Receiving cell broadcast (CB) messages

• US 8,787,262 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Dhanda, Mungal Singh, Robinson, Nigel Phillip, Gupta, Ajit, Walke, Simon, Janga, Bhanu Kiran, Kanthala, Venkata Raji Reddy, Mutya, Subbarayudu
• Primary Examiner(s): Faroul, Farah
• Application Number:
  US13/547,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for receiving cell broadcast messages is described. The method includes communicating with a first cell. The method also includes switching to communicating with a second cell. A cell broadcast channel is read after switching cells. The method further includes switching from a dedicated mode to a packet idle mode. The cell broadcast channel is reread once after switching from a dedicated mode to a packet idle mode. Other aspects, embodiments and features are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. A method for receiving cell broadcast messages, comprising:

monitoring a cell broadcast channel for a continuous scan time to obtain a number of repetitions, a periodicity, and a last slot number;

calculating slots where a desired message is expected in the cell broadcast channel; and

reading the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated slots.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the repetitions, the periodicity, and the last slot number are used to calculate slots where a desired message is expected.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a cell broadcast continuous scan procedure if predictive scheduling has failed for any desired message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein reading the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated slots is part of a cell broadcast predictive scan procedure.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising performing a cell broadcast continuous scan procedure if a refresh timer expires during the cell broadcast predictive scan procedure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in a network that does not support a cell broadcast scheduling mechanism.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein monitoring a cell broadcast channel comprises:

starting a continuous scan timer;

reading all cell broadcast message slots; and

determining whether a message ID and an update number have changed since a previous cell broadcast channel slot.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the message ID and update number have changed since the previous cell broadcast message slot, and further comprising incrementing the number of repetitions for the message ID.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the message ID, a cell ID, the number of repetitions, a last message slot number, and calculated periodicity when the continuous scan timer expires.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the message ID, the cell ID, the number of repetitions, the last message slot number, and the calculated periodicity are used to calculate slots where a desired message is expected.

12. An apparatus for receiving cell broadcast messages, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

monitor a cell broadcast channel for a continuous scan time to obtain a number of repetitions, a periodicity, and a last slot number;

calculate message slots where a desired message is expected in the cell broadcast channel; and

read the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated message slots.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is a wireless communication device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the repetitions, the periodicity, and the last slot number are used to calculate slots where a desired message is expected.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further executable to perform a cell broadcast continuous scan procedure if predictive scheduling has failed for any desired message.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein reading the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated slots is part of a cell broadcast predictive scan procedure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable to perform a cell broadcast continuous scan procedure if a refresh timer expires during the cell broadcast predictive scan procedure.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is located in a network that does not support a cell broadcast scheduling mechanism.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions executable to monitor a cell broadcast channel comprise instructions executable to:

start a continuous scan timer;

read all cell broadcast message slots; and

determine whether a message ID and an update number have changed since a previous cell broadcast channel slot.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one of the message ID and update number have changed since the previous cell broadcast message slot, and further comprising incrementing the number of repetitions for the message ID.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further executable to store the message ID, a cell ID, the number of repetitions, a last message slot number, and calculated periodicity when the continuous scan timer expires.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the message ID, the cell ID, the number of repetitions, the last message slot number, and the calculated periodicity are used to calculate slots where a desired message is expected.

23. An apparatus configured for receiving cell broadcast messages, comprising:

means for monitoring a cell broadcast channel for a continuous scan time to obtain a number of repetitions, a periodicity, and a last slot number;

means for calculating slots where a desired message is expected in the cell broadcast channel; and

means for reading the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated slots.

24. A computer-program product for a receiving cell broadcast messages, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

code for causing a wireless device to monitor a cell broadcast channel for a continuous scan time to obtain a number of repetitions, a periodicity, and a last slot number;

code for causing the wireless device to calculate message slots where a desired message is expected in the cell broadcast channel; and

code for causing the wireless device to read the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated message slots.

25. A wireless device configured for receiving cell broadcast messages, comprising:

means for monitoring a cell broadcast channel for a continuous scan time to obtain a number of repetitions, a periodicity, and a last slot number;

means for calculating message slots where a desired message is expected in the cell broadcast channel; and

means for reading the cell broadcast channel only at the calculated message slots.