Method and system for regulating autonomous messaging by subscriber units in a wireless communication network

• US 6,738,618 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Morales, Linda, Chang, Kim
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US09/656,366
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/418, 455/403, 455/412.1, 455/466, 455/422, 455/435.1
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes

Abstract

A wireless communication network generally includes a number of subscriber units, a base station controller, and a base station transceiver coupled to the base station controller. A parameter specifying an interval at which subscriber units in the wireless communication network are permitted to generate autonomous messages is stored, for example, in a system parameter database at the base station. The parameter is broadcast by the base station transceiver over-the-air to subscriber units in the wireless communication network. In response to receipt of the parameter, the subscriber units store the parameter and thereafter transmit autonomous message over-the-air only in accordance with the parameter. In one preferred embodiment, the parameter regulates how often autonomous messages can be transmitted by individual subscriber units. Alternatively or additionally, the parameter can be used to ensure that the subscriber unit is in a stable state before an autonomous message is transmitted by preventing transmission of autonomous messages while the subscriber unit is generating messages at too rapid of a rate.

Claims

1. A method for controlling autonomous messaging by a wireless subscriber unit, said method comprising:

storing, in a subscriber unit, a parameter specifying a required time interval between autonomous messages;

tracking compliance by said subscriber unit with said parameter utilizing a timer within said subscriber unit;

generating an autonomous message within the subscriber unit independently of a value of said timer; and

transmitting the autonomous message over-the-air from the subscriber unit only in response to said timer indicating that the subscriber unit is in compliance with the parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising receiving the parameter over-the-air at the subscriber unit.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising broadcasting the parameter over-the-air to a plurality of subscriber units including the subscriber unit.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the parameter over-the-air comprises receiving the parameter over-the-air from a base station in an Extended System Parameters Message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said tracking comprises tracking elapsed time between transmissions of autonomous messages by said subscriber unit; and

said transmitting comprises transmitting the autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that more than the time interval specified by the parameter has elapsed since a previous autonomous message has been transmitted from the subscriber unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

tracking compliance by said subscriber unit comprises utilizing the time to track elapsed time since a previous autonomous message was generated by the subscriber unit;

said transmitting comprises transmitting the autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that a time interval specified by the parameter has elapsed since a previous autonomous message was generated by the subscriber unit; and

said method further comprises if the timer indicates that the time interval specified by the parameter has not elapsed since a previous autonomous message was generated, delaying transmission of the autonomous message until a complete time interval has elapsed from the generation of the autonomous message without the subscriber unit generating another autonomous message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an autonomous message comprises transmitting a message indicating a change in hook status of the subscriber unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a Flash With Information Message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an autonomous message comprises transmitting an autonomous message via a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) reverse channel.

10. A method for controlling autonomous messaging by wireless subscriber units coupled to a wireless communication network, said method comprising:

receiving a parameter over-the-air from a base station at each wireless subscriber unit coupled to a wireless communication network;

storing the parameter in each wireless subscriber unit, the parameter specifying a required time interval between autonomous messages transmitted by wireless subscriber units in the wireless communication network; and

generating autonomous messages within the subscriber units independently of a value of said parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the parameter is received periodically at a regular interval.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the regular interval is approximately once per second.

13. The method of claim 10, and further comprising:

transmitting an autonomous message over-the-air from each wireless subscriber unit at a frequency no greater than that specified by the parameter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

said method further comprises tracking elapsed time between transmissions of autonomous messages by a subscriber unit with a timer; and

said transmitting comprises transmitting an autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that more than a time interval specified by the parameter has elapsed since a previous autonomous message has been transmitted from the subscriber unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

said method further comprises utilizing a timer to track elapsed time since a previous autonomous message was generated by a subscriber unit;

said transmitting comprises transmitting an autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that a time interval indicated by the parameter has elapsed since the previous autonomous message was generated by the subscriber unit; and

said method further comprises if the timer indicates that the time interval specified by the parameter has not elapsed since a previous autonomous message was generated, delaying transmission of the autonomous message until a complete time interval has elapsed from the generation of the autonomous message without the subscriber unit generating another autonomous message.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting an autonomous message comprises transmitting a message indicating a change in hook status of the subscriber unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the message comprises transmitting a Flash With Information Message.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the parameter is received via a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) forward channel.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the parameter is received over-the-air in an Extended System Parameters Message.

20. A subscriber unit, comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a controller coupled to said wireless transceiver, said controller including a memory storing a parameter specifying a time interval between autonomous messages and a timer that tracks compliance by said subscriber unit with said parameter, wherein said controller generates autonomous messages independently of a value of said timer and regulates transmission of the autonomous messages over-the-air by the wireless transceiver in compliance with the parameter by reference to said timer.

21. The subscriber unit of claim 20, wherein said wireless transceiver comprises a receiver that receives the parameter over-the-air.

22. The subscriber unit of claim 20, wherein said controller permits transmission of an autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that more than a time interval specified by the parameter has elapsed since a previous autonomous message has been transmitted from the subscriber unit.

23. The subscriber unit of claim 20, wherein said timer tracks elapsed time since a previous autonomous message was generated by the subscriber unit, wherein the processor permits transmission of an autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that a time interval specified by the parameter has elapsed since a previous autonomous message was generated by the subscriber unit, and wherein, if the timer indicates that the time interval specified by the parameter has not elapsed since a previous autonomous message was generated, the controller delays transmission of the autonomous message until a complete time interval has elapsed from the generation of the autonomous message without the subscriber unit generating another autonomous message.

24. The subscriber unit of claim 20, said subscriber unit further including a hook switch, wherein the controller generates an autonomous message if a change in hook status occurs.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the autonomous message comprises a Flash With Information Message.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said wireless transceiver transmits and receives signals in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) frequency band.

27. A system, comprising:

a base station controller including;

a parameter database, coupled to said signal processing resources, that stores an autonomous messaging parameter specifying a required minimum time interval between autonomous messages by any one subscriber unit, said autonomous messages being generated independently of said autonomously messaging parameter; and

signal processing resources that direct broadcast of the parameter;

a base transceiver station, coupled to the base station, that broadcasts the parameter over-the-air to a plurality of subscriber units.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the base transceiver station broadcasts the parameter at a regular interval.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the base transceiver station comprises a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) base transceiver station.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the base transceiver station broadcasts the parameter over-the-air in an Extended System Parameters Message.

31. A method of controlling autonomous messaging of wireless subscriber units by a wireless communication network, said method comprising:

storing a parameter specifying a required minimum time interval between autonomous messages transmitted by any one wireless subscriber unit coupled to the wireless communication network, said autonomous messages being generated independently of said parameter; and

broadcasting the parameter over-the-air from a base station to each wireless subscriber unit coupled to the wireless communication network.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the parameter is broadcast periodically at a regular interval.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the regular interval is approximately once per second.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the parameter is broadcast over-the-air in an Extended System Parameters Message.

35. A program product for controlling autonomous messaging by wireless subscriber units coupled to a wireless communication network, said program product comprising a control program encoded in a medium, said control program causing a wireless subscriber unit to perform the steps of:

receiving a parameter over-the-air from a base station at a wireless subscriber unit coupled to a wireless communication network;

in response to receipt of the parameter, storing a parameter in the wireless subscriber unit, the parameter specifying a required time interval between autonomous messages transmitted by wireless subscriber units in the wireless communication network; and

generating autonomous messages within the subscriber unit independently of a value of said parameter.

36. The program product of claim 35, wherein said control program causes the wireless subscriber unit to perform the further step of:

transmitting an autonomous message over-the-air at a frequency no greater than that specified by the parameter.

37. The program product of claim 36, wherein said control program causes the wireless subscriber unit to perform the steps of:

tracking elapsed time between transmissions of autonomous messages by a subscriber unit with a timer; and

transmitting an autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that more than a time interval specified by the parameter has elapsed since a previous autonomous message has been transmitted from the subscriber unit.

38. The method program product of claim 36, wherein said control program causes the wireless subscriber unit to perform the steps of:

utilizing a timer to track elapsed time since a previous autonomous message was generated by a subscriber unit;

said transmitting comprises transmitting an autonomous message from the subscriber unit only if the timer indicates that a time interval indicated by the parameter has elapsed since the previous autonomous message was generated by the subscriber unit; and

said method further comprises if the timer indicates that the time interval specified by the parameter has not elapsed since a previous autonomous message was generated, delaying transmission of the autonomous message until a complete time interval has elapsed from the generation of the autonomous message without the subscriber unit generating another autonomous message.

39. The program product of claim 36, wherein the message indicates a change in hook status of the wireless subscriber unit.

40. The program product of claim 39, wherein the message comprises a Flash With Information Message.

41. The program product of claim 35, wherein the parameter is received via a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) forward channel.

42. The program product of claim 41, wherein the parameter is received over-the-air in an Extended System Parameters Message.