Wireless communications apparatus, methods and computer program products using broadcast channel messaging for application transport

A method of operating a wireless packet data communications system that repetitively transmits system information messages on a broadcast control channel, the method comprising:

• transmitting messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

A method of operating a GPRS wireless mobile packet data communications system, the method comprising:

• using payload messages multiplexed with Packet System Information (PSI) messages transmitted on a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) as transport layer messages for an application.

A method of operating a GPRS wireless mobile packet data communications system, the method comprising:

• transmitting one Extremely Low Repetition (ELR) Packet System Information (PSI) message on a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) per an integer multiple cycles of transmission of Low Repetition (LR) PSI messages, such that an ELR PSI message is transmitted following transmission of a final LR PSI message of a repeatedly transmitted sequence of LR PSI messages.

A method of operating a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) wireless terminal, the method comprising:

• receiving first, second and third classes of Packet System Information (PSI) messages on a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) at respective first, second and third repetition rates.

A method according to claim 39, further comprising error detection decoding the third class of PSI messages differently than the first and second classes of PSI messages.

A method of operating a wireless terminal in a wireless packet data communications system that repetitively transmits system information messages on a broadcast control channel, the method comprising:

• receiving messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

A base station of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system, the base station comprising:

• a transmitter operative to transmit first, second and third classes of Packet System Information (PSI) messages on a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) at respective first, second and third repetition rates.

A base station for a wireless packet data communications system, the base station comprising:

• a transmitter operative to repetitively transmit system information messages on a broadcast control channel and to transmit messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

A General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) wireless terminal, comprising:

• a receiver operative to receive first, second and third classes of Packet System Information (PSI) messages transmitted on a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) at respective first, second and third repetition rates.

A wireless terminal for use in a wireless packet data communications system that repetitively transmits system information messages on a broadcast control channel, the method comprising:

• a receiver operative to receive messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for creating Packet System Information (PSI) messages;
• and
• means for causing periodic transmission of a sequence of Packet System Information (PSI) messages of a first class on a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) wireless mobile data communications system, for causing transmission of successive portions of a sequence of PSI messages of a second class on the PBCCH in successive intervals between transmissions of the sequence of PSI messages of the first class, and for causing transmission of a PSI message of a third class on the PBCCH once per an integer multiple of transmissions of the sequence of PSI messages of the second class.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for creating system information messages and causing the system information messages to be repetitively transmitted on a broadcast control channel of a wireless packet data communications system;
• and
• means for creating messages that contain embedded information from application layer messages and causing the messages that contain embedded information from application layer messages to be transmitted on the broadcast control channel at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for receiving system information messages transmitted on a broadcast control channel of a wireless packet data communications system;
• and
• means for receiving messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages and that are transmitted at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code embodied in a computer-readable program storage medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

• program code for causing repetitive transmission of system information messages on a broadcast control channel of a wireless packet data communications system;
• and
• program code for causing transmission of messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code embodied in a computer-readable program storage medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

• program code for receiving system information messages repetitively transmitted on a broadcast control channel of a wireless packet data communications system;
• and
• program code for receiving messages on the broadcast control channel that contain embedded information from application layer messages and that are transmitted at a lower repetition rate than that at which the system information messages are transmitted on the broadcast control channel.

A method of operating a GPRS wireless mobile packet data communications system, the method comprising:

• using messages communicated on a logical channel multiplexed on a physical channel with a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH) as transport layer messages for an application.

A base station of a GPRS wireless mobile packet data communications system, the base station comprising:

• a transmitter operative to transmit transport layer messages for an application on a logical channel multiplexed on a physical channel with a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH).

A method of operating a GPRS terminal, the method comprising:

• receiving transport layer messages for an application on a logical channel multiplexed on a physical channel with a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH).

A GPRS terminal, comprising:

• a receiver operative to receive transport layer messages for an application on a logical channel multiplexed on a physical channel with a Packet Broadcast Control Channel (PBCCH).