Wireless communication system that supports multiple standards, multiple protocol revisions, multiple extended services and multiple extended services delivery options and method of operation therefor
View Patent ↗A wireless communication system facilitates communication with subscribing units within a respective service area and supports at least one communication protocol revision. The system communicates with a subscribing unit operating within a respective service area to determine the communication protocol revisions supported by the subscribing unit. Subsequently, the subscribing unit and base station communicate according to a supported communication protocol revision. The base station and subscribing unit may further communicate to indicate extended services supported by the subscribing unit and the methods of delivering the extended services to the subscribing unit. The extended services may include caller line ID, message waiting indications and short message services among other extended services. In addition to a base station, the wireless communication system may include a mobile switching center that is in communication with the base station. The mobile switching center may include a visitor location register that records communication protocol revisions supported by the subscribing unit. In such construction, the visitor location register may also include records that indicate which extended services are supported by the subscribing unit as well as the protocols supported by the subscribing unit for delivery of the extended services. The base station may include a protocol capability indication unit while the subscribing unit may include an identification unit that, together, facilitate determining correct operation. A method of operation allows the base station and subscribing unit to communicate and operate according to common protocol revisions and to correctly deliver extended services to the subscribing unit.
1. A method for operating a wireless communication system that supports an analog air interface, the method comprising:
broadcasting, by a base station of the wireless communication system, at least one parameter intended to preclude a mobile station from unilaterally reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station;
querying the mobile station, by the base station, on an analog channel to report its protocol capabilities to the base station;
receiving, by the base station via an analog channel, a protocol capability report from the mobile station, wherein the protocol capability report indicates at least one extended service and at least one extended services delivery option supported by the mobile station;
identifying an extended service and an extended service delivery option that are commonly supported by the wireless communication system and the mobile station; and
servicing, by the base station via an analog channel, the extended service to the mobile station using the extended service delivery option.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein broadcasting, by a base station of the wireless communication system, at least one parameter intended to preclude a mobile station from unilaterally reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station comprises broadcasting instructions intended to preclude non-roaming mobile stations from unilaterally reporting their protocol capabilities to the base station.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein broadcasting, by a base station of the wireless communication system, at least one parameter intended to preclude a mobile station from unilaterally reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station comprises broadcasting instructions intended to preclude roaming mobile stations from unilaterally reporting their protocol capabilities to the base station.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein broadcasting, by a base station of the wireless communication system, at least one parameter intended to preclude a mobile station from unilaterally reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station comprises:
broadcasting first parameters that direct non-roaming mobile stations whether to unilaterally report their protocol capabilities to the base station; and
broadcasting second parameters that direct roaming mobile stations whether to unilaterally report their protocol capabilities to the base station.
5. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the base station queries the mobile station to report its protocol capabilities via an analog control channel; and
wherein the mobile station camps on the analog control channel for a period of time to await delivery of an extended service after reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the period of time is comparable to a period of time the mobile station would camp on the analog control channel after responding to a page from the base station.
7. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the base station queries the mobile station to report its protocol capabilities via a traffic channel; and
wherein the base station temporarily interrupts an ongoing call on the traffic channel to transmit the query to the mobile station.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising, prior to querying the mobile station, the base station taking over servicing of the ongoing call from another base station of a differing wireless communication system in a handover operation.
9. A wireless communication system that supports an analog air interface, the wireless communication system comprising:
a switch;
a base station communicatively coupled to the switch and operable to broadcast at least one parameter that is intended to preclude a mobile station from unilaterally reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station;
the base station further operable to query the mobile station on an analog channel to report its protocol capabilities;
the base station further operable to receive, via an analog channel, a protocol capability report from the mobile station, wherein the protocol capability report indicates at least one extended service and at least one extended services delivery option supported by the mobile station;
the wireless communication system operable to identify an extended service and an extended service delivery option that are commonly supported by the wireless communication system and the mobile station; and
the base station further operable to service, via an analog channel, the extended service to the mobile station using the extended service delivery option.
10. The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one parameter is intended to preclude non-roaming mobile stations from unilaterally reporting their protocol capabilities to the base station.
11. The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one parameter is intended to preclude roaming mobile stations from unilaterally reporting their protocol capabilities to the base station.
12. The wireless communication system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises:
a first parameter intended to direct non-roaming mobile stations whether to unilaterally report their protocol capabilities to the base station; and
a second parameter intended to direct roaming mobile stations whether to unilaterally report their protocol capabilities to the base station.
13. The wireless communication system of claim 9 :
wherein the base station is operable to query the mobile station to report its protocol capabilities via an analog control channel; and
wherein the mobile station is operable to camp on the analog control channel to await delivery of an extended service after reporting its protocol capabilities to the base station for a period of time.
14. The wireless communication system of claim 13 , wherein the period of time is comparable to a period of time the mobile station would camp on the analog control channel after responding to a page from the base station.
15. The wireless communication system of claim 9 :
wherein the base station is operable to query the mobile station to report its protocol capabilities via a traffic channel; and
wherein the base station is operable to temporarily interrupt an ongoing call on the traffic channel to transmit the query to the mobile station.