U.S. patent application number 11/070669 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-07 for updating of internet access point settings in a mobile communication system.
This patent application is currently assigned to NOKIA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Moslemie, Abbas, Tarnanen, Teemu.
Application Number | 20050147058 11/070669 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8549563 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050147058 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tarnanen, Teemu ; et
al. |
July 7, 2005 |
Updating of internet access point settings in a mobile
communication system
Abstract
A digital mobile communication system is provided with a
facility by means of which it can establish a connection to the
Internet network via an Internet access point "(IAP"). IAP settings
needed for establishing a connection are stored in a mobile
station. When a mobile station roams, the closest point may,
however, change, and IAP settings should be updated in the mobile
station. The invention comprises dividing the mobile communication
system into IAP areas, which are given preferred IAPs. For example,
an IAP area may be a mobile communication network. Mobile
communication networks broadcast system information on the basis of
which a mobile station may detect that the LAP area has changed and
start a procedure for updating IAP settings. Updating may comprise
retrieval of IAP settings from a special server in the network
maintained by an Internet service provider. For example, retrieval
can be done via a short message service center. In one embodiment,
the mobile communication network broadcasts messages giving
recommended IAP settings to mobile stations.
Inventors: |
Tarnanen, Teemu; (Espoo,
FI) ; Moslemie, Abbas; (Helsinki, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN, LLP
P.O. BOX 10500
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Assignee: |
NOKIA CORPORATION
Espoo
FI
|
Family ID: |
8549563 |
Appl. No.: |
11/070669 |
Filed: |
March 3, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11070669 |
Mar 3, 2005 |
|
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09509102 |
Mar 16, 2000 |
|
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09509102 |
Mar 16, 2000 |
|
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PCT/FI98/00724 |
Sep 15, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/310 ;
370/352 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 4/06 20130101; H04W
4/14 20130101; H04W 60/00 20130101; H04W 8/183 20130101; H04W 8/205
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/310 ;
370/352 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/66; H04B
007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 19, 1997 |
FI |
973737 |
Claims
1. A method of updating Internet access point information in the
terminal equipment of a digital mobile communication system, which
is capable of establishing a connection to the Internet via the
mobile communication system and a number of Internet access points,
comprising storing settings of Internet access points that were
used last time to access the Internet in the terminal equipment,
storing system information in the terminal equipment on the mobile
communication network or on part of the mobile communication
network used to access the Internet last time, receiving broadcast
system information on the mobile communication network or on part
of the mobile communication network in the current location of the
terminal equipment, comparing said received system information with
said stored system information, and starting a procedure for
updating the stored Internet access point settings of the terminal
equipment with Internet access point settings recommended for the
currently used mobile communication network or for part of the
mobile communication network, if it is noted on the basis of said
stored and received system information that the mobile
communication network or part of the mobile communication network
has changed.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising carrying out said
comparison only when a new Internet transaction is started, and
carrying out said updating procedure before setting up a call to
the Internet access point via the mobile communication system, if
it is noted on the basis of said stored and received system
information that the mobile communication network or part of the
mobile communication network has changed.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said updating procedure
comprises requesting Internet access point settings from the
Internet service provider's server via the mobile communication
system, said request comprising system information identifying the
current mobile communication system of the terminal equipment or
part of the mobile communication system, receiving said request at
said server selecting in said server on the basis of system
information included in said request Internet access point settings
suitable for the current location of the terminal equipment,
sending selected settings from said server via the mobile
communication network to the terminal equipment, receiving selected
settings in the terminal equipment, and updating Internet access
point settings of the terminal equipment with said selected
settings.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said updating procedure
comprises sending a message requesting Internet access point
settings to a message service centre, which has an access to the
Internet network, said message comprising system information
identifying the current mobile communication network of the
terminal equipment or part of the mobile communication network,
receiving said message in said message centre, sending a request
for Internet access point settings from the message centre to the
Internet service provider's server by using protocols of the
Internet network, said request comprising system information
identifying the current mobile communication network of the
terminal equipment or part of the mobile communication network,
receiving said request in said server, selecting in said server on
the basis of system information included in said request Internet
access point settings suitable for the current location of the
terminal equipment, sending a response including the selected
settings from said server to the message service centre by using
protocols of the Internet network, receiving said message in the
terminal equipment, and updating Internet access point settings of
the terminal equipment with said selected settings.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said updating procedure
comprises sending a message requesting Internet access point
settings to a message service centre, which has an access to the
Internet network, said message comprising system information
identifying the current mobile communication network of the
terminal equipment or part of the mobile communication network,
receiving said message in said short message service centre,
retrieving the World Wide Web (WWW) page including Internet access
point settings from the Internet network by using protocols of the
Internet network as a response to said message sent by the mobile
station, selecting Internet access point settings suitable for the
location of the mobile station from the received WWW page on the
basis of said system information, sending a message including said
selected settings from the message service centre to the terminal
equipment, receiving said message in the terminal equipment, and
updating Internet access point settings of the terminal equipment
with said selected settings.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising broadcasting messages
including information on settings of the recommended Internet
access point to all terminal equipment of the mobile communication
network or part of it, and updating stored Internet access point
settings of the terminal equipment with Internet access point
settings included in said broadcast message, if it is noted on the
basis of stored and received system information that the mobile
communication network or part of the mobile communication network
has changed.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system information
is one of the following: country code, operator name, operator
code, network name, network code, location area identifier.
8. A server in the Internet network, comprising means for receiving
a request for Internet access point settings via the Internet
network from a message centre, which is connected to a mobile
communication network, said request comprising information
identifying the mobile communication network or part of the mobile
communication network, where the mobile station which requested
settings is located, means for selecting settings of the Internet
access point suitable for the location of the mobile station on the
basis of system information included in said request, and means for
sending selected settings via the Internet network to said message
centre to be forwarded to the mobile station.
9. A message service centre for a digital mobile communication
system, including a message service, comprising first means for
connecting to a mobile communication network in order to transmit
messages between the short message service centre and a mobile
station, and second means for connecting to a data network, said
second means further comprising means for retrieving settings of an
Internet access point suitable for a current location of a mobile
station from an Internet service provider's server from the data
network in response to a message sent by the mobile station, the
message requesting Internet access point settings, and that the
message service centre also comprises means for sending Internet
access point settings received from the server in a message via the
mobile communication network to the mobile station.
10. A message service centre as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
message sent by the mobile station contains system information
identifying the mobile communication network or part of the mobile
communication network where the mobile station is currently
located.
11. A message service centre as claimed in claim 9, wherein said
data network is the Internet network, and said second means
comprise means for retrieving said Internet access points from the
Internet server in response to the message sent by the mobile
station.
12. A message service centre as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
second means comprise means for retrieving the World Wide Web (WWW)
page including Internet access point settings from the Internet
network by using protocols of the Internet network in response to
said message sent by the mobile station, and the message service
centre also comprises means for separating settings of the Internet
access point suitable for the location of the mobile station from
the received WWW page on the basis of the location of the mobile
station, and means for sending the separated settings to the mobile
station in a message.
13. Terminal equipment of a digital mobile communication system,
which is capable of establishing a connection to the Internet
network via a mobile communication system and a number of Internet
access points, and which comprises a memory in which Internet
access point settings used last time to access the Internet are
stored, the terminal equipment comprising a memory in which system
information identifying the mobile communication network or part of
the mobile communication network used last time to access the
Internet is stored, means for receiving broadcast system
information on the mobile communication network or part of the
mobile communication network of the current location of the
terminal equipment, means for comparing said received system
information with said stored system information, and updating means
for starting the procedure for updating stored Internet access
point settings of the terminal equipment with settings of the
Internet access point recommended for the currently used mobile
communication network or for part of the mobile communication
network, if it is noted on the basis of the stored and received
system information that the mobile communication network or part of
the mobile communication network has changed.
14. Terminal equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein said means
of comparison start in response to initiation of a new Internet
transaction, and said updating means are responsive to said means
of comparison to carry out said updating procedure before setting
up a call via the mobile communication system to an Internet access
point, if it is noted on the basis of said stored and received
information that the mobile communication network or part of the
mobile communication network has changed.
15. Terminal equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein said
updating means comprise means for requesting Internet access point
settings from the Internet service provider's server via the
Internet, said request comprising system information identifying
the current mobile communication network or part of the mobile
communication network of the terminal equipment, and means for
receiving a response including requested settings from the server
via the mobile communication system, and for updating Internet
access point settings of the terminal equipment with the received
settings.
16. Terminal equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein said
updating means comprise means for sending a short message
requesting Internet access point settings to the message service
centre, which has an access to the Internet network, said message
containing system information identifying the current mobile
communication network or part of the mobile communication network
of the terminal equipment, and means for receiving a message
containing the requested settings from the message centre, and for
updating Internet access point settings of the terminal equipment
with the received settings.
17. Terminal equipment as claimed in claim 13, comprising means for
receiving broadcast messages containing information on the settings
of the recommended Internet access point, and that said updating
means are responsive to means of comparison for updating stored
Internet access point settings of the terminal equipment with
Internet access point settings included in said broadcast message,
if it is noted on the basis of the stored and received system
information that the mobile communication network or part of it has
changed.
18. Terminal equipment as claimed in claim 13, wherein said system
information is one of the following: country code, operator's name,
operator code, name of the network, network code, location area
identifier.
19. A digital mobile communication system, comprising message
service and terminal equipment capable of establishing a connection
to the Internet network via a mobile communication, a number of
Internet access points, and the mobile communication system being
configured to broadcast to terminal equipment messages including
settings of at least one local Internet access point, which is
recommended to be used in part of the mobile communication system
in question.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to digital mobile
communication systems and more particularly to supporting roaming
in connection with Internet services in a mobile communication
system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Mobile communication systems refer, in general, to different
telecommunication systems providing personal wireless data
transmission while subscribers roam the system area. A typical
mobile communication system is the public land mobile network
PLMN.
[0003] Besides conventional speech transmission, digital mobile
communication systems provide a plurality of services: short
messages, facsimiles, data transmission, etc. Of these, the data
transmission service, in particular, provides a mobile subscriber a
chance of wireless access to nearly all data services of fixed
networks.
[0004] The use of the TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol) data network, i.e. the Internet
network, in fixed networks has increased very rapidly. As is well
known, the Internet network actually comprises a large number of
smaller interconnected TCP/IP networks. The Internet network has a
number of TCP/IP application protocols available for users. From
the end user's point of view the most important ones are the
following:
[0005] TELNET. This protocol allows the user's terminal (or user
application program) in one computer to communicate with an
application process, e.g. a word processing program run in a remote
computer, in another computer via the Internet network as if the
user's terminal were directly connected to the other computer;
[0006] FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This protocol allows the
user's terminal (or user application program) to access a remote
file system and to interact with it;
[0007] SMTP. This protocol provides a network-wide mail transfer
service between e-mail systems of different computers;
[0008] WWW (World Wide Web). The WWW system consists of servers in
the Internet network and customer programs used by these servers,
called WWW browsers. The information in the WWW servers is arranged
into pages which are the basic units of the WWW technique, as whole
pages are always transferred between a server and a browser. In
addition to text, the page may also contain graphics and various
other file types, such as voice and video. The pages used by the
WWW technique are described with the HTML language (Hyper Text
Mark-up Language). Information on text format, graphics, etc. is
coded among the actual text contents by HTML tags. The browser
program uses these tags to give a WWW page the desired format.
[0009] Internet applications are used for connecting to services in
the Internet network. Before a user can connect to the Internet, he
has to have a contract with an Internet service provider ISP, who
provides access to the Internet via one or more Internet access
points IAP. The ISP may be e.g. a commercial operator (as Eunet in
Europe), university or private company. Usually, the IAP is a
server to which the user has access from a telephone in the fixed
network or from a mobile telephone by making a modem call (or a
data call) to a certain IAP access number.
[0010] Through the data transmission services of mobile
communication systems, the numerous information sources of the
Internet network are, in principle, available to mobile
subscribers, too. However, the use of data transmission services
typically requires a mobile station provided with data transmission
properties, and a computer connected thereto. At present, mobile
stations including an integrated computer, such as the Nokia
Communicator 9000, are available. This also has built-in facilities
for connecting to the Internet network.
[0011] An ordinary subscriber of the fixed network usually needs
only one IAP, the one that is closest to him, and thus has the
lowest call costs. A mobile subscriber may, however, roam within a
large area in one country and even between different countries. If
the mobile subscriber always uses the same IAP (home IAP) to
connect to the Internet, call costs (data transmission costs) may
increase considerably. For example, if the subscriber is roaming in
Germany and his home IAP is in Finland, the use of Internet
services via the home IAP entails an international call between
Germany and Finland. To optimize data communication costs mobile
subscribers would like to use the local IAP regardless of their
location. The subscriber's Internet service provider ISP (as Eunet)
may have numerous IAPs available all around the world. As regards a
mobile subscriber, selecting the best possible IAP easily and, if
possible, automatically may be problematic.
[0012] According to one method of the prior art, the subscriber
manually reconfigures/changes/establishes a new IAP when he is in a
new area. To carry out this the subscriber needs a list of
available IAPs telling how to set the correct IAP depending on the
location of the subscriber. Manual configuration is, however,
troublesome and error prone. Furthermore, the lists would not be up
to date in the long run. For example, the Nokia Communicator 9000
is provided with a user interface supporting such an IAP list. The
list may include e.g. the following information: 1) service
provider's name; 2) telephone number of the IAP; 3) user's name
(used in PPP authentication, if necessary); 4) password (used in
PPP authentication, if necessary); 5) subscriber's own IP address;
6) IP addresses of the primary and secondary name servers.
[0013] In the case of the Nokia Communicator 9000 the service
provider ISP is able to configure an IAP with a special short
message, called SIAP SMS (Set Internet Access Point Short Message).
This special short message carries out all necessary IAP settings
in the mobile station and adds a new IAP to the list. The mobile
station, however, asks the user to confirm the change before any
action is taken. An advantage of this semi-automatic short message
updating is that the user does not need to update information
manually, which also eliminates errors. If this feature were used
for supporting roaming, the user would need to call the service
provider's customer service and to request information on the best
IAP with respect to his location in a SIAP short message. From the
user's point of view this is troublesome and may cause a
considerable amount of extra work to the service provider,
especially when the number of subscribers is large. Alternatively,
the ISP could send a SIAP short message(s) to all subscribers when
an IAP configuration has changed in some part of the world. This
is, however, an inconvenient and expensive solution both for users
and Internet service providers.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The object of the present invention is to provide automatic
selection of a local Internet access point for mobile subscribers
as easily as' possible during roaming.
[0015] This is achieved with a method of updating information on an
Internet access point in the terminal equipment of a digital mobile
communication system, which is capable of establishing a connection
to the Internet via the mobile communication system and a group of
Internet access points. The method is characterized in that it
comprises the steps of
[0016] storing settings of Internet access points that were used
last time to access the Internet in the terminal equipment,
[0017] storing system information on the mobile communication
network or on part of the mobile communication network that was
used last time to access the Internet;
[0018] receiving broadcast system information on the mobile
communication network of the current location area of the terminal
equipment or on part of the mobile communication network,
[0019] comparing said received system information with said stored
system information,
[0020] starting a procedure for updating the stored Internet access
point settings of the terminal equipment with Internet access point
settings recommended for the currently used mobile communications
network or for part of the mobile communication network, if it is
noted on the basis of said stored and received system information
that the mobile communication network or part of the mobile
communication network has changed.
[0021] The invention also relates to a server as claimed in claim
8, a short message service centre as claimed in claim 9, terminal
equipment as claimed in claim 13 and a mobile communication system
as claimed in claim 19.
[0022] According to the invention, the mobile communication system
is divided into areas which are given recommended or preferred
Internet access points (IAP). In this application, these areas are
referred to as IAP areas. Typically, the recommended or preferred
IAP is the Internet service provider's (ISP) local IAP, to which
data call costs from a mobile station are the lowest. In principle,
the division of IAP areas may be a division of any kind. For
example, each country or each mobile telephone operator's network
may form an IAP area of its own. Alternatively, each mobile
communication network can be divided into smaller IAP areas, e.g.
according to the location area configuration of the network. When
the division of IAP areas has been agreed on, the ISP only needs to
name preferred IAPs for each IAP area. Naturally, different
Internet service providers ISP have different IAPs in the same IAP
area. According to the basic idea of the invention, a mobile
station roaming within the system tries to select the preferred IAP
of each IAP area to access the Internet. This can be called IAP
roaming.
[0023] For IAP roaming, settings of the last used or updated IAP
and system information identifying the IAP area (the mobile
communication network or part of the mobile communication network)
where the mobile station was located during the last Internet
transaction or IAP updating are stored in the mobile station. The
mobile station compares the system information broadcast by the
serving cell with the above-mentioned stored system information. If
it is possible to conclude on the basis of the comparison that the
IAP area has changed, the mobile station updates the stored IAP
settings with IAP settings which it receives from or retrieves via
the mobile, communication network and which are suitable for the
IAP area in question. In a preferred embodiment of the invention,
the mobile station retrieves IAP settings suitable for its location
from a server, data base or the like maintained by the ISP. In an
IAP request the mobile station indicates its location (IAP area) by
means of certain system information, on the basis of which the ISP
server selects IAP settings suitable for the location, and these
settings are sent to the mobile station in response. In a second
embodiment of the invention, preferred IAP settings are broadcast
to mobile stations within an IAP area in broadcast messages, by
means of which the mobile station can update IAP settings, if
necessary. This allows to avoid a separate retrieval procedure, but
on the other hand, messages additionally load both the network and
mobile stations. Furthermore, message broadcast services are not
available everywhere, which may limit the scope of IAP roaming of
the invention.
[0024] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the
mobile station checks whether updating of IAP settings is necessary
only when a new Internet transaction is initiated, i.e. the IAP is
needed. This allows to avoid unnecessary updating when the mobile
station roams in a network. This is advantageous especially in the
preferred embodiment of the invention, in which IAP settings are
retrieved from the ISP server. On the other hand, this may cause
delay (even 10-15 s) when the first Internet data call is set up in
a new area. In an embodiment in which new IAP settings are received
in broadcast messages the delay is smaller. In one embodiment of
the invention, the mobile station updates IAP settings each time it
notes that an IAP area has changed. Thus IAP settings are always up
to date, and there is no delay when the first Internet call is set
up.
[0025] The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a
special message service centre, which either directly or via a data
network is connected to equipment maintaining IAP settings of IAP
areas or to an application referred to as an ISP server in this
description. The mobile station requests IAP settings by sending a
special "request Internet access point" message, i.e. a RIAP
message. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the RIAP
message also includes system information, which identifies the
current IAP area of the mobile station. It is also possible that
the service centre has information on the IAP area or deduces the
information itself. Then the service centre requests IAP settings
from the ISP server according to the protocol required by the
interface between them or by the data network. This request may
include system information, which identifies the IAP area and by
means of which the ISP server selects the IAP settings suitable for
the location of the mobile station. These IAP settings are
transmitted to the service centre, which forwards them to the
mobile station in a special "set Internet access point" message,
i.e. a SIAP message. The mobile station updates the stored IAP
settings with the IAP settings it receives in a SIAP message.
[0026] In one embodiment of the invention, the message service
centre retrieves unclassified IAP settings of IAP areas from an ISP
server and selects the settings that are suitable for the location
of the mobile station. For example, when the ISP server is in the
Internet network, the service centre may retrieve an entire WWW
page including IAP areas and their preferred IAP settings. From
these the service centre selects the IAP settings suitable for the
mobile station and sends them to the mobile station in a SIAP
message. In this embodiment the Internet service provider only
needs to maintain a WWW page.
[0027] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has
several advantages. As regards the user, the IAP roaming of the
invention is a simple, automatic procedure, which guarantees
up-to-date IAP settings and low call costs. As regards the Internet
service provider ISP, the maintenance of necessary services at the
server requires only a minimal amount of work and minimal
costs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which
[0029] FIG. 1 is a system chart illustrating two mobile
communication networks, local and international public switched
telephone networks, the Internet network, Internet access points,
an ISP server and Internet short message service centre,
[0030] FIGS. 2 and 3 are flow charts illustrating IAP roaming and
updating of IAP settings carried out by a mobile station,
[0031] FIG. 4 is a signalling chart illustrating retrieval of IAP
settings from an ISP server,
[0032] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the ISP
server,
[0033] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a service
centre SC,
[0034] FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the MS when
IAP settings are retrieved from the network,
[0035] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the MS when
IAP settings are received in broadcast short messages.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0036] The present invention can be applied to all mobile
communication systems which support circuit-switched speech and
data services, and in which terminal equipment can establish a data
connection to the Internet network via special Internet access
points. The invention is particularly suitable for mobile
communication systems having a short message service. In the
present application, short message service generally refers to the
transfer of a short text message of any kind between a mobile
station and a special short message service unit without the need
to set up a point-to-point connection. This is why the transfer of
a short message may take place even when in the mobile station
there is a speech or data call in progress on a circuit-switched
point-to-point connection. Short message transfer is limited to one
message, i.e. the transfer of one message constitutes the whole
transaction. Thus, short message service is totally different from
packet-switched data transmission. One example of short message
service is the short message service of the GSM system defined in
recommendation ETSI GSM 03.40. Another example of message broadcast
appropriate for the invention is the USSD (Unstructured
Supplementary Service Data) defined in recommendation ETSI GSM
02.90, 03.90 and 04.90.
[0037] In the following the invention will be described in
connection with the digital GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communication). Regarding the invention, the operation and
structure of the mobile communication system are not relevant, and
hence they are described only to a degree that will assist in
comprehending short message service. As to a more precise
description of the GSM system, reference in made to the GSM
recommendations and the publication "The GSM System for Mobile
Communications", M. Mouly & M. Pautet, Palaiseau, France, 1992,
ISBN:2-9507190-0-7.
[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates two GSM mobile communication networks 11
and 17. GSM network 17 is located in Finland, and GSM network 11 in
Sweden. In the GSM network a mobile switching centre MSC switches
incoming and outgoing calls. It also performs tasks typical of
mobile telephone traffic, such as subscriber location management,
in co-operation with the network subscriber registers VLR and HLR.
The HLR is a subscriber's home register for permanent storage of
subscriber data. The visitor location register VLR is a local
register to which the subscriber data is copied from the HLR when a
mobile subscriber visits the area of the VLR. Mobile stations MS
communicate with the centre MSC via base station systems BSS. The
BSS consists of a base station controller BSC and base stations
BTS, i.e. fixed radio transceivers via which the mobile stations MS
communicate with the mobile communication network over the radio
path.
[0039] The MSC which functions as a gateway to another network
(e.g. PSTN, ISDN, public data network PSDN) is called a gateway
MSC, i.e. GMSC. In FIG. 1 GSM networks 11 and 17 are shown as
connected to local PSTN/ISDN networks 16 and 18, respectively.
PSTN/ISDN networks 16 and 18 are connected to each other and to
PSTN/ISDN networks in other countries by means of an international
transmission network 20.
[0040] The Internet network 12 is a world wide group of networks in
accordance with the TCP/IP protocol. The Internet network is
accessed from other telecommunication networks, e.g. PSTN/ISDN, via
Internet access points. The Internet access service provider ISP
may be e.g. a commercial operator, such as Eunet, university or
private company. The ISP may have a separate IAP for each country,
e.g. IAP 14 (Eunet Finland) and IAP 16 (Eunet Sweden) in FIG. 1.
Typically, the IAP is a server which the user can access from an
ordinary subscription in the fixed network or from a mobile station
by making an ISDN/PSTN modem call (or a data call in the mobile
communication network) to a certain number, called an IAP access
number.
[0041] Through the data transmission services of mobile
communication systems, the numerous information sources of the
Internet network are, in principle, available to mobile
subscribers, too. However, the use of data transmission services
typically requires a mobile station provided with data transmission
properties, and a computer connected thereto. At present, mobile
stations including an integrated computer, such as the Nokia
Communicator 9000, are available. This also has built-in facilities
for connecting to the Internet network. In the following
description it is assumed that the mobile station MS is, by way of
example, an integrated terminal equipment similar to the Nokia
Communicator.
[0042] As was stated above, settings of at least one IAP are stored
in the MS, and the MS makes a data call to the IAP for Internet
transaction on the basis of these settings. IAP settings may vary
in different applications, but they typically include at least the
IAP access number and the service provider's (ISP) name. It is
assumed that the home network of the MS is GSM 17 (Finland) and its
home IAP is IAP 14 in Finland. For example, when the MS is roaming
in the GSM network 11 in Sweden, it would be most advantageous for
the subscriber to use the local IAP 15 instead of the home IAP to
avoid costs of an international call. As was described in greater
detail in the introductory part of the application, a problem in
this case is how the MS or the subscriber knows the most suitable
IAP for each location.
[0043] According to the invention, the mobile communication system
is divided into areas, which are given recommended or preferred
Internet access points (IAP). In the present application, these
areas are referred to as IAP areas. In FIG. 1 GSM network 17 forms
one IAP area, and GSM network 11 another. The division of IAP areas
may in principle be a division of any kind. Each Internet service
provider ISP may name one or more preferred IAPs for an IAP area.
In the example in FIG. 1 it is assumed that one ISP (e.g. Eunet)
has as the preferred IAP of GSM network 17 IAP 14 (Eunet Finland),
and as the preferred IAP of GSM network 11 IAP 15 (Eunet Sweden).
According to the basic idea of the invention, a mobile station
roaming in the system detects the change of the IAP area on the
basis of system information broadcast by the serving base station
and updates IAP settings so as to be able to establish an Internet
call via the preferred IAP of the new IAP area. This procedure is
described in greater detail with reference to flow charts shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3, which illustrate operation of the MS in IAP roaming
according to the invention. System information may be any
information which is sent by the network and which can be used for
identifying a network or part of it, e.g. country code, operator
name, operator code, network name, network code and location area
identifier.
[0044] In the embodiment in FIG. 2, checking of the IAP area and a
possible updating of IAP settings are carried out only when the
user has initiated set-up of a new Internet call (Internet
transaction) in the manner defined for the terminal equipment MS.
Thus it is possible to avoid unnecessary updatings when the MS
roams, but does not use an Internet service. On the other hand,
when the first Internet call is set up in a new IAP area, delay may
occur. At first, it is assumed that the settings of the IAP used in
the previous Internet call as well as system information
identifying the used IAP area (mobile communication network or part
of the mobile communication network) are stored in the memory of
the MS. When the user initiates a new Internet transaction (step
21), the MS receives system information broadcast by the serving
base station on the control channel (step 22). The MS compares the
received system information with the stored system information of
the IAP area used in the previous call to check whether the IAP
area has changed (steps 23 and 24). If the IAP area has not
changed, the MS does not need to change IAP settings, but it sets
up an Internet call on the basis of old IAP settings via the old
IAP (step 25). If the change of the IAP area is noted in step 24,
the MS updates its IAP settings according to the new IAP area (step
26), as will be explained in greater detail below. New IAP settings
and system information on the new IAP area are stored in the MS
(step 26). After this the MS sets up an Internet call according to
new IAP settings via the new IAP (step 27).
[0045] In the embodiment in FIG. 3, the MS updates IAP settings
each time it notes that the IAP area changes. This embodiment
guarantees up-to-date IAP settings and fast set-up of an Internet
call. On the other hand, frequent updatings may load both the MS
and the network. At first, it is assumed that settings of the IAP
used in the previous Internet call or updated last as well as
system information identifying the used IAP area (mobile
communication network or part of it) are stored in the memory of
the MS. The MS continuously receives system information broadcast
by the serving base station (step 31). At appropriate points, e.g.
when changing the cell, location area or network, the MS compares
the received system information with the stored information to
check whether the IAP area has changed (steps 32 and 33). If the
IAP area has not changed, the MS does not need to alter IAP
settings. If the change of the IAP area is noted in step 33, the MS
updates its IAP settings according to the new IAP area (step 34),
as will be explained in greater detail below. New IAP settings and
system information on the new IAP area are stored in the MS (step
34).
[0046] The actual updating stages (26 and 34 in FIGS. 2 and 3) of
IAP settings can be realised in several alternative ways. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention, which will in the following
be described with reference to FIGS. 4-6, the MS retrieves new IAP
settings from an equipment, application, data base, server or the
like on the network side, generally referred to as a server herein.
A server is advantageously maintained by the ISP and located
outside the mobile communication network. In principle, retrieval
of IAP settings can be carried out by setting up a data call
directly to the server. In the preferred embodiment of the
invention the retrieval is, however, carried out by utilizing short
message service, such as the SMS or USSD of the GSM.
[0047] The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
standard GSM 03.40 describes the point-to-point (PP) short message
service (SMS) of the GSM system. The SMS of the GSM network offers
means for transferring short messages with limited length (160
ASCII characters) between mobile stations MS and a short message
service centre SC 10 which is outside the GSM network 11. Mobile
originated (MO) and mobile terminated (MT) short message
transmissions are defined as separate services. MO short messages
are transferred from the MS to the service centre SC. These short
messages may be destined for other mobile station users or for
subscribers on a fixed network. MT short messages are transferred
from the service centre SC to the MS. These short messages may have
arrived at the service centre SC from other mobile station users or
from other sources. The protocol employed between the SC and the MS
is called SM-TP (Short Message Transport Protocol).
[0048] The service centre SC is connected to the mobile
communication network via a certain MSC, called the SMS-GatewayMSC
when MT short messages are involved, and SMS-InterworkingMSC when
MO short messages are involved. The present application uses a
common name SMS-Gateway (SMS-GW). The SMS-GW relays short messages
between a MS arid the SC and performs the HLR (and VLR) inquiries
needed for an MT message in a call. The service centre SC is given
a dedicated ISDN number in the number space of the GSM network, and
the MS uses the ISDN number for addressing a short message to the
SC.
[0049] It should be noted that, as regards the invention, it is
insignificant how the short message service support has been
implemented in the mobile communication system. In the GSM system,
for example, the invention is applicable to existing networks
supporting short message service. An example of such a network is
the GSM network of Radiolinja Oy in Finland. The mobile station may
also be any kind of mobile station supporting short message
service. An example is the Nokia 2110 GSM and Communicator
9000.
[0050] Regarding the invention, it is not essential how the SC is
connected to the ISP server, via the Internet network or another
data network or with a direct link. In all cases the procedure can
be in accordance with that illustrated e.g. in FIG. 4.
[0051] When using the USSD service, the service centre 10 can be
implemented in a substantially similar way. In the case of the USSD
the SC, however, typically connects to the GSM network via the HLR,
as is illustrated by a broken line in FIG. 1. Furthermore, message
exchange between the HS and the SC is naturally carried out in the
manner defined for the USSD.
[0052] Referring to FIG. 4, the MS requests IAP settings by sending
a special "request Internet access point" message, RIAP or SMS (or
RIAP USSD) to the short message centre SC. In the preferred
embodiment of the invention the RIAP also contains system
information identifying the current IAP area of the MS. It is also
possible that the SC has information on the IAP area or deduces the
information itself. Then the SC requests IAP settings from the ISP
server according to the protocol required by the interface between
them or by the data network (IAP Request). This request may contain
system information which identifies the IAP area and by means of
which the ISP server selects the IAP settings suitable for the
location of the mobile station. These IAP settings are transmitted
to the SC in an IAP response. The SC forwards them to the MS in a
special "set Internet access point" message, SIAP SMS (or SIAP
USSD) to the mobile station. The MS updates the stored IAP settings
with the IAP settings it receives in the SIAP SMS. The format of
the SIAP SMS may be similar to the one supported by the Nokia
Communicator 9000.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment of the
invention the service centre SC is connected to the Internet
network 12 so that it can be used as a gateway between the GSM
network and the Internet network. The interface between the short
message service centre SC and the Internet network may be a direct
interface, or the SC may be in connection with a separate computer
equipment having access to the Internet network 12. Such a separate
equipment is illustrated by a CPU 19 in FIG. 1.
[0054] In this way the SC brings the information sources of the
Internet network 12 to the use of mobile subscribers via short
message service. Implementation of the SC and information retrieval
by means of short messages is described in greater detail in the
applicant's co-pending application F1963659, which is incorporated
herein by reference. In general, the SC uses HTTP and HTML
protocols towards the Internet network 12. The HTTP protocol again
uses TCP/IP interfaces. WWW server and customer programs usable in
a service centre computer (computers) SC in retrieving WWW pages
according to the HTP and HTML protocols from the Internet network
are commercially available for different operating systems (such as
Unix). The interface 41 between the GSM network and the service
centre SC may be similar to that in present short message service
centres.
[0055] In the preferred embodiment of the invention such an
Internet SC is utilized for retrieving IAP settings from the
Internet service provider's (ISP) server in the Internet network,
e.g. ISP server 13 in FIG. 1.
[0056] When requiring IAP settings from an Internet WWW page, the
MS sends a RIAP short message addressed (ISDN number) to the
service centre SC of the home network 17 (step 71, FIG. 7), and the
message contains an identifier for directly or indirectly
indicating said WWW page. Direct indication contains e.g. the WWW
page address, URL. Examples of URL addresses are
http://www.nokia.com and http://www.uspto.gov/. In an embodiment of
the invention, instead of an URL address, the user keys in a short
keyword in the short message indirectly indicating the desired WWW
page. This may be e.g. the name of the ISP, such as Eunet Finland.
The data base of the service centre SC comprises a table for
linking keywords and WWW page addresses. The RIAP SMS also includes
a system identifier identifying the current IAP area of the MS.
[0057] A RIAP short message is transferred to the service centre SC
as a normal MO short message, when the MS roams in another GSM
network, e.g. in the network 11 in Sweden, the RIAP SMS is
transferred to the home network 17, and via the SMS-GW to the
service centre SC. Having received the short message, the SC
retrieves on the basis of the keyword the URL address from the
table. Then the SC sends an IAP request corresponding to the URL
address to the ISP server, and the request contains a system
identifier identifying the current IAP area of the MS. The ISP
server 13 contains a list, which links IAP areas with preferred IAP
settings. When the ISP server 13 receives an IAP request (step 51,
FIG. 5), it searches for IAP settings corresponding best to the
location (IAP area) of, the MS on the basis of the received system
information (step 52). Then the ISP server 13 sends the selected
IAP settings to the SC in an IAP response (step 53). The SC
forwards the IAP settings to the MS in a SIAP short message. The MS
receives the SIAP short message (step 72, FIG. 7) and possibly
shows the new IAP settings to the user to obtain a confirmation
and/or to carrying out possible user-specific additions or changes
(step 73). Then the MS updates the IAP settings (step 74).
[0058] In the above embodiment IAP settings were selected by an ISP
server. One way of implementing said list and selection is to use
WWW pages having interrogation scripts, i.e. interrogation
expressions produced by means of a command language. In other
words, already the WWW server maintaining WWW pages filters
relevant IAP settings according to the received system information
(IAP area) from the list on a WWW page and sends them to the
service centre SC as a WWW page. The service centre has to know the
interrogation format of each WWW page (service).
[0059] In the second embodiment of the invention, IAP lists are
realised as WWW pages of the ISP server, but IAP settings are
selected by the SC. Having received the short message, the SC
retrieves the URL address from the table on the basis of the
keyword (steps 61-62, FIG. 6). Then the SC preferably checks if
said WWW page has been retrieved previously and stored in the data
base of the SC (step 63). If the data base does not include the
page, the SC retrieves the WWW page corresponding to the URL
address from the Internet network and stores it (step 64). The SC
separates or "filters" only IAP settings relevant with respect to
the current IAP area of the MS from the WWW page (step 65) and
sends them to the MS in a SIAP short message (step 66).
[0060] Principles disclosed in the application F1963659 can be
directly applied to both the embodiments described above.
[0061] One optional feature of the GSM system is short message
service cell broadcast, SMS-CB. It comprises broadcasting digital
information messages ("short messages") cyclically towards the MS
in a certain geographic area. According to the present GSM
recommendations, short message service cell broadcasts are not
encrypted or provided with an address, and hence any MS designed
for this service can receive and decode them. The recommendations
do not, however, define who produces these messages for the network
and how they are produced. A classical example of the use of cell
broadcast is road traffic information.
[0062] In the second embodiment of the invention, preferred cell
broadcast is used for updating IAP settings in steps 26 and 34
(FIGS. 2 and 3). The short message service centre or another
application is reserved for this purpose, e.g. in FIG. 1 the
service centre SC provides cell broadcast messages containing
preferred IAP settings of a certain IAP area. The format of short
message contents may be similar to that of the above-mentioned SIAP
message. Short messages are broadcast in every cell within said IAP
area. In other IAP areas different IAP settings are broadcast. All
mobile stations, which are within the IAP area and support the
SMS-CB, receive the short messages (step 81, FIG. 8) and may update
IAP settings, if necessary (step 83). The MS may also show new IAP
settings to the user and ask for confirmation (step 82). In the
preferred embodiment of the invention the MS allows updating of IAP
settings only when the IAP area changes. The mobile station could
update IAP settings each time it receives a short message service
cell broadcast, but this is not a very practical alternative. In
updating based on the SMS-CB a separate retrieval procedure of IAP
settings is avoided. On the other hand, the number of messages sent
is considerable, which loads both the network and mobile stations.
However, all networks and mobile stations probably do not support
the SMS-CB, which may limit the scope of IAP roaming according to
the invention.
[0063] In one embodiment of the invention, the subscriber may have
subscriber-specific additional settings defined in server 13. In
that case, the subscriber's MSISDN, on the basis of which the ISP
server can send back the IAP settings tailored for the subscriber,
can also be transferred to the server in a RIAP request.
[0064] The invention has been described above by means of preferred
embodiments. The invention is, however, not limited to the
solutions disclosed, but may be modified within the scope and
spirit of the appended claims.
* * * * *
References