System, method and record medium for mobile radio communication employing location-limited mobile stations

• US 6,947,745 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kido, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US09/649,133
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 455/421, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/525, 455/435.1, 455/456.4, 455/426.2, 455/435.2, 455/456.1, 455/458, 455/517, 455/432.1, 455/456.3, 455/422.1, 455/445, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation

Abstract

The use (call origination, call reception and/or communication (handoff)) of a CDMA-WLL (Wireless Local Loop) mobile station (location-limited mobile station) outside its registered areas is functionally prohibited. The registered areas are determined with regard to each CDMA-WLL mobile station and information concerning the registered areas is stored in a CDMA-WLL controller. For example, when a CDMA-WLL mobile station originated a call, a mobile services switching center refers to the CDMA-WLL controller and thereby searches for the registered areas of the CDMA-WLL mobile station, compares the registered areas with present location areas of the CDMA-WLL mobile station, and executes a connection establishment process for the CDMA-WLL mobile station if a match occurred in the comparison. By such functional location limitation of the CDMA-WLL mobile station, the differentiation between the CDMA-WLL mobile stations and ordinary (location-unlimited) mobile stations can be made properly, and the balance between the CDMA-WLL mobile stations and fixed (wired) telephone sets can be maintained appropriately.

Claims

1. A mobile radio communication system in which location-limited mobile stations can be used, comprising:

a registered area storage means in which information concerning registered areas, which have been registered as areas where a location-limited mobile station is allowed to originate a call, is stored with regard to each location-limited mobile station, where the registered areas of each location-limited mobile station are altered to alternative registered areas during a preset time period that is defined prior to entry into the time period;

a registered area search means for referring to the registered area storage means and thereby searching for the registered areas of a location-limited mobile station when the location-limited mobile station originated a call;

an area comparison means for comparing the registered areas of the location-limited mobile station searched by the registered area search means with present location areas of the location-limited mobile station and thereby judging whether or not a match occurred between the registered areas and the present location areas; and

a connection establishment means for executing a connection establishment process for the location-limited mobile station if a match occurred in the judgment by the area comparison means.

2. A mobile radio communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the registered area storage means is designed so that the registered areas of each location-limited mobile station can be altered so as to change the total area of the registered areas.

3. A mobile radio communication method for a mobile radio communication system in which location-limited mobile stations can be used, comprising the steps of:

a preset time period defining step in which a preset time period is defined during which alternative registered areas are effective;

a registered area search step in which a registered area storage means, in which information concerning registered areas, including the alternative registered areas, which have been registered as areas where a location-limited mobile station is allowed to originate a call is stored with regard to each location-limited mobile station, is referred to and thereby the registered areas of a location-limited mobile station is searched for when the location-limited mobile station originated a call;

an area altering step in which the registered areas of each location-limited mobile station are altered to the alternative registered areas during the preset time period;

an area comparison step in which the registered areas of the location-limited mobile station searched in the registered area search step, including the alternative registration areas only during the preset time period, are compared with present location areas of the location-limited mobile station and thereby whether or not a match occurred between the registered areas and the present location areas is judged; and

a connection establishment step in which a connection establishment process is executed for the location-limited mobile station if a match occurred in the area comparison step.

4. A mobile radio communication method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the registered areas of each location-limited mobile station are allowed to be altered so as to change the total area of the registered areas.

5. A machine-readable record medium storing a program for instructing a machine, a computer unit, etc. to execute a mobile radio communication method for a mobile radio communication system in which location-limited mobile stations can be used, wherein the mobile radio communication method comprises the steps of:

a preset time period defining step in which a preset time period is defined during which alternative registered areas are effective;

a registered area search step in which a registered area storage means, in which information concerning registered areas, including the alternative registered areas, which have been registered as areas where a location-limited mobile station is allowed to originate a call is stored with regard to each location-limited mobile station, is referred to and thereby the registered areas of a location-limited mobile station is searched for when the location-limited mobile station originated a call;

an area altering step in which the registered areas of each location-limited mobile station are altered to the alternative registered areas during the preset time period;

an area comparison step in which the registered areas of the location-limited mobile station searched in the registered area search step, including the alternative registration areas only during the present time period, are compared with present location areas of the location-limited mobile station and thereby whether or not a match occurred between the registered areas and the present location areas is judged; and

a connection establishment step in which a connection establishment process is executed for the location-limited mobile station if a match occurred in the area comparison step.

6. A machine-readable record medium as claimed in claim 5, wherein the registered areas of each location-limited mobile station are allowed to be altered so as to change the total area of the registered areas.