Method for transmitting at least one group message, associated radio communication network, subsystem and mobile communication device

• US 7,286,554 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Beckmann, Mark, Mademann, Frank, Eckert, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Pablo N.
• Application Number:
  US10/514,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/390, 370/312, 370/329, 370/328, 370/318, 370/252, 370/337, 370/338, 370/336, 370/432, 370/335, 455/522, 455/464, 455/414.1, 455/486.1, 455/404.2, 455/503, 455/519, 455/449, 455/466, 455/445, 455/509
• US Class Current: 370/432
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

In order to transmit at least one group message to at least one group consisting of one or more subscriber devices of a radio communications network, the respectively assigned, higher order radio network control unit specifically controls whether and/or how many subscriber devices per radio cell are currently registered with the respective group.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices in at least one radio cell of a radio communication network, a base station of each radio cell being controlled by at least one higher-order radio network controller, the method comprising:

monitoring, via at least one higher-order radio network controller, how many subscriber devices in each radio cell are currently subscribed to the respective group; and

transmitting to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, by a respective subscriber device via an air interface of the base station associated with a current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device, at least one information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio network controller whether the respective subscriber device is currently subscribed to the respective group, with a user ID of the respective subscriber device not being added to the at least one information signal.

2. A method for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises transmitting to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, by the respective subscriber device via the air interface of the base station associated with the current location radio cell, at least one further information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio network controller whether the respective subscriber device at least one of can be unsubscribed from the respective group, is leaving the current location radio cell and is switching off, with the user ID of the respective subscriber device not being added to the at least one further information signal.

3. A method for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user ID of the respective subscriber device is added to the at least one information signal and the at least one further information signal.

4. A method for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one information signal and the at least one further information signal are generated by a UMTS for a multicast transmission.

5. A method for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective subscriber device is a mobile communication device.

6. A radio communication network for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices in at least one radio cell of the radio communication network, comprising:

one or more subscriber devices;

a respective base station for each radio cell in the radio communication network; and

at least one higher-order radio network controller for controlling the base stations;

wherein the at least one higher-order radio network controller monitors how many subscriber devices in each radio cell are currently subscribed to a respective group, and wherein at least one information signal indicating to at least one higher-order radio network controller whether a respective subscriber device is currently subscribed to the respective group is transmitted by the respective subscriber device via an air interface of the base station associated with a current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, with a user ID of the respective subscriber device not being added to the at least the one information signal.

7. A radio communication network as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one further information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio network controller whether the respective subscriber device at least one of can be unsubscribed from the respective group, is leaving the current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device, and is switching off, is transmitted by the respective subscriber device via the air interface of the base station of the current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, with the user ID of the respective subscriber device not being added to the at least one further information signal.

8. A subsystem of a radio communication network for transmitting at least one group message to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices in at least one radio cell of the radio communication network, the radio communication network including a respective base station for each radio cell of the radio communication network, comprising:

one or more subscriber devices; and

at least one higher-order radio network controller for controlling the base stations;

wherein the at least one higher-order radio network controller monitors how many subscriber devices in each radio cell are currently subscribed to a respective group, and wherein at least one information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio network controller whether a respective subscriber device is currently subscribed to the respective group is transmitted by the respective subscriber device via an air interface of the base station associated with a current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, with a user ID of the respective subscriber device not being added to the at least one information signal.

9. A subsystem of a radio communication network as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one further information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio network controller whether the respective subscriber device at least one of can be unsubscribed from the respective group, is leaving the current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device, and is switching off, is transmitted by the respective subscriber device via the air interface of the base station of the current location radio cell of the respective subscriber device to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, with the user ID of the respective subscriber device not being added to the at least one further information signal.

10. A radio communication device for receiving at least one group message transmitted to at least one group of one or more subscriber devices in at least one radio cell of a radio communication network, with a base station of each radio cell being controlled by at least one higher-order radio network controller which monitors how many subscriber devices in each radio cell are currently subscribed to a respective group, comprising parts for transmitting to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, via an air interface of the base station associated with a current location radio cell of the radio communication device, at least one information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio controller whether the radio communication device is currently subscribed to the respective group, with a user ID of the radio communication device not being added to the at least one information signal.

11. A radio communication device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising parts for transmitting to the at least one higher-order radio network controller, via the air interface of the base station associated with the current location radio cell of the radio communication device, at least one further information signal indicating to the at least one higher-order radio network controller whether the radio communication device at least one of can be unsubscribed from the respective group, is leaving the current location radio cell of the radio communication device, and is switching off, with the user ID of the radio communication device not being added to the at least one further information signal.

12. A radio communication device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the radio communication device is a mobile communication device.