CN1985530B - Wireless communication method and system for establishing multimedia information service on WLAN - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless communication system for supporting multimedia services (MMS) provided to a user of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) in communication with the wireless communication system. The wireless communication system includes a third generation partnership project (3GPP) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and an MMS server. The MMS server stores at least one MMS message for the WTRU in a memory until the WTRU retrieves the message. The 3GPP UMTS includes an Internet protocol short message gateway (IP-SM-GW) having a Short Message Service (SMS) proxy. The WTRU registers with the SMS proxy to establish an SMS connection and also registers with the MMS server to establish an MMS connection. When the MMS server receives an MMS message from the WTRU, the WTRU is notified and the WTRU then retrieves the MMS message from the MMS server's memory.

Description

Wireless communication method and system for establishing multimedia information service on WLAN

technical field

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system comprising at least one Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit (WTRU), a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a Multimedia Messaging (MMS) server and a wireless local area network (WLAN). The invention is particularly concerned with enabling the WTRU to register with 3GPP UMTS and the MMS server so that the WTRU can receive MMS messages from the MMS server over the WLAN.

Background technique

The implementation of WLANs in wireless communication systems has dramatically expanded to replace wired computer networks. With WLANs, end users can have the benefit of flexibility and freedom of movement. In addition to providing faster bit rates and being cheaper because WLANs operate on unlicensed bandwidth, current WLAN architectures lack the ability and mechanisms to call WTRUs to ensure that they can be network-based The service delivery exists.

Existing 3GPP UMTS systems provide WTRU users access to network-based services, such as MMS, which is a storage and forwarding method for transmitting images, videos, audio files, and short messages (eg, email) over wireless networks. There is therefore a need to implement a wireless communication system that provides 3GPP based services using a WLAN interconnected with a 3GPP.

Contents of the invention

The present invention is implemented in a wireless communication system to support MMS over 3GPP UMTS interconnected with WLAN. The 3GPP UMTS includes a Short Message Service-Service Center (SMS-SC); an SMS-Gateway Mobile Switching Center (SMS-GMSC)/SMS-Interconnected Mobile Switching Center (MSC) (SMS-IWMSC); a Home Location Register device (HLR)/home subscriber service (HSS); an authentication, authorization, account number (AAA) server; an IP short message communication gateway (IP-SM-GW), which has an SMS agent and accesses an IP address database; and a Packet Data Gateway (PDG). The 3GPP UMTS and WLAN access an MMS server via the Internet.

A WTRU establishes an SMS tunnel connection between the 3GPP UMTS and the WLAN via the IP-SM-GW and the Packet Data Gateway (PDG). The SMS tunnel connection is established to support MMS on the WLAN. The WTRU registers with the SMS proxy within the IP-SM-GW to establish SMS connections. The WTRU also registers with the MMS server and provides its Mobile Station International ISDN Number (MSISDN) (ie, phone number). When the MMS server receives the MMS message, the MMS server sends an SMS message to the WTRU via the WLAN using its MSISDN. The MMS server stores the MMS message in a memory until the WTRU retrieves the MMS message. The SMS message notifies the WTRU user that an MMS message has been received, the WTRU user accesses an associated MMS account and retrieves the MMS message.

Description of drawings

The present invention can be understood in more detail through the following description of a preferred embodiment, the examples given, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a wireless communication system according to the present invention, which includes a 3GPP UMTS interconnected with a WLAN;

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the wireless communication system of FIG. 1;

Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of establishing MMS over a WLAN by providing a WTRU user telephone number when registering with an MMS server, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of establishing MMS over a WLAN by providing a WTRU user's IP address when registering with an MMS server, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, the term "WTRU" includes, but is not limited to, a user equipment (UE), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, or any form of device operable in a wireless environment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is implemented in a wireless communication system 100 for supporting MMS. The wireless communication system 100 comprises a 3GPP UMTS 105, a WLAN 110 and at least one WTRU 115 which establishes an MMS connection on the Internet 120 by registering with an MMS server 125 according to the present invention. The MMS server 125 includes a memory 130 for storing MMS messages accessible to the WTRU 115.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wireless communication system 200 that supports MMS in accordance with the present invention. The system 200 comprises a 3GPP UMTS 105 comprising an SMS-SC 210 which provides multimedia services via the Internet 120, an SMS-GMSC/SMS-IWMSC 215, an HLR/HSS 220, an AAA server 225, an IP-SM- GW 230, which has an SMS proxy platform 232 and accesses an IP address database 235, and a PDG 240.

The SMS-GMSC/SMS-IWMSC 215 has two functions: an SMS-GMSC function and an SMS-IWMSC function. The SMS-GMSC function receives a text message and queries the HLR/HSS 220 to route the message, the SMS-IWMSC function forwards the text message received from the WTRU 115 to the SMS-SC 210 and the MMS server via the Internet 120 125.

The WLAN 110 provides MMS to at least one WTRU 115, the HLR/HSS 220 communicates with the AAA server 225, which stores information about which WTRUs have access to the WLAN 110, the services WTRUs 115 are allowed to use, and account records for each WTRU 115 information. Further details of HLR/HSS/AAA operation can be found in Co-Application No. 11/112,503, filed April 22, 2005, entitled "Reporting Terminal Capability to Support Short Message Service," which is incorporated herein by reference. refer to.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for establishing an MMS procedure on a WLAN 110 by providing a WTRU 115 phone number when registering with the MMS server 125, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In step 305, an SMS tunnel connection is established through the WTRU 115, the WLAN 110, and the PDG 240. In step 310, the record of the HLR 220 is updated that the HLR 220 has accessed the information needed to locate the WTRU 115 and how to route incoming MMS services. When the WTRU 115 is registered to receive its SMS and MMS services via the WLAN 110, the HLR/HSS 220 replies the address of the IP-SW-GW to the SMS-GMSC/SMS-IWMSC 215, which is correspondingly received from the SMS- GMSC/SMS-IWMSC 215 queries about the location of the WTRU 115 described by the MSISDN contained in an SMS message sent from the MMS server 125 to the SMS-SC 210 via the Internet 120.

In step 315, the WTRU 115 is registered with the SMS proxy 232 to establish an SMS connection. In step 320, the WTRU is registered with the MMS server 125 to establish an MMS connection, and the user of the WTRU 115 may provide the MMS server 125 with the phone number (ie, MSISDN) of the WTRU 115. When a new MMS message arrives at the MMS server 125, the MMS server 125 sends an SMS message to the WTRU 115 to notify the user of the WTRU 115 that there is an MMS message waiting to be retrieved at the MMS server 125 (steps 325 and 340 ). The SMS is routed by the HLR/HHS 220 and/or the AAA server 225 retrieving the routing information (i.e., PDG/SMS server address IP address for the WTRU 115)) (steps 330, 335) . In step 345, the WTRU 115 retrieves the MMS message from the memory 130 of the MMS server 125.

4 is a flow diagram of a method for establishing an MMS procedure on a WLAN 110 by providing a WTRU's user IP address when registering with the MMS server 125, according to another embodiment of the present invention. In step 405, an MMS tunnel connection is established between the WTRU 115 and the WLAN 110. In step 410, the record of the HLR 220 is updated in a similar manner to step 315. In step 415, the WTRU 115 registers with the MMS server 125 using the IP address for the WTRU 115. In step 420, a new MMS service is established and the user of the WTRU 115 is notified that there is an MMS message waiting to be retrieved at the MMS server 125 (step 420). In step 425, the WTRU 115 retrieves the MMS message from the memory 130 of the MMS server 125.

If the WTRU 115 remains idle for an extended period of time, the connection established between the WTRU 115 and the WLAN may be terminated.

The WTRu 115 periodically registers with the SMS server 232 and/or the MMS server 125 to maintain the connection established between the WTRU 115 and the WLAN.

The user of the WTRU 115 may initiate a service termination request to terminate any pending activities on the WLAN 110.

Although the features and components of the present invention are described in specific combinations in the embodiments, each feature or component in the embodiments can be used alone without being combined with other features or components of the preferred embodiment, or with other features or components of the preferred embodiment. / in different combinations with other features and components of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. One kind in wireless communication system in order to support the method for Multimedia Message service (MMS); Said Multimedia Message service offers the user with the wireless transmission/receive unit (WTRU) of said wireless communication system communicating; This wireless communication system comprises the global mobile communication system of third generation gpp (3GPP) (UMTS), Multimedia Message service (MMS) server and WLAN (WLAN); This third generation gpp whole world mobile communication system comprises (SMS) agency's that has short message service internet communication protocol news in brief communication gate (IP-SM-GW), and this method comprises:

   Said wireless transmission/receive unit connects to set up short message service to said short message service agency of trademark registration via said WLAN;

   Said wireless transmission/receive unit connects to set up the Multimedia Message service to said Multimedia Message service server registration via said WLAN;

   When said Multimedia Message service server received the multimedia service message of said wireless transmission/receive unit, said wireless transmission/receive unit was via said WLAN reception notification;

   Said wireless transmission/receive unit captures said multimedia service message via said WLAN from said Multimedia Message service server; And

   Said wireless transmission/receive unit is set up the Multimedia Message service channel via said WLAN and is connected.
2. 2. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that comprising to the step of said short message service agency of trademark registration:

   Between said wireless transmission/receive unit and said WLAN, setting up the short message service passage connects.
3. 3. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that comprising to the step of said Multimedia Message service server registration:

   Provide subscriber directory number about said wireless transmission/receive unit to said Multimedia Message service server.
4. 4. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that according to notice said:

   There is the multimedia service Messages-Waiting from said Multimedia Message service server, to be captured.
5. 5. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that comprising to the step of said Multimedia Message service server registration:

   Provide internet communication protocol (IP) address to give said Multimedia Message service server via the Internet about said wireless transmission/receive unit.

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