Method and apparatus for delivery of universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) based unit directional services over a wireless local area network (WLAN)

• US 20040017787A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kazakevich, Leonid, Shaheen, Kamel M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Method and apparatus for delivery of UMTS services to a dual mode mobile station through a WLAN when the mobile station is operating within a WLAN environment. UMTS services are transmitted to a WLAN through a UMTS repeater tuned to receive services addressed to registered IDs and transmit these services to that (those) WLAN(s) having mobile stations registered with the UMTS. The WLAN format converter converts the UMTS format into a WLAN message format and communicates the message to the registered users.

Claims

1. A method for communicating messages from a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) to a mobile station (UE) operating within a wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:

a) a UMTS repeater retaining a user identification (ID) of the mobile station identifying the mobile station as being within a service range of the WLAN;

b) said UMTS repeater transmitting any UMTS service addressed to the registered mobile terminal to the WLAN; and

c) the WLAN converting the service message into a WLAN message format and transmitting the reformatted message to the mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service message of step (c) includes transmitting one of a paging message, short message service (SMS) and multimedia message service (MMS).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c), comprises:

transferring the reformatted message to a given access point for transmission to the UE.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the UE is a dual mode mobile station operable in the WLAN and UMTS mode, said UE selecting the WLAN mode to receive the message created at step (c).

5. Apparatus for communicating message services to a mobile station (UE) operating in a wireless local area network (WLAN) from a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), said UMTS comprising:

a UMTS repeater;

said UMTS including means for transmitting UMTS services to a plurality of mobile stations;

said UMTS repeater including means tuned to receive services from the UMTS means for transmitting messages addressed to mobile stations registered with the UMTS repeater and means for transmitting the UMTS services to a WLAN; and

said WLAN having a format converter for converting a service received from the UMTS repeater means for transmitting into a WLAN message format and means for transmitting the reformatted message to a mobile station registered with the UMTS.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said WLAN includes means to convey a message intended for the mobile station serviced by the WLAN to an access point associated with the mobile station.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said mobile station is a dual mode station capable of operating in a UMTS mode and a WLAN mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said mobile station includes means for transmitting to the WLAN to register its user ID;

and

said WLAN conveying the registered user ID to said UMTS repeater for registering the mobile station with the UMTS.