Patent Publication Number: US-2011069676-A1

Title: Information service and event service mechanisms for wireless communications

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/243,667 filed on Sep. 18, 2009, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This application is related to wireless communications. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Device management (DM) includes different tools that a managing or controlling device (such as a network node or server) may use to remotely manage one or more client devices, such as wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), which may be mobile or stationary. For example, a mobile telephone manufacturer may want to upgrade the firmware on all of its mobile telephones to fix a defect. Accordingly, the mobile telephone manufacturer may use one of the different device management technologies to send firmware updates to all registered mobile telephones. 
     One example of a DM tool is the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DM protocol. OMA DM allows two-way communication between a server and a client, which enables device manageability. OMA DM also allows the client to notify the server that an update was successful or failed, enabling more reliable end-to-end firmware deployment. 
     Another technology that may be used for DM is media independent handover (MIH). As its name suggests, MIH was originally intended to facilitate media independent handover (e.g., handover of WTRUs between different broadband wireless access technologies, such as global system for mobile communication (GSM), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) and code division multiple access (CDMA)). To accomplish this, the MIH may communicate event notifications using Event Service (ES), commands using Command Service (CS) and/or information using Information Service (IS) and, therefore, may be implemented for use in other technologies in which it is desirable to exchange information between a server and a WTRU (e.g., DM). The ES, CS and IS are made media-independent by adding an MIH function (MIHF) between the lower layers of the protocol stack (layer  2  (L 2 ) and below) and the so-called MIH user (layer  3 (L 3 ) and above) in the MIH entity. 
     ES is broadly divided into two categories of events, link events and MIH events. Both link events and MIH events traverse a protocol stack in one direction, from lower layer to higher layer. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , an MIH client  100  has a mechanism for handling ES, which includes lower layers (L 2  and below), an MIHF and an MIH user function. The link events originate from event source lower layer entities below the MIHF and terminate at the MIHF. MIH events either originate from within the MIHF or originate as link events that are then propagated by the MIHF to the MIH user. 
     Media independent information service (MIIS) provides a framework to discover and obtain network information within a geographical area to facilitate network selection and handover. For this purpose, the framework defines a query (or “pull”) information mechanism and a push information mechanism. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , an MIIS client  201  uses the query information mechanism to request information from an MIIS server  221 . The query information mechanism can be a remote query  231  (e.g., the MIH Client  201  on the mobile side can query MIIS from the MIH Information server  221  on the server side) or a local query  232 , in which the query is totally within an MIH entity. As an example,  FIG. 2  shows the local query  232  for the MIIS server  221 , in which the MIH user  223  sends a MIH_get_information request  225  to the MIHF  222 , and in response, receives an MIH_get_information confirm message  227  from the MIHF  222 . A local query could also be performed by the MIIS client  201  (not shown). During the remote query  231 , the MIH user  202  queries the server  204  by sending a MIH_get_information request  205  to the MIHF  203 , which is forwarded as a request  206  to the MIHF  222 . Within the MIIS server  221 , a MIH_get_information indication  207  is sent from the MIHF  222  to the MIH user  223 . The MIIS server  221  receives the request and generates a response  208 , by sending a MIH_get_information response  209 ,  210  to the MIIS client  201 . The requested information  212  is received by MIH user  202  with a MIH_get_information confirm message  211 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the push information mechanism, which allows the MIIS server  321  to “push” information  324  to the MIIS client  301 . Here, the MIH user  323  at the MIIS server  321  generates an MIH_push_information request  325 , including the information that it desires to send, and sends it to the local MIHF  322 . Responsive to receiving the MIH_Push_Information request  325 , the MIHF  322  generates an MIH_push_information indication  326  and sends it to the remote MIHF  303  at the MIIS client  301 , which then forwards the MIH_Push_Information indication  326  to the MIH user  327 . If the request is successful, the MIIS client receives, accepts and applies and/or stores the received information  328 . However, the MIIS server  321  does not receive acknowledgment  329  that the pushed information was successfully received. Thus, if the request is unsuccessful, the MIIS server  321  does not re-transmit it. 
     Additionally, the MIIS server  321  and the client MIH user  302  cannot set information on peer entities and receive a response confirming that the request has been accepted and successfully applied. Furthermore, the MIIS server  321  cannot obtain information from the client MIH user  302 . 
     WTRUs are often configured for use with various applications (e.g., mobile television). Thus, it may be desirable for a network node (e.g., an application server, MIIS server, etc.) to freely exchange information with the application client running on the WTRU. Most DM tools define ways to send information from the server side (e.g., application server) to the mobile side (e.g., WTRU or client). However, they do not define ways to send information in the opposite direction, from the client to the application server.  FIG. 4  shows an example for a typical ES definition that does not permit an MIH user to send events to either of the local or remote MIHFs. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the ES mechanism for a remote MIH event allows a remote entity  411  to communicate the remote MIH event between the MIHF  413  and MIHF  403 , triggered by the link event received from the lower layers  414 . The local entity  401  sends an MIH event from the MIHF  403  to the MIH user function  402 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , a defined mechanism for the MIH user functions  402 ,  412  to send messages to the MIHFs  403 ,  413  is lacking. 
     SUMMARY 
     A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes a transceiver and a media independent handover (MIH) function (MIHF) configured to transmit a request to set information in a remote network node, such as a media independent information server. The network node includes a transceiver and an MIHF. The transceiver is configured to receive a request to set information in the network node. The MIHF of the network node is configured to transmit, responsive to receiving the request to store the information in the network node, a response to the request to store the information in the network node notifying that the request to store the information in the network node was successful. Alternatively, the WTRU may execute a local set information request, as generated by a MIH user application and sent to a local MIHF, which may respond with a set information confirm message back to the MIH user application. 
     In another embodiment, a MIH user application may be executed to generate a user event indication and send the indication to a local MIHF, which may respond by generating a MIH event message to be sent back to the user application. Alternatively, the MIHF may respond by generating and sending a remote MIH event message to a remote MIHF in a remote device. 
     In another embodiment, the network node may initiate a get information request to obtain media independent information from the WTRU. Responsive to the get information request, the WTRU sends the requested information as a get information response message, using a MIH user application and a MIHF. Alternatively, the network node may execute a local get information request and a get information confirm message locally between a MIHF and a MIH user application. 
     In another embodiment, the WTRU may execute a MIH user application and a MIHF to generate a push information message in response to having available information to be sent to a network node. The push information message is exchanged between the MIHF of the WTRU and a MIHF of the network node. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       A more detailed understanding may be had from the following description, given by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows an MIH client with a mechanism for handling event services; 
         FIG. 2  is a signal diagram of a pull information mechanism for media independent information service; 
         FIG. 3  is a signal diagram of a push information mechanism from a server for media independent information service; 
         FIG. 4  shows an event service mechanism during a remote event; 
         FIG. 5A  is a system diagram of an example communications system in which one or more disclosed embodiments may be implemented; 
         FIG. 5B  is a system diagram of an example radio access network and an example core network that may be used within the communications system illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an example wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that may be used within the communications system illustrated in  FIGS. 5A-5B ; 
         FIG. 7  is a signal diagram of a set information mechanism for media independent information service; 
         FIG. 8  is a signal diagram of an example implementation for the set information mechanism shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  show an event service mechanism that allows a user event to originate from a MIH user function; 
         FIG. 10  is a signal diagram for the event service mechanism shown in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a signal diagram of a get information mechanism for media independent information service; 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  show an example implementation for the get information mechanism shown in  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a signal diagram of a push information mechanism from a client for media independent information service; and 
         FIG. 14  is a signal diagram of an example implementation for the push information mechanism shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 5A  is a diagram of an example communications system  100  in which one or more disclosed embodiments may be implemented. The communications system  100  may be a multiple access system that provides content, such as voice, data, video, messaging, broadcast, etc., to multiple wireless users. The communications system  100  may enable multiple wireless users to access such content through the sharing of system resources, including wireless bandwidth. For example, the communications systems  100  may employ one or more channel access methods, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA), and the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5A , the communications system  100  may include wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs)  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d,  a radio access network (RAN)  104 , a core network  106 , a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  108 , the Internet  110 , and other networks  112 , though it will be appreciated that the disclosed embodiments contemplate any number of WTRUs, base stations, networks, and/or network elements. Each of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  may be any type of device configured to operate and/or communicate in a wireless environment. By way of example, the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  may be configured to transmit and/or receive wireless signals and may include a mobile node, user equipment (UE), a mobile station, a fixed or mobile subscriber unit, a pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, a laptop, a netbook, a personal computer, a wireless sensor, consumer electronics, and the like. 
     The communications system  100  may also include a base station  114   a  and a base station  114   b.  Each of the base stations  114   a,    114   b  may be any type of device configured to wirelessly interface with at least one of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  to facilitate access to one or more communication networks, such as the core network  106 , the Internet  110 , and/or the networks  112 . By way of example, the base stations  114   a,    114   b  may be a base transceiver station (BTS), a Node-B, an eNode B, a Home Node B, a Home eNode B, a site controller, an access point (AP), a wireless router, a network server, and the like. While the base stations  114   a,    114   b  are each depicted as a single element, it will be appreciated that the base stations  114   a,    114   b  may include any number of interconnected base stations and/or network elements. 
     The base station  114   a  may be part of the RAN  104 , which may also include other base stations and/or network elements (not shown), such as a base station controller (BSC), a radio network controller (RNC), relay nodes, etc. The base station  114   a  and/or the base station  114   b  may be configured to transmit and/or receive wireless signals within a particular geographic region, which may be referred to as a cell (not shown). The cell may further be divided into cell sectors. For example, the cell associated with the base station  114   a  may be divided into three sectors. Thus, in one embodiment, the base station  114   a  may include three transceivers, i.e., one for each sector of the cell. In another embodiment, the base station  114   a  may employ multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) technology and, therefore, may utilize multiple transceivers for each sector of the cell. 
     The base stations  114   a,    114   b  may communicate with one or more of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  over an air interface  116 , which may be any suitable wireless communication link (e.g., radio frequency (RF), microwave, infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), visible light, etc.). The air interface  116  may be established using any suitable radio access technology (RAT). 
     More specifically, as noted above, the communications system  100  may be a multiple access system and may employ one or more channel access schemes, such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA, and the like. For example, the base station  114   a  in the RAN  104  and the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  may implement a radio technology such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), which may establish the air interface  116  using wideband CDMA (WCDMA). WCDMA may include communication protocols such as High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and/or Evolved HSPA (HSPA+). HSPA may include High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and/or High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). 
     In another embodiment, the base station  114   a  and the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  may implement a radio technology such as Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), which may establish the air interface  116  using Long Term Evolution (LTE) and/or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). 
     In other embodiments, the base station  114   a  and the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  may implement radio technologies such as IEEE 802.16 (i.e., Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), CDMA2000, CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO, Interim Standard 2000 (IS-2000), Interim Standard 95 (IS-95), Interim Standard 856 (IS-856), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), GSM EDGE (GERAN), and the like. 
     The base station  114   b  in  FIG. 5A  may be a wireless router, Home Node B, Home eNode B, network server, or access point, for example, and may utilize any suitable RAT for facilitating wireless connectivity in a localized area, such as a place of business, a home, a vehicle, a campus, and the like. In one embodiment, the base station  114   b  and the WTRUs  102   c,    102   d  may implement a radio technology such as IEEE 802.11 to establish a wireless local area network (WLAN). In another embodiment, the base station  114   b  and the WTRUs  102   c,    102   d  may implement a radio technology such as IEEE 802.15 to establish a wireless personal area network (WPAN). In yet another embodiment, the base station  114   b  and the WTRUs  102   c,    102   d  may utilize a cellular-based RAT (e.g., WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, LTE, LTE-A, etc.) to establish a picocell or femtocell. As shown in  FIG. 5A , the base station  114   b  may have a direct connection to the Internet  110 . Thus, the base station  114   b  may not be required to access the Internet  110  via the core network  106 . 
     The RAN  104  may be in communication with the core network  106 , which may be any type of network configured to provide voice, data, applications, and/or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services to one or more of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d.  For example, the core network  106  may provide call control, billing services, mobile location-based services, pre-paid calling, Internet connectivity, video distribution, etc., and/or perform high-level security functions, such as user authentication. Although not shown in  FIG. 5A , it will be appreciated that the RAN  104  and/or the core network  106  may be in direct or indirect communication with other RANs that employ the same RAT as the RAN  104  or a different RAT. For example, in addition to being connected to the RAN  104 , which may be utilizing an E-UTRA radio technology, the core network  106  may also be in communication with another RAN (not shown) employing a GSM radio technology. 
     The core network  106  may also serve as a gateway for the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  to access the PSTN  108 , the Internet  110 , and/or other networks  112 . The PSTN  108  may include circuit-switched telephone networks that provide plain old telephone service (POTS). The Internet  110  may include a global system of interconnected computer networks and devices that use common communication protocols, such as the transmission control protocol (TCP), user datagram protocol (UDP) and the internet protocol (IP) in the TCP/IP internet protocol suite. The networks  112  may include wired or wireless communications networks owned and/or operated by other service providers. For example, the networks  112  may include another core network connected to one or more RANs, which may employ the same RAT as the RAN  104  or a different RAT. 
     Some or all of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  in the communications system  100  may include multi-mode capabilities, i.e., the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,    102   d  may include multiple transceivers for communicating with different wireless networks over different wireless links. For example, the WTRU  102   c  shown in  FIG. 5A  may be configured to communicate with the base station  114   a,  which may employ a cellular-based radio technology, and with the base station  114   b,  which may employ an IEEE 802 radio technology. 
       FIG. 5B  is a system diagram of the RAN  104  and the core network  106  according to an embodiment. The RAN  104  may be an access service network (ASN) that employs IEEE 802.16 radio technology to communicate with the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  over the air interface  116 . As will be further discussed below, the communication links between the different functional entities of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c,  the RAN  104 , and the core network  106  may be defined as reference points. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5B , the RAN  104  may include base stations  140   a,    140   b,    140   c,  and an ASN gateway  142 , though it will be appreciated that the RAN  104  may include any number of base stations and ASN gateways while remaining consistent with an embodiment. The base stations  140   a,    140   b,    140   c  may each be associated with a particular cell (not shown) in the RAN  104  and may each include one or more transceivers for communicating with the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  over the air interface  116 . In one embodiment, the base stations  140   a,    140   b,    140   c  may implement MIMO technology. Thus, the base station  140   a,  for example, may use multiple antennas to transmit wireless signals to, and receive wireless signals from, the WTRU  102   a.  The base stations  140   a,    140   b,    140   c  may also provide mobility management functions, such as handoff triggering, tunnel establishment, radio resource management, traffic classification, quality of service (QoS) policy enforcement, and the like. The ASN gateway  142  may serve as a traffic aggregation point and may be responsible for paging, caching of subscriber profiles, routing to the core network  106 , and the like. 
     The air interface  116  between the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  and the RAN  104  may be defined as an R 1  reference point that implements the IEEE 802.16 specification. In addition, each of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  may establish a logical interface (not shown) with the core network  106 . The logical interface between the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  and the core network  106  may be defined as an R 2  reference point, which may be used for authentication, authorization, IP host configuration management, and/or mobility management. 
     The communication link between each of the base stations  140   a,    140   b,    140   c  may be defined as an R 8  reference point that includes protocols for facilitating WTRU handovers and the transfer of data between base stations. The communication link between the base stations  140   a,    140   b,    140   c  and the ASN gateway  142  may be defined as an R 6  reference point. The R 6  reference point may include protocols for facilitating mobility management based on mobility events associated with each of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c.    
     As shown in  FIG. 5B , the RAN  104  may be connected to the core network  106 . The communication link between the RAN  104  and the core network  106  may defined as an R 3  reference point that includes protocols for facilitating data transfer and mobility management capabilities, for example. The core network  106  may include a mobile IP home agent (MIP-HA)  144 , an authentication, authorization, accounting (AAA) server  146 , and a gateway  148 . While each of the foregoing elements are depicted as part of the core network  106 , it will be appreciated that any one of these elements may be owned and/or operated by an entity other than the core network operator. 
     The MIP-HA may be responsible for IP address management, and may enable the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  to roam between different ASNs and/or different core networks. The MIP-HA  144  may provide the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  with access to packet-switched networks, such as the Internet  110 , to facilitate communications between the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  and IP-enabled devices. The AAA server  146  may be responsible for user authentication and for supporting user services. The gateway  148  may facilitate interworking with other networks. For example, the gateway  148  may provide the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  with access to circuit-switched networks, such as the PSTN  108 , to facilitate communications between the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  and traditional land-line communications devices. In addition, the gateway  148  may provide the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  with access to the networks  112 , which may include other wired or wireless networks that are owned and/or operated by other service providers. 
     Although not shown in  FIG. 5B , it will be appreciated that the RAN  104  may be connected to other ASNs and the core network  106  may be connected to other core networks. The communication link between the RAN  104  the other ASNs may be defined as an R 4  reference point, which may include protocols for coordinating the mobility of the WTRUs  102   a,    102   b,    102   c  between the RAN  104  and the other ASNs. The communication link between the core network  106  and the other core networks may be defined as an R 5  reference, which may include protocols for facilitating interworking between home core networks and visited core networks. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of an example WTRU  102 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the WTRU  102  may include a processor  118 , a transceiver  120 , a transmit/receive element  122 , a speaker/microphone  124 , a keypad  126 , a display/touchpad  128 , non-removable memory  130 , removable memory  132 , a power source  134 , a global positioning system (GPS) chipset  136 , and other peripherals  138 . It will be appreciated that the WTRU  102  may include any sub-combination of the foregoing elements while remaining consistent with an embodiment. 
     The processor  118  may be a general purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGAs) circuits, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), a state machine, and the like. The processor  118  may perform signal coding, data processing, power control, input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that enables the WTRU  102  to operate in a wireless environment. The processor  118  may be coupled to the transceiver  120 , which may be coupled to the transmit/receive element  122 . While  FIG. 6  depicts the processor  118  and the transceiver  120  as separate components, it will be appreciated that the processor  118  and the transceiver  120  may be integrated together in an electronic package or chip. 
     The transmit/receive element  122  may be configured to transmit signals to, or receive signals from, a base station (e.g., the base station  114   a ) over the air interface  116 . For example, in one embodiment, the transmit/receive element  122  may be an antenna configured to transmit and/or receive RF signals. In another embodiment, the transmit/receive element  122  may be an emitter/detector configured to transmit and/or receive IR, UV, or visible light signals, for example. In yet another embodiment, the transmit/receive element  122  may be configured to transmit and receive both RF and light signals. It will be appreciated that the transmit/receive element  122  may be configured to transmit and/or receive any combination of wireless signals. 
     In addition, although the transmit/receive element  122  is depicted in  FIG. 6  as a single element, the WTRU  102  may include any number of transmit/receive elements  122 . More specifically, the WTRU  102  may employ MIMO technology. Thus, in one embodiment, the WTRU  102  may include two or more transmit/receive elements  122  (e.g., multiple antennas) for transmitting and receiving wireless signals over the air interface  116 . 
     The transceiver  120  may be configured to modulate the signals that are to be transmitted by the transmit/receive element  122  and to demodulate the signals that are received by the transmit/receive element  122 . As noted above, the WTRU  102  may have multi-mode capabilities. Thus, the transceiver  120  may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU  102  to communicate via multiple RATs, such as UTRA and IEEE 802.11, for example. 
     The processor  118  of the WTRU  102  may be coupled to, and may receive user input data from, the speaker/microphone  124 , the keypad  126 , and/or the display/touchpad  128  (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) display unit or organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display unit). The processor  118  may also output user data to the speaker/microphone  124 , the keypad  126 , and/or the display/touchpad  128 . In addition, the processor  118  may access information from, and store data in, any type of suitable memory, such as the non-removable memory  130  and/or the removable memory  132 . The non-removable memory  130  may include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, or any other type of memory storage device. The removable memory  132  may include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a memory stick, a secure digital (SD) memory card, and the like. In other embodiments, the processor  118  may access information from, and store data in, memory that is not physically located on the WTRU  102 , such as on a server or a home computer (not shown). 
     The processor  118  may receive power from the power source  134 , and may be configured to distribute and/or control the power to the other components in the WTRU  102 . The power source  134  may be any suitable device for powering the WTRU  102 . For example, the power source  134  may include one or more dry cell batteries (e.g., nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-zinc (NiZn), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-ion (Li-ion), etc.), solar cells, fuel cells, and the like. 
     The processor  118  may also be coupled to the GPS chipset  136 , which may be configured to provide location information (e.g., longitude and latitude) regarding the current location of the WTRU  102 . In addition to, or in lieu of, the information from the GPS chipset  136 , the WTRU  102  may receive location information over the air interface  116  from a base station (e.g., base stations  114   a,    114   b ) and/or determine its location based on the timing of the signals being received from two or more nearby base stations. It will be appreciated that the WTRU  102  may acquire location information by way of any suitable location-determination method while remaining consistent with an embodiment. 
     The processor  118  may further be coupled to other peripherals  138 , which may include one or more software and/or hardware modules that provide additional features, functionality and/or wired or wireless connectivity. For example, the peripherals  138  may include an accelerometer, an e-compass, a satellite transceiver, a digital camera (for photographs or video), a universal serial bus (USB) port, a vibration device, a television transceiver, a hands free headset, a Bluetooth® module, a frequency modulated (FM) radio unit, a digital music player, a media player, a video game player module, an Internet browser, and the like. 
     For some applications, it is desirable for the client to be able to freely and reliably send information to the application server. For example, mobile television signals can either be broadcast over a dedicated link between the application server and the WTRU or over a broadcast channel, depending, for example, on the number of users of a specific service. Here, the mobile television service providers may want to determine the number of users of a specific service because an increasing number of users of a specific service may justify the service provider&#39;s moving the specific service from a dedicated link to a broadcast technology. However, with the current standards used to deliver the broadcast services, it is not possible for the service provider to determine the number of listeners because their server cannot freely receive this information from the WTRU. 
     Embodiments of enhanced communication mechanisms between a client (e.g., application) on a WTRU and a network node (e.g., “server,” “application server” or “MIIS server”) are described herein. The MIH standard is used herein to illustrate the embodiments. However, the embodiments conceptually apply to all device management tools (e.g., OMA DM). In one example embodiment, the number of listeners in a broadcast services environment may be determined by an implementation of at least one of the enhanced communication mechanisms. However, the embodiments are not limited to this implementation. 
     One embodiment may include an application (e.g., an MIH user function of a WTRU) running on a device (e.g., a processor) that is configured to send information to a node in the network (e.g., an MIIS server) and to obtain a confirmation that the request is accepted and successful. Another embodiment may include an application (e.g., an MIH user function of a WTRU) running on a device that is configured to send information to a server (e.g., an MIIS server) via a notification mechanism (e.g., sending notifications to the MIHF on the server side via an ES mechanism). Additionally, the server side (e.g., MIIS server) may be configured to query the WTRU (e.g., at the MIH user function of the WTRU) via a get information mechanism (e.g., a MIH_get_information message). Additionally, a push notification (e.g., a MIH_push_information message) may allow execution of the MIH user function in the WTRU to push information to the MIIS server. The WTRU and server also include at least one enhanced communication mechanism that enables the application running on the WTRU to transfer information to the server and, in at least one embodiment, to receive confirmation that transferred information was received. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a new set information mechanism  700  that may be used as a remote request  731  or a local request  732  to set information by executing a local MIH user application. For a remote request  731 , a local MIIS client  701  (e.g., a WTRU) has information available to be sent  715  to a remote device, shown here as a MIIS server  721 . The MIIS client  701  has a MIH user application  702  and a local MIHF  703 ; the MIIS server  721  has a remote MIHF  722  and MIH user application  723 . The local MIH user may send a MIH set information request  704  to the local MIHF  703 , which may be forwarded as a MIH set information request  705  to the remote MIHF  722 . The remote MIH user  723  may receive a MIH set information indication  706  from the remote MIHF  722  in response to the MIH set information request  705 . Encoded within the set information request  705  and set information indication  706  is the payload information, which may be processed by the MIH user application  723 , and stored in memory of the MIIS server  721  if needed. The MIH user  723  may generate a MIH set information response  708 , which may be received by the remote MIHF  722 , and forwarded as MIH set information response  709  to the local MIHF  703 . The local MIH user  702  may receive a MIH set information confirm message  710  generated by the local MIHF  703 . This confirmation message  710  is encoded with a status of the set information request  711 , informing the MIIS client  701  whether the information sent to the remote server was successfully received and/or stored in memory at the MIIS server  721 . 
     As mentioned, the MIH set information request may also be used locally. As illustrated, the local request  732  is initiated at  712 , and the MIH user  702  of the MIIS client  701  may send a MIH set information request  713  to the local MIHF  703 . In response, the MIH user  702  receives confirmation encoded as a MIH set information confirm message  714 , which may indicate to the MIH user application whether the information was successfully received and/or locally stored in memory at the MIIS client. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an example implementation  800  of the MIH set information mechanism  700 . In this example, the MIIS server  821  expects a periodic location update every 10 minutes from a mobile WTRU, shown here as MIIS client  801 . At  804 , a standard push information request  805  is initiated by the MIH user  823  of the MIIS server  821 . The MIHF  822  receives the MIH push information request  805  and in response forwards a MIH push information indication  806  to the MIHF  803  at the MIIS client  801 . The MIH push information indication  807  may be forwarded to the MIH user  802 , allowing the location update request information to be received and processed  808  by the MIH user  802 , setting a location report interval parameter to 10 minutes. After 10 minutes has elapsed at  809 , the MIIS client  801  initiates the set information mechanism as described above for  FIG. 7 . First, the current location information may be encoded into a MIH set information request  810  by the MIH user  802 , and sent to the MIHF  803 . The MIH set information request may be forwarded  811  to the MIIS server at the MIHF  822 , which may then generate and send a MIH set information indication  812  to the MIH user  823 . Here at  813 , the MIIS server  821  has received the current location information from the MIIS client  801 , and may then prepare a response as a MIH set information response message  814 , generated by the MIH user  823  and received at the MIHF  822 . This response may be forwarded as MIH set information response  815  to the MIHF  803 , which may then send a MIH set information confirm message  816  to the MIH user  802 . 
       FIG. 9A  shows an example of a remote MIH event with an event service mechanism  900  that allows a user event to originate from a MIH user function. A local entity  921  (e.g., a MIIS client or WTRU) is shown having lower layers (L 2  and below)  924 , an MIHF  923  and a MIH user function (L 3  and above)  922 . A remote entity  901  has lower layers  904 , a MIHF  903  and a MIH user function  902 . In this example, a remote MIH event  912  may be generated by executing the local MIHF  923  in response to a user event  911  that may be generated by execution of the MIH user function  922 . The remote MIHF  903  receives the remote MIH event  912 , and may send a MIH event  913  to the remote MIH user  902 . Thus, for this event mechanism  900 , local MIH user  922  is allowed to generate and transmit an event indication to a remote device  901 . 
       FIG. 9B  shows an example of an event service mechanism  920  having a local MIH event responsive to a local MIH user event. The local entity  921  (e.g., a MIIS client or WTRU) has a MIH user function  922 , a local MIHF  923  and lower layers  924 . The local MIH user function  922  may generate a user event  914  which may be forwarded to the local MIHF  923 . In response, the MIHF  923  may generate and send a MIH event  915  back to the MIH user  922 . 
       FIG. 10  shows an example of an implementation  1000  for the event service mechanism  900 . In this example, the MIH event is shown as a MIH user report indication. An MIIS server  1021  has configured a location report interval of 10 minutes on a MIIS client  1001  via a push information mechanism  1024 , such as described above. At  1025 , ten minutes have elapsed and the MIH user  1002  of the MIIS client  1001  may be executed to generate an event in the form of a MIH user report indication  1026  with the current location information encoded in the message. The MIHF  1003  may receive the MIH user report indication  1026 , and in response, generate and send a MIH user report indication  1027  to the server MIHF  1022 . The MIH user  1023  may receive the MIH user report indication  1028  from the MIHF  1022 , containing the current location information of the MIIS client  1001 . The MIIS server  1021  may store the requested current location information  1029  in memory. 
     Another example of implementation for this event service mechanism is one in which the MIH user may be a mobile TV viewer application. Any changes performed at the application level may be learned by the MIHF via usage of the MIH event service (ES). For example, if the MIH user changes the viewed service to a different program, it may instantly notify the MIHF so that the network can have timely status of services provided to the MIH users. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an example of get information mechanism for exchanging media independent information. A MIIS server  1121  is shown having a MIHF  1122  and a MIH user  1123 . Also shown is a MIIS client (e.g., a WTRU) having a MIH user function  1102  and a MIHF  1103 . The MIIS server  1121  is configured to query  1124  the MIIS client&#39;s MIH user  1102 . The MIH user  1123  may generate and send a MIH get information request  1125  to the MIHF  1122 . The MIHF  1103  may receive the request forwarded as a MIH get information request  1126 , and in response, may generate and send a MIH get information indication  1127  to the MIH user  1102 . At  1128 , the MIH user has received the request and may generate a response as follows. The MIH user  1102  may send a MIH get information response  1129  to the MIHF  1103 . The MIH get information response may then be forwarded  1130  to the MIHF  1122 , which may respond by generating and sending a MIH get information confirm message  1131  to the MIH user  1123 . 
       FIG. 11  also shows a local query  1142 , in which the MIIS server  1121  queries  1133  a local MIH user function. The MIHF  1122  may send a get information request  1134  to the local MIH user  1123 . In response, the MIH user  1123  may generate a response and transmit the response with the requested information back to the local MIHF  1122  as a MIH get information confirm message  1135 . 
       FIG. 12  shows an example of an implementation for the get information mechanism described above with respect to  FIG. 11 . A MIIS server  1221  is shown having a MIHF  1222  and a MIH user  1223 . Also shown is a MIIS client (e.g., a WTRU) having a MIH user function  1202  and a MIHF  1203 . The MIH user  1223  may initiate a push mechanism to configure a current location report  1224  from the MIIS client  1201  every 10 minutes. A MIH push information request  1225  may be sent to the MIHF  1222 , forwarded as MIH push information indication  1226  to the MIHF  1203 , and sent to the MIH user  1202  as MIH push information indication  1227 . As a standard push mechanism, MIIS information may be received by the MIIS client  1201 , but no response is sent back  1228  to the server  1221 . Accordingly, the MIIS server  1221  initiates a get information mechanism  1229 . The MIH user  1223  may generate and send a MIH get information request  1230  to the MIHF  1222 . The MIHF  1203  may receive the request forwarded as a MIH get information request  1231 , and in response, may generate and send a MIH get information indication  1232  to the MIH user  1202 . At  1233 , the MIH user has received the request and may generate a response as follows. The MIH user  1202  may send a MIH get information response  1234  to the MIHF  1203 . The MIH get information response may then be forwarded ( 1235 ) to the MIHF  1222 , which may respond by generating and sending a MIH get information confirm message  1236  to the MIH user  1223 . At  1237 , the MIIS server  1221  has received the requested information, and is informed that the push information request was successful. 
     In  FIG. 13 , an embodiment is shown allowing a MIH user to send a push information request. In this example, a MIIS client  1301  (e.g., a WTRU) is configured to push information to a remote MIIS Server  1321 . To do so, the MIH user  1302  may be executed to send a MIH push information request  1305  to the local MIHF  1303 . The local MIHF  1303  may then generate and transmit to the remote MIHF  1322  an MIH push information indication  1306 . Responsive to receiving the MIH push information indication  1306 , the MIHF  1322  forwards a MIH push information indication  1307  to the MIH user  1323 . At  1308 , the information may be successfully received and may be stored in memory by the server  1321 . 
       FIG. 14  shows an example implementation of the push mechanism described above for  FIG. 13 . As illustrated, a MIIS server  1421  at  1424  may configure a location report interval of, for example, 10 minutes on a MIIS client  1401  (e.g., a WTRU). Thereafter, every 10 minutes, the MIIS client  1401  may send its current location to the MIIS server  1421  using the MIH push information request. The MIH user  1402  may generate a MIH push information request  1426 , and send it to the MIHF  1403 . In response, the MIHF  1403  may then send a MIH push information indication  1427  to the MIHF  1422  and then may be forwarded to the MIH user  1423  as MIH push information indication  1428 . Upon receiving the indication, the MIIS server  1421  may save the information locally  1429 . 
     Although features and elements are described above in particular combinations, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that each feature or element can be used alone or in any combination with the other features and elements. For example, the processor  118  shown in  FIG. 6  may be implemented in a MIIS client device and configured to execute an MIH user application and an MIHF in accordance with any combination of the mechanisms described above with respect to  FIGS. 7-14 . In addition, the methods described herein may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware incorporated in a computer-readable medium for execution by a computer or processor. Examples of computer-readable media include electronic signals (transmitted over wired or wireless connections) and computer-readable storage media. Examples of computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a register, cache memory, semiconductor memory devices, magnetic media such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical media, and optical media such as CD-ROM disks, and digital versatile disks (DVDs). A processor in association with software may be used to implement a radio frequency transceiver for use in a WTRU, UE, terminal, base station, RNC, or any host computer.