United States Patent [19J
`Tiedemann, Jr. et al.
`
`11111 111111111111111 lllll 111111111111111 111111111111111111
`
`I 1111111111111111
`
`
`US005862471A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,862,471
`Jan. 19, 1999
`
`[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`PROVIDING ROAMING INDICATION WITH
`CHARGE INFORMATION
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Edward G. Tiedemann, Jr.; Chih-Ping
`Hsu, both of San Diego, Calif.
`
`[73] Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated, San
`Diego, Calif.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 778,528
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Jan. 2, 1997
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 382,471, Mar. 21, 1995.
`Int. Cl.6
`H04Q 7/38
`[51]
`.......................................................
`[52] U.S. Cl. .......................... 455/406; 455/432; 455/566;
`379/114
`[58] Field of Search .................................. 379/58, 59, 60,
`379/63, 111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 130, 131,
`140; 455/33.1, 33.2
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,027,388
`5,134,651
`5,303,297
`
`6/1991 Bradshaw et al. ...................... 379/112
`7/1992 Ortiz et al. .............................. 379/112
`4/1994 Hillis .. ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... . 379 /63
`
`5,361,297 11/1994 Ortiz et al. .............................. 379/130
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0526118
`0647055
`3-132294
`94/28670
`9428670
`
`2/1993
`4/1995
`6/1991
`12/1994
`12/1994
`
`European Pat. Off ........ H04M 17/02
`European Pat. Off ........ H04M 15/28
`Japan ....................................... 379/58
`WIPO.
`WIPO ........................... H04M 15/16
`
`Primary Examiner-Dwayne Bost
`Assistant Examiner-Nay Maung
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Russell B. Miller; Gregory D.
`Ogrod; Sean English
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method and apparatus for providing a mobile station user
`with information about anticipated roaming charges. The
`visitor communication system transmits a graded roaming
`signal to the mobile station user indicative of the anticipated
`roaming costs. The graded roaming signal is determined by
`contractual agreements between the visitor communication
`system provider and user's service provider. This informa(cid:173)
`tion is stored in a data base at the user's home communi(cid:173)
`cation system and is provided to the visitor communication
`system upon request for authorization to provide service.
`The graded roaming signal is broadcast to the mobile station
`and displayed to allow the mobile station user to estimate the
`cost of the service being provided.
`
`26 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`2
`
`HOME SYSTEM
`CONTROLLER
`
`I 6
`
`VISITOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
`5
`
`7
`
`4
`
`VISITOR
`SYSTEM
`CONTROLLER
`9
`
`~
`
`Dell Inc., Ex. 1025
`Page 1 of 7
`
`

`

`d •
`r:JJ.
`•
`~
`~ ......
`~ = ......
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`~
`~
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`8
`
`
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`2
`
`HOME SYSTEM
`CONTROLLER
`1
`
`~
`
`4
`
`SIGNALING
`NETWORK
`
`,,..
`
`1
`
`VISITOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
`5
`
`7
`
`VISITOR
`SYSTEM
`CONTROLLER
`9
`
`..,, ~ VISITOR
`
`BASE
`STATION
`
`FIG. 1
`
`Dell Inc., Ex. 1025
`Page 2 of 7
`
`

`

`10
`
`18
`
`12
`
`ROAMING
`INFORMATION
`DETERMINATOR
`
`I ◄ I RCVR I ◄ I
`22
`
`I
`
`I ► I TMTR I
`
`I ► I
`
`SIGNALLING
`NETWORK
`
`24
`
`26
`ROAMINGREQ
`GENERATOR
`
`28
`
`14
`
`32
`
`34
`I ► !NETWORK
`RCVR
`
`I
`
`FIG. 2
`
`16
`
`50
`
`USERID
`GENERATOR
`
`56
`
`ENCODER/
`MODULATOR
`
`48
`
`54
`
`DECODER/
`DEMODULATOR
`
`USER
`DISPLAY
`
`46
`
`52
`.___ .. ►..ii RCVR
`
`
`
`d •
`r:JJ.
`•
`~
`~ ......
`~ = ......
`
`~
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`
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`'JJ. =(cid:173)~
`~ ....
`N
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`N
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`....
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`N
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`
`Dell Inc., Ex. 1025
`Page 3 of 7
`
`

`

`1
`METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
`PROVIDING ROAMING INDICATION WITH
`CHARGE INFORMATION
`
`5,862,471
`
`This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 08/382,
`471, filed Mar. 21, 1995.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`I. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to mobile telephony. More
`particularly, the present invention relates to a novel and
`improved method and apparatus for providing roaming
`indication indicative of anticipated roaming charges.
`II. Description of the Related Art
`As mobile communication systems become more preva(cid:173)
`lent in society the demands for greater and more sophisti(cid:173)
`cated service have grown. To meet the capacity needs of
`mobile communication
`systems,
`techniques of multiple
`access to a limited communication
`resource have been
`developed. The use of code division multiple access
`(CDMA) modulation techniques is one of several techniques
`for facilitating communications in which a large number of
`system users are present. Other multiple access communi(cid:173)
`cation system techniques, such as time division multiple
`access (TDMA) and frequency division multiple access
`(FDMA) are known in the art. However, the spread spectrum 25
`modulation technique of CDMA has significant advantages
`over these modulation techniques for multiple access com(cid:173)
`munication systems.
`The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple access com(cid:173)
`munication system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, 30
`issued Feb. 13, 1990, entitled "SPREAD SPECTRUM
`MULTIPLE ACCESS COMMUNICATION
`SYSTEM
`USING SATELLITE OR TERRESTRIAL REPEATERS",
`assigned to the assignee of the present invention, of which
`the disclosure thereof is incorporated by reference herein.
`The use of CDMA techniques in a multiple access commu-
`nication system is further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,
`459,
`issued Apr. 7, 1992, entitled
`"SYSTEM AND
`METHOD FOR GENERATING SIGNAL WAVEFORMS
`IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM",
`assigned to the assignee of the present invention, of which 40
`the disclosure thereof is incorporated by reference herein.
`Users of mobile telephones have desired to be able to use
`their mobile phone regardless of their location This desire
`caused mobile communications providers to negotiate con(cid:173)
`tracts among themselves
`to provide services known as 45
`"roaming" to their customers. A "roamer" is a mobile station
`which requires service in a system which is operated by a
`mobile communications service provider other than the one
`to which the user subscribes.
`Currently when a mobile station is roaming, a signal 50
`indicative of the roaming condition is provided to the user
`and displayed as a result of a comparison of the system
`identification (SID) of the subscribed system which is semi(cid:173)
`permanently stored in the mobile station with the SID of the
`system providing service broadcast from the base station.
`This alerts the user of the mobile station that the service
`being provided
`is accruing roaming costs. Because the
`contracts between different companies differ, a roamer is
`typically assuming an unknown risk as to the cost of the
`service being provided, since he knows neither of the 60
`contracts between the service provider and system to which
`he subscribes nor does he know the identity of the provider
`of the roaming service.
`
`2
`a notice indicative of anticipated expenses of the roaming
`service being provided. In the present invention, when a
`mobile station registers with a communication system oper(cid:173)
`ated by a service provider other than the provider to which
`5 he subscribes, hereafter referred to as the visitor communi(cid:173)
`cation system, the visitor communication system will trans(cid:173)
`mit a signal indicative of the costs of the anticipated roaming
`charges.
`When a mobile station registers with the visitor commu-
`10 nication system, the visitor communication system sends an
`authorization request message to the mobile station user's
`home communication system, the mobile station user's
`home communication system is the system to which the user
`subscribes service. The home communication system pro-
`15 vides a graded roaming signal indicative of the anticipated
`roaming charges. The anticipated roaming charges are typi(cid:173)
`cally based on the contractual agreements between the home
`communication system service provider and the visitor
`communication system service provider. A signal indicative
`20 of the anticipated roaming charges is transmitted
`to the
`mobile station and displayed for the user.
`In a preferred embodiment the graded roaming signal is
`provided over a control channel (paging channel) prior to
`start of communications on a voice or data channel (traffic
`channel) and could be part of the indication that the regis(cid:173)
`tration is accepted. In an alternative embodiment the call is
`set up and the graded roaming signal is provided over the
`traffic channel. This allows the mobile station user to make
`a timely decision as to whether to conduct the service based
`upon the anticipated cost. Ideally all service providers would
`be required to provide the graded roaming signal to a
`roaming user for the benefit of mobile station users.
`When the graded roaming signal is transmitted to the
`mobile station user, the information
`is provided
`to the
`mobile station user. In the exemplary embodiment,
`the
`signal indicates the anticipated roaming costs charged by the
`visitor communication system provider relative to those
`costs charged by to other providers. In the exemplary
`embodiment, a relative signal such as a number of dollars
`signs is displayed on a visual screen of the mobile station to
`alert the user of the anticipated roaming costs. It is unlikely
`that the system can provide absolute billing information,
`because factors such as group discounts and bulk discounts
`make it difficult to provide of real time billing information.
`However, if real time billing is possible, then the base station
`can provide an indication of the actual cost of the service
`being provided, which the mobile station may then display
`the absolute cost of the service being received.
`In an alternative embodiment, which is useful in the case
`where the visitor communication system does not have a
`timely connection to the home communication system, the
`visitor communication system transmits to the mobile sta(cid:173)
`tion an identification signal which the mobile station then
`55 displays the name of the visitor communication system
`service provider for the user. By knowing the name of the
`visitor communication system service provider, the user can
`make a more educated estimate of the roaming costs.
`
`35
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The features, objects, and advantages of the present
`invention will become more apparent from the detailed
`description set forth below when taken in conjunction with
`the drawings in which like reference characters identify
`65 correspondingly throughout and wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary
`system implementation of the present invention; and
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention is a novel and improved method
`and apparatus for providing a user of a mobile station with
`
`Dell Inc., Ex. 1025
`Page 4 of 7
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`

`

`3
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary
`embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.
`
`5,862,471
`
`5
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF IBE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`Referring to FIG. 1, when mobile station 8 enters a
`geographical situation that prevents it from obtaining service
`from the home communication system mobile station 8
`registers with a visitor communication system 7. In the
`exemplary embodiment, mobile station 8 is spread spectrum 10
`mobile station as is detailed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat.
`Nos. 4,901,307 and 5,103,459.
`Mobile station 8 provides identification information to
`visitor base station 6. Visitor base station 6 then provides the
`information to visitor system controller 5. Visitor system 15
`controller 5 contains the visitor location register (VLR) 9.
`The visitor location register (VLR) maintains records, for
`billing purposes, of all service being provided to roaming
`stations such as mobile station 8. Visitor communication
`system 7 seeks authorization to provide service from the 20
`home communication system of mobile station 8.
`Visitor communication system 7 sends a request to pro(cid:173)
`vide service through signaling network 4 to home system
`controller 2. Home system controller 2 contains a data base
`referred to as home location register (HLR) 1. HLR 1
`contains user profile information comprising an authoriza(cid:173)
`tion to permit roaming, user features, and information about
`anticipated roaming costs based upon contractual agree(cid:173)
`ments between the home communication system provider
`and the visitor communication system provider. In the 30
`exemplary embodiment,
`the graded roaming signal is a
`relative indication of how the roaming charges of the visitor
`communication system provider compare to other compa(cid:173)
`nies' roaming charges.
`Home system controller 2 provides
`the information
`including an authorization to permit roaming, user features,
`and information about anticipated roaming costs through
`signaling network 4 to visitor communication system 7. In
`the exemplary embodiment, when visitor communication
`system 7 receives the registration accepted order, the graded
`roaming signal is transmitted to mobile station 8 prior to or
`during call set up.
`An indication of the graded roaming signal is then dis(cid:173)
`played by mobile station 8, which allows the user to estimate
`the likely roaming charges. In the exemplary embodiment,
`mobile station 8 displays a plurality of dollar signs on a
`display screen the number of which are indicative of the
`estimated relative roaming costs. The larger the number of
`dollar signs displayed the larger the estimated roaming costs, 50
`the fewer the number of dollar signs displayed the lower the
`estimated roaming costs.
`In an alternative embodiment, the user of mobile station
`8 is provided a standard text signal by visitor communica(cid:173)
`tion system 7. The standard text signal identifies the carrier
`providing the roaming service to the mobile station user. An
`exemplary embodiment of the standard text signal is an
`ASCII text signal. By knowing the identity of the carrier
`providing service, the user of mobile station 8 can make a
`more educated estimate of the anticipated roaming charges.
`In the exemplary embodiment, mobile station 8 displays the
`name of the visitor communication system service provider
`in plain text on a display screen of mobile station 8.
`FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the communications
`system of the present invention. When mobile station 16
`attempts to obtains service in an area served by the visitor
`communication system 14, then mobile station 16 sends a
`
`4
`roaming request signal to visitor communication system 14.
`It should be noted that the functions of the visitor base
`station and visitor system controller are illustrated in one
`integrated element as visitor communication system 14. This
`is for simplicity because the functions of the base station and
`system controller can be divided in a variety of ways, as is
`well known in the art.
`User identification generator 50 generates a signal iden(cid:173)
`tifying mobile station 16 and its home communication
`system. The signal may also include information as to the
`type of service requested and an identification of the capa(cid:173)
`bilities of mobile station 16.
`The request message is provided by generator 50 to
`encoder/modulator 48 which encodes and modulates the
`signal for transmission. In the exemplary embodiment, the
`modulation format used is a CDMA spread spectrum modu-
`lation format as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat.
`Nos. 4,901,307 and 5,103,459, although other digital modu(cid:173)
`lation techniques such as TDMA could be used. The modu(cid:173)
`lated message signal is provided to transmitter (TMTR) 46
`which upconverts and amplifies the signal. The amplified
`and upconverted signal is provided through duplexer 44 for
`broadcast through antenna 42. In an alternative embodiment
`such as an analog system the encoder function is not
`25 required.
`The broadcast signal from mobile station 16 is received at
`antenna 32 of visitor communication
`system 14. The
`received signal is provided to receiver 30 which downcon(cid:173)
`verts and amplifies the signal. The received signal is then
`to decoder/demodulator 28. In the exemplary
`provided
`embodiment,
`the demodulation format used is a CDMA
`spread spectrum demodulation format as described in the
`aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,307 and 5,103,459,
`although other digital demodulation formats could be used.
`The demodulated signal is provided to roaming request
`generator 26. Generator 26 generates a packet that contains
`the identification of mobile station 16, an identification of
`the system provider of visitor communication system 14 and
`is addressed to home system controller 10. The packet may
`also contain information regarding the service requested.
`The roaming request packet is provided by generator 26
`to network transmitter 24 which formats, modulates and
`amplifies the signal for transmission to home system con-
`45 troller 10. The packet is provided through signaling network
`12 to home communication system controller 10. Signaling
`network 12 can be either a public switching transmission
`network (PSTN) or it can be a network specifically designed
`to carry messages between different service providers.
`The signal is received at home system controller receiver
`(RCVR) 20. Home system controller receiver 20 downcon(cid:173)
`verts and amplifies the received signal and provides the
`information to roaming information determination element
`18. Information determination element 18 can be imple-
`55 mented by a microprocessor used in conjunction with a
`database storage as is well known in the art. Determination
`element 18 validates the identity of the user and determines
`if the user is permitted to roam. In addition, determination
`element 18 determines from the identity of the service
`60 provider of visitor communication system 14 what the
`anticipated roaming cost to the user of mobile station 16 is
`likely to be. The anticipated roaming cost is based on
`contracts between the two service providers. The anticipated
`roaming cost may also be affected by the type of service
`65 requested.
`Roaming information determination generates a signal
`indicative of the anticipated roaming cost and provides this
`
`35
`
`40
`
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`Page 5 of 7
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`

`5,862,471
`
`15
`
`6
`5
`8. The system of claim 7 wherein said graded roaming
`signal to home system controller transmitter (1M1R) 22.
`signal is indicative of relative roaming costs.
`Transmitter 22 formats, modulates, upconverts and amplifies
`the signal for transmission through signaling network 12 to
`9. The system of claim 7 wherein said graded roaming
`visitor communication system 14.
`signal is transmitted over a paging channel.
`10. The system of claim 7 wherein said graded roaming
`The anticipated roaming cost signal is received by visitor 5
`receiver 34. Network
`communication
`system network
`signal is transmitted is a spread spectrum communication
`receiver 34 demodulates, downconverts and amplifies the
`signal.
`received signal. The received signal is then provided to
`11. The system of claim 7 wherein said representation
`modulator/encoder 36. Modulator/encoder 36 encodes and
`comprises a plurality of icons indicative of the relative
`modulates the signal for transmission to mobile station 16. 10 roaming costs.
`In the exemplary embodiment, the modulation format used
`12. The system of claim 11 wherein said icons are dollar
`is a CDMA spread spectrum modulation format as described
`signs.
`in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,901,307 and 5,103,
`13. In mobile station a method for providing roaming
`459. The modulated signal
`is provided
`to transmitter
`charge information, comprising the steps of:
`(1MTR) 38 which upconverts and amplifies the signal,
`receiving a graded roaming signal; and
`which is then broadcast through antenna 40. In the exem-
`displaying a representation of said graded roaming signal.
`plary embodiment, the graded roaming signal is provided on
`14. The method of claim 13 wherein said graded roaming
`the paging channel. In an alternative embodiment the graded
`signal is indicative of relative roaming costs.
`roaming signal is provided as a preliminary transmission on
`15. The method of claim 13 wherein said graded roaming
`the traffic channel.
`20 signal is transmitted over a paging channel.
`The signal broadcast by visitor communication system 14
`16. The method of claim 13 wherein said graded roaming
`is received at antenna 42 and provided through duplexer 44
`signal is transmitted is a spread spectrum communication
`to receiver 52. Receiver 52 downconverts and amplifies the
`signal.
`received signal and provides the received signal to decoder/
`17. The method of claim 13 wherein said representation
`demodulator 54. Decoder/demodulator 54 demodulates and
`25 comprises a plurality of icons indicative of the relative
`decodes the received signal and provides the anticipated
`roaming costs.
`roaming cost information signal to user display element 56.
`18. The method of claim 17 wherein said icons are dollar
`User display element 56 may be a visual display such as
`signs.
`light emitting diode (LED) display or a liquid crystal display
`19. A visitor communication system, comprising:
`LCD, or user display 56 may be an auditory device for
`authentication means for receiving a visiting mobile sta(cid:173)
`providing the anticipated roaming cost information to the
`tion service request signal and for generating a roaming
`mobile station user.
`authorization message in accordance with said mobile
`The previous description of the preferred embodiments is
`station service request signal, and for sending said
`provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or
`roaming authorization message to a visiting mobile
`use the present invention. The various modifications to these 35
`station home location register; and
`embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the
`graded roaming charge transmitter means for receiving
`art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied
`from said visiting mobile station home location register
`to other embodiments without the use of the inventive
`a graded roaming message and for transmitting a
`faculty. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be
`graded roaming signal.
`limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be 40
`20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said graded
`accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and
`roaming charge transmitter means transmits said graded
`novel features disclosed herein.
`roaming signal in accordance with a spread spectrum modu(cid:173)
`We claim:
`lation format.
`1. A mobile station capable of displaying an indication of
`21. A visitor communication system, comprising:
`estimated roaming charges, comprising:
`a visitor location identifier having an input for receiving
`receiver means for receiving a graded roaming signal; and
`a visiting mobile station service request signal and
`display means for displaying a representation of said
`having an output for providing a roaming authorization
`graded roaming signal.
`message; and
`2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said graded roaming
`a transmitter means having an output for providing a
`signal is indicative of relative roaming costs.
`graded roaming signal.
`3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said graded roaming
`22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said transmitter
`signal is transmitted over a paging channel.
`transmits said graded roaming signal in accordance with a
`4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said graded roaming
`spread spectrum modulation format.
`signal is transmitted is a spread spectrum communication
`23. In a visitor communication system, a method for
`signal.
`providing a visiting mobile station user with a graded
`5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said representation
`roaming signal, comprising the steps of:
`comprises a plurality of icons indicative of the relative
`receiving a visiting mobile station service request signal;
`roaming costs.
`generating a roaming authorization message in accor(cid:173)
`6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said icons are dollar
`dance with said mobile station service request signal;
`signs.
`7. A mobile station capable of displaying an indication of
`sending said roaming authorization message to a visiting
`estimated roaming charges, comprising:
`mobile station home location register; and
`a receiver having an input for receiving a graded roaming
`receiving from said visiting mobile station home location
`signal and having an output; and
`register a graded roaming message; and
`a display having an input coupled to said receiver output 65
`transmitting a graded roaming signal.
`24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said step of
`for displaying a representation of said graded roaming
`signal.
`transmitting said graded roaming charge transmits said
`
`50
`
`30
`
`45
`
`55
`
`60
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`5,862,471
`
`7
`graded roaming signal in accordance with a spread spectrum
`modulation format.
`25. A home communication system, comprising:
`subscriber authorization means for receiving a roaming
`authorization message and for generating an authori(cid:173)
`zation response message and for generating a graded
`roaming message; and
`
`8
`transmitter for sending said authorization response mes(cid:173)
`sage and said graded roaming message.
`26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said subscriber
`authorization means generates said graded roaming message
`in accordance with a contractual relation signal.
`
`5
`
`* * * * *
`
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`Page 7 of 7
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