Transmission frame and radio unit for transmitting short messages with different data format

A transmission frame and a telecommunications device (60, 65, 70) having a transmission frame (1) are proposed, which are used to transmit short messages (5) in a telecommunications network (10), in particular in a radiotelecommunications network. By means of the transmission frame (1), especially flexible transmission of short messages (5) in the telecommunications network (10) is possible. At least two data fields (15, 20, 25, 30) are provided. Data of a short message (5) are stored in memory in the data fields (15, 20, 25, 30). Data in a first data format are stored in a first data field (15), and data in a second data format, different from the first data format, are stored in a second data field (20).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on a transmission frame and a telecommunication device having the transmission frame.

Short message services for transmitting short messages are already known. The short message services serve to send a short message to a subscriber of a telecommunications network without requiring that a telecommunications connection to the subscriber be made beforehand. This is of particular interest in mobile radio systems, since subscribers in such systems are often unreachable. Incoming short messages are stored in memory by a network operator of the telecommunications network and forwarded to the intended subscriber at a later time. The subscriber is informed of the arrival of a short message intended for him so that he can download the short message from the network operator.

One example of a short message service is the Short Message Service (SMS) using the GSM Standard (Global System for Mobile Communications). This short message service predetermines a transmission frame for transmitting a short message of up to 160 7-bit ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) text characters.

Transmitting longer texts is possible with the aid of chained short messages. With the aid of this short message service, it is possible to produce and read the short messages even using simple mobile radio terminals. Since by the GSM Standard provision is made only for text transmission for the short messages, if binary data, such as audio data, image data or the like, are to be transmitted, they would have to be converted into the text format and converted back again into the binary format after being received.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The transmission frame of the invention and the telecommunications device of the invention have the advantage over the prior art that at least two data fields are provided; that data of a short message are stored in memory in the data fields; and that data in a first data format are stored in a first data field, and data in a second data format, different from the first data format, are stored in a second data field. In this way, a short message that includes different types of data can be transmitted in a single transmission frame. Thus different media, such as text data, audio data and image data, can be integrated into a single short message in a simple way, making it possible to form a multimedia short message.

A further advantage is that the transmission frame is not limited in its length; instead, arbitrary data fields can be transmitted, lined up with one another, in the transmission frame.

Another advantage is that by lining up the data fields, a simple separation or downloading of the data of a single data field or medium having text, audio, or image data is made possible. Since thus only the actually required part of the short message has to be downloaded by the network operator of the telecommunications network, an economy of transmission capacity can be achieved.

By the provisions recited in the dependent claims, advantageous refinements of and improvements to the transmission frame defined by independent claim1are possible.

It is especially advantageous that a first ID code, which identifies the makeup and/or the content of the short message, is provided in the first data field. In this way, a subscriber to whom the short message is addressed can be informed especially easily of the makeup and/or content of the short message if the network operator of the telecommunications network transmits merely the first data field to the intended subscriber. Based on this information, the intended subscriber can then decide which parts of the data fields of the short message he would like to download from the network operator of the telecommunications network.

Another advantage is that the first data field is limited in its size to a predetermined value. Thus even a subscriber with limited storage capacity for receiving short messages can be informed of the makeup and/or content of the entire short message by transmission of the first data field.

Another advantage is that the total length of the short message is not limited.

It is also advantageous that in each of at least two data fields, one data-field-specific ID code, which identifies the makeup and/or content of the corresponding data field, is provided per data field. In this way, a notice about the makeup and/or content of the entire short message can also be generated by combining all the data-field-specific ID codes and sending them to the intended subscriber, so that the first data field, above all in the case of a size limitation, will not be overfilled with ID code data.

By means of the data-field-specific ID code, the intended subscriber on downloading the associated data field from the network operator can be informed still more precisely about this data field and can thus better adapt a playback of the data transmitted with the data field to his own playback capabilities.

It is especially advantageous that the data stored in the first data field are present in a data format that is readable by all the subscribers of the telecommunications network. In this way, short messages can be sent at least in part to all the subscribers of the telecommunications network. Furthermore, all the subscribers can at least be informed of the short messages on hand in the network operator, even if they are unable to read certain data fields of the short message intended for them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

InFIG. 1,60designates a first subscriber and65a second subscriber of a telecommunications network10, which is embodied in particular as a radiotelecommunications network, for example as a mobile radio network. The first subscriber60and the second subscriber65are each embodied as a telecommunications device, in particular as a radio unit, for example as a mobile radio device, service radio device, as a radio handset, or the like. InFIG. 1, a network operator70of the telecommunications network10is also shown; it can also be embodied as a telecommunications device, and in particular as a radio unit.

In the second subscriber65, a short message5for the first subscriber60is prepared and is broadcast, suitably addressed, to the network operator70via the telecommunications network10. The network operator70stores the short message5in memory and sends a message to the first subscriber60informing the subscriber about the presence of a short message5addressed to it. This message can be sent to the first subscriber60for example once the network operator70ascertains an activation of the first subscriber60. If after receiving the aforementioned message the first subscriber60asks the network operator70to transmit the short message5, then the network operator70first sends a notice to the first subscriber60that informs the first subscriber60of the makeup and/or content of the short message5. The first subscriber60can then download the short message5either partially or entirely from the network operator70, so that the short message5is transmitted partially or completely by the network operator70to the first subscriber60.

InFIG. 2, the makeup of a short message5of this kind is shown. The short message5is transmitted in a transmission frame1from the second subscriber65to the network operator70. The transmission frame1includes a first data field15, a second data field20, and optionally a third data field25and a fourth data field30. The first data field15includes a first ID code35, which identifies the makeup of the short message5. In addition, a second ID code40, which identifies the content of the short message5, can be provided in the first data field15. The first ID code35and the second ID code40can also be combined into a single ID code that identifies the makeup and/or content of the short message5. Also stored in the first data field15are data in a first data format. In the second data field20, data in a second data format, different from the first data format, are stored. Data whose data format can differ from the data format of the first data field15or the second data field20, but need not necessarily do so, are also stored in the optionally present further data fields25,30.

If more than two data fields are provided in the transmission frame1, then data in different formats are stored at least in two of the data fields, but the position of these data fields in the transmission frame1does not matter.

Dashed lines inFIG. 2indicate that the first data field15can additionally include a first data-field-specific ID code45, which identifies the makeup and/or content of the first data field15. Correspondingly, the second data field20can include a second data-field-specific ID code50, which identifies the makeup and/or content of the second data field20. The third data field25can correspondingly include a third data-field-specific ID code55, which identifies the makeup and/or content of the third data field25, and the fourth data field30can include a fourth data-field-specific ID code75, which identifies the makeup and/or content of the fourth data field30.

The first ID code35can include indications about the number of data fields15,20,25,30in the short message5. In addition or as an alternative, the first ID code35can include data about the data formats of the data stored in the data fields15,20,25,30. In addition or alternatively, indications about the size of the data fields15,20,25,30can be included in the first ID code35. In that case, the second ID code40can include indications about the type of data stored in the data fields15,20,25,30. For instance, the second ID code40can include indications as to whether audio data or image data are stored in a data field.

It can now be provided that the network operator70, upon the request of the first subscriber60, will forward the first data field with the first ID code35and the second ID code40to the first subscriber60, so that on the basis of the information, transmitted in the first ID code35and the second ID code40, about the makeup and/or content of the short message5, the first subscriber60can check which data fields of the short message5it is capable, on the basis of20, its functionality, of downloading and/or playing back from the network operator70. Also in the first subscriber60, a decision can be made as to which of the readable data fields of the short message5are to be downloaded at all from the network operator70, if not all the readable data fields of the short message5are of interest to the first subscriber60, for the sake of economy of transmission capacity. If by the request of the first subscriber60the entire first data field15with the first ID code35and the second ID code40is to be transmitted to the first subscriber60, then it should as much as possible be assured that the data stored in the first data field15are in a data format that is readable by all the subscribers of the telecommunications network10. This is true particularly whenever the data stored in the first data field15, together with the data in the first ID code35and in the second ID code40, are in a text format; the SMS (Short Message Service) format by the GSM Standard (Global System for Mobile Communications), for instance, is attractive, since it is readable, in a telecommunications network embodied by the requirements of the GSM system, by the subscribers or mobile radio devices of this subscriber that are embodied by the GSM Standard. Then the first data field15can correspond to the data field already prescribed for the SMS by the GSM Standard and can be limited in its size to the 160 7-bit ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) text characters. The other data fields20,25,30need not be limited in their size.

A further data format for the first data field15, which is likewise readable, as an alternative to the text format, by all the subscribers of the telecommunications network10, is the binary encoding of references to entries in tables of the kind that contain known data formats and are known to all the subscribers of the telecommunications20, network10.

At least some of the data stored in the first data field15, such as the data of the first ID code35and/or the data of the second ID code40, in that case comprise binary-encoded values that represent the indices of the table entries. In the tables, known data types and/or data formats, such as audio and/or video formats, are assigned to these indices.

The data-field-specific ID codes45,50,55,75can also include indications about the data formats in the respective associated data field15,20,25,30and/or about the size of the respective associated data field15,20,25,30and/or about the type of data in the respective data field15,20,25,30. If it is agreed that the data in the first data field15are in the GSM-SMS text format, and this data field is limited for instance to 160 7-bit ASCII text characters, then the first data-field-specific ID code45can also be omitted. It can be provided that only data in a single data format are stored in each data field15,20,25,30. However, it can also be provided that in at least one of the data fields, data in a plurality of data formats are stored, in particular in the second data field20and/or optionally in one or more further data fields25,30. Naturally, it can also be provided that the short message5includes more than the four data fields shown in FIG.2.

It can also be provided that the notice from the network operator70to the first subscriber60, in response to the request by the subscriber to the network operator70, about the makeup and/or content of the short message5is prepared by evaluation of the data-field-specific ID codes45,50,55,75and is then sent to the first subscriber60,20so that in this case, the first ID code35and the second ID code40are not needed, and the first data field15does not have to be sent to the first subscriber60, either. The notice, generated in this way, about the makeup and/or content of the short message5can, however, also be sent to the first subscriber60in a data format that is readable by all the subscribers of the telecommunications network10; for that purpose, once again, the GSM-SMS text format, using a data field with1607-bit ASCII text characters, can for instance be provided in particular.

A concrete example of a transmission frame1for a short message5will now be described in conjunction with FIG.3. The short message5is embodied as a multimedia short message. InFIG. 3, identical reference numerals identify the same elements as in FIG.2. According toFIG. 3, the first data field15, second data field20and third data field25are provided in the transmission frame1. No data-field-specific ID codes are provided in the individual data fields15,20,25. The first data field15includes text data in the ASCII text format; the second data field20includes audio data, for instance in the WAV (Wave) format; and the third data field25includes image data, for instance in the GIF format (Graphic Interchange Format). The first data field15with the text data is text-formatted in accordance with the GSM-SMS. A dashed line between the first ID code35and the second ID code40inFIG. 3indicates that the first ID code35and the second ID code40can be combined into one common ID code. This kind of common ID code35,40indicates both the number of data fields15,20,25and the content and size of the second data field20and third data field25. Hence the common ID code35,40can look like this:“Multipart/2/Audio/7654/Image/12345”.

This common ID code35,40states that what is involved is a short message from a plurality of data fields, as indicated by the code word “Multipart”. The numeral “2” indicates that besides the first data field15, which is always present, having the text data and a length of 160 7-bit ASCII text characters, there are also two further data fields20,25in the transmission frame1of the short message5. “Audio” is named as the first data type in the common ID code35,40; thus the common ID code35,40tells that the data stored in the second data field20are audio data. The second data type is named “Image” in the common ID code35,40; thus the common ID code35,40tells that the data stored in the third data field25are image data.

Following the data type in the common ID code35,40is the size of the associated data field20,25in each case, so that the common ID code35,40tells both the length of an audio file having the audio data, transmitted in the second data field20, which is 7654 bytes, and the length of an image file with the image data, transmitted in the third data field25, which is 12345 bytes. For the first data field15, no indications are required in the common ID code35,40, since in the example described, it always includes text data, which are compatible with the GSM-SMS text format and which are limited in number to 160 7-bit ASCII text characters. Provision can additionally be made so that the common ID code35,40also indicates the data format for the data in the second data field20and in the third data field25. For the audio data in the second data field20, the WAV format could then be indicated as a data format in the common ID code35,40. For the image data in the third data field25, the GIF format could be indicated as the data format in the common ID code35,40. However, it is also possible that the indications “Audio” and “Image” of the aforementioned common ID code35,40simultaneously describe the content and the format of the data stored in the corresponding data fields20,25as well, in which case it is then a prerequisite that audio data always be present in a predetermined format, such as the WAV format, and image data also always be present in predetermined format, such as the GIF format, in the corresponding data field of the transmission frame1.

As described, it is also possible to encode the data type and/or the data format by way of tables known to all the subscribers of the telecommunications network10, for instance by means of a binary code. In a first table for data types, the data type “Text Data” can for instance be assigned a numeral “1”, the data type “Audio Data” can be assigned the numeral “2”, the data type “Image Data” can be assigned the numeral “3”, and the data type “Video Data” can be assigned the numeral “4”, and the numerals can be suitably binary-encoded. In a second table for data formats of the data type “Audio Data”, the data format “WAV” can for instance be assigned the numeral “1”, the data format “G.723” can be assigned the numeral “2”, the data format “G.728” can be assigned the numeral “3”, the data format “MPEG-Audio” (MPEG stands for Motion Picture Expert Group) can be assigned the numeral “4”, and the data format “AMR” (Adaptive Multi Rate) can be assigned the numeral “5”; once again, these numerals can be suitably binary-encoded. In a third table for data formats of the data type “Image Data”, the data format “GIF” can for instance be assigned the numeral “1”, the data format “JPEG” (Joint Picture Expert Group) can be assigned the numeral “2”, and the data format “BMP” (Bitmap) can be assigned the numeral “3”, and again these numerals can be suitably binary-encoded.

In that case, the common ID code35,40could look like this:2/2/1/3/1

This common ID code35,40makes the same statement as the one described above in text format. Here the first numeral “2” of the common ID code35,40stands for the number of data fields present, in addition to the first data field15, in the transmission frame1of the short message5. The second numeral “2” of the common ID code35,40refers, within the first table for data types, to the data type “Audio Data” and thus states that audio data are stored in the second data field20. The third numeral “1” in the common ID code35,40refers within the second table for data formats of the data type “Audio Data” to the “WAV” data format and states that the data stored in the second data field20are in the “WAV” data format. The fourth numeral “3” of the common ID code35,40refers within the first table for data types to the data type “Image Data” and thus states that image data are stored in the third data field25. The fifth numeral “1” in the common ID code35,40refers within the third table for data formats of the data type “Image Data” to the “GIF” data format and states that the data stored in the third data field25are in the “GIF” data format.

Based on the common ID code35,40transmitted to the first subscriber60, a decision can be made in the first subscriber whether it makes sense at all or is wanted to download the second data field20and/or the third data field25from the network operator70. If the first subscriber60lacks audio capacity, or in other words has no capability of processing or playing back audio data, then it makes no sense to download the audio data from the second data field20from the network operator70. If the first subscriber60has no image capability, that is, image data cannot be processed or played back in the first subscriber60, then again it makes no sense to download image data from the third data field25from the network operator70.

For selecting the data fields of the transmission frame1of the short, message5that are to be downloaded from the network operator70, provision can be made for displaying the common ID code35,40on a display device of the second subscriber60.

The short message5could also include a transmission frame1comprising precisely two data fields15,20; in the first data field15, the text data with the common ID code35,40are then present, as described, while in the second data field20, a plurality of data types or media are combined. However, it can also be provided that N data types or media, to be transmitted in the short message5, are distributed to N or N+1 data fields in the transmission frame1of the short message5. In that case, the first subscriber60can download all the data fields of the short message5from the network operator70either individually or all together.

In the first subscriber60, an evaluation of the transmitted common ID code35,40can also already be performed, so that their display on the display device of the first subscriber60already indicates which data fields of the short message5can be downloaded at all from the network operator70, based on the functionality of the first subscriber60.

The second subscriber65generates a short message5in the described transmission frame1. The generation of a transmission frame1in the second subscriber65can be done simply by linking together the individual data fields15,20,25,30, optionally adding to each of them a respective one of the data-field-specific ID codes45,50,55,75. The network operator70in turn receives and stores short messages5in memory in the transmission frame1described. If the first subscriber60has the appropriate functionality, provision can be made for the transmission frame1to downloaded in its entirety from the network operator70and transmitted to the first subscriber60. In this case, the first subscriber60receives the short message5in the transmission frame1described, optionally stores it in memory, and/or plays it back in visual and/or acoustical form. The first subscriber60receives at least a single data field of the transmission frame1, optionally stores it in memory, and/or plays it back visually and/or acoustically. An evaluation of received data fields15,20,25,30in the network operator70and in the first subscriber60can for instance be done on the basis of the data-field-specific ID codes45,50,55,75if these have been transmitted with the associated data fields15,20,25,30, or on the basis of the first ID code35and/or second ID code40if they have been transmitted.

The transmission frame1of the invention is not limited to use in a radiotelecommunications network but can also be used in a landline telecommunications network10, in which case the subscribers60,65and the network operator70are also connected by landline. Provision can also be made for one of the two subscribers60,65to be in communication via a landline telecommunications network10, and for the other of the two subscribers60,65to be in communication via a wireless telecommunications network10, with the network operator70, so that the transmission frame1is suitable for transmitting short messages5both in the landline telecommunications network and the wireless telecommunications network10.