HK1061331A1 - A method and apparatus for controlling registration activity - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for controlling registration activity

Technical Field

The present invention relates to communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to controlling registration activities of nodes in communication with a network.

Background

A communication system includes a communication network and a set of nodes in communication with the network. The communication links between the network and the nodes may be wired and/or wireless. The network may also communicate with other networks such that a node may communicate with an entity within the network, with another node connected to the network, and/or with an entity and/or node on another network.

An example of a communication network is a Local Area Network (LAN), where the network may include a set of servers and the individual nodes may include workstations, personal computers, and peripheral devices such as storage units and printers. Another example of a communications network is a wireless network for cellular communications, where the network may include a set of base stations and administrative units, such as Mobile Service Controllers (MSCs) and location registrars, and individual nodes may be mobile units that communicate with the base stations via wireless links. The mobile unit may be a cellular telephone, a wireless modem connected to a computer or other data generating device, or a Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station. Through which mobile units may communicate with each other and/or other networks, such as the internet and/or the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

In some systems, nodes are connected to the network by static links. For example, individual workstations in a wired LAN are typically connected to the network in a permanent manner. Each node connected in this manner can be readily identified by the physical location of its link.

In other networks, the links between nodes and the network are dynamic. For example, in a cellular telephone network or wireless LAN, when the mobile unit is not powered on, the link between the mobile unit and the network does not exist. Even after the link is created, its location in the network may change as the mobile unit moves from within range of one base station to within range of another base station. Thus, it is not possible for the network to identify nodes connected in this manner simply by the location of the node links.

However, several basic network functions may require the ability to identify or locate a node. Such functions include locating a particular node for paging purposes (e.g., informing a cell phone of an incoming call) and associating the active node with a known profile for purposes such as billing, message forwarding, service authentication, etc. Therefore, it may be very important to support such identification.

In a CDMA system (or "IS-95B", entitled "Mobile STATION-BASE STATION SPECTRUM CELLULAR SYSTEMS", published by the Telecommunications industry Association/electronics industry Association (TIA/EIA) on 3.2.1999) or in Interim Standard-2000 (or "IS-2000", a six part Standard published by TIA/TIA on 7.1999), for CELLULAR communications compliant with Interim Standard-95B, the MOBILE unit IS programmed with a 10-bit MOBILE identity number (or MIN). The number includes four digits from the mobile unit's unique Electronic Serial Number (ESN) and six digits from an identification token that is known to the network and programmed into the mobile unit. The representation of this information by the mobile station when communicating with the network allows the network to associate a particular mobile station with a known profile that may contain information about service options, billing, home area, etc. The identification mechanism also enables the network to appropriately route transmissions intended to be terminated at the mobile unit (such as incoming telephone calls). In addition, by correlating the identification token with a known profile, the network can recognize and track the mobile station's link as it moves from one base station to another.

The process of programming the MIN to the mobile unit occurs during an event commonly referred to as "prepare". Other parameters, such as telephone numbers that may be used to reach the mobile unit, may also be stored within the mobile unit during preparation. In the past, the preparation process was typically performed by the service provider prior to delivery of the unit to the customer, or by the retailer at the point of purchase. However, THE recent advent of OVER-THE-air service PROVISIONING (or OTASP, as defined IN TIA/EIA Interim Standard (IS) -683-a, entitled "OVER-THE-he-AIR SERVICE providing access terminals IN SPREAD SPECTRUM SYSTEMS", published IN 5 months 1998) has allowed THE PROVISIONING operation to be postponed to some time after purchase.

OTASP-capable mobile units may be sold in an unprepared state. Before preparation is performed, the mobile unit may initiate (i.e., place) a call, but it cannot terminate the call (i.e., receive a page) because there is no distribution of it within the network (e.g., the unit is without a telephone number). For example, a user may use a mobile unit to initiate a call using a particular number sequence (e.g., in north america, the number "× 228" is assigned for this purpose as indicated by the north american number planning office (washington, DC)).

The base station, in response to the prepare request, forwards information to be stored by the mobile unit, including data relating to the identification token. After the mobile unit receives a reply confirming that the information has been received, the base station commands the mobile unit to commit to processing the information (e.g., by storing it in non-volatile memory). After performing the commit processing operation, the mobile unit sends a commit processing confirmation to the network to indicate that the prepare operation has been successfully completed.

If the commitment process acknowledgement is lost in the transmission, the network cannot know whether the preparation operation has been successfully completed. However, the prepared mobile unit must assume that the acknowledgement has been received. In this case, although the network assumes that the mobile station remains unprepared and cannot be paged, it may happen that the mobile station waits for a page from the network.

If the network has not specified an identification token for the mobile unit, then the network identification for the mobile unit does not exist and the registration attempt is not successful. However, to gain access to the network, the mobile unit continues to attempt registration. Such attempts require the Radio Frequency (RF) transmit circuitry of the mobile unit to remain powered up, thereby consuming power. In addition, these attempts cause interference in CDMA systems by increasing radio link traffic and thereby reducing channel capacity. Ideally these effects are avoided.

Disclosure of Invention

In a method according to an embodiment of the invention, the contents of a region of memory are received (e.g., by a processor). A registration decision is made that includes determining whether the content includes an identification token. The registration decision pertains to enabling the sending of a registration message.

Drawings

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts of the invention throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 illustrates a communication system including a network and nodes;

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention; and

fig. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram of a method according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

As shown in fig. 1, an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a node 100 with a node transceiver 110, a processor 120, and a memory 130. The node transceiver 110 includes a transmitter 112 that allows the node 100 to transmit information to the network 200 over the communication link 300. Node transceiver 110 also includes a receiver 114 that allows node 100 to receive information from network 200 over communication link 300. Such transmission and reception over communication link 300 may be implemented using the same or different data rates, communication protocols, carrier frequencies, and/or modulation schemes. Also, the operations and/or circuit configurations of the transmitter 112 and receiver 114, respectively, may be completely independent of each other, or may be partially or fully integrated.

Processor 120, which may include one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers or other array of logic elements, controls the operation of node 100 according to a series of commands that may be stored in memory 130, preferably in predetermined area 135. These commands may be entered by a user through an interface, such as a keyboard (not shown), and/or received from network 200 over communication link 300. Memory 130, which may include Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), and/or non-volatile memory, stores programmable parameters and may also store executable instructions and/or non-programmable parameters.

Although such features are not shown in fig. 1 for simplicity, network 200 may also be coupled to another network, such as the internet or a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), by communication links. The communication link may be a wired connection or a wireless link, such as a microwave or satellite link, over which information may be communicated as one or more analog and/or digital signals.

In an exemplary embodiment, node 100 is a mobile unit such as a cellular telephone. In alternative embodiments, node 100 and/or node transceiver 110 may be based on Bluetooth (Bluetooth) over Wireless^TM) A protocol (as defined in the Bluetooth standard version 1.0B published by Bluetooth Special Interest Group, New York, NY) to receive and transmit information. It is noted, however, that the communication link 300 need not be wireless. For example, in yet another embodiment, node 100 may comprise a portable device (e.g., a portable device) that establishes a wired, but temporary, communication link 300 to network 200 via a terminal (e.g., a data communication port compliant with a standard such as universal serial bus (USB or RS-232)) connected to network 200A computer).

Fig. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The processor 120 may be connected and configured to implement the method. For example, such a method may be performed within the node 100 as part of a power-up routine. The method may also be performed in response to some other event, such as the expiration of a timer within the node 100 or the detection of a change in a signal received from the network 200. The method may also be performed in connection with the reception of commands from the network 200 and/or from a user of the node 100 (e.g. via a keyboard of the node 100). In one embodiment, the method may be performed upon the occurrence of a Registration event as described in section 6.6.5 ("Registration") of one of the TIA/EIA CDMA standard documents referenced above (e.g., power up, timer expiration, or region change).

In task P110, processor 120 receives the contents of a predetermined area 135 of memory 130. Region 135 may be a dedicated portion of memory 130, or its location may be indeterminate some time ago by task P110. In one embodiment, at least the predetermined area 135 of the memory 130 is non-volatile (e.g., information is saved in the area 135 even after power is removed).

In task P120, processor 120 makes a registration decision. The decision includes at least determining whether the contents of the region 135 include an identification token. In a general implementation, the identification token may be any identifier that is recognizable by the network 200. For example, the identification token may be self-contained, providing all the information needed to uniquely characterize the node 100. In an alternative embodiment, the determination of task P120 depends on whether a token specified at least in part by network 200 is found in the contents of area 135.

For nodes in communication with the CDMA network, the identification token may include portions of all MINs described above, for example. In one particular embodiment, the identification token includes the first six digits of the MIN, and the registration decision depends on whether these six digits (as received from field 135) represent a non-zero value (e.g., as shown in task P220 of fig. 3).

If the decision in task P120 is successful, processor 120 causes node 100 to perform a registration activity in task P130. This activity may include sending a registration message from processor 120 to registration entity 220 of network 200 over communication link 300 through node transceiver 110. If the decision in task P120 fails, processor 120 disables registration activity from node 100 in task P130. The inhibiting operation includes setting or resetting a control parameter value internal to the node 100. In a CDMA system according to one or more of the TIA/EIA standards cited above, for example, setting the value of the control parameter REG _ enable to zero suppresses the sending of registration messages by the mobile unit.

As described above, if the commit acknowledgement issued by the node 100 during the preparation is lost, the network 200 cannot know whether the process has been successfully completed. Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram of a method according to yet another embodiment of the invention. In task P310, the node 100 receives the preparation information from the network 200. This information may include, for example, information about the identification token. After receiving the preparation information, the node 100 issues a preparation information confirmation (task P320).

In task P330, node 100 receives a command to commit to the standby information. In task P340, the node 100 processes the preparation information. In a general embodiment, task P340 includes storing information based at least in part on provisioning information in memory 130. In a particular embodiment, task P340 includes storing a non-zero information string into the first six digits of the MIN. It is noted that it may be desirable to send the information stored in step P340 to a non-volatile area of memory 130 in order to maintain such information even when node 100 is powered down.

After committing the provisioning information, the node 100 issues a commit acknowledge in task P350. In task P360, node 100 also initiates the power-on registration process. In the application of a CDMA System, task P360 may include a Power-on Registration process as described in section 6.6.5.5.1.1 ("Registration Procedures: Actions in the Mobile Station Initialization State: Power-up or service System Change") of the TIA/EIA CDMA Standard document referenced above. It is noted that in some embodiments, task P350 may be omitted due to redundancy or unnecessary.

By disabling the registration activity of the node 100 in the absence of an identification token, a method or apparatus according to the described embodiments of the invention may extend the battery life of a communication device. When used in a CDMA system, such a method or apparatus may also reduce link interference and thereby increase system capacity by suppressing unwanted registration activity. Furthermore, the method or apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention may reduce the ambiguity of the system when the network 200 does not receive the confirmation of commitment processing issued by the node 100.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments are possible, and the generic principles presented herein may be applied to other embodiments as well. For example, the present invention may be implemented in part or in whole as follows: hardwired circuitry, a circuit configuration fabricated as an application specific integrated circuit, or a firmware program loaded into non-volatile memory or a software program loaded from or onto a data storage medium as machine-readable code, where such machine-readable code is instructions executable by an array of logic elements such as a microprocessor or other digital signal processing unit. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown above, and any particular sequence of instructions and/or any particular hardware configuration is intended to be within the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed in any fashion herein.

Claims (12)

1. An apparatus for controlling registration activities, comprising:

(1) a memory; and

(2) a processor, wherein the processor comprises:

(A) means for receiving the contents of a predetermined area of said memory, and

(B) apparatus for making a registration decision, comprising:

(i) means for determining whether the contents of the predetermined area of the memory includes an identification token; and

(ii) means for enabling transmission of a registration message when the contents of the region of the memory includes an identification token; and

(iii) means for disabling the registration activity when the contents of the region of the memory do not include an identification token.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the registration decision:

(a) with respect to enabling registration message transmission to the communication network, an

(b) Including determining whether the contents of the predetermined area of the memory includes an identification token specified at least in part by a communication network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the registration decision comprises determining whether the contents of the predetermined area of the memory have a non-zero value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the registration decision relates to enabling a registration message to be sent to a wireless code division multiple access network for mobile communications.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises means for enabling sending of a registration message when a registration decision comprises a determination that contents of the region of the memory have a non-zero value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least the predetermined area of the memory is non-volatile.

7. A method for controlling registration activities, comprising:

(a) receiving contents of a predetermined area of a memory; and

(b) making a registration decision, the registration decision:

(1) determining whether the contents of the predetermined area of the memory includes an identification token;

(2) enabling transmission of a registration message when the contents of the region of the memory includes an identification token; and

(3) disabling the registration activity when the contents of the region of the memory do not include an identification token.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the registration decision:

(a) with respect to enabling registration message transmission to the communication network, an

(b) Including determining whether the contents of the predetermined area of the memory includes an identification token specified at least in part by a communication network.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the registration decision includes determining whether the contents of the predetermined area of the memory have a non-zero value.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the registration decision relates to enabling a registration message to be sent to a wireless code division multiple access network for mobile communications.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein sending of a registration message is enabled when the registration decision comprises determining that the contents of the predetermined area of the memory have a non-zero value.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein at least the predetermined area of the memory is non-volatile.