Dual protocol GPRS mobile terminal and method therefor

• US 20020077134A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited World Trade Center of Montreal
• Inventors: Lauson, David J., Provost, Curtis, Mizell, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US09/742,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077134A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/08 Upper layer protocols network arrangements or communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00

Abstract

A system for delivering SMS messages to a mobile terminal includes an apparatus and method that deliver the SMS messages either using legacy SMS message formats or data packet formats. Additionally, a connection is created between a message center and a gateway GPRS support node wherein SMS messages may be transmitted to the gateway GPRS support node in a data packet format. To provide this capability, the gateway GPRS support node includes a unique port address for receiving SMS messages and circuitry for processing SMS messages received in a data packet format. A serving GPRS support node is formed to include circuitry for determining whether to transmit the SMS message to the mobile terminal in a data packet format or in a legacy SMS message format. The mobile terminal of the present invention is formed to transmit and receive SMS messages in at least one of a legacy and a data packet format.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

transceiver circuitry;

an internal bus coupled to the memory, to the transceiver circuitry and to the processor; and

wherein the memory includes computer instructions that define operational logic of the mobile terminal to enable the mobile terminal to remove IP packet header information of a plurality of data packets and to construct an SMS message.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 further including computer instructions that define operational logic to enable the mobile terminal to process the constructed SMS message.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 further including an audio processing circuit for generating audio to be played over a speaker, which audio signals were received as a digital signal by the mobile terminal.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1 further including a speaker coupled to receive an analog signal from the audio processing circuit wherein the speaker creates audio for human perception.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1 further including a microphone for converting sound into electrical signals, which electrical signals are transmitted to the audio processor.

6. A mobile terminal, comprising:

transceiver circuitry for receiving communication signals over a wireless communication link; and

SMS message processing circuitry for reconstructing and processing SMS messages transmitted in a data packet format, the processing circuitry being coupled to receive data packets from the transceiver circuitry.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6 further comprising legacy SMS message processing circuitry wherein the mobile terminal is coupled to receive SMS messages in both data packet and in legacy SMS message formats.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6 further comprising audio processing circuitry coupled to receive communication signals from the transceiver circuitry.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8 further comprising a speaker coupled to the audio processing circuitry for producing sound.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 8 further comprising a microphone for receiving sound waves and for converting the received sound waves into electrical signals that are to produced to the audio processor for processing.

11. A method in a GPRS capable mobile terminal for receiving an SMS message, comprising:

receiving a plurality of data packets;

determining that the plurality of data packets form an SMS message;

removing packet header information;

reforming an SMS message; and

processing the SMS message by SMS processing circuitry within the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 11 further including the step of receiving an SMS message in a legacy format and then processing the SMS message by the SMS processing circuitry within the mobile terminal.

13. The method of claim 11 further including the step of transmitting an SMS message from the mobile terminal to a base station in a data packet format.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of converting an SMS message into a plurality of data packets.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of inserting an IP address of a message center within a header of each of the data packets.