Broadcast channels for wireless telephony

• US 7,330,693 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Goss, Stephen Clifford
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; John J.
• Application Number:
  US09/399,304
• Time in Patent Office: 3,070 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/454, 455/414, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452, 455/464, 455/434, 455/435, 455/466, 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/412.2, 455/452.1, 455/435.1, 455/452.2, 455/567, 455/458, 455/426, 455/521, 455/419, 455/429, 455/517, 455/515, 370/312, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A wireless system and method for providing informative broadcast services includes a plurality of base stations, each serving a plurality of wireless communications device users via a plurality of communications channels. An alert message is first transmitted to wireless communications devices advising of the availability of a broadcast message and identifying an associated communications channel. The base station then transmits the broadcast message to the plurality of users on the identified channel. The wireless communications devices may automatically switch to the broadcast channel, for example, when there is a weather or other emergency, or may offer the user the opportunity to change channels. Also, a user may initiate a request to access a broadcast channel for services such as news, sports, or stock reports on a subscription basis.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless network, said wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations, each serving a plurality of users via a plurality of communication channels, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an alert message from a set of said base stations, to a plurality of users, said alert message including the identity of one of said plurality of communication channels, said alert message indicating to said plurality of users that a broadcast message is available on one of said plurality of communication channels identified in said alert message; and

transmitting said broadcast message from said set of base stations to said plurality of users on said one of said plurality of communication channels;

wherein said plurality of users has an option to selectively receive said broadcast message over said one of said plurality of communications channels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless network also includes a control channel, wherein said step of transmitting said alert message comprises transmitting said alert message on said control channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting an alert message further comprises the step of transmitting a permission parameter as a part of said alert message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting said alert message further comprises repeatedly transmitting an alert message on a periodic basis while said broadcast message is transmitted.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of, after said set of base stations complete transmission of said broadcast message, said set of base stations sending a further alert message to inform the users that said one of said plurality of communication channels will expire in a predetermined time.

6. The method of claim 5 further including, after expiration of said predetermined time, said set of said base stations ceasing to broadcast on said communication channel, and returning said channel for further use.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said one of said plurality of communication channels is selected from a reserved group of said plurality of communication channels.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said one of said plurality of communication channels is selected from the list of idle ones of said plurality of communication channels.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said alert message includes the identity of said one of said plurality of communication channels such that each of said plurality of base stations selects the same one of said plurality of communication channels.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of base stations selects one of said plurality of communication channels based on channel availability, wherein said one of said plurality of communication channels may be different between each of said base stations.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said broadcast message originates at an information source remote from said base stations.

12. A wireless unit for use with a wireless communications network, wherein said wireless unit receives control messages on a preassigned channel and communicates content on a channel that is assigned for such communication, said wireless unit comprising:

means for receiving a first alerting message indicating that a broadcast message is imminent, and indicating the communication channel of said broadcast message;

means for alerting a user of said wireless unit that said broadcast message is imminent;

means for setting up said wireless unit for selectively receiving said communication channel in response to action by the user responsive to the first alerting message

means for storing a current state of said wireless unit before setting up said wireless unit for receiving said communication channel; and

means for receiving a second alerting message indicating that said broadcast message is over and for automatically restoring said wireless unit to said stored state upon receipt of said second alerting message.

13. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 further comprising user means for selecting whether to receive said broadcast message.

14. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 13 wherein said to wireless unit includes a keypad, wherein said user means for selecting comprises entering one or more digits on said keypad.

15. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 13 wherein said wireless unit includes a keypad, wherein said user means for selecting comprises a button separate from said keypad.

16. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said wireless unit uses CDMA protocol, wherein said communication channel is extracted using a corresponding one of a plurality of Walsh functions.

17. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said wireless unit uses an analog air interface protocol, wherein said communication channel is extracted using an FM receiver tuned to a corresponding frequency.

18. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said wireless unit uses a TDMA protocol, wherein said communication channel is extracted using a receiver tuned to a corresponding frequency and selecting appropriate time slots of a received TDM data stream.

19. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said means for alerting comprises a user-audible signal.

20. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said means for alerting comprises a user-visible signal.

21. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said wireless unit includes a display, wherein said displayed indicates when said wireless unit is receiving said broadcast message.

22. A wireless unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said communication channel comprises a forward link and a reverse link, and said wireless unit includes means for blocking automatically said reverse link of said communication channel for the duration of said broadcast message.

23. A base station for use in a wireless network, said base station serving a plurality of users via a plurality of communication channels, said base station comprising:

means for transmitting an alert message to a plurality of users, said alert message including the identity of one of said plurality of communications channels, said alert message indicating availability of an imminent broadcast message over said one of said plurality of communication channels; and

means for transmitting said imminent broadcast message to said plurality of users on said one of said plurality of communications channels;

wherein said plurality of users has an option to selectively connect to said one of said plurality of communication channels to receive said imminent broadcast message.

24. A base station in accordance with claim 23 wherein said means for transmitting said alert message comprises a control channel.

25. A base station in accordance with claim 23 further including means for sending a further alert message to inform the users that the channel will expire shortly after said base station completes transmission of said prerecorded message.