS-136 communications standard.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the digital information message comprises a caller address field and a payload field, wherein the temporary identification number is received in a first portion of the caller address field, and wherein a first portion of the payload information is received in the payload field and a second portion of the payload information is received in a second portion of the caller address field.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the caller address field comprises 34 bits.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the caller address number comprises a mobile identification number for the mobile terminal.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the first number of bits is 34 bits.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the digital information message comprises an origination message for a group call and wherein the payload information comprises a group number identifying a group of mobile terminals to be included in the group call.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second login message from the mobile terminal at a second radio base station of the communications system wherein the second login message includes the caller address number for the mobile terminal;

after receiving the second login message, selecting at the second radio base station a second temporary identification number for the mobile terminal wherein the second temporary identification number comprises a third number of bits less than the first number of bits;

transmitting the second temporary identification number from the radio base station to the mobile terminal; and

after transmitting the second temporary identification number, receiving a second digital information message at the second radio base station from the mobile terminal wherein the second digital information message includes the second temporary identification number.

11. A method of transmitting digital messages from a mobile terminal to a communications system including a plurality of radio base stations, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a login message from a mobile terminal to a radio base station wherein the login message includes a caller address number for the mobile terminal and wherein the caller address number comprises a first number of bits;

after transmitting the login message, receiving at the mobile terminal a temporary identification number from the radio base station wherein the temporary identification number comprises a second number of bits less than the first number of bits; and

after receiving the temporary identification number, transmitting a digital information message from the mobile terminal to the radio base station wherein the digital information message includes the temporary identification number and payload information.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the digital information message is transmitted over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the digital information message is transmitted over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel of the IS-136 communications standard.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the digital information message comprises a caller address field and a payload field, wherein the temporary logical identification number is sent in a first portion of the caller address field, and wherein a first portion of the payload information is sent in the payload field and a second portion of the payload information is sent in a second portion of the caller address field.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the caller address field comprises 34 bits.

16. A method according to claim 11 wherein the caller address number comprises a mobile identification number for the mobile terminal.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the first number of bits is 34 bits.

18. A method according to claim 11 wherein the digital information message comprises an origination message for a group call and wherein the payload information comprises a group number identifying a group of mobile terminals to be included in the group call.

19. A method according to claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a second login message from the mobile terminal to a second radio base station of the communications system wherein the second login message includes the caller address number for the mobile terminal;

after transmitting the second login message, receiving at the mobile terminal a second temporary identification number from the second radio base station wherein the temporary identification number comprises a third number of bits less than the first number of bits; and

after receiving the second temporary identification number, transmitting a second digital information message from the mobile terminal to the second radio base station wherein the second digital information message includes the second temporary identification number.

20. A radio base station of a communications system including a plurality of radio base stations wherein the radio base station receives digital messages from a mobile terminal, the radio base station comprising:

a receiver that receives a login message from the mobile terminal wherein the login message includes a caller address number for the mobile terminal and wherein the caller address number comprises a first number of bits;

a processor coupled to the receiver wherein the processor selects a temporary identification number for the mobile terminal wherein the temporary identification number comprises a second number of bits less than the first number of bits; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor wherein the transmitter transmits the temporary identification number to the mobile terminal, and wherein the receiver receives a digital information message including the temporary identification number and payload information from the mobile terminal.

21. A radio base station according to claim 20 wherein the plurality of radio base stations are coupled through a switching center, wherein the processor saves the caller address number at the radio base station, wherein the processor uses the temporary identification number to determine the caller address number for the mobile terminal after receiving the digital information message, and wherein the processor sends the caller address number and the payload information to the switching center.

22. A radio base station according to claim 20 wherein the digital information message is received over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel.

23. A radio base station according to claim 20 wherein the digital information message is received over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel of the IS-136 communications standard.

24. A radio base station according to claim 23 wherein the digital information message comprises a caller address field and a payload field, wherein the temporary logical identification number is received in a first portion of the caller address field, and wherein a first portion of the payload information is received in the payload field and a second portion of the payload information is received in a second portion of the caller address field.

25. A radio base station according to claim 24 wherein the caller address field comprises 34 bits.

26. A radio base station according to claim 20 wherein the caller address number comprises a mobile identification number for the mobile terminal.

27. A radio base station according to claim 26 wherein the first number of bits is 34 bits.

28. A radio base station according to claim 20 wherein the digital information message comprises an origination message for a group call and wherein the payload information comprises a group number identifying a group of mobile terminals to be included in the group call.

29. A communication system that provides communications for a mobile terminal, the communications system comprising:

a first radio base station comprising,

a first receiver that receives a login message from the mobile terminal wherein the login message includes a caller address number for the mobile terminal and wherein the caller address number comprises a first number of bits,

a first processor coupled to the first receiver wherein the first processor selects a first temporary identification number for the mobile terminal wherein the first temporary identification number comprises a second number of bits less than the first number of bits, and

a first transmitter coupled to the first processor wherein the first transmitter transmits the first temporary identification number to the mobile terminal, and wherein the first receiver receives a first digital information message including the first temporary identification number and first payload information from the mobile terminal;

a second radio base station comprising,

a second receiver that receives a second login message from the mobile terminal wherein the second login message includes the caller address number for the mobile terminal,

a second processor coupled to the second receiver wherein the second processor selects a second temporary identification number for the mobile terminal wherein the second temporary identification number comprises a third number of bits less than the first number of bits,

a second transmitter coupled to the second processor wherein the second transmitter transmits the second temporary identification number to the mobile terminal, and wherein the second receiver receives a second digital information message including the second temporary identification number second payload information from the mobile station; and

a switching center coupled between the first and second radio base stations.

30. A communications system according to claim 29 wherein the first processor sends the first payload information and the caller address number to the switching center responsive to the first digital information message, and wherein the second processor sends the caller address number and the second payload information to the switching center responsive to the second digital information message.

31. A mobile terminal for transmitting digital messages to a communications system including a plurality of radio base stations, the mobile terminal comprising:

a processor that stores a caller address number comprising a first number of bits for the mobile terminal and wherein the processor generates a login message including the caller address number;

a transmitter coupled to the processor wherein the transmitter transmits the login message to a radio base station; and

a receiver coupled to the processor wherein the receiver receives a temporary identification number from the radio base station after transmission of the login message wherein the temporary identification number comprises a second number of bits less than the first number of bits, wherein the processor generates a digital information message including the temporary identification number and payload information, and wherein the transmitter transmits the digital information message to the radio base station.

32. A mobile terminal according to claim 31 wherein the digital information message is transmitted over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel.

33. A mobile terminal according to claim 31 wherein the digital information message is transmitted over a single time slot of a time division multiple access (TDMA) radio channel of the IS-136 communications standard.

34. A mobile terminal according to claim 33 wherein the digital information message comprises a caller address field and a payload field, wherein the temporary logical identification number is sent in a first portion of the caller address field, and wherein a first portion of the payload information is sent in the payload field and a second portion of the payload information is sent in a second portion of the caller address field.

35. A mobile terminal according to claim 34 wherein the caller address field comprises 34 bits.

36. A mobile terminal according to claim 31 wherein the caller address number comprises a mobile identification number for the mobile terminal.

37. A mobile terminal according to claim 36 wherein the first number of bits is 34 bits.

38. A mobile terminal according to claim 31 wherein the digital information message comprises an origination message for a group call and wherein the payload information comprises a group number identifying a group of mobile terminals to be included in the group call.