Method and apparatus for delivery of universal mobile telecommunications systems (UMTS) based unidirectional services over a wireless local area network (WLAN)

• US 7,173,924 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kazakevich, Leonid, Shaheen, Kamel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, CHI HO A
• Application Number:
  US10/872,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/392, 370/400, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Method and apparatus for delivery of UMTS services to a dual mode mobile station through a WLAN when the mobile station is operating within a WLAN environment. UMTS services are transmitted to a WLAN through a UMTS repeater tuned to receive services addressed to registered IDs and transmit these services to that (those) WLAN(s) having mobile stations registered with the UMTS. The WLAN format converter converts the UMTS format into a WLAN message format and communicates the message to the registered users.

Claims

1. A method employed by a wireless local area network (WLAN) for communicating messages from a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) to a mobile station (UE) operating within said WLAN, comprising:

said WLAN, responsive to registration of the UE;

a) registering UMTS identification of the UE with the UMTS for UMTS service watch;

b) receiving a UMTS service message intended for the UE directly from the UMTS over a radio channel between the UMTS and the WLAN; and

c) converting the UMTS service message in an UMTS message format into a WLAN message format for transmission to the UE.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the UMTS service message received at step (b) includes:

receiving one of a paging message, short message service (SMS) and multimedia message service (MMS).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c), further comprises:

transferring the reformatted message to a given access point for transmission to the UE.

4. A wireless local area network (WLAN) for communicating message services to a mobile station (UE) operating in the wireless local area network (WLAN) from a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), said WLAN comprising:

an inter-working controller responsive to the UE for registering UMTS identification of the UE with the UMTS for UMTS service watch;

a receiver for directly receiving a UMTS service message intended for the UE from said UMTS over a radio channel between the UMTS and the WLAN; and

a format converter for converting the UMTS service message in an UMTS message format into an WLAN message format.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said WLAN further comprises:

a transmitter for conveying the converted message to an access point (AP) associated with the WLAN.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said AP includes:

a second transmitter to send the converted message service to said UE.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said

inter-working controller directly conveys the UMTS identification to a UMTS repeater for registering the UE with a UMTS.