Method and apparatus for broadcast service classification and notification

• US 7,027,824 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fabien, Jean-Aicard, Ratasuk, Rapeepat, Burbidge, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/679,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/466, 455/458, 455/574, 455/522, 455/115.4, 455/116, 455/154.1, 455/158.1, 455/532.3, 455/517, 455/567, 455/158.2, 370/311, 370/318, 370/338, 370/337, 370/231, 370/468, 370/477, 709/318, 375/147, 375/134, 375/356
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/205 Broadcasting
• 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 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/025 Indirect paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system (100) and methods (400, 500) for alerting user equipment devices (116) in a wireless communication network (102) to broadcasts while limiting the amount of power that must be consumed in order to ascertain if the user equipment devices (116) have subscribed to the broadcasts are provided. A communication indicator (300) that is compatible with UMTS protocols and includes, in addition to paging indicators, one or more broadcast category indicator codes (304) is provided. Devices receiving the communication indicator (300) are able to ascertain based on the broadcast category indicator codes (304) whether there is a need to expend further power in determined whether they are subscribed to the broadcast.

Claims

1. A method of operating a device in a wireless network to receive broadcast messages as well as point to point communications, the method comprising:

waking up the device at a preprogrammed time;

upon waking up at the preprogrammed time, receiving a first message that includes a broadcast indicator code that identifies a broadcast category or a specific broadcast;

comparing the first broadcast indicator code to one or more stored codes indicative of broadcasts subscribed to; and

in a first case that it is determined that the broadcast indicator code does not match any of the one or more stored codes going into sleep mode; and

in a second case that it is determined that the broadcast indicator code matches one of the one or more stored codes, operating the device to receive the broadcast; and

in the second case, prior to operating the device to receive the at least one broadcast;

receiving a second message indicative of a subcategory of the broadcast; and

comparing the subcategory of the broadcast to information indicative of subcategories to which the device is subscribed that is stored in the device, wherein operating the device to receive the broadcast is contingent upon a match being found between subcategory information received in the second message, and subcategory information stored in the device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

waking up the device at the preprogrammed time comprises waking up the device at a preprogrammed time that is a function of an ID of the device.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

receiving the first message comprises receiving a communication indicator that includes paging indicator symbols indicative of whether or not there is an incoming point-to-point communication for the device along with the broadcast indicator code.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

prior to waking up, receiving and storing the one or more stored codes.

5. A method of operating fixed infrastructure of a communication network to transmit broadcasts, the method comprising:

for each wireless device among a plurality of wireless devices to which a broadcast is to be transmitted;

determining a transmit time based on an ID of each of the wireless devices among the plurality of wireless devices;

at each transmit time transmitting a first message that includes a broadcast indicator code that identifies a broadcast category or a specific broadcast to one or more of the plurality of wireless devices having ID'"'"'s corresponding to the transmit time; and

transmitting the broadcast to the plurality of wireless devices.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising:

after transmitting the first message and prior to transmitting the broadcast;

transmitting a second message that includes broadcast subcategory information.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein transmitting the second message comprises:

transmitting channel information for the broadcast.

8. The method according to claim 5 wherein transmitting the first message comprises transmitting parity bits error for the broadcast indicator code.

9. The method according to claim 5 wherein transmitting the first message comprises:

transmitting information that indicates whether or not each of the plurality of wireless devices are intended recipients of a point-to-point communication.

10. The method according to claim 6 wherein transmitting the first message comprises:

transmitting paging indicator symbols along with the broadcast indicator code.

11. A user equipment device for use in a wireless communication network the device comprising:

a transceiver;

a memory for storing a program for the user equipment device;

a processor coupled to the transceiver, and to the memory, wherein the processor is programmed by the program to;

wake up the device at a preprogrammed time;

upon waking up at the preprogrammed time, receive a first message that includes a broadcast indicator code that identifies a broadcast category or a specific broadcast;

compare the broadcast indicator code to one or more stored codes;

in a first case that it is determined that the broadcast indicator code does not match any of the one or more stored codes going into sleep mode; and

in a second case that it is determined that the broadcast indicator code matches one of the one or more stored codes operating the device to receive the broadcast; and

in the second case, prior to operating the device to receive the broadcast,

receive a second message indicative of a subcategory of the broadcast; and

compare the subcategory of the broadcast to information indicative of subcategories to which the device is subscribed that is stored in the device, and operate the device to receive the broadcast if a match is found between subcategory information received in the second message, and subcategory information stored in the device.

12. The user equipment device according to claim 11 wherein:

in waking up the device at the preprogrammed time the processor is programmed to wakeup the device at a preprogrammed time that is a function of an ID of the device.

13. The user equipment device according to claim 11 wherein:

in receiving the first message the processor is programmed to receive a communication indicator that includes paging indicator symbols indicative of whether or not there is an incoming point-to-point communication for the device along with the first code.

14. The user equipment device according to claim 11 wherein the processor is programmed to:

receive and storing the one or more stored codes prior to waking up.

15. A communication system comprising infrastructure that is configured to:

for each wireless device among a plurality of wireless devices in the communication system to which a broadcast is to be transmitted;

determine a transmit time based on an ID of each of the wireless devices among the plurality of wireless devices

at each transmit time transmit a first message that includes a broadcast indicator code that identifies a broadcast category or a specific broadcast, to one or more of the plurality of wireless devices having ID'"'"'s corresponding to the transmit time; and

transmit the broadcast to the plurality of wireless devices.

16. The communication system according to claim 15 wherein the infrastructure is configured to:

after transmitting the first message and prior to transmitting the broadcast;

transmit a second message that includes broadcast subcategory information.

17. The communication system according to claim 16 wherein the infrastructure is configured to

transmit channel information for the broadcast in the second message.

18. The communication system according to claim 15 wherein the infrastructure is configured to:

transmit parity bits error for the broadcast indicator code.

19. The communication system according to claim 15 wherein the infrastructure is configured to:

transmit information that indicates whether or not each of the plurality of wireless devices are intended recipients of a point-to-point communication in the first message.

20. The communication system according to claim 15 wherein the infrastructure is configured to:

transmit paging indicator symbols and the broadcast indicator symbols in the first message.