Paging of mobile subscriber to establish packet-switched connection

• US 7,228,143 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kari, Hannu, Vainikka, Jari, Hamalainen, Jari
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart; James D.
• Application Number:
  US09/539,013
• Time in Patent Office: 2,623 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/433, 455/432.2, 455/434, 455/461, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/560, 455/561, 455/414.1, 455/436, 455/442, 455/450, 455/458, 455/515
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of paging a mobile station to establish a packet-switched connection in a mobile telephone network that supports a circuit-switched connection and a packet-switched connection. To establish a mobile-terminated circuit-switched connection, the mobile telephone network sends the mobile station a page request, as a result of which the mobile station switches to standby mode for a circuit-switched connection. To save the batteries and to reduce the need of processing, the mobile station listens only to the paging channels of the circuit-switched connection. To establish a mobile-terminated packet-switched connection, the mobile telephone network sends the mobile station a page request via a circuit-switched connection and subsequently sends the mobile station the additional information commanding the mobile station to switch to a packet-switched connection. After detecting the additional information, the mobile station switches to the packet-switched connection.

Claims

1. A method of paging a mobile station to establish a packet-switched connection in a mobile telephone network the method comprising:

sending from the mobile telephone network to the mobile station a page request to establish a mobile-terminated circuit-switched connection, and

in response to said page request, the mobile station switching to standby mode for a circuit-switched connection,

the mobile station listening only to the paging channels of the circuit-switched connection,

to establish a mobile-terminated packet-switched connection, the mobile telephone network sending the mobile station a page request via the circuit-switched connection and sending the mobile station additional information commanding it to switch to a packet-switched connection, and

in response to the additional information, the mobile station switching to the packet-switched connection,

wherein the mobile telephone network supports the circuit-switched connection and the packet-switched connection.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending the page request as follows:

forming a node knowing the identifiers of the mobile station for both a packet-switched and a circuit-switched connection,

detecting in response to said node that packet data is being supplied to the mobile station, the node establishes a call via a public switched telephone network and a gateway mobile switching center to the home network of said mobile station using the ISDN number of the mobile station,

requesting, in the home network of the mobile station, information on the mobile station from a home location register, the home location register in turn inquiring the mobile station'"'"'s location from a visitor location register,

forwarding the mobile station'"'"'s location via the gateway mobile switching center and the public switched telephone network to a visited mobile switching center, the visited mobile switching center sending a call set-up request to the base station system.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending the page request as follows:

forming a node knowing the identifiers of the mobile station for both a packet-switched and a circuit-switched connection,

detecting, in response to said node that packet data is being supplied to the mobile station, the node establishing a call via a public switched telephone network and a gateway mobile switching center to the home network of said mobile station using the ISDN number of the mobile station,

detecting, in response to said gateway mobile switching center the additional information contained in the call set-up request, the gateway mobile switching center inquiring the mobile station'"'"'s roaming number from the home location register and in response to the inquiry, the home location register inquiring the same from the visitor location register,

sending, in response to the roaming number inquiry addressed to the visitor location register, a mobile switching center associated with said visitor location register a call set-up request to the base station system.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending the page request as follows:

forming a node knowing the identifiers of the mobile station for both a packet-switched and a circuit-switched connection,

detecting in response to said node, that packet data is being supplied to the mobile station, the node establishing a call via a public switched telephone network and a gateway mobile switching center to the home network of said mobile station using the ISDN number of the mobile station,

detecting, in response to said gateway mobile switching center the additional information contained in the call set-up request, the gateway mobile switching center sending to a short message service centre a message indicating that a short message containing a command to switch to standby mode should be sent to the mobile station,

sending, in response to the message sent by the gateway mobile switching center, by the short message service centre, a short message via the mobile switching center and the base station system to the mobile station, and

switching, in response to said short message, the mobile station to standby mode for a packet-switched connection.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said additional information is sent to the mobile station on a paging channel.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said additional information is sent during an on-going call.

7. An arrangement for paging a mobile station to establish a packet-switched connection, the arrangement comprising:

a mobile telephone network configured to send a mobile station a page request to establish a mobile-terminated circuit-switched connection; and

a mobile station, wherein in response to said page request, the mobile station is configured to switch to standby mode for a circuit-switched connection;

wherein, to establish a mobile-terminated packet-switched connection, the mobile station is further configured to listen to paging channels only on the circuit-switched connection,

wherein the mobile telephone network is further configured to send the mobile station a page request via the circuit-switched connection and to send the additional information to the mobile station, and

the mobile station is configured to switch to a packet-switched connection in response to said additional information,

wherein the mobile station establishes the packet-switched connection in the mobile telephone network that supports the circuit-switched connection and the packet-switched connection.

8. A mobile telephone network that supports a circuit-switched connection and a packet-switched connection, wherein the mobile telephone network is configured to:

send a mobile station a page request via a circuit-switched connection to establish the mobile-terminated packet-switched connection, and

send the mobile station the additional information to switch the mobile station to the packet-switched connection,

wherein the mobile telephone network is configured to send the mobile station the page request to establish a mobile-terminated circuit-switched connection.

9. A mobile station that supports a circuit-switched connection and a packet-switched connection, wherein the mobile station is configured to:

listen only to a paging channel of the circuit-switched connection,

monitor additional information sent on said circuit-switched connection, and

switch to the packet-switched connection in response to said additional information,

wherein the paging channel is configured to page the mobile station associated at least with the circuit-switched connection.

10. An arrangement for paging a mobile station to establish a packet-switched connection, the arrangement comprising:

a mobile telephone network comprising

a sending means for sending a mobile station a page request to establish a mobile-terminated circuit-switched connection;

wherein the sending means is further configured to send the mobile station a page request via the circuit-switched connection and to send the additional information to the mobile station, and

and

wherein the mobile station comprises a switching means for switching to switch to standby mode for a circuit-switched connection in response to said page request;

wherein, to establish a mobile-terminated packet-switched connection, the mobile station further comprises a listening means for listening to paging channels only on the circuit-switched connection,

wherein the switching means switches to a packet-switched connection in response to said additional information, and

wherein the mobile station further comprises an establishing means for establishing the packet-switched connection in the mobile telephone network that supports the circuit-switched connection and the packet-switched connection.

11. A mobile telephone network for supporting a circuit-switched connection and a packet-switched connection, the mobile telephone network comprising:

a first sending means for sending a mobile station a page request via the circuit-switched connection to establish the mobile-terminated packet-switched connection, and

a second sending means for sending the mobile station the additional information to switch the mobile station to the packet-switched connection,

wherein the mobile telephone network sends the mobile station the page request to establish a mobile-terminated circuit-switched connection.