Information encoding and decoding method

The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and more specifically to the transmission and reception of coded representations.

Communication systems, such as wireless communication systems, are well known in the art. Many systems, such as the CDMA2000 system, are relatively high-performance and offer a wide range of service possibilities and call connection methods, including wireless telephone, dispatch processing and short message services. ing. A relatively constant design requirement for such a system is to accommodate as many users as possible in the system. To this end, system designers often seek to minimize the need for system resources for smooth communication by the system. For example, if the resources required to support the transmission of arbitrary information content (eg, communication time and / or bandwidth) are minimized, the saved resources can be used for yet another call. This is usually preferable. In another example, it is also usually preferable to minimize the use of the payload of any communication resource by the required or typical non-user.

Combining diverse services opens up to some extent the possibility of reducing the overall system resources required for a given user population. For example, providing a short message service offers the possibility of circumventing at least some telephone service call connection methods (since short data messages usually require very little system resources). However, at the same time, it is still necessary to continue to reduce the overall system resources required to support any user base.

The needs described above are met, at least in part, by providing the detailed description that follows, in particular the information coding and decoding methods described when considered in connection with the drawings.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the elements in the drawings are presented for simplicity and clarity of description and are not necessarily drawn to actual scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the drawings may be exaggerated compared to other elements to facilitate understanding of the various embodiments of the invention. Similarly, for representative but well-understood elements that may be useful or necessary in commercially feasible embodiments, these various embodiments of the invention are usually straightforward. Not depicted for obstacle-free drawings.

In general, the coded representation is associated with the information content stored in the intended recipient according to these various embodiments. When the coded expression is received, the receiving target confirms the information content by using the coded expression. The information serves a variety of purposes, such as supplying the user with various types of data and / or otherwise assisting the operation of the intended receiver within the communication system.

In one embodiment, one defined service option field comprises a coded representation. A part of the service option field continues to represent the service option information, while the rest shows a coded representation (plural coded representations). With this setting, in a system such as CDMA2000, virtually tens of thousands of separate information items can be easily represented by the above method. In another embodiment, individual information items are associated with both any coded representation and associated transmitters. For example, a given coded representation associates the first information item when the first information item is transmitted using the first associated transmitter, but the second information item is the second. If transmitted using the associated transmitter, the second information item will be associated. In one embodiment, the associated transmitting station comprises an arbitrary time slot, and the coded representation is transmitted within the arbitrary time slot.

Such coded representations can function in various ways to reduce system requirements. Considerable bandwidth can be secured, for example, by simply propagating various text messages that can be of considerable length and / or complexity in the coded representation. In connection with the above, the specific information items related to the specific coded representation vary from individual user to user, and compression by this method is performed with higher efficiency.

If desired, use such a coded representation to facilitate the user's involvement in any new call, or reduce the time it takes for the user to engage in any new call. It is possible to do it. More specifically, the communication unit moves into an information channel by using a coded representation to provide unique information only to the originator of a new call, which is a particular method of call connection. Participation in a handshake protocol to facilitate a particular call connection method in any other way, at least in part, in parallel, but with a unique notification that corresponds only to the particular call connection method. The sequence can be started. With such a configuration, the recipient can be notified before the new call is actually set up in the information channel.

This advance notification is used in various ways by the recipient. For example, the recipient can prepare himself for communication. Intuitively, a modification of this trivial behavior about a part of the user, made by a unique beep, can result in significant system-wide savings in the use of all channels. In another embodiment, the receiving unit can display the retrieved information corresponding to the coded representation before the call setup is complete (eg, the displayed information is the caller's phone number, the caller's). Email address and / or email subject heading). Such information can be reused by the receiver, which is a useful advantage before actually completing the call setup process.

Refer to the drawing here. With reference to FIG. 1 in detail, the essential concepts described herein can be implemented in a variety of communication systems and networks. To illustrate these concepts, wireless communication systems 10, such as CDMA2000, include various mobile units 12, 13, other contractors and services (eg, other mobile contractors and / or wired contractors). It has one or more base sites 11 that allow communication between. For example, the base site 11 may select and connect to the network 14 so that messages on the short message server 15 are sent to one or more of the mobile units. Since such systems are generally well understood in the art, no further detailed description is provided herein to keep the description simplified and the focus on the subject matter of the present application.

In such a system 10, any radio frequency resource is time-division-multiplexed (other multiplexing schemes, such as frequency-division multiplexing, or code-division multiplexing, may also be used at the same time). Referring to FIG. 2, the communication path is subdivided into a plurality of slots according to time, and as an example, it is subdivided into eight slots 20. The frame begins in slot 21 and ends in slot 8. In this particular embodiment, the entire contents of these slots are allotted to the contents of the control communication path or a mixture of the contents of the control communication path and the user payload. The slots themselves are substantially synchronized to be transmitted at one time, and various participants in the system can substantially predict when the slots will be transmitted. (It should be understood that the number of slots varies as needed and depending on system requirements. In fact, many systems may have more than eight slots available. However, in this example, eight slots are for simplicity. Shows only.) As mentioned above, each such slot 20 contains some contents of the control communication path. Referring to FIG. 3, according to many of these embodiments, each control communication path 30 also includes at least a service option field 31 and preferably other data 32 at the same time. The features of these control communication paths are well understood in the art and will not be described in further detail in this application unless they are useful in further explaining a particular embodiment. .. To illustrate these specific embodiments, FIG. 4 shows a service option field 31 with 16 bits. The purpose of service option field 31 in systems such as CDMA2000 is to provide space where specific protocol information can be given to any call. For example, the service option field 31 is used to indicate whether any call (using a particular type of vocoder) is a voice call or a data call, according to current embodiments. In general, such field 31 is given 16 bits, but in reality only a few service options are defined and assigned. Therefore, most of the rest of service option field 31 remains essentially unused at this time.

According to this embodiment, some service option fields 31 continue to be reserved for service option display bits 41, and the rest function to hold non-service option display bits 42 here. Specifically, the non-service option display bit 42 may include a coded representation, as described in more detail below. Preferably most of the service option fields are partitioned to include a coded representation. In the embodiments shown in the drawings, 4 bits are reserved for display of service options and the remaining 12 bits are available for one or more coded representations. Such allocation can reserve space for tens of thousands of coded representations.

As shown below, such a coded representation contained within the service option field provided as part of the control communication path is provided by the system infrastructure and is received and used by the mobile unit 12. With reference to FIG. 5, such mobile units can be equipped with a variety of user platforms, but as is well understood in the art, transmitters and receivers that are typically compatible with the communication medium of System 10. Includes a processing unit 51 that works in conjunction with 52 (eg, a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable gate array, or other logic-based programmable platform). Further, such a mobile unit 12 can include a display 53 and an audible alarm 54. Also, one or more memories 55 may usually be provided. Such memory 55, as described in detail below, may be used to contain the information content and associated coded representation in addition to storing the operating software and / or operating parameters of the mobile unit 12. it can. With such a setting, the mobile unit 12 receives the information, decodes the coded representation, displays the information retrieved from the memory 55, and the alarm 54 provides a specific sound according to the various coded representations. can do.

As already mentioned so far, the coded representation can be used as a key to guide the receiving unit to the corresponding information content item. There are various ways to achieve the above. According to one embodiment, with reference to FIG. 6 here, each coded representation is uniquely associated with the information content. For example, the first code 63 having the bit string 000000000001 corresponds to the first item 61 of the information content, and does not correspond to other information content. Similarly, another bit string 64 having a value of "111111111111" may uniquely correspond to the Nth item of the information content. In these examples, the information content may include alphanumeric information (including text), image items, audio files, or other information to display and convey to the medium. In general, the information content itself, and the associations associated with the various codes, can be at least partially pre-determined and stored on both the infrastructure side and the mobile unit side of the system 10.

As a simple example, the first item of the information content described above shall include the text message "ABC shares have risen". By transmitting the corresponding reference numeral 63, this information content is substantially transmitted to the mobile user. Upon reception, in this example, the message 61 specified by the reference numeral 63 is fetched from the memory and displayed. It is possible to accommodate a variety of text messages in this way. It should also be noted that in this example, item 61 of the information content is incomplete. If desired, the coded representation 61 can be transmitted, for example, with an argument having a value located at the conclusion of the information content. For example, the value "1.5" can be sent as an argument. The receiving unit uses the code 63 to extract the message "ABC strain has risen" and then synthesizes the message with the argument "1.5" to give the complete message "ABC strain has risen 1.5%." Generate. With this configuration, it is possible to convey a wider variety of message contents with only the minimum conditions required to actually transmit specific information.

Items of various information are stored as described above. Some examples are shown below. Stock Information Conference Information Real Estate Transactions Aircraft Flight / Flight Status Information Sporting Events Information Weather Forecast / Overview Information System User Information Calls or Call Connection Methods Various Greetings, Dialogues, And questions There is information about any monitored individual, house or incident.

In the embodiments as described here, each coded representation corresponds to a unique information content item. Any coded representation corresponds to multiple items within the individual items of the information content by adding variable parameters that can identify only one information item in combination with the coded representation. Is also possible. For example, referring here to FIG. 7, any code 71 corresponds to the code itself, eight different information content items. As previously described with reference to FIG. 2, the control communication path (and, as a result, the service option field) can be transmitted to any number of time division multiplexing slots. By associating an information content item with both a particular code 71 and a particular time slot, a unique information content item can be identified as a result.

For example, when the above reference numeral 71 is transmitted during the first slot 72, the receiving unit can understand that the item 73 of the first information content is identified. Similarly, when the above code 71 is transmitted during the fifth time slot, item 75 of the fifth information content is identified.

In the example provided in the present application, eight time slots can be used to distinguish the information content items, so that up to eight information content items can be associated with each coded representation. The above numbers can be appropriately adjusted to accommodate more or fewer time slots. In addition, the time slot in this example is used to describe a particular related transmitter (or receiver, depending on the viewer's point of view), and other related transmitters can also be used. Please understand that there is. For example, a particular radio frequency carrier or quadrature variable spread code used for smooth arbitrary transmission can be used in a similar manner. Also, when using time slots in this way, any time slot has a specific unique contiguous number (eg, "slot 4"), a slot offset value (eg, "3" to identify slot 4, where "3" indicates that the third slot from the first slot is the identified slot), or other convenient and accurate identification mechanism or identification possible. Is also clear.

With reference to FIG. 8, the configuration described above allows the infrastructure to select specific information content for a specific user or group of users (81), followed by specific information content. It becomes clear that a coded representation with a given corresponding relevance can be identified (82) (if a storage mode is selected , the corresponding related transmitters also identify together (83)). Should be. The coded representation selected is then combined with a display of any suitable service option that may be applied to complete the setting of the service option field, which is followed by the intended recipient (as well as embodiments). If is represented, the associated transmitter is of course considered) (85).

Similarly, referring to FIG. 9, when such a transmission is received by the receiving unit, the service option field is received (91) and the coded representation is extracted from it (92) (that information corresponds). If necessary to complete the identification of the information content, the relevant receiving station is determined as well (93)). The receiving unit accesses the pre-stored information content associated with the coded representation (and associated transmitting station, if applicable) (94), and the retrieved information is then used as appropriate. For example, the text portion of the retrieved information can be displayed (95) and / or that information is used for the corresponding notification.

With reference to FIG. 10, these embodiments can be used in additional ways such as gaining advantages beyond the data compression described above. Specifically, such coded representations are used to encourage the recipient to provide certain types of information early, thereby having a useful effect on both the user and the system. To support. For example, upon receiving a control message (101) to initiate a particular call connection method (as is currently done in many prior art systems), the receiving unit is described separately above. In addition, it is possible to extract the coded representation (102). This coded representation is also used to access pre-stored information (103) (eg, if necessary, the receiving unit determines how to make the call connection (104) and then The coded representation can be associated with a particular call connection method so that the call is established earlier than the standard time for the system. The receiving unit is then in the process of establishing the connection. Also informs a particular call connection method in (106), while (eg, by navigating to an assigned information channel, performing a handshake, and by other protocol elements that characterize a particular call connection method. ) Also perform the normal call setup procedure (105), at least partially in parallel. Correspond to the information, for example to display the phone number or other information that confirms the identity of the person trying to make the call. (107). The call is then initiated in the normal process (108).

A particular call connection method may include dispatch communication as an example, and the coded representation may include identification information of the call connection method. The receiving unit uses the information that is the method of call connection to emit a unique audible sound that specifically identifies the start of dispatch communication. The receiving unit also displays a radio ID for the source user and / or an alias representing the user or the user's dispatch group, assuming that the coded representation also provides information that can smoothly identify the source user. be able to.

Another example of a particular call connection method could be interconnection communication by telephone. Coded representations are used to provide caller information, such as telephone numbers. The receiving unit is used to display this information and smoothly presents the caller's ID. The receiving unit alerts the recipient that an interconnect call is in progress in the normal process and that the caller's identity information is displayed and identifiable (also here, a specific audible sound). Is presenting the caller's ID even before actually ringing).

By providing the caller's information in this way, useful information about the initiation of various calls can be made available to the recipient even before the call itself is actually formally initiated. Understood. It sends a small amount of data to the recipient using a small interval between call settings to identify a significant amount of pre-existing data stored in the receiving unit. The result is that it works.

Through these diverse embodiments and configurations, system resources can be more effective than previously generally possible. Various modifications, modifications and combinations are possible with respect to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and such modifications, modifications and combinations are considered to be within the scope of the concept of the invention. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

<figref num="1">The block system diagram set based on the embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="2">The schematic diagram of the time slot communication set based on the Embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="3">The schematic diagram of the control communication path set based on the embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="4">The schematic diagram of the service option field set based on the embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="5">The block system diagram of the mobile unit set based on the embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="6">An explanatory diagram of a coded representation associated with an information content set based on an embodiment of the present invention.</figref><figref num="7">The explanatory view of the information content associated with both the coded representation set based on the embodiment of the present invention and the related transmitting station.</figref><figref num="8">The flow chart of the transmission information set based on the embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="9">The flow chart of the received information set based on the embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="10">The flow chart of the received information set based on the embodiment of this invention.</figref>