Delivery of broadcast teleservice messages over packet data networks

• US 7,092,381 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Carlsson, Hans, Rydnell, Gunnar, Diachina, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H.
• Application Number:
  US09/751,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 370400-401, 370/315, 370/328, 370/338, 370352-398, 370465-469, 370/463
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A communication network comprises a broadcast teleservice message center generating broadcast teleservice messages. The broadcast teleservice message center is connected to a circuit-switched network over an interface that uses a first messaging protocol. The broadcast teleservice message center includes an interworking function to connect the broadcast teleservice message center to a packet-switched network over an interface that uses a second messaging protocol. Broadcast teleservice messages transmitted over said first interface to mobile terminals having service with the said circuit-switched network are converted by the interworking function to a format specified by the second messaging protocol for delivery over the packet-switched network to mobile terminals having service with the packet-switched network.

Claims

1. A communications network comprising:

a circuit-switched network providing communications services to mobile terminals having service with said circuit-switched network;

a broadcast teleservice message center connected to said circuit-switched network to generate broadcast teleservice messages formatted according to a first messaging protocol for delivery to mobile terminals having service with said circuit-switched network;

a packet-switched network providing communication services to mobile terminals having service with said packet-switched network; and

an interworking function connecting said broadcast teleservice message center to said packet-switched network, said interworking function including a formatter to translate broadcast teleservice messages from the first messaging protocol used in the circuit-switched network into a second messaging protocol used in the packet-switched network for delivery over said packet-switched network to mobile terminals having service with said packet-switched network.

2. The communications network of claim 1 wherein said first messaging protocol is the Broadcast Air-Interface Transport Protocol and said second messaging protocol is the Multicast Service Access Protocol.

3. The communications network of claim 1 wherein said packet-switched network implements the General Packet Radio Service.

4. The communications network according to claim 3 wherein said packet-switched network comprises a point-to-multipoint service center providing point-to-multipoint services.

5. The communications network according to claim 4 wherein said interworking function interfaces with said point-to-multipoint service center over a first interface.

6. The communications network of claim 5 wherein said first interface is a Gm interface.

7. The communications network of claim 1 wherein said packet-switched network comprises a serving GPRS support node.

8. The communications network according to claim 7 wherein said interworking function connects to said serving GPRS support node via a second interface.

9. The communications network according to claim 8 wherein said second interface is a Gn interface.

10. A method for delivering broadcast teleservice messages to mobile terminals over a communications network comprising:

generating a broadcast teleservice message formatted according to a first messaging protocol in a broadcast teleservice message center;

transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said first messaging protocol over a circuit-switched network to one or more mobile terminals having service with said circuit-switched network;

translating said broadcast teleservice message from the first messaging protocol used in the circuit-switched network into a second messaging protocol used in a packet-switched network;

transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said second messaging protocol from said broadcast teleservice message center to said packet-switched network; and

transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said second messaging protocol over said packet-switched network to one or more mobile terminals having service in said packet-switched network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said second messaging protocol from said broadcast teleservice message center to said packet-switched network comprises transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said second messaging protocol to a point-to-multipoint service center in said packet-switched network.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending a change notification message from said circuit-switched network to said mobile terminals, said change notification message indicating changes in a broadcast channel.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said second messaging protocol from said broadcast teleservice message center to said packet-switched network comprises transmitting said broadcast teleservice message formatted according to said second messaging protocol to a serving GPRS support node in said packet-switched network over a second interface.

14. A method for delivering subchannel data transmitted over a circuit-switched network to a mobile terminal having service with a packet-switched network, said method comprising:

assigning a group identification number to a service provider for said circuit-switched network;

assigning a group identification numbers to sub-channels used by said service provider to transmit said sub-channel data;

transmitting said one or more group identification numbers assigned to said sub-channels to mobile terminals registered with said packet-switched network in a first broadcast teleservice message having a group identification field and a data field, said one or more group identification numbers assigned to said sub-channels being contained in said first broadcast teleservice message data field, and said group identification number for said corresponding service provider being contained in said first broadcast teleservice message group identification field; and

transmitting sub-channel data to mobile terminals registered in said packet-switched network in a second broadcast teleservice message having a group identification field and a data field, said second broadcast teleservice message group identification field containing a group identification for a selected sub-channel to identify the sub-channel and said second broadcast teleservice message group data field containing said sub-channel data.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said sub-channel data comprises an Intelligent Roaming Database download message.

16. An interworking function connecting a broadcast teleservice message center to a packet-switched network, said interworking comprising:

a first interface connecting said interworking function to said broadcast message center, wherein said interworking function receives broadcast teleservice messages formatted according to a first messaging protocol over said first interface;

a formatter to translate said broadcast teleservice messages received over said first interface from said first messaging protocol into a second messaging protocol for delivery to mobile terminals having service with a packet-switched network; and

a second interface connecting said interworking function to said packet-switched network, wherein said interworking function transmits said broadcast teleservice messages formatted according to said second messaging protocol to said packet switched network over said second interface.

17. The interworking function according to claim 16 wherein said first interface connects to a mobile switching center node in a circuit-switched network.

18. The interworking function according to claim 17 wherein said interworking function interfaces with said point-to-multipoint service center over a first interface.

19. The interworking function according to claim 16 wherein said second interface connects to a serving GPRS support node in said packet-switched network.

20. The interworking function according to claim 19 wherein said second interface is a Gn interface.

21. A broadcast message center in a mobile communication network generating broadcast teleservice messages, said broadcast message center comprising:

a broadcast message application generating said broadcast teleservice messages;

a first interface connecting said broadcast message center to a circuit switched network, wherein said broadcast teleservice messages transmitted over said first interface are formatted according to a first messaging protocol;

an interworking function including a protocol converter to translate said to format said broadcast teleservice messages transmitted over said first interface from said first messaging protocol into a second messaging protocol for delivery to mobile terminals having service with a packet-switched network; and

a second interface connecting said interworking function to said packet-switched network, wherein said interworking function transmits said broadcast teleservice messages formatted according to said second messaging protocol to said packet switched network over said second interface.

22. The broadcast message center according to claim 21 wherein said second interface connects to a serving GPRS support node in said packet-switched network.

23. The broadcast message center according to claim 22 wherein said second interface is a Gn interface.