HK1110456A - Voice channel control of wireless packet data communications - Google Patents

Abstract

A data session with a wireless device (114, 116) ordinarily cannot be initiated from the network side because the wireless device has no predetermined IP or other network address. Methods are disclosed for instead causing the wireless unit to initiate a data session with a target destination or polling application (130, 150, 208), thereby obviating the IP addressing problem. A voice call is first initiated by a requester or polling application (100) to a remote wireless unit (112). The requester transmits a request message to the remote wireless unit via the wireless voice channel (108) using in-band techniques; preferably including a payload in the polling message that identifies the target destination. In response, the remote wireless unit initiates a packet data session (120, 140) with the target destination (130, 150).

Description

Voice channel control for wireless packet data communications

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to data communications over a wireless communication network, and more particularly to using a voice channel to trigger a network-initiated data call (data session), such as an IP call.

Background

[0002] Data transmission services in the wireless domain are known and still unquestionably under development. Examples include SMS (short message service) and other SS7 control channel services. They can be used for e.g. text information. They do not affect the voice channel but provide very limited bandwidth so the amount of data transmitted is quite limited.

[0003] WAP (wireless application protocol) specifications and software provide some improved services. For example, they may be implemented to provide limited internet access to mobile units. (we use the term "mobile unit" herein to refer broadly to any device with wireless connectivity, including without limitation mobile phones, PDAs, laptops, palmtops, automobiles, etc.). However, WAP services require that the mobile unit itself be WAP enabled, and that the wireless carrier network be WAP enabled. Therefore, the wireless carrier must configure and maintain a WAP gateway at the edge of the network to provide WAP services. Some mobile units and some networks or geographic areas may not be WAP-enabled, so these services are not available for data communications.

[0004] One approach to wireless data transfer that does not require changes in the wireless network infrastructure is the use of "in-band" data transfer, although it requires special implementations at both endpoints of the call. As the name implies, the present technology uses carefully selected and timed audio tones to transmit data in the voice channel. (typically, wireless data transmission services do not use the voice channel at all.) in-band or voice channel data transmission can be accomplished with little or no interruption of the voice session. Details of in-band signaling are explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,144,336, 6,690,681, and 6,493,338, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Data communication within these types of voice channels has two main advantages: the wireless voice channel is reliable and the technology works transparently across networks and carriers, both nationwide and abroad. Data is simply passed transparently through the voice service because it "looks" like voice. However, in-band signaling only provides very low bandwidth up to about 400 bps. Which makes it almost useless for transmitting a significant amount of data.

[0005] Higher bandwidth wireless data services are rapidly becoming available worldwide. These services operate on dedicated data channels rather than voice channels. Although the newer specifications, so-called "3G" or third generation wireless technologies, have not been widely implemented, they agree on packet data rates as follows, according to the IMT-2000 standard:

● for fixed environment is 2Mbps

● Mbps for pedestrians (i.e., slow moving mobile units)

● for vehicle traffic at 144kbps

[0006] However, one problem with virtually all wireless data services is the difficulty in accessing those services in network "polling" type applications. Polling (or "pulling data") here refers to contacting the mobile unit to pull or retrieve digital data that is desired by the requester. ("requestor" is typically an application) preferably, an authorized requestor should be able to poll a remote mobile unit and fetch data without manual user intervention at the remote location. In other words, the polling process should be able to be fully automated, although for some applications it may be conveniently initiated by the user at the requester terminal.

[0007] For purposes of illustration, the wireless automated inventory control system may attempt to poll units, such as trucks or tanks, for their current location, fuel supply, operator Identification (ID), etc. Packet data connections, such as IP connections (which we call "network-originated") with mobile units cannot be established from the network side using the prior art because the mobile device does not have a predetermined IP address. Rather, an IP address is dynamically assigned to a mobile unit only when the IP address initiates a call to the IP network. Thus, the user application system cannot poll the remote mobile unit to establish a packet data transfer session using known techniques.

[0008] A system for IP addressing of GPRS mobile terminals has been proposed which purportedly will activate TCP/IP connections without telephone calls. The proposal recognises that there are not enough IP addresses available (under the current 1pv4 specification) to assign an address to each wireless terminal. The proposal requires a combination of public addresses (registered with a public routing table) and private addresses, not to be routed over the public internet. Rather, private (IP-like) addresses are only used within the GPRS operator's own network. This requires Network Address Translation (NAT) equipment and is often impractical. Even if implemented, such a solution does not solve the problem that the mobile (or wireless) terminal address is unknown and cannot be publicly discovered in a convenient way.

[0009] There remains a need for a convenient and efficient method of polling remote mobile units, i.e., requesting packet data sessions, to upload or download data over a wireless network without changing the wireless carrier infrastructure and in a manner that is compatible with existing packet data networks and protocols such as IP.

Disclosure of Invention

[0010] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a combination of in-band or voice channel signaling and packet data services is used to overcome the lack of a predetermined IP address for a mobile unit. A voice call is established between the requester and the remote mobile unit. Short polling messages are transmitted from a requester over a voice channel using in-band digital data transmission ("IBS"). The request message includes its payload data that identifies (directly or indirectly) the target source, such as a URL or IP address. The mobile unit responds by initiating a wireless packet data session with the indicated target source, which may be, for example, a server system.

[0011] A new method of using voice channel signaling to initiate a network-initiated data call would solve the existing problems associated with assigning IP addresses to mobile devices (simple IP and mobile IP assignment to IPv4 and IPv 6) and proceed in a timely and more efficient manner.

[0012] The cellular infrastructure currently in existence does not allow a Mobile device to pre-register its IP address with a cellular data network, but rather must assign an IP address to the Mobile device through the cellular data network when the Mobile device first initiates a request for a data call using a Simple IP protocol (Simple IP protocol), or when the Mobile device must begin an IP address discovery process using a Mobile IP protocol (Mobile IP protocol). In other cases, the cellular data network does not know the routing location of the mobile device's IP address until the mobile device first initiates a data call.

[0013] The core data network of any data-enabled cellular network can use this unique invention to initiate a data transfer call, which we call a network-initiated data call (NIDS) and is described as follows:

[0014] in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an in-band signaling method and apparatus is used that "pushes" requests to mobile units or "nodes". We call this a Mobile Terminated (MT) request. (the mobile device is, of course, capable of in-band signaling, meaning that it can send and receive digital data over the voice channel of a wireless network, per se.)

[0015] A receiving mobile unit (mobile node) detects and triggers the mobile device (or other system connected to the mobile device) to initiate a data call with the cellular network using an available data channel instead of a voice channel to transfer data to a designated (or default) target.

[0016] When the request is made by the mobile device, the network may initiate a data call between the mobile device and any network or internet entity at any time using the voice channel signaling, using the voice channel of the cellular network or any other radio frequency-derived audio channel on which the voice channel signaling functions. Due to the real-time speed and quality of service of in-band (voice channel) services, significant time savings and reliability advantages are obtained over any other method in which the network initiates a data call. These advantages are of paramount importance for public safety and security applications.

[0017] The present invention is also independent of any digital cellular technology and is not tied to voice, data or information services of any individual cellular carrier, which is also unique and advantageous in providing greater cellular coverage capacity when compared to existing approaches.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

[0019] FIG. 1 is a simplified high-level diagram illustrating the operation of a representative embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Fig. 2 is an information diagram showing the principle interaction between nodes included in an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

[0021] Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numbers represent like elements. For clarity, the first digit of a reference number indicates the figure number in which the corresponding element is first used.

[0022] In the following description, certain specific details are provided, such as programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth.

[0023] In some instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a simplified high-level diagram illustrating some embodiments of the inventive methodology. Referring to FIG. 1, a requestor application may be provided on a suitable computer 100. The user may initiate a request or poll the application system as required or preprogrammed for automatic operation at a predetermined time. The computer system 100 is connected to a telephone line, which may include a conventional telephone 102, and in any event is connected to the public switched telephone network, PSTN106, via 104. This connection may be, for example, an ordinary telephone landline as is commonly used for voice calls. It may also be part of a larger enterprise system that may include a PBX (not shown), or it may be a wireless telecommunications connection.

[0025] A wireless carrier network 108 is connected to the PSTN106 for handling wireless call traffic, the details of which are well known. The wireless network 108 includes a series of base stations that include antennas and wireless transceivers, commonly referred to as cell towers (cell towers) 110. For two-way wireless communication with various wireless mobile devices, such as a mobile phone 112 or a PDA 114, a transceiver is mounted atop a partitioned tower 100. The base station antenna need not be actually mounted on the tower. Especially in urban areas, they are more commonly fixed to buildings.

[0026] In accordance with the present invention, a requester or requester application executing on computer 100 initiates a voice telephone call directed to a remote mobile unit, such as mobile telephone 112, over a PSTN or wireless network. The connection from the requester application to the PSTN need not be hardwired, but may itself be a wireless telephone link. The requestor system 100 may also have access to the internet 122, typically through an ISP (internet service provider). The connection to the ISP may take any of various forms, such as using a cable or PSTN network, as is known.

[0027] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for polling a remote wireless unit is provided as follows: first, the supplicant system 100 initiates a voice call to a remote wireless station. This of course requires that the telephone number of the device is known. Other types of mobile devices, such as PDA 114 or even motor vehicle 116, may include a device configured to interact with a wireless network, as it would be a mobile phone, although it may not actually include a microphone or speaker. For example, the device may be configured to automatically answer a wireless call and provide control channel signaling to emulate answering the wireless call. Once a voice call is established between the requester 100 and the remote wireless unit 112, the requester system 100 transmits the digital request message to the remote wireless terminal over the wireless voice channel over which the voice call is established. In other words, the digital request messages are sent "in-band" using audio tones that are arranged so that they pass through an unobstructed voice channel.

[0028] The request information preferably includes a payload identifying the target source. In the remote wireless unit, e.g., 112, 114, means or software is implemented to respond to the digital request message by initiating a packet data session with the target source identified in the request message. By "packet data session," we mean a data transmission session that utilizes one or more data services provided by a wireless carrier, as distinguished from voice services.

[0029] The target source may be, but is not limited to, the requestor system 100 itself. In other words, the wireless terminal 112 may be instructed to initiate a packet data call back to the requester system. The call passes from the wireless network infrastructure through link 120 to the internet 122 and thence through the ISP124 to the requester 100. As noted, this process may be automated by implementing appropriate software at the requester 100 and wireless unit 112 to enable it to occur without user activity at either end of the packet data call.

[0030] The target source may be identified in the request message by a subscription identifier, such as a simple alphanumeric name or code. The wireless terminal software may perform a lookup in memory to determine the corresponding URL or IP address. Alternatively, the destination URL or IP address may be included in the request information itself.

[0031] The target source need not be the requesting system 100. In an alternative embodiment, it may be server 130, which is connected to the Internet through an ISP and configured to perform data collection using a standard packet data session protocol, such as the Internet protocol. The target may be a web server suitably configured to interact with the mobile unit.

[0032] In other embodiments, the request information payload may include various transmission parameters in addition to the identification of the target source. By way of example and not limitation, the transmission parameters may include a preferred packet data service, packet data rate, and/or priority parameters. These parameters can be recovered from the information payload by the wireless terminal software and it can initiate a responsive packet data session based on these parameters. For example, in the case of a relatively low priority parameter, the application software may select a data service or time of day to initiate a lower performance but lower cost packet data session.

[0033] Referring again to fig. 1, tanker truck 116 is merely illustrative of a wide variety of mobile assets, including but not limited to motor vehicle assets that can be incorporated into the present system, provided they are equipped with wireless units as explained above. Fig. 1 also shows a second wireless base station tower 136 that illustrates that the packet data session need not include the same base station or even the same wireless carrier, such as a carrier that carries the request information over a voice channel. The requested packet data session may occur through a second wireless network 138 that is also connected to the internet via 140. Further, the packet data session may be established with any target source, including but not limited to the requestor application 100 or a separate server 130.

[0034] In other embodiments of the present invention, an animate user or operator having access to the Internet may poll one or more remote wireless units at computer 150 to request data transmission. For example, a user, such as a 911 emergency call recipient, at, say, a public safety location, may access a network server (not shown) having a voice call telephone path, such as 104. By way of a suitably programmed web interface (e.g., using cgi scripts, etc.), the user at 150 can initiate a request message from a web server to a remote or mobile unit, in the form of a voice call, over the PSTN and wireless network described above. The request message may include an identification of the call recipient center at 150 as the target source for sending the request message via the packet data session.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to downloading data from a wireless terminal to a requestor. The requested packet data session may also be used to download information to the wireless terminal.

[0036] Fig. 2 is an information diagram further illustrating the primary features and characteristics of certain embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] Referring to fig. 2, a signaling or information flow diagram further illustrates a methodology in accordance with the present invention. Beginning at "time interval a" and the originating application 208 essentially places a voice call to the mobile telephony device 204. As noted above, the initiating application may be a software application configured on a computer or on a server, and it may or may not necessarily require a traditional telephone. It requires access to the wireless network either directly or through the PSTN. The telephone device in turn makes a voice call through the cellular network 202 and the cellular network 202 in turn makes a wireless call to the mobile unit 200. The mobile unit answers the call, thus establishing a voice channel "connection" back to the telephony device 204. Once the voice call is established, the originating application transmits the request information to the mobile device 200 in the voice channel, at "time interval B". Alternatively, the mobile device may reply with an acknowledgement in the voice channel.

[0038] Referring now to "point in time C," in response to the request message, the mobile terminal 200 initiates a data network connection that traverses the cellular network 202 and establishes a packet data session over the IP network 206. Here, a target or destination source is connected to the IP network 206. The IP network in turn responds to the mobile node 200 at "time point D" and then, as shown at "time point E", a packet data session is established between the mobile node 200 and the IP network or destination 206. "time point F" indicates that the IP source may not be the ultimate recipient of the data, but rather it may be configured to send the data to an ultimate destination address, which may be, but is not limited to, the originating application system 208.

[0039] The process used by the core data network, internet application system, or stand-alone device to initiate a data call using the aqLink begins by establishing a circuit switched voice channel connection to the mobile device. This may be done in any manner available to the originating application or device.

[0040] It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. A method of polling a remote wireless station, comprising the steps of:

initiating a voice call from the requester to the remote wireless unit;

transmitting digital polling information from the requester to the remote wireless unit over a wireless voice channel after the voice call is established between the requester and the remote wireless unit, the voice call being established over the wireless voice channel;

including a payload in the digital polling information that identifies a target source; and

initiating, in the remote wireless unit, a packet data session with the target source in response to the digital polling message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target source is a predetermined IP network location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target source is determined by a predetermined identifier carried in the payload.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target source is determined by a URL carried in the payload.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target source is determined by an IP address carried in the payload.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet data session comprises uploading data from the remote wireless unit over a wireless network packet data session.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the polling information payload further comprises at least one transmission parameter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission parameter is one of a data service, a data rate, and a priority parameter.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the polling information payload further comprises an identification of a type of data being transmitted in the packet data session.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the type of data transmitted is location data of the remote wireless station.

11. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a computer connected to a telecommunications network;

a polling requestor application executable on the computer to send polling information to a wireless remote unit over a voice channel of the telecommunications network;

a wireless remote unit having wireless telecommunication capability to receive voice calls;

said remote unit having means for recovering said polling information from said voice channel; and

the remote unit has means for initiating a data call in response to the resumed polling message.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein the polling requester application system transmits a payload in the polling information.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein the polling requester application identifies a target network source in the payload.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein the payload comprises indicia of at least one data call parameter.

15. A method of uploading data from a wireless unit, comprising the steps of:

receiving a voice call in the wireless unit over a wireless telecommunications network;

retrieving request information from the voice call, wherein the request information is encoded as audio tones transmitted in a voice channel of the received voice call; and

in response to the retrieved request message, a data session is initiated between the wireless unit and a target source to upload data using a digital wireless data service.

16. A method of uploading data from a wireless unit as recited in claim 15 further comprising downloading data to the wireless unit during the data session.

17. A method of uploading data from a wireless unit as recited in claim 15 wherein the data session is initiated with a predetermined network source in response to receiving the request message.

18. A method of uploading data from a wireless unit as recited in claim 17 wherein the network source is identified by a URL or IP address in the request message.

19. A method of uploading data from a wireless unit as recited in claim 15 wherein the request to recover information includes a network address of the target source.

20. A method of uploading data from a wireless unit as recited in claim 15 wherein the wireless unit comprises a mobile phone.