Communication control for a user of a central communication center

• US 6,751,456 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bilgic, Izzet M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/819,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/414, 455/435, 455/419, 455/407, 455/434, 455/436, 455/437, 455/13.4, 455/522, 455/450, 455/516, 455/517, 455/525, 455/452.1, 709/100, 709/102, 709/221, 709/107, 370/337, 370/347, 370/346, 370/442, 370/449
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• 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 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A computer program for a user in a wireless communication system to communicate on the system. The communication protocol embodied in the computer program enables the user to acquire a channel on the base station in the system and register with a base station on the system. The communication protocol embodied in the computer program also enables the user to place and receive calls on the communication system. The communication protocol embodied in the computer program also provides the user a handover procedure for handing over its call to another base station in the system.

The computer program is comprised of a main controller task and various other tasks, also called subtasks, which are activated by the main controller task. These subtasks are each designed to perform a protocol function for the user on the communication system.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, result in a mobile station establishing a communication connection between the mobile station and a base station in a wireless communication system, by:

receiving a first message from the base station in a non-dedicated time slot;

transmitting a second message from the mobile station to the base station;

waiting a first time to receive a third message from the base station;

if the first time expires, waiting a second time, and, after the first time expires, polling an over-the-air interface for a first message from the base station in a non-dedicated time slot; and

if the third message is received from the base station before the time expires, transmitting a fourth message from the mobile station to the base station, the fourth message transmitted in one or more dedicated time slots between the base station and the mobile station.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in:

tuning the mobile station to a transmission code/frequency of one base station in the wireless communication system at a time.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, result in a base station establishing communications between the base station and the mobile station in a wireless communication system, by:

designating one or more time slots for the mobile station as dedicated;

periodically transmitting a first message from the base station in one or more dedicated time slots;

waiting a first time to receive a second message from the mobile station, the second message transmitted in one or more dedicated time slots for the mobile station;

redesignating the one or more designated time slots for the mobile station as non dedicated if the first time expires before the second message is received from the mobile station; and

transmitting a third message from the base station to the mobile station in the one or more dedicated time slots if the second message is received from the mobile station.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the first message from the base station and the second message from the mobile station being transmitted with the same code/frequency.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, result in a mobile station seeking a base station in a multi-channel wireless communication system, by:

establishing a database of base stations, the database comprising metrics on at least one or more base stations;

tuning a receiver of the mobile station to a base station channel associated with one of the base stations;

polling an over-the-air interface for a transmission of a first message from the base station;

determining metrics on the base station if the mobile station receiver receives a first message from the base station; and

storing the metrics of the base station in the database.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein a metric for the base station includes a received signal quality of a first message received by the mobile station from the base station.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein channels are defined at least in part by frequency.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein the channels are defined at least in part by a spread-spectrum code.

9. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, result in a mobile station communicating with a base station in a wireless communication system, by:

transmitting bearer data in a first base station channel between a mobile station and a first base station;

determining metrics for the first base station based at least in part on the bearer data transmitted from the first base station to the mobile receiver;

if a metric for the first base station is lower than a first threshold value, ceasing transmitting bearer data transmitted from the first base station to the mobile station, tuning a receiver of the mobile station to a second base station channel of a second base station, determining metrics for the second base station if a first message is received by the receiver of the mobile station from the second base station, storing the metrics of the second base station in a database, retuning the receiver of the mobile station to the first base station channel, and resuming transmitting bearer data between the mobile station and the first base station.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in:

if a metric for the first base station is lower than a second threshold value, ceasing transmitting bearer data in the first base station channel from the mobile station to the first base station, tuning the receiver of the mobile station to a third base station channel of a third base station, acquiring a communication channel with the third base station, transmitting a second message to the third base station, wherein the second message requests the third base station take over the transmission of bearer data to the mobile station and the reception of hearer data from the mobile station, and transmitting bearer data between the mobile station and the third base station.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the channels are defined at least in part by frequency.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the channels are defined at least in part by a spread-spectrum code.

13. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, result in managing a mobile station in a wireless communication system, by:

activating at least one or more subtasks resident on the mobile station by a main task resident on the mobile station;

using the main task or one of the subtasks to notify a user interface of the mobile station of information;

receiving information from the user interface of the mobile station at the main task or one of the subtasks; and

modifying a function of one of the subtasks resident on the mobile station at a predetermined time without modifying any other subtask resident on the mobile station at the predetermined time.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein said activating further comprises activating one of the subtasks resident on the mobile station by a main task resident on the mobile station at a time.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in:

loading a main task on the mobile station; and

loading the subtasks on the mobile station.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in:

loading one of the subtasks on the mobile station without reloading any other subtask or the main task on the mobile station.

17. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a computing platform, result in operating a mobile station in a wireless communication system, by:

attempting to register the mobile station with a base station,

transitioning the mobile station to a first operating state if the mobile station successfully registers with the base station;

setting a first timer on the mobile station in the first operating state;

setting a second timer on the mobile station in the first operating state;

attempting to reregister the mobile station with the base station if the first timer expires; and

if the second timer expires;

transitioning the mobile station to a second operating state,

setting a third timer on the mobile station in the second operating state,

searching for a message directed to the mobile station as long as the third timer is not expired, and

transitioning the mobile station to the first operating state if the third timer expires.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in:

transitioning the mobile station to a third operating state if the mobile station does not successfully register with a base station, wherein in the third operating state the mobile station is adapted to initiate an emergency call in the wireless communication system.