System and method for providing operator-differentiated messaging to a wireless user equipment (UE) device
AssigneeResearch In Motion Limited
InventorsAdrian Buckley, George Baldwin Bumiller, Paul Carpenter
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for providing operator-differentiated messaging to a user equipment (UE) device that is operable in wide area cellular network (WACN) bands as well as in wireless access network bands (e.g., GAN bands and/or UMA bands). A network node (e.g., a GAN controller (GANC) or UMA network controller (UNC)) is equipped with logic for resolving service requirements as well as network information gathered by the UE device. Based thereon, a response message is transmitted to the UE device, the response message including supplementary fields for carrying operator-differentiated information in free-form text.
Claims26
A network messaging method for a user equipment (UE) device, the method comprising:
- gathering network information by the UE;
- performing a registration procedure with a default generic access network controller (GANC) associated with a first cellular public land mobile network (PLMN) and connected to the first cellular PLMN via at least one of a first A interface and a first Gb interface, the registration procedure comprising sending a register request message including the network information and a request for a plurality of PLMN services provided through a GANC, wherein the register request message is sent towards the default GANC via a Up interface;
- and
- receiving a response message from the default GANC via the Up interface, the response message including one or more fields that contain operator-differentiated textual information relating to one or more cellular PLMNs operable with the UE device, wherein the operator-differentiated textual information comprises calling plan pricing information and the response message comprises one of a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message, and further wherein the first cellular PLMN is a visited PLMN with respect to the UE device.
A user equipment (UE) device, comprising:
- a processor configured to control at least one of a plurality of sub-systems to gather network information;
- the processor further configured to control at least one of the plurality of sub-systems to send a register request message, via a Up interface, to a default generic access network controller (GANC) associated with a first cellular public land mobile network (PLMN) and connected to the first cellular PLMN via at least one of a first A interface and a first Gb interface, the register request message including the network information and a request for a plurality of PLMN services provided through a GANC;
- and
- the processor still further configured to control at least one of the plurality of sub-systems to process a response message received from the default GANC via the Up interface, the response message including one or more fields that contain operator-differentiated textual information relating to one or more cellular PLMNs operable with the UE device, wherein the operator-differentiated textual information comprises calling plan pricing information and the response message comprises one of a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message, and further wherein the first cellular PLMN is a visited PLMN with respect to the UE device.
A generic area network controller (GANC) associated with a cellular public land mobile network (PLMN) and connected to the cellular PLMN via at least one of an A interface and a Gb interface, the GANC comprising:
- a component configured to process a register request message received from a user equipment (UE) device via a Up interface, the register request message including network information gathered by the UE device and a request for a plurality of PLMN services;
- and
- a component configured to transmit a response message to the UE device via the Up interface, the response message including one or more fields that contain operator-differentiated textual information relating to one or more cellular PLMNs operable with the UE device, wherein the operator-differentiated textual information comprises calling plan pricing information and the response message comprises one of a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message and an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message, and further wherein the cellular PLMN is a visited PLMN with respect to the UE device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.