Method and system for providing data communication with a mobile station

Method and system for providing communication with mobile station data

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing communication with a mobile station. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for transferring data from an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a mobile station on a non-IP network.

The demand for data communication capabilities continues to grow. Users look for more ways to retrieve available data or transfer data. An example of continued growth in the data communications industry is the explosive growth of communications over the Internet and, in particular, the World Wide Web. Communication is performed on such media in a manner generally referred to as the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or the Internet Protocol (IP). An example of a data communication configuration that allows a user to interact with the Internet is shown in Figures 1A and 1B.

In FIG. 1A, a user on a computer terminal such as a PC (10) is connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) via a data machine (11). 15). A connection provider (20) is provided at a location in the PSTN. The connection provider provides a data link (25) to the Internet as shown in the figure as an HTTP network (30). A software called a "browser" is typically loaded on the computer (10) and the software communicates with other sources located in the network (30) (an example of the Internet). Examples of such browsers include Netscape's Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The data resources in the computer (10) and the Internet (30) are communicated in an open language called HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML). Although this configuration is quite useful to users, it has the following limitations: In order to be able to retrieve information from the Internet, users must have a computer such as a PC or laptop to use this computer to communicate with the network. . In addition, you need to connect to the PSTN in a wired connection to connect to the Internet. This limits how much the user can connect to the Internet.

Figure 1B illustrates a suggested attempt to provide a wireless connection from a user to the Internet. In this case, the user has a wireless communication device (100) for communicating with a base station (110) via the air. The base station is part of a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) network (120). A special server (130) serves as an interface between the HTTP network (140) and the CDPD network. An example of a communication device (100) is an AT&T PocketNet phone. In this PocketNet configuration, the phone transmits information via a wireless IP network CPDP. The server (130) includes a software platform generated by Unwired Planet. The software platform uses a hand-held device markup language (Hand-held Device Mark-up). Language; referred to as HDML, an open language that interactively displays information on a handheld device such as a PocketNet phone. Both the browser and server applications of the PocketNet phone support HDML. In order to retrieve information or transmit a message, the user operates the menu-driven user interface of the phone browser with a phone button. The information requirements are routed through the wireless IP network and the wired Internet to handle this request on the server where the application is stored. The browser then displays the results of the query. However, PocketNet's application has its limitations, that is, the phone can only receive data or interact with the Internet if the phone is in a data-only mode, because communication via CDPD is limited to data communication. When PocketNet is configured in voice mode or idle mode, it must not interact with or receive data from the data network.

Preferably, the following methods are provided: a network can provide data communication to a handheld device, and can communicate data when the device is in an idle mode or a voice mode.

TIA/EIA/IS-136.1-A, released in October 1996, and TIA/EIA/IS-136.2, published in October 1990, are another wireless communication protocol that enables a cellular telephone in idle mode. Or the voice mode has the ability to receive short messages, which are hereby incorporated by reference. However, a message center generates a message that provides appropriately formatted material to comply with the IS-136 protocol. The handheld device does not communicate with an internet data communication network.

The present invention provides a method and system for enhancing the ability of a user to utilize a handheld device to communicate with a network that approximates the Internet. More specifically, the present invention allows a user to communicate with a data network in an idle mode or a voice mode.

In an embodiment of the invention, a request is received to transfer data from an IP network to a mobile station, and then it is determined whether the mobile station has logged in to the first network. If the mobile station has logged in the first network, the data is modified for transmission to transmit the data via a telecommunications service provided in the first network, and then the modified data is transmitted to the mobile station. Mobile station.

More specifically, in one embodiment of the invention, the mobile station is logged into an IS-136 network. The IP network will send a data message to the mobile station to notify the server of the request. If the mobile station is registered in the network, the data message is converted into one of the IS-136 communication protocols and the R-Data message is transmitted to the mobile station.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the mobile station can generate a request and convert the data request into a suitable format suitable for use in an IP network. The IP network responds to the request and transmits the data back and converts the data into a format consistent with the telecommunications service network to which the mobile station is connected.

In yet another embodiment, the request from the mobile station constitutes an R-Data message transmitted to a telecommunications service server and converts the data request into a format suitable for an IP network. The IP network then responds with a request to transmit a data message, and the telecommunications service server converts the data message into one of the IS-136 communication protocols. The R-Data message is then transmitted to the mobile station.

<p>10 computer</p><p>11Data machine</p><p>15 Public telephone exchange network</p><p>20Connecting provider</p><p>25data link</p><p>30Network</p><p>100Wireless communication device</p><p>110,210Base station</p><p>120Cell-type digital packet data network</p><p>130Server</p><p>140Internet</p><p>200,400 mobile station</p><p>230PCS network</p><p>250IP network</p><p>245Enhanced Server</p><p>242Communication lines</p><p>241Message Center</p><p>260CDPD network</p><p>340Agent</p><p>330Double Message Transmitter</p><p>320Wireless IP Processor</p><p>310R-Data Message Processor</p><p>270Application</p><p>240Telecom Service Server</p><p>401 display</p><p>402 keyboard</p><p>420World Wide Web Server</p>

Data transfer between the mobile station and the IP network can be performed in idle mode or voice mode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figures 1A and 1B are block diagrams of a conventional technical data communication configuration.

2 is a block diagram of a data communication configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of an enhanced server of the embodiment of Figure 2.

4 is another schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 illustrates the flow of data from a data network to a mobile station in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 illustrates the flow of data from a mobile station to an IP network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description:

According to an embodiment of the invention, a mobile station can receive communication data from an internet protocol network in an idle mode or a voice mode and transmit the data request to the internet protocol network. A block diagram of an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, a user has a mobile station (200) shown as a handheld device in the figure, and the mobile station (200) can be a cellular telephone that can operate under the IS-136 communication protocol. The cellular telephone can utilize the protocol to wirelessly communicate with a base station (210). The base station is part of a wireless network that can be a personal communication service (Personal Communications) Services; referred to as PCS) networks or other wireless networks. The base station communicates with the network via a communication protocol called IS-41. Such PCS networks are already in existence and are known to the user. The IP network shown by the cloud symbol (250) and labeled as an HTTP network (refer to the Hyper File Transfer Protocol) can be coupled via an enhanced server (245) of the IP network, and via the PCS network. A handheld device or mobile station communication of the road (230), wherein the enhanced server (245) is coupled to a telecommunications service server (240). The enhanced server identifies the requirement to transfer data from the HTTP network to a handheld device. The enhanced server then notifies the telecommunications service server via the communication line (242). A message center (241) that forms part of the telecommunications service server (240) can receive data from the enhanced server (245). The message center then converts the data into a format that is transmitted to the handheld device based on the status of the mobile station. In particular, if the mobile station is logged into a telecommunications service server but is in an idle mode, the message center can transmit the data to the mobile station (200) via the PCS network and the base station (210), which is in the IS- This material is appropriately formatted in the 136 communication protocol. A World Wide Web browser operating in an open language (eg, Handheld Device Markup Language HDML) can display information on the mobile station. If the mobile station is in the idle mode, the information is transmitted via a Digital Control Channel (DCCH). In addition, if the handheld device is already in the voice mode, the handheld device operates on a voice channel, but the message can be properly formatted, thereby interleaving the message with the voice channel on the digital communication channel, and thus Data can be transferred to the mobile unit. At this stage, the browser language will still control how the transmission data is displayed on the mobile station.

So far, the data has been transferred from the IP network to the mobile station. However, this data transfer can also be issued on the mobile counter instead. The data transfer can constitute a data request generated by a user operating the handheld device (200). In these cases, the mobile station's HDML job identifies a user input or data request from the mobile station to the Internet Protocol and transmits the request to the enhanced server. The server then obtains the data request and transmits the data request to the IP network.

In another enhancement of the data communication system, the enhanced server also has the ability to implement conventional wireless IP services. That is, the enhanced server can transfer data between the IP network (250) and a handheld device or mobile station via a CDPD network in a manner similar to that described above with reference to the prior art. (260) Communication. In this embodiment, the enhanced server must be able to identify the network that the mobile station is currently logged into, and then must properly route the data information from the HTTP network to the mobile station based on the network to which the mobile station is logged.

A block diagram of an enhanced server for the communication configuration shown in Figure 2 is shown in Figure 3. In the enhanced server (245), at least four basic components are provided: an agent (340), a dual message transmitter (330), a wireless IP processor (320), and an R-Data message. Processor (310). The dual message transmitter receives notification of a handheld device message from the data network. The message transmitter then determines the network to which the handheld device is connected and logged in. The message transmitter that has identified the location of the mobile station then manages the data transfer via the network to which the mobile station is logged. This approach differs from conventional IP processing networks in that the mobile station must be located before the dual message transmitter (330) transmits a message or notification to the mobile station.

The agent (340) forms an information interface for the IP network. The agent can request notification information from the dual message transmitter to obtain an application on the IP network that wants to transmit information. The application identification method is usually a Universal Resource Locator (URL), which is included in the notification information transmitted by the application of the IP network to the dual message transmitter. The agent then also receives the data from the application and then transmits the data to the mobile station via the R-Data Message Processor (310) or Wireless IP Processor (320).

The wireless IP processor operates in a manner similar to the wireless IP interface of the conventional technique shown in FIG. 1A.

The R-Data Message Processor has the following functions: locating a mobile station; and transmitting a message notification using an R-Data telecommunications service that can be obtained via the IS-136 protocol.

An example of the operation of the communication network elements shown in Figures 2 and 3 is provided in the context of data transfer, making these elements easy to understand. In this example, the application (270) in the IP network wants to transmit a message to the mobile station (200). The application first transmits a notification request to the dual message transmitter (330). The dual message transmitter (330) transmits the notification request and a mobile station identification number such as a Mobile Identification Number (MIN) to the R-Data message processor (310). The R-Data Message Processor (310) then generates a query to the telecommunications service server (240) to determine if the target mobile station is present in the IS-136 system. The telecommunications service server then queries a local location logger associated with the identified target mobile station (Home Location) Register; referred to as HLR). (The HLR is not shown in the figure.) In this example it is assumed that the target mobile station (200) is logged in to the PCS network (230). Therefore, the HLR identifies to the telecommunications service server (240) that the mobile station (200) is logged into the network. The R-Data Message Processor then verifies that the call rate is not exceeded and requires the agent to obtain notification data from the application via the IP network. The agent (340) retrieves the application's identification code (in this case, the URL) from the dual message transmitter and generates a data request to the application and transmits the request via the IP network. When the application sends the data back to the agent (340), the agent transmits the data to the R-Data message processor (310), and the R-Data message processor (310) transmits the data to the telecommunications. The service server, in particular, is sent to the message center in the server. The telecommunications service server then transmits notifications and information to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC). The MSC then transmits the data to the mobile station (200) via the base station (210) and a wireless communication compliant with the IS-136 protocol. Data is transmitted in one or more R-Data messages transmitted via a wireless channel. The general operation of the enhanced server and the telecommunication service server has been described so far, and the data transfer operation performed will be described in detail below.

The IS-136 communication agreement allows for certain telecommunications services, commonly referred to as air telecom services, which are additional services involving the transfer of data via wireless communication channels. An example of such a telecommunications service is described in the pending patent application Serial No. 08/728,275, which is incorporated herein by reference.

To send message notifications and message data to the IS-136 mobile station, a new IS-136 telecommunications service needs to be developed. The proposed telecommunications service is the General UDP Transport Teleservice (GUTT). The telecommunications service will be a UDP data message user data message protocol (see J. Postel's Request for Comments (RFC) 768 is delivered from one of the IP network applications to the appropriate application in the mobile station (ie, the browser operating in the mobile station). A universal UDP transport telecommunications service is transmitted over the IS-41 network. In particular, the general UDP transmission telecommunications service is transmitted by transmitting a Short Message Service Delivery Point-to-Point (SMDPP) message via a short message service part of the communication protocol. In particular, the information is transmitted in the SMS service carrying material of such a message. The telecommunications service server encapsulates the incoming data from the R-Data Message Processor into the appropriate GUTT format and encapsulates it into an IS-41 SMDPP transport message. The telecommunications service server then routes the transmission message to a mobile telephone service center (MSC), which serves the mobile station identified by the information in the mobile station's HLR. The message is transmitted to the MSC using a short message service delivery procedure. The MSC then performs the networking operation from IS-41 SMDPP to IS-136R-Data via the wireless communication interface. The operation of the transport service will now be described in detail with reference to two scenarios, one of which is that the mobile station is logged in to the network, and the other is that the mobile station is not logged in or unavailable when the message is notified.

In the case where the mobile station is currently logged into a service system, the local system of the mobile station includes a local location recorder that stores the location associated with the location of the mobile telephone service center currently serving the mobile station. A dual message transmitter will receive the notification request from an application and transmit the request along with, for example, an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and/or a mobile phone identification number (MIN) to the R-Data message processing. R-Data Message Handler (RDMH). The RDMH then transmits a request to the telecommunications service server of the designated mobile station identification mode and queries whether the mobile station can be used. The telecommunications service server (Teleservice Server; referred to as TS) query back to the HLR that should be used by the mobile station. In this case, the TS notifies the RDMH of the information available to the mobile station. The RDMH then sends a transmission request back to the TS, the transmission request containing the mobile station identification code, and the data to be transmitted to the mobile station. The telecommunications service server includes a messaging application for receiving transmission requests from RDMH. Once the TS determines that the TS has valid address information for the identified mobile station, the TS encapsulates the data in a GUTT message and encapsulates it into a short message transmission point-to-point (SMDPP) message. The server then transmits the SMDPP message to the MSC of the service identified by the HLR. The serving MSC receives the SMDPP message and identifies that the request is for a mobile station that is currently serving. The MSC then transmits an IS-136 SPACH notification for R-Data in the SPAC channel. The mobile station receives the SPACH notification and responds with a SPACH acknowledgment signal on the opposite channel or RACH. After receiving the acknowledgment signal, the MSC encapsulates the GUTT message with an IS-136R-Data message on the SPACH. The MS receives the R-Data and processes the data. If the data is acceptable, the mobile station transmits an R-Data acceptance message. The mobile station then transmits the received data to a browser in the mobile station.

It may happen that when an application in an IP network wants to transmit information to a mobile station, the mobile station does not have the space to receive the transmission of the telecommunications service. At this time, after the RDMH requests the availability of the mobile station, the HLR will recognize the mobile station as "unusable." The HLR will also set a flag to notify the telecommunications service server when the mobile station is available. After a period of time, the mobile station logs into a serving MSC. The serving MSC then provides the information to the HLR to identify the MSC to which the mobile station is currently logged. The HLR notifies the telecommunications service server of the message that the mobile station can use due to the set flag. The telecommunications service server in turn notifies the RDHM of the information available to the mobile station. The message transfer operation then continues in the manner previously described for a mobile station that is detected to be usable.

4 is another block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention showing the hierarchy of communication protocols associated with respective components in a data network. The mobile station (400) has a display (401) and a keyboard (402) that can interact with a browser, wherein the browser can be operated using a suitable annotation language. The browser acts as an interface to the R-Data message, which is received in the IS-136 protocol used by the mobile station to communicate with the PCS network. A Mobile Telephone Service Center (MSC) (404) communicates with the mobile station (400) via an IS-136 communication protocol and can transmit R-Data messages within the communication protocol. The MSC (404) uses its short message data transmission point-to-point (SMDPP) message received from the telecommunications service server (240) via the IS-41 protocol to generate an R-Data message. The telecommunications service server (240) converts data from a server such as the World Wide Web server (420) from an Internet Protocol (IP) to an SMDPP message, the SMDPP message containing the form for use by the mobile station. data. The server is connected to the Internet and uses HTML.

Please refer to FIG. 2 again. The foregoing is directed to data transmission or data communication between mobile stations via a PCS network. However, the enhanced server can recognize or decide that the mobile station is not logged into the PCS network but is logged into the CDPD network. In this case, the enhanced server transmits the information from the agent to the wireless IP processor in the enhanced server (see Figure 3), and the information will be transmitted by the CDPD network to the network. A mobile station on the road. Therefore, the enhanced server has the following capabilities: an addressed or targeted mobile station is logged into one of a plurality of networks, and the IP data can be formatted appropriately to transfer the data to the mobile station. .

Figures 5 and 6 are related to the implementation of information in the GUTT telecommunications service. One message is related to the mobile station terminal message, and the other message is related to the mobile station originating message.

The first message is a UDPD transmission message, which is a mobile station terminal message for transmitting a UDP data message to a mobile station. The user data in the UDP data message is binary data, which has a specific application code for the telecommunications service to be transparent. The format of the UDP message is as follows:<tables><img file="TW412899B_D0001.tif" /></tables>

Figure 5 shows the mapping of UDP transport messages from R-Data and SMDPP. In the IS-41 communication protocol, the data is placed in the SMS carrying data and the SMSTID field. In the R-Data message in the IS-136 protocol on the mobile station, the information is placed in the R-Data unit. Figure 5 shows how the R-Data unit is disassembled, but contains the data portion HLPDU, and the data portion HLPDU is the portion into which the UDP transmission information is inserted. The UDP transmission information includes a description type, a UDP start code, and information including the IP data originally transmitted by the IP network.

The second GUTT message is a UDP commit message, and the UDP commit message is a mobile station originating message for transmitting a UDP data message to the network. The user data in the UDP data message is a binary data with a specific application, and the encoding of the binary data is transparent to the telecommunications service. The format of the UDP submission and message is as follows:<tables><img file="TW412899B_D0002.tif" /></tables>

Figure 6 shows a pairing of UDP transport messages from R-Data and SMDPP. This mapping is an inverse representation of the flow of data shown in Figure 5, in which a data message is generated by the mobile station and placed in an R-Data unit conforming to the IS-136 communication protocol. The R-Data unit is included in the R-Data that is transmitted over the air from the mobile station to the mobile phone service center. The MSC extracts information from the R-Data that will be placed in the appropriate IS-41 SMDPP message format.

In accordance with the present invention, a mobile station can communicate with an IP network without the need for an internet protocol processor. The mobile station can communicate without relying on a dedicated data network such as CDPD, and does not have to rely on a dedicated data channel to communicate. Conversely, the present invention provides that data can be transmitted to a mobile station via a telecommunications service, which can interleave data with voice information when the mobile station is in voice mode, or can be in an IS-compliant manner at the mobile station. -136 In the idle mode of the mobile station operation in the communication protocol, only the data is transmitted via a control channel. Therefore, the mobile station has more flexibility when interacting with the IP network. The IP network can communicate information to the mobile station in a broader set of environments than the conventional technology configuration shown in FIG. 1A or 1B.

Although the above embodiments are directed to converting data from an internet protocol network to an IS-136 protocol, it is understood that the invention is equally applicable to data formats in the first network that are different from those connected to the mobile station. The data format of the network is exchanged between the data network and the mobile station. More specifically, the present invention can be applied to enable a mobile station to capture data on a wide area network or an intranet that is different from the Internet. Further, the present invention is not particularly limited to the IS-136 communication protocol, but is applicable to any communication protocol that can transmit a message to a mobile station, as long as such a message can be transmitted to a voice mode operation in such a communication protocol. Interleaving, or when the mobile station is in idle mode, can transmit messages via a control channel.