Method and arrangement for the generation of tones in a wireless telecommunication system

0001The invention relates to a method for generating tones in a wireless telecommunication system according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and an arrangement for generating tones in a wireless telecommunication system according to the preamble of patent claim 8.

0002Wireless telecommunication systems of the type described above are messaging systems with a long-distance transmission link between a message source and a message sink for message processing and message transmission, in which<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>1) the message processing and message transmission can take place in a preferred transmission direction (simplex mode) or in both transmission directions (duplex mode),</li><li>2) the message processing is analog or digital,</li><li>3) the transmission of messages over the long distance wireless - z. B. according to various radio standards such as DECT, GSM, WACS or PACS, IS-54, PHS, PDC etc. - (see IEEE Communications Magazine, January 1995, pages 50 to 57; DD Falconer et al:<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />Time Division Multiple Access Methods for Wireless Personal Communications<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />).</li></ul>

0003"Message" is a superordinate term that stands for both the meaning (information) and the physical representation (signal). Signals can z. B.<ul id="ul0002" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(1) pictures</li><li>(2) spoken words</li><li>(3) written words</li><li>(4) encrypted words or pictures</li></ul> represent.

0004FIGURE 1 shows a DECT / GAP system representative of the multitude of wireless telecommunication systems, in which according to the DECT / GAP standard (<b>D</b>digital <b>E</b>uropean <b>C.</b>ordless <b>T</b>elecommunication; see.<b>(1)</b>: Telecommunications 42 (1992) Jan./Feb. No. 1, Berlin, DE; U. pilgrims<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Structure of the DECT standard<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />, Pages 23 to 29 <b>combined with</b> ETSI publication ETS 300175-1 ... 9, October 1992; <b>(2):</b> Telcom Report 16 (1993), No. 1, JH Koch: <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Digital convenience for cordless telecommunications - the DECT standard opens up new areas of use<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />, Pages 26 and 27; <b>(3):</b> tec 2/93 - The technical magazine from Ascom <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Paths to universal mobile telecommunications<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />, Pages 35 to 42; Generic Access Profile; see. ETSI publication prETS 300444, April 1995, Final Draft, ETSI, FR) on a DECT / GAP base station BS via a DECT / GAP air interface designed for the frequency range between 1.88 and 1.90 GHz and a maximum of 12 connections according to the TDMA / FDMA / TDD procedure (<b>T</b>ime <b>D</b>ivision <b>M</b>ultiple <b>A</b>ccess /<b>F</b>requency <b>D</b>ivision <b>M</b>ultiple <b>A</b>ccess /<b>T</b>ime <b>D</b>ivision <b>D</b>uplex) can be set up in parallel to DECT / GAP handsets MT1 ... MT12. The number 12 results from a number<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />k<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> of time slots or telecommunication channels available for the duplex operation of a DECT / GAP system (k = 12). The connections can be internal and / or external. With an internal connection, two handsets registered at the base station BS, e.g. B. the handset MT2 and the handset MT3, communicate with each other. To establish an external connection, the base station BS is connected to a telecommunications network TKN, e.g. B. in line-bound form via a telecommunication connection unit TAE or a private branch exchange NStA with a line-bound telecommunication network or in accordance with WO 95/05040 in wireless form as a repeater station with a higher-level telecommunication network. With the external connection you can use a handset, e.g. B. with the mobile part MT1, via the base station BS, the telecommunication connection unit TAE or Private branch exchange NStA communicate with a subscriber in the telecommunications network TKN. If the base station BS - as in the case of the Gigaset 951 (Siemens cordless telephone, see Telcom Report 16, 1993, number 1, pages 26 and 27) - has only one connection to the telecommunications connection unit TAE or the private branch exchange NStA, only an external one can Connection to be established. Has the base station BS - as in the case of the Gigaset 952 (Siemens cordless telephone; cf. Telcom Report 16, 1993, Issue 1, pages 26 and 27) - two connections to the telecommunications network TKN, so in addition to the external connection to the handset MT1, an additional external connection from a line-bound telecommunications terminal TKE connected to the base station BS is possible. In principle, it is also conceivable that a second handset, e.g. B. the handset MT12 uses the second connection for an external connection instead of the telecommunications terminal TKE. The mobile parts MT1 ... MT12 are operated in accordance with the subsequently published German patent application 195 45 762.5 in manual mode (normal mode) with a battery or an accumulator and in hands-free mode in connection with a charging station connected to a voltage network SPN. The base station, which is designed as a cordless small switching system, is connected to the voltage network SPN via a network connection device NAG.

0005FIGURE 2 shows, starting from the publication Components 31 (1993), No. 6, pages 215 to 218; S. Althammer, D. Brückmann:<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Highly optimized IC's for DECT cordless phones<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> the basic circuit structure of the base station BS and the handset MT. The base station BS and the mobile part then have a radio part FKT with an antenna ANT assigned for transmitting and receiving radio signals, a signal processing device SVE and a central control ZST, which are connected to one another in the manner shown. The radio part FKT essentially contains the known devices such as transmitter SE, receiver EM and synthesizer SYN. A coding / decoding device CODEC is included in the signal processing device SVE. The central control ZST has a microprocessor µP for the base station BS as well as for the mobile part MT with an OSI / ISO layer model (cf.<b>(1):</b> Unterrichtsblätter - Deutsche Telekom Jg. 48, 2/1995, pages 102 to 111; <b>(2):</b> ETSI publication ETS 300175-1 ... 9, Oct. 1992) built program module PGM, a signal control part SST and a digital signal processor DSP, which are interconnected in the manner shown. Of the layers defined in the layer model, only the first three layers (layer-1 ... layer-3) that are essential for the base station BS and the mobile part MT and a fourth layer as the IWU layer (<b>I.</b>nter<b>W</b>orking <b>U</b>nit) designated layer-4. The signal control part SST is in the base station BS<b>T</b>ime <b>S</b>witch <b>C.</b>ontroller TSC and in the handset MT as <b>B</b>first <b>M</b>ode <b>C.</b>ontroller BMC trained. The main difference between the two signal control parts TSC, BMC is that the base station-specific signal control part TSC takes on additional switching functions (switch functions) compared to the mobile part-specific signal control part BMC. The microprocessor µP is - according to the definition given at the beginning - part of a microprocessor system.

0006The principle of operation of the circuit units listed above is described, for example, in the above-cited publication Components 31 (1993), No. 6, pages 215 to 218.

0007The described circuit structure according to FIG. 2 is supplemented by additional functional units in the base station BS and the mobile part MT according to their function in the DECT / GAP system according to FIG.

0008The base station BS is connected to the telecommunications network TKN via the signal processing device SVE and the telecommunications connection unit TAE or the private branch exchange NStA. As an option, the base station BS can also have a user interface (functional units shown in dashed lines in FIGURE 2) which, for. B. consists of an input device EE in the form of a keyboard, a display device AE in the form of a display, a speech / hearing device SHE in the form of a handset with a microphone MIF and a hearing capsule HK and a ringing bell TRK.

0009The mobile part MT has the user interface which is possible as an option with the base station BS, with the operating elements described above belonging to this user interface.

0010According to the GAP standard, which is an agreement between different manufacturers of DECT systems for the common use of mobile parts and base stations, the mobile parts that are properly made known to GAP base stations - that is, for example, according to WO 94/10785 (cf. claim 1 and FIGURE 4 of WO 94/10785) have been registered and registered - depending on their current operating situation, a request to signal a tone (e.g. an alarm tone). However, no attention was paid to the fact that sounds can be regarded as harmful rather than useful in certain situations.

0011Handsets of a wireless telecommunication system (e.g. the DECT / GAP system) are usually designed so that, unlike with corded devices, the tone is generated in the handset. This can result in damage to the hearing of the telephone user, which may result in claims for recourse. Damage can occur in particular if the user e.g. B. has set the tone signaling of the handset to maximum volume because the corresponding handset is being placed in the catchment area of ​​a base station and the user is currently on a call (hands-free operation of the handset; cf.published German patent application 195 45 762.5) or expects it to be at maximum volume holds the set handset to his ear. If the handset is asked by the base station in this state to emit a tone sequence (melody), this tone sequence will sound at full volume when the prompt is followed.

0012The problem described above therefore only arises when the base station requests sound signaling. If the generation of a tone sequence (melody) is initiated by the handset itself, this is basically a tone generation provoked by the user. Here he is responsible for protecting his hearing.

0013So far, these problems have not arisen in practice because the manufacturers have already taken these situations into account when developing their own base by avoiding sound generation in certain states of the handset. However, this is no longer the case with the (future) DECT / GAP devices.

0014The object on which the invention is based is that in a wireless telecommunication system a handset requested by a base station for sound generation generates the sound (s) at a volume which is gentle on human hearing.

0015This task is going out<ul id="ul0003" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>1) by the method defined in the preamble of claim 1 by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1 and</li><li>2) solved by the arrangement defined in the preamble of claim 8 by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 8.</li></ul>

0016The idea on which the invention is based is that, starting from the wireless telecommunication systems specified / defined in the introduction to the description - at the instigation of a base station of the telecommunication system - a tone (s) (melody, tone sequence) is emitted at full volume only in such situations on a mobile part of the telecommunication system will / will be where you can assume that<ul id="ul0004" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(i) the telephone user holds the handset far enough from his ear and</li><li>(ii) no hearing impairment can occur.</li></ul>

0017As a rule, this will be the case if the user does not make a call himself or does not try to establish a connection to another subscriber.

0018On the other hand, if the user wants to adjust the tone characteristics, he is of course responsible for protecting his ear and should ensure that there is a sufficient distance between the handset and the hearing.

0019Is z. B. a DECT / GAP handset of a DECT / GAP system in the states listed below, which are possible according to the GAP standard and the handset receives over radio the request from the base station to generate a tone, it will only turned on at minimum volume:<ul id="ul0005" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>Status <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Active<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /></li><li>Status <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Overlap_Sending<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /></li><li>Status <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Call_Delivered<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /></li><li>Status <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Call_Proceeding<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /></li><li>Status <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Call_Initiated<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /></li></ul>

0020You get a signal and state-dependent tone generation.

0021Further advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

0022An embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to FIGURES 3 and 4. Show it:<ul id="ul0006" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>FIGURE 3 based on the known DECT / GAP system</li><li>FIGURE 2 shows a modified DECT / GAP system,</li><li>FIG. 4 shows a state incentive diagram for the modified DECT / GAP system according to FIG. 3.</li></ul>

0023FIGURE 3 shows, starting from the known DECT / GAP system according to FIGURE 2, a modified DECT / GAP system which has a mobile part MT modified compared to the DECT / GAP mobile part MT_m having. As part of the DECT / GAP-specific telecommunications connection between the base station BS and the mobile part MT_m can the handset MT_m - As mentioned at the beginning (in the introduction to the description) - be prompted for sound signaling by a wirelessly transmitted request signal AFS, regardless of the states of the telecommunication connection. In order that the volume-related signaling of the tone (s) is adapted to operating-unit-specific operating states on the basis of the problem mentioned at the outset after such a request by the base station BS, the modified mobile part MT_m in contrast to the known mobile part MT according to FIG. 2 in the central control ZST storage means SPM and comparison means VGM, which are assigned to each other in the manner shown and which are preferably implemented in the form of a program within the central control ZST. The comparison means VGM is also assigned to the program module PGM in the manner shown as part of the base station-controlled tone signaling.

0024Those in the base station BS when the request signal AFS is generated and that in the mobile part MT_m in FIG. 3, functional units involved in processing the request signal AFS are connected to one another by dotted lines of action.

0025FIGURE 4 shows a state-incentive diagram for the modified DECT / GAP system according to FIGURE 3, on the basis of which the generation of the request signal AFS in the base station BS and the processing of the request signal AFS in the mobile part MT_m is explained.

0026The starting point for the generation of the request signal AFS in the base station BS is the program module PGM of the base station BS, which in the following serves as a distinguishing criterion for the program module PGM of the mobile part MT_m is referred to as the base station-specific program module BS-PGM, and in this module the layer 3 referred to as the network layer according to the ISO / OSI layer model. According to the DECT standard (cf. ETSI publication ETS 300 175-5, Oct. 1992, chaps. 16 and 16.3.2.9), this layer 3 receives one of the layer 4 (IWU layer) of the base station-specific program module BS- PGM sent first data element<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />MNCC-INFO-REQ<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />. This data element contains a request to a CC function group (<b>C.</b>Alles <b>C.</b>ontrol) - cf. ETSI publication ETS 300 175-5, Oct. 1992, page 29, FIGURE 1 - a CC message of the message type within layer 3<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />CC INFO<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> with the message content <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Sound signaling<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> via the DECT / GAP air interface using the request signal AFS to the handset MT_m to send. In FIGURE 3, this corresponds to the course of the dotted lines of action in the base station BS.

0027In the MT handset_m the request signal AFS is received. Thereafter, layer 3 of the handset-specific program module MT-PGM receives a second data element sent by layer 4 (IWU layer) of the handset-specific program module MT-PGM<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />MNCC-INFO-IND<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />. This data element contains a request to the CC function group (<b>C.</b>Alles <b>C.</b>ontrol) - cf. ETSI publication ETS 300 175-5, Oct. 1992, page 29, FIGURE 1 - within layer 3 of the handset-specific program module MT-PGM to evaluate the message content transmitted with the CC message. In FIGURE 3, this corresponds to the course of the dotted lines of action in the mobile part Mt._m. At the time of the evaluation, the handset MT_m according to the DECT standard (cf. ETSI publication ETS 300 175-5, Oct. 1992, Chapter 9) with regard to layer 3 with the CC function group in different CC states (operating states of the handset). These CC states are called the ACTUAL states. The message content<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Sound signaling<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> is therefore evaluated depending on these CC states (actual states). The evaluation looks so that the message content is only processed further - that is, the sound signaling required by the base station BS is initiated when the sound signaling is in accordance with the CC states (actual states) of the mobile part MT_m tolerates. This compatibility is checked in the VGM comparison means. For this check, CC states that are stored in the memory means SPM and are specified as TARGET states are compared with the ACTUAL states. These TARGET states are the states<img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />ACTIVE<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />, <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />OVERLAP_SENDING<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />, <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />CALL_DELIVERED<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" />, <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />CALL_PROCEEDING<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> and <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />CALL_INITIATED<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> (see ETSI publication ETS 300 175-5, October 1992, chap. 9.2.1.3, 9.2.1.5, 9.2.1.7, 9.2.1.6, 9.2.1.4).

0028In the event of a positive comparison, that is to say if the status matches, a third data element becomes <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Alerting<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> (cf. ETSI publication prETS 300444, April 1995, Final Draft, chap. 8.14), which contains a request to generate a tone / a tone sequence (tone sequence) with reduced volume.

0029Otherwise (negative comparison, ie no state match) becomes a fourth data element <img file="EP0795989A2_D0002.tif" />Alerting<img file="EP0795989A2_D0001.tif" /> (see ETSI publication prETS 300444, April 1995, Final Draft, chap. 8.14), which generates a request for the generation of a tone / a tone sequence (tone sequence) with normal - ie with the one set on the handset, i.e. not reduced, Volume included.

0030On the basis of these two requirements, the microprocessor μP uses the digital signal processor DSP in the central control ZST of the mobile part MT_m the ringing bell TRK is triggered to emit the tone (s) with the respective volume.