Mechanism for better utilization of traffic channel capacity in GSM system

• US 6,631,274 B1
• Filed: 05/31/1997
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Keshavachar, Bhaktha
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/866,950
• Time in Patent Office: 2,320 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455/466, 455/419, 455/511, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452, 455/509, 455/67.1, 370/523, 370/522, 370/322, 370/435, 370/336
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

An enhanced mobile messaging system which has a service point access system configured to send short message service data during discontinuous periods of user-to-user data transmission over the same channel used for user-to-user data transmission. In another embodiment, a method for enhanced mobile messaging includes detecting voice activity on a dedicated channel. If voice activity is not detected, then short message service data is transmitted on the channel.

Claims

1. A mobile messaging system comprising:

a service point access system configured to send short message service data during discontinuous periods of user-to-user data transmission among a number of mobile stations over the same channel used for user-to-user data transmission when a stealing bit is set, wherein the number of mobile stations uplink short message service data when the number of mobile stations are not transmitting user-to-user data transmission, said short message service data is a Service Access Point Identifier 3 message, said system configured for use in existing global system for mobile telecommunications cellular systems.

2. The mobile messaging system according to claim 1 wherein said channel is a Fast Associated Control Channel.

3. The mobile messaging system according to claim 1 further comprising a mobile switching center, said mobile switching center configured to implement said service point access system.

4. The mobile messaging system of claim 1, wherein the service point access system is configured to send short message service data during discontinuous periods of user-to-user data transmission among a number of mobile stations over the same channel used for user-to-user data transmission when a value of a protocol discriminator field within a data packet being sent indicates that the type of data is short message service data.

5. A method for mobile messaging among a number of mobile stations for use in existing Global System for Mobile telecommunications cellular systems comprising:

detecting user-to-user data transmission over a dedicated channel; and

transmitting, if the user-to-user data transmission is not detected, by the number of mobile stations, short message service data over said dedicated channel, said short message service data is a Service Access Point Identifier 3 message, wherein the transmitting includes uplinking, by the number of mobile stations when the number of mobile stations are not transmitting user-to-user data transmission.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said dedicated channel is the Fast Associated Control Channel.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein detection of user-to-user data transmission is based on a stealing bit within a frame of data transmitted over the dedicated channel.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the number of mobile stations are in a dedicated voice mode during transmission of user-to-user data transmission and transmission of short message service data.

9. A method for facilitating short message service communication between a first and second mobile for use in existing global system for mobile telecommunications cellular systems, said mobile having established a dedicated voice link, said method comprising:

detecting on a mobile switching center the receipt therein of a voice frame from said first mobile and second mobile; and

uplinking a Service Access Point Identifier 3 frame from the first mobile and the second mobile if no voice frame is detected to be received at the mobile switching.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said voice frame and said Service Access Point Identifier 3 frame is transmitted in a Fast Associated Control Channel.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising downlinking of short message service data over the dedicated voice link.