RU2524866C2 - Short user messages in system control signalling - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: radio engineering, communication.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to transmission of short messages in wireless communication. The method of transmitting short messages comprises steps of: sending a first control message from a first radio station to a second radio station, the control message including a data field which contains a short message from a user of the first radio station to a user of the second radio station and a type attribute indicating that content of the data field is a short message; receiving a second control message from the second radio station in response to the first control message, the second control message including a data field which contains a response to the short message and a type attribute indicating that the content of the data field is a short message.

EFFECT: transmitting short messages without the need for an active connection.

20 cl, 5 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of short messages in wireless communication and, in particular, to the transmission of short messages using part of the control message.

State of the art

Text messaging allows a cell phone or other wireless user device to send text messages to another cell phone or wireless device. It has become so popular among cell phone users that laws have been enacted prohibiting the sending of text messages while driving. Scientific research has been conducted into the physical effects of typing on thumbs and the psychological effects of typing on spelling and communication skills. Most radio systems use SMS (Short Message Service) to support text messaging.

SMS can include small text and sometimes small data files. The MMS (Multimedia Message Service) standard has also been developed, which allows you to send larger data files, such as large images, or video from one cell phone or mobile device to another. The two systems operate using different messages, which are different parts of the radio interface.

Given the need for fast transfer of a large number of data files or multimedia files, at the moment, wireless communication systems have switched to the use of the fourth generation standard (4G). And among them, most likely, LTE (Long Term Evolution) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.16m will be widely used around the world.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are shown as examples, but are not limited to, in the figures in the attached drawings, in which reference numerals are used to refer to essential features, and:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a wireless radio communication system suitable for implementing an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a diagram of SMS reception and transmission signals between a base station and a mobile station in connection mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of SMS reception signals from a base station by a mobile station in a standby mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a signaling diagram of sending SMS to a base station by a mobile station in a standby mode according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a block diagram of a mobile station or base station according to embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed description

In connection mode, the MS (Mobile Station) can send an RNG-REQ message to the BS (Base Station) using all or part of the TLV (type-length-value) block of the message carrying a short message. In the receive state, the MS receives the RNG-RSP message from the BS using a short message TLV. Other messages and control messages may also be used depending on the specific application.

1 shows an example of a cellular radio communication system 10. MS 12 and 14 may be mobile or stationary and may be, for example, cell phones, laptops, personal computers, multimedia players, home appliances, or any of a variety of other devices with a wireless connection. An MS may also be called a subscriber station, a remote station, a terminal, or other terms.

The system contains a number of base stations (BS) 16-24 for communication with the MS. BS, depending on the specific application, may differ from each other and have a large or small coverage area and transmit power. Despite the fact that in Fig. 1, BSs are shown to be of the same type, they can be connected and configured in another way. In some cases of a specific application, a network access point or a peer-to-peer MS that functions as a BS may be used. In the illustrated example, the first MS is registered on BS 19 and the second MS is registered on BS 23. Such registration allows each MS to be connected to the BS to support those services that are supported by the MS and the system.

Each BS 16-24 is connected to the gateway. In this case, there are three gateways 25, 26, 27. Each gateway supports several BSs. Gateways may or may not be connected to each other, and all of them are connected, directly or not, to SDA 30 (Connectivity Service Network (CSN)). The JMA is connected to the backbone 31 of the telephone network or data network, providing access to other telephone systems, data servers, services, etc. In some cases, instead of connecting through a gateway, the BS can be directly connected to the JMA through line 31.

In the example shown, the administration and management functions can be distributed between the BS, the gateway, and the JMA in many different ways. As for communication, the first MS 12 can communicate with the second MS 14 through the corresponding connection of the BS with the gateway. If both MSs are registered on the same BS, the BS can communicate without using routing through the gateway. Similarly, if the second MS is connected to another system, the JMA or the ISP (Internet Service Provider (ISP)), then the two MSs can communicate through line 31.

Figure 1 shows one example of a network structure, however, the present invention can be applied to a wide range of different network configurations and communication can take place on different routes to suit different situations and specific applications.

Figure 2 shows an example of sending text messages or other types of short messages using the L2 transmission mechanism. L2 transmission is a general concept in which the MAC layer is used to send higher level messages. In the case of using the WiMAX system protocol, this may be the transmission of an L2 (Level 2) message, such as L2-XFER. L2 transmission uses a specific type and subtype to convey the message payload (for example, Type 6, subtype a). The bandwidth can be pre-agreed by the MS with the BS to send the message payload on the outgoing channel using the L2 transmission mechanism.

Then the BS gives confirmation 33 SMS transmission. As in the case of transmitting an outgoing message, an L2 transmission message can be used for this. L2 transmission uses a specific type and subtype for confirmation (e.g. Type 6, subtype b).

Both transmission messages shown in FIG. 2 have been changed. Instead of the contents of the control message intended for the base station, the first transmitted message 32 contains a text message or other short message intended for another user. A typical L2-XFER message has type and subtype attributes. A specific "Type", such as Type 6, and a specific "SubType", such as SubType, must be previously defined as carrying a short message. When transmitting a short message, a TLV or other field associated with the short message can be inserted into the L2-XFER control message. The data in this field can be replaced with a short message from the user and a marker, such as Type and SubType, indicating that this message is for the user and not a control message.

As shown in FIG. 2, the BS can also send SMS to the MS using L2-XFER messages. First, an L2-XFER message 34 is sent to the MS. As in the case of the L2-XFER from the MS, this message may contain a TLV field associated with a short message for the MS user, with or without control information related to TLV parameters. SMS TLVs can be denoted by any specific given type and subtype. For example, Type 6, subtype a, can be used, as in the case of transmission from the MS. Alternatively, in the connection mode, the BS may send an L2-XFER message to the user of the MS, including a confirmation with text.

The MS responds to SMS from the BS with a confirmation message 35. It can also be in the form of AAIJL2-XFER of a specific Type and subtype (for example: Type 6, subtype b). Confirmation may also include another SMS. When the MS is in connection mode, the system may select another MAC control message, for example, a ranging or registration message, to send a short message. These messages may be of a Type specifically defined for SMS or another messaging protocol.

In standby mode, the BS and the MS are not connected to each other, which does not allow the exchange of L2 transmission messages. As shown in FIG. 3, the BS has a short message to send to the MS, however, the MS is in standby mode. Accordingly, she will not accept RNG-RSP, as in the case shown in figure 2. The BS sends page 36 to the MS. In the above example, it is AAI_PAGE-ADV with command code 0b01. This page is used as a command from the MS to update the location. First, the stations perform band control 37 to request a bandwidth from the BS. Then, the MS responds and starts updating the location by sending a regular RNG-REQ message 38. As one example, this could be an AAI_RNG-REQ containing a CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE (RAID1 and a Range Adjustment mask indicator).

However, the BS does not respond with a normal RNG-RSP message. Instead, the MS receives an RNG-RSP 40 message from the BS containing the TLV fields related to SMS. As before, this message may or may not contain a control message. In the example above, it is followed by message 41 with CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE (RAID1 and Range Mask mask indicator). The BS continues to send this message 42 until it receives confirmation 43 from the MS. Both the BS and the MS can start the countdown timers for receiving confirmation. The MS has a timer for CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE, and the BS has a timer for confirmation. Alternatively, the MS may send a ranging message or other control message that includes SMS text as an addition to the acknowledgment.

In one specific example shown in FIG. 3, when the BS has an incoming SMS for the standby MS, the BS includes the SMS in the AAI-RNG-RSP message after sending the AAI_PAG-ADV indicating a location update. After sending an AAI_RNG-RSP containing SMS, the BS sets the CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE state as “not polled” to receive the AAI_MSG-ACK as confirmation of receipt of an incoming SMS. MCRC for CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE uses a RAID mask and a range mask indicator in which RAID is similar to the RAID mask in CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE for AAI_RNG-REQ message sent by the MS.

After the BS sends an AAI_RNG-RSP containing SMS, the BS starts the SMS_confirm_resource_alloc_timer timer and reserves the right to determine the CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE for the MS. When the MS receives the AAI_RNG-RSP containing the SMS, the MS starts the SMS_confirm_resource_waiting_timer timer and waits for CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE to send the AAI_MSG-ACK.

If the MS has the data to send a short message and the MS is in standby mode, then it can, on its own initiative, update the location using RNG-REQ message 46, which includes SMS. This is shown in FIG. In this example, code-based ranging is terminated at step 45 and the stations are ready for communication. The ranging request signal may be obtained in the form of AAI_RNG-REQ with SMS for CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE. The base station may respond with a normal RNG-RSP message 47, or the RNG-RSP message may include a short message if the short message is queued for sending.

In one specific example, the BS uses the AAI_RNG-RSP message to send SMS to the MS on the inbound channel. An SMS from an idle MS may be included in the AAI_RNG-REQ message. This can be indicated by using, for example, setting the Ranging Purpose Indication Bit = 1 (“Standby Location Update”). If the capabilities of the outgoing channel are not enough to send an RNG-REQ message including SMS, then the AAI_RNG-REQ message can be fragmented using the method for splitting the RNG-REQ.

The BS receives SMS from the MS through the AAI_RNG-REQ message when the MS is in standby mode. Upon receipt of this message, the BS may respond by sending an AAI_RNG-RSP message. This can be used to confirm receipt of SMS.

In the prior art, SMS and MMS are encrypted at the physical layer. This is done when messages are directly identified as carrying SMS or MMS information. In the 802.16m protocol, the RNG-REQ and RNG-RSP messages are not encrypted. Control messages typically contained in TLV RNG messages are not significant. This can be compensated at the application level, for example, by an encryption mechanism at the SMS level or by using some other encryption method. A higher level of encryption can be used for the actual part of the SMS message transmitted through the TLV of the RNG message, without the need for encryption of the RNG message at the physical layer.

In the example described above for the 802.16m protocol, RNG messages are part of the MAC control group (Media Access Control).

These messages are transmitted as the bulk of the MAC PDU (Protocol Data Block). All MAC control messages begin with a Message Type field and may contain additional fields. The format of the control message is shown below in table 1.

Table 1 Field The size Note Type of control message 8 REQ = 4, RSP = 5 Reserved 8 Value is zero Encoded TLV Information Variable Control messages

In Table 1, the first part of the MAC PDU is an identifier of a type occupying 8 bits. For an RNG-REQ message, the type is denoted by 4. For an RNG-RSP message, the type is denoted by 5. A larger number of MAC PDU types are provided using other type numbers. The next 8 bits of the message are zeros. After the MAC header, the PDU contains TLV data. As described below, TLVs may have different lengths or sizes and may be combined in a single message in a predetermined manner. The data in the TLV is intended for control messages that are invisible to the user and guarantee smoothing of the system.

At 802.16m, ranging using RNG-REQ and RNG-RSP messages is the process of obtaining the correct clock offset, frequency offset, and power setting so that the transmission from the MS is aligned with the BS, and so that it receives signals over the corresponding reception threshold. Range control is also used to determine the location of a mobile station as it moves.

Range control messages are used to maintain connection quality at the physical layer. Different messages are used for the inbound and outbound channels, but their basic structure is the same. Range control allows the system to adjust time and frequency synchronization, as well as power, and assign subcarriers and subchannels. Range adjustment is carried out periodically for different carrier frequencies between each base station and a registered mobile station.

Range control messages are part of the basic messages in the system. Separated from the broadcasting and registration channel of the subscriber, the ranging messages are sent to the particular registered MS and the BS in which the MS is registered. The basic messages separated from the information channel relate to control information and system configuration.

A Range Request (RNG-REQ) message is transmitted by the MS at the time of initialization and then transmitted periodically to determine the network delay and to request transmission power, packet profile, or other system operation parameters. Initialization refers to the time of the initial MS search for access to the network and registration at the base station. An RNG-REQ message may be sent at the time of initial ranging and at dedicated data transmission intervals. The part of the message with the TLV field may vary depending on the circumstances and in one RNG-REQ message there may be more than one TLV field.

Information can be encoded in the TLV field, including packet profiles, MAC addresses, range deviations, equipment identifiers and characteristics, base station identifiers, handover requests (handover), network re-entry requests, emergency call service procedures , call control messages, synchronization, delay, retransmission parameters, control messages, power control messages, etc. All these parameters are intended for the system and relate to the identification or operation of the MS in the system. None of these messages relate to information transmitted to users or the application level. Typically, the system tries to prevent the user from viewing these messages, which, otherwise, will prevent the user from concentrating on information that he sends or receives from other users.

The RNG-RSP (Range Control Response) message has similar types of TLV parameters that can be sent. They can include information on synchronization settings, frequency, channel, subchannel, delay parameters, various timers, frame numbers and time intervals, equipment numbers and addresses of base stations and modems, call parameters, etc. As with request messages, response messages also relate to control parameters and equipment operation.

Using TLV to transfer messages between users allows you to send short messages at almost any time without changing the operating mode of the MS. Range control messages have the advantage that they can be sent without the need for an active connection at any time. To perform this function, short messages must be uniquely identified, and both the BS and the MS must be adapted to identify these messages for their proper processing.

TLV is one example of an information encoding format. Embodiments of the present invention may also be adapted to use other encoding formats that include ASN 1. In most of the described embodiments of the present invention, a short user message is placed in an optional field. A short message may or may not be included in the main message, which does not affect other functions. In other words, when using an optional field, the presence or absence of a short user message does not affect the processing of the main message.

Figure 5 shows an example of a hardware configuration that can be used for both the mobile station and the base station to implement the above communications. As shown in FIG. 5, the station 50 is controlled by a processor 52. It can be a small processor with low power consumption in the case of MS or a powerful high-performance processor in case of BS.

The processor has a memory bus connected to memory 56, for example, magnetic, optical, solid state, or a combination thereof. The memory contains program code and user data that can be received or sent by stations. Credential block 58 may also be connected to this bus. In the case of MS, it can include a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) and store other personal data. In the case of a BS, it may include an authorization credential database or be connected to such a database.

A set of sensors 54, for example, a position sensor, an electric power sensor, a camera and a microphone, a received signal sensor, etc., are connected to the processor to receive additional data from the processor.

A user interface bus, such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), or another type of connection interface connects the processor to a user interface 60, such as a keyboard, touch screen, mouse, trackball, etc., display 62 and connectors 64 to connect other devices. A specific user interface can be adapted to suit a specific application. The user can enter or attach text or another short message using the user interface, and also use it to control and maintain the system. In the case of MS, the user can use the interface to record using a microphone or camera and attach this recording to a short message, which, in accordance with the command entered by the keyboard or touch screen, will be sent to a specific user or group of users.

The processor 52 is also connected to a communication bus, allowing communication with other devices. The wired interface 66 allows the BS to communicate with other BSs, gateways, base station controllers, service and control centers, etc. In the case of a BS, the wired interface assumes both a network connection and the connection of portable devices, and also allows you to connect the device to a personal computer for updating or maintenance. The communication bus also provides communication with a personal area network 68 (PAN), for example Bluetooth, a local area network 70 (LAN), for example Wi-Fi, and a wide area network 72 or a city network, for example 802.16m. Depending on the application, more or fewer network adapters may be used. Some network functions may be combined or separate functions, and various protocols and configurations may be used.

The WAN adapter 72 includes a logic circuit 74 that generates, combines, encodes, encrypts, and queues packets to be sent to the global network. The logic circuitry is connected to a transceiver 76, which amplifies, modulates, and encodes packets received from the logic circuitry for transmission to the global network via antenna 78. An antenna may have one or more elements depending on performance, cost, and appearance requirements. This transmission scheme may also function for reception, but a separate reception scheme may also be used. The reception scheme should perform the inverse functions of reception, demodulation, amplification, processing, decoding, etc. to receive data that is sent to the processor via the communication bus.

In the case of receiving a packet with control messages, messages are sent to the processor and are used to configure operation parameters, registration procedures, calls, etc. In the case of receiving a packet with a custom message, the message is sent to the processor and then displayed on the display to the user. In both cases, the message can be stored in memory.

The configuration shown in FIG. 5 can be applied to a laptop or desktop computer equipped with a wireless adapter. The WAN adapter 72 may be a separate component for a USB bus, PCI (Interconnection of Peripheral Components), or any other suitable bus, or it may be an internal element of the system.

For specific embodiments, it may be necessary to use more or fewer communication stations 50 than described above. Therefore, the configuration of the system will change depending on many factors, such as cost restrictions, performance requirements, technological innovations and / or other circumstances.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described in the context of the 802.16m standard and specific messages for a given standard and communication protocol, but the present invention is not limited to this. Embodiments of the present invention can be applied to other communication protocols and other control messages within the framework of the 802.16m standard or other protocols, allowing the transmission of short messages from the user with minimal load on the overall operation of the system. Although the description of the present invention was made in the context of SMS, it can be applied to any kind of short messages from the user. Additionally, since SMS is most often transmitted from one cell phone to another, users can use WiFi, the Internet and devices connected to the phone, including laptops and desktop computers, telephones and multimedia players, to send text. In this case, the terms remote terminal or remote digital terminal may refer to any such device.

Although the steps described herein are performed under the control of a programmable processor, such as processor 52, in other embodiments, these steps can be fully or partially implemented by a programmable or hardware logic circuit, such as programmable gate array (FPGA), transistor-transistor logic circuit (TTL) or integrated circuit for solving a specific problem (ASIC). In addition, the method proposed in the present invention can be implemented using any combination of components consisting of programs for a general-purpose computer and individual hardware solutions. Accordingly, everything described herein should not be construed as limiting the present invention to specific embodiments in which the steps described are carried out using a specific combination of hardware elements.

The present invention can be implemented as a software product that includes a medium with instructions that can be read by the corresponding device, and these instructions are used as a computer program (or program for another device) to perform the processes of the present invention. The carrier of commands readable by the device may be, but the invention is not limited to, a floppy disk, optical disk, compact disk (CD-ROM), magneto-optical disk, ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic or optical card, flash memory or any other type of medium suitable for storing electronic commands.

In describing the present invention, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough explanation of the principles and understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may be practiced without using certain specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form. Specific details corresponding to any necessary embodiments may be obtained by those skilled in the art.

Although the disclosure of the present invention has been made using the description of the above embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only. Therefore, the description of the invention and the drawings should be considered as a description of examples, not limiting the invention. Various modifications, adaptations and changes may be made in accordance with the scope of the present invention described in the attached claims.

Claims (20)

1. A method for transmitting short messages, comprising stages in which:
sending the first control message from the first radio station to the second radio station, the control message including a data field containing a short message from the user of the first radio station to the user of the second radio station and a type attribute indicating that the contents of the data field is a short message;
receiving a second control message in response to the first control message from the second radio station, the second control message including a data field containing a response to the short message and a type attribute indicating that the contents of the data field is a short message. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which the response is a confirmation of the receipt of a short message. 3. The method according to claim 1, in which the response is the second short message from the remote user to the user of the first radio station. 4. The method according to claim 3, in which the second short message is a message from a user of a third radio station. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the short message is a text message. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the short message is a short message service (SMS) message. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the short message is a multimedia message. 8. The method according to claim 1, in which the data field is allocated for use in the control message. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control message is a medium access control (MAC) message. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the medium access control message is used in medium access control operations in connection mode or in standby mode. 11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an alert from a second radio station, the first sending a control message in response to receiving the alert. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first control message is a location update message. 13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of encrypting, at the application level, a short message before sending it. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising decrypting the response to the short message at the application level when the response to the short message is encrypted. 15. A device for transmitting short messages, comprising:
a processor for generating a control message including a data field, the data field comprising a short message from a user of the first radio station to a user of the second radio station and a type attribute indicating that the contents of the data field is a short message; and
a transceiver for sending a control message from a first radio station to a second radio station and receiving a second control message from a second radio station in response to a first control message, the second control message including a data field containing a response to the short message and a type attribute indicating that the contents of the field data is a short message. 16. The device according to clause 15, in which the processor is additionally configured to encrypt, at the application level, a short message before sending it. 17. The device according to clause 15, in which the data field is allocated for use in the control message. 18. A machine-readable medium containing instructions recorded thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause operations to be carried out to transmit short messages containing:
sending by the first radio station to the second radio station the first control message, the control message including a data field containing a short message from the user of the first radio station to the user of the second radio station and a type attribute indicating that the contents of the data field is a short message;
receiving, from the second radio station, a second control message in response to the first control message, the second control message including a data field containing a response to the short message and a type attribute indicating that the contents of the data field is a short message. 19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the commands further comprise receiving an alert from the second radio station, wherein sending the first control message is a response to receiving the alert. 20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the first control message is a location update message.

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