Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and apparatus to allow network-initiated information delivery based on the delivery priority of the information and the available over-the-air resources. Originators of the information to be delivered specify the delivery priority of the information. The network monitors the utilization of the over-the-air interface and delivers the information when the utilization is appropriate given the assigned delivery priority of the information.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to the field of wireless communication systems, and more particularly to sending information from a network element to a user terminal.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Existing wireless systems support a class of services identified as “PUSH Services”. In such services, information is “pushed” or delivered to the user terminal without a request for the information from the user terminal. One example of a PUSH service is advertising. Local businesses pay the local wireless providers to periodically send an advertisement to the user terminals.  
           [0003]    Over-the-air resources are the most limiting resource in a wireless communication system. Information transmitted as part of a PUSH Service must compete for over-the-air resources with other wireless traffic. Therefore, in a heavily loaded system, there is a real possibility that the pushed messages may be blocked or that system overload may result.  
           [0004]    Information to be delivered via a PUSH service can unnecessarily bog down system resources when the PUSH service information is sent during a heavily-loaded period. This can lead to delays, missed messages, and lost calls.  
           [0005]    Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for effectively sending out messages that are not time-sensitive without bogging down a network.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a method and apparatus that allows the originator of a set of information to specify the network conditions under which the network will deliver the information to the target user terminals. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an originator initiates a session with a network-initiated information delivery control processor. During this session, the originator supplies the information to be-delivered, the information priority, and the life time of the information.  
           [0007]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a wireless radio network interface measures usage of the over-the-air resources. The resulting usage is compared to preselected trigger points, and a resulting load level is transmitted to the network initiated information delivery control processor.  
           [0008]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a network initiated information delivery control processor compares the delivery priority of each piece of information and sends the information to target user terminals when the over-the-air load level is sufficiently low. High priority information is sent immediately, regardless of the over-the-air resource usage. Lower priority information is sent when over-the-air resource usage is not as high, thereby not clogging the network with lower priority over the air transmissions.  
           [0009]    Advantageously, such an arrangement gives the information originators the ability to specify delivery priority of information. In addition, such an arrangement allows the network to continually monitor over-the-air resources and send information to target user terminals when surplus resources exist. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 depicts a wireless communication system including a network initiated information delivery control processor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 depicts the network initiated delivery control processor of FIG. 1 in more detail in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method for providing network initiated information delivery in a radio network interface in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of a method for providing network initiated information delivery in a network initiated information delivery control processor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 depicts a wireless communication system  100  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Wireless communication system  100  includes user terminals  110  and  120 , wireless communication network  130 , and network information delivery control processor  140 . Wireless communication network  130  comprises know functions necessary to operate and maintain wireless communications including radio network interface  150 . Wireless communication network  130  can be based on any well known technology, such as analog or digital.  
         [0015]    User terminals  110  and  120  are coupled to radio network interface via links  111  and  121 , respectively. Links  111  and  121  provide communication among a plurality of user terminals such as  110  and  120 . User terminals  110  and  120  as well as links  111  and  121  can be based on any well-known technologies, such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Only a single block of communications network elements  130 , radio network interface  150 , two user terminals  110  and  120 , and single network initiated information delivery control processor  140  are depicted in FIG. 1 for clarity.  
         [0016]    In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, user terminal  110  and user terminal  120  are coupled to and communicating with communication network  130 . It should be understood that in an actual network a plurality of user terminals are coupled to communication network  130 . As depicted in FIG. 1, user terminal  110  is communicating with communication network  130  via link  111 . User terminal  120  is communicating with communication network  130  via link  121 . Links  111  and  121  are over-the-air links and can either be the same or different.  
         [0017]    In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, network initiated information delivery control processor  140  is coupled to and communicating with communication network  130  via link  141 . Link  141  can be based on any known technology such as digital, analog, wireless, or wireline. It should be understood that in an actual network a plurality of network initiated information delivery control processors can be coupled to wireless communication network  130 .  
         [0018]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, network initiated information delivery control processor  140  receives a call request from a user terminal, such as user terminal  110 . The call request can originate from a terminal connected to communication network  130  or from any other network that can interface with communication network  130  such as a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).  
         [0019]    Network initiated information delivery control processor  140  accepts the call and requests instructions from originating user terminal  110 . Communication between originating user terminal  110  and network initiated information delivery control processor  140  can be sent a variety of ways, including but not limited to using inband analog signals and out-of-band messages.  
         [0020]    Network initiated information delivery control processor  140  accepts instructions from originating user terminal  110 . The instructions received from originating user terminal  110  preferably comprise information to be delivered to specific other user terminals, unique identifiers of the other user terminals, information delivery priority, and information life time. The unique identifiers of the other user terminals comprise information such as the address or geographical location of the other user terminals. The information life time is an indication of a time period after which the information is no longer to be delivered. These instructions are stored in network initiated information delivery control processor  140 .  
         [0021]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, network initiated information delivery control processor  140  instructs radio network interface  150  when to report the load level on over-the-air links  111  and  121 . These instructions include but are not limited to a periodic interval, demand for real-time measurement, or when the load level has changed by a predetermined amount. Additional instructions include trigger points against which radio network interface  150  compares the actual over-the-air utilization. These instructions are sent via link  141 . Network initiated information delivery control processor  140  and radio network interface  150  communicate via link  141  using any known technology such as digital, analog, wireless, or wireline.  
         [0022]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, radio network interface  150  monitors and stores the utilization of link  111 . This monitoring can be accomplished via methods such as buffer size and message delay. Radio network interface  150  compares actual monitored utilization with the predetermined trigger levels received from the network initiated information delivery control processor  140  to derive a normalized load level for link  111 . Radio network interface  150  reports the load level for link  111  as instructed by network initiated information delivery control processor  140 . These instructions include but are not limited to a periodic interval, demand for real time measurement, or when the load level has changed by a predetermined amount.  
         [0023]    Network initiated information delivery control processor  140  receives and stores the current load level reported by radio network interface  150 . Network initiated information delivery control processor  140  compares the delivery priority of each stored set of information to determine at what load level each piece of information is designated for transmission. This transmission can be made to a specific user terminal, such as user terminal  120 , a list of user terminals, or all user terminals in a specific geographical area. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, network initiated information delivery control processor  140  increases the delivery priority of the information if it has not been transmitted for a predetermined period of time. In addition, network initiated information delivery control processor  140  will delete information that has exceeded the life time specified by the originating user terminal.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 depicts network initiated information deliver processor  140  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Network initiated information deliver processor  140  comprises input port  220 , control processor  230 , memory  240 , output port  250 , and links  270 ,  280 , and  290 . Control processor  230  may comprise a plurality of processors, each with substantially identical functions or with functions distributed among them by function type. However, a single control processor  230  is shown in FIG. 2 for clarity. Links  270 ,  280 , and  290  are preferably Ethernet connections, but can alternately be any communication protocol that provides for communication between elements.  
         [0025]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, input port  220  and output port  250  interface with wireless communication network  130 . This can be based on any known technology, such as analog, digital, wireless, and wireline. Input port  200  and output port  250  may be located on the same physical link. Input port  220  and output port  250  preferably carry both bearer and control information between control processor  230  and wireless communication network  130 . Input port  220  and output port  250  can be connected directly to wireless communication network  130 , or to any network which can be connected to wireless communication network  130 , such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).  
         [0026]    Control processor  230  interacts with originating users to obtain the information to be transferred and to receive instructions concerning the transmission of the information. Control processor  230  interacts with radio network interface  150  to request load level information and to transmit the stored information when it is appropriate. Control processor  230  interacts with memory  240  to determine what information should be transmitted given received load levels, elevates the delivery priority of information that has not been transmitted for some predetermined interval, and deletes information which is no longer valid. Information is considered to be no longer valid when the life time specified by the user terminal originating the information has been exceeded.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart  300  of a method for providing network initiated information delivery in a radio network interface in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0028]    Radio network interface  150  receives ( 301 ) instructions from network initiated information delivery processor  140  concerning the measuring and reporting intervals of the load level. Given these instructions and the knowledge of when the last measurement was made, radio network interface  150  determines ( 302 ) if a measurement is to be made. If not, radio network interface waits until it is appropriate to make a measurement.  
         [0029]    If it is time to make a measurement as determined at step  302 , a measurement of the over-the-air utilization is taken ( 303 ). This measurement can be taken in a variety of ways, including but not limited to buffer size and message delay.  
         [0030]    Radio network interface  150  compares ( 304 ) the measurement to predetermined trigger levels and generates a normalized load level for the over-the-air link. Radio network interface  150  determines ( 305 ) if a report should be generated and sent to network initiated information delivery control processor  140 . This decision can be based on a variety of factors including but not limited to elapsed time since the last report was generated or number of load levels traversed since the last report was generated. If a report should be generated, radio network interface  150  generates ( 306 ) a report.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart  400  of a method for providing network initiated information delivery in a network initiated information delivery control processor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0032]    Network initiated information delivery control function  140  receives ( 401 ) load levels from the various radio network interfaces with which it communicates. Network initiated information delivery control function  140  then stores ( 402 ) the load level values received.  
         [0033]    Network initiated information delivery control function  140  then determines ( 403 ) which if any of the stored information should be transmitted to user terminals based on the reported load levels and the instructions from the user terminal which originated the information. As part of the decision process, information that has not been transmitted for a predetermined period of time will be assigned a higher delivery priority if the information had been designated by the originator or the network initiated information delivery control function as a candidate for escalation, and information whose life time has expired will be deleted. If it is appropriate to sent information, the information is sent ( 404 ).  
         [0034]    The present invention thereby provides a method and apparatus that allows pushed messages to be sent efficiently without overloading the communication system. Utilizing the present invention, a communication system can send pushed messages without causing delay, missed messages, or lost calls, especially in heavily loaded systems.  
         [0035]    While this invention has been described in terms of certain examples thereof, it is not intended that it be limited to the above description, but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow.