Local control enhancement in a telecommunications systems

Claim 2

In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of: receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code for determining local control features supported by said mobile station, wherein said local control features are customizations of air interfaces to provide special local services within said system; determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more of said local control features also supported by said system; and responsive to the determination: transmitting a first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are not supported; and transmitting a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are supported.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 in which said registration message transmitted from a mobile station comprises a first identification code and a second identification code, and, further, in which the step of determining comprises the steps of: determining if said first identification code is contained in a list stored by said system; and determining if said second identification code is within a stored range of values associated with said first identification code.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 in which said first identification code comprises a manufacturer code and said second identification code comprises a mobile station serial number.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 in which said step of determining further comprises the step of determining if said at least one identification code is contained in a list stored by said system.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 in which said stored list comprises a list of manufacturer codes.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 in which said manufacturer codes identify manufacturers of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 in which said manufacturer codes identify models of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 in which said second type registration confirmation message comprises an initial message assigning a voice channel for communications between said system and said mobile station.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of transmitting a local control message on said voice channel, said local control message comprising a data field.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 in which said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of setting a common local control group flag in a home location register for said mobile station.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8 in which said step of determining comprises the steps of: accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and verifying a local control class of service stored in said home location register.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 in which said step of verifying further comprises the step of determining if a common local group flag contained in said data base is set.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: receiving in said system a second registration message transmitted from said mobile station; determining whether said second registration message was received after having previously transmitted a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station; and responsive to an affirmative determination: transmitting said first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station.

Claim 16

In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of: receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system; and responsive to the determination: transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, and local control message comprising a data field, wherein said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 17

In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of: receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system; and responsive to the determination: transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, and local control message comprising a data field, wherein said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 18

In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code for determining local control features supported by said mobile station, wherein said local control features are customizations of air interfaces to provide special local services within said system; means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more of said local control features also supported by said system; and means for transmitting a first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are not supported; and means for transmitting a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are supported.

Claim 19

In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code for determining local control features supported by said mobile station, wherein said local control features are customizations of air interfaces to provide special local services within said system; means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more of said local control features also supported by said system; and means for transmitting a first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are not supported; and means for transmitting a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station if said local control features are supported.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 in which said registration message transmitted from a mobile station comprises a first identification code and a second identification code, and, further, in which said means for determining comprises: means for determining if said first identification code is contained in a list stored by said system; and means for determining if said second identification code is within a stored range of values associated with said first identification code.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17 in which said first identification code comprises a manufacturer code and said second identification code comprises a mobile station serial number.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 16 in which said means for determining further comprises means for determining if said at least one identification code is contained in a list stored by said system.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 19 in which said stored list comprises a list of manufacturer codes.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20 in which said manufacturer codes identify manufacturers of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 20 in which said manufacturer codes identify manufacturers of mobile stations which support one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 17 in which said second type registration confirmation message comprises an initial message assigning a voice channel for communications between said system and said mobile station.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising the steps of transmitting a local control message on said voice channel, said local control message comprising a data field.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 24 in which said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring system which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising means for setting a common local control group flag in a home location register for said mobile station.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 23 in which said means for determining comprises: means for accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and means for verifying a local control class of service stored in said home location register.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 27 in which said means for verifying further comprises means for determining if a common local group flag stored in said home location register is set.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising: means for receiving in said system a second registration message transmitted from said mobile station; means for determining whether said second registration message was received after having previously transmitted a second type registration confirmation message to said mobile station; and means for transmitting said first type registration confirmation message to said mobile station in response to an affirmative determination.

Claim 33

In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system; means for transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; means for assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and means for transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, said local control message comprising a data field, wherein said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 34

In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system; means for transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; means for assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and means for transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, said local control message comprising a data field, wherein said data field comprises one or more system identification values, said system identification values identifying neighboring systems which support one or more local control features common with one or more local control features supported by said system.

Claim 35

In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system, wherein said means for determining includes: means for accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and means for verifying a local control class of service contained in said home location register; means for transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; means for assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and means for transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, said local control message comprising a data field.

Claim 36

In a mobile telecommunications system, an apparatus for supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; means for determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system, wherein said means for determining includes: means for accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and means for verifying a local control class of service contained in said home location register; means for transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; means for assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and means for transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, said local control message comprising a data field.

Claim 37

In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of: receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system, wherein said step of determining includes the steps of: accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and verifying a local control class of service contained in said home location register; and responsive to the determination: transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, and local control message comprising a data field.

Claim 38

In a mobile telecommunications system, a method of supporting local control functionality independent of mobile station roaming status, said method comprising the steps of: receiving in said system a registration message transmitted from a mobile station, said registration message comprising at least one identification code; determining from said registration message whether said mobile station supports one or more local control features also supported by said system, wherein said step of determining includes the steps of: accessing a home location register for said mobile station; and verifying a local control class of service contained in said home location register; and responsive to the determination: transmitting a page message to said mobile station if local control features are supported; assigning a communications channel for communications between said system and said mobile station; and transmitting a local control message on said assigned communications channel to said mobile station, and local control message comprising a data field.