Out-of-sector message stream delivery

Abstract

An LTE communication system has an eNodeB that exchanges wireless communications with a plurality of wireless communication devices within its a wireless coverage area. The eNodeB, wirelessly broadcasts information associated with a location included within the wireless coverage area for receipt by the wireless communication devices. The LTE communication system also has a control system that receives a request for at least some of the broadcast information associated with the location from a communication device that is not in the wireless coverage area. The control system transfers the requested broadcast information for delivery to the communication device that is not in the wireless coverage area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system, the method comprising:
 in an eNodeB, exchanging wireless communications with a plurality of wireless communication devices within a wireless coverage area of the eNodeB;   in the eNodeB, wirelessly broadcasting information associated with a location included within the wireless coverage area for receipt by the wireless communication devices within the wireless coverage area;   in a control system, receiving a request for at least some of the broadcast information associated with the location from another communication device that is not located within the wireless coverage area; and   in the control system, in response to receiving the request, transferring the requested broadcast information for delivery to the other communication device that is not located within the wireless coverage area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 wirelessly broadcasting information associated with the location comprises broadcasting a first information type and broadcasting a second information type; 
 receiving the request for at least some of the information comprises receiving the request for the first information type but not for the second information type. 
 transferring the requested broadcast information for delivery to the other communication device comprises transferring the first information type but not the second information type. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the information types comprise sports information and weather information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein one of the information types comprises emergency alerts. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein one of the information types comprises local news. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 wirelessly broadcasting information associated with the location comprises broadcasting sports information including sports information for a particular sports team; 
 receiving the request for at least some of the information comprises receiving the request for the sports information for the particular sports team; 
 transferring the requested broadcast information for delivery to the other communication device comprises transferring the sports information for the particular sports team. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the request for at least some of the information comprises receiving the request indicating the location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the other communication device comprises another wireless communication device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein transferring the requested broadcast information for delivery to the other communication device comprises transferring the requested broadcast information for wireless delivery to the other wireless communication device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein transferring the requested broadcast information for delivery to the other communication device comprises transferring the requested broadcast information in a short message service message directed to the other wireless communication device. 
     
     
         11 . A Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication system comprising:
 an eNodeB configured to exchange wireless communications with a plurality of wireless communication devices within a wireless coverage area of the eNodeB and to wirelessly broadcast information associated with a location included within the wireless coverage area for receipt by the wireless communication devices within the wireless coverage area; and   a control system configured to receive a request for at least some of the broadcast information associated with the location from another communication device that is not located within the wireless coverage area, and in response to receiving the request, to transfer the requested broadcast information for delivery to the other communication device that is not located within the wireless coverage area.   
     
     
         12 . The LTE communication system of  claim 11  wherein:
 the eNodeB is configured to wirelessly broadcast a first information type and to broadcast a second information type; 
 the request for at least some of the information comprises a request for the first information type but not for the second information type; and 
 the control system is configured to transfer the first information type but not the second information type. 
 
     
     
         13 . The LTE communication system of  claim 12  wherein the information types comprise sports information and weather information. 
     
     
         14 . The LTE communication system of  claim 12  wherein one of the information types comprises emergency alerts. 
     
     
         15 . The LTE communication system of  claim 12  wherein one of the information types comprises local news. 
     
     
         16 . The LTE communication system of  claim 11  wherein:
 the eNodeB is configured to wirelessly broadcast sports information for a particular sports team; 
 the request for at least some of the information comprises a request for the sports information for the particular sports team; 
 the control system is configured to transfer the sports information for the particular sports team. 
 
     
     
         17 . The LTE communication system of  claim 11  wherein the request indicates the location. 
     
     
         18 . The LTE communication system of  claim 11  wherein the other communication device comprises another wireless communication device. 
     
     
         19 . The LTE communication system of  claim 18  wherein the control system is configured to transfer the requested broadcast information for wireless delivery to the other wireless communication device. 
     
     
         20 . The LTE communication system of  claim 18  wherein the control system is configured to transfer the requested broadcast information in a short message service message directed to the other wireless communication device.