Service restriction control for mobile communications

• US 6,889,040 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2000
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rossetti, David Albert, Pittampalli, Eshwar, Koo, Yuen-Yin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): EWART, JAMES D
• Application Number:
  US09/686,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 455/70, 455/403, 455/414, 455/418, 455/426, 455/434, 455/450, 455/466, 455/552, 455/419, 455/420, 370/329, 370/341, 370/466, 370/469, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 375/220
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

The possibility of incompatibility between wireless communication system stations having the most recent protocol revisions is addressed by transmitting from the base station to a mobile station characteristics that identify a mobile station group that is restricted to using less than the most recent protocol revision. Using less than the most recent protocol revision may involve using an earlier revision or a subset of the most current protocol revision. This permits a base station to direct mobiles to avoid using protocol revisions or features of protocol revisions that have been insufficiently tested or that have a history of problems for a particular base station/mobile station combination.

Additionally, when a mobile station receives a message from a base station identifying which mobile stations are subject to what set of restrictions, the mobile station then sends a message to the base station requesting service that matches the restrictions that were identified associated with the group to which the mobile station belongs.

Claims

1. A method for controlling communication services, said communication services including a base station transmitting messages to, and receiving messages from, at least one mobile station, the method comprising by the steps of:

transmitting from the base station to the at least one mobile station a message identifying which mobile stations are restricted to using a constrained protocol representing something less than the most recent protocol revision, the constrained protocol being an earlier protocol revision or a subset of the most recent protocol revision; and

providing communication services to the one or more mobile stations identified in the message subject to the constrained protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message identifies a group of mobile stations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the message is a first message; and

the method further comprises the step of;

receiving at the base station from one or more of the restricted mobile stations a second message requesting service from the base station subject to the constrained protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the message identifies the constrained protocol as being a subset of the most recent protocol revision, then the message further includes

a flag indicating that there are restrictions as to services otherwise available with the most recent protocol, and

a map portion indicating which of the services are not available to the one or more mobile stations.

5. A method for controlling communication services, said communication services including a base station transmitting messages to, and receiving messages from, at least one mobile station, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first message at a mobile station, the received message identifying which mobile stations are restricted to using a constrained protocol representing something less than the most recent protocol revision, the constrained protocol being an earlier protocol revision or a subset of the most recent protocol revision; and

transmitting, if the first message identifies the mobile station, a second message from the mobile station requesting communication services subject to the constrained protocol.