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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A mobile phone uses a subscriber identification card which includes
memory used by the mobile phone as external auxiliary memory. The
mobile phone itself includes memory and can transfer data from the
card's memory to the phone's memory. The card executes commands
for updating data contained in the card's memory which is transmitted
by short mobile phone messages to the mobile phone and eliminates
the commands contained in the short messages after they are executed.
The mobile phone can detect if data has been eliminated from a short
message by the subscriber identification card and triggers the phone's
memory to transfer data when elimination of data has been detected.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A mobile phone adapted to use a subscriber identification card,
comprising:
a first memory in the subscriber identification card, said first
memory used by said mobile phone as an auxiliary memory;
a second memory in said mobile phone;
transfer software for transferring first data from said first memory
to said second memory;
a processor in the subscriber identification card to execute update
commands relating to data contained in said first memory, said update
commands being transmitted to said mobile phone in the form of second
data via short radio messages;
means for eliminating said second data corresponding to said commands
contained in said short messages when said commands have been executed
by said processor;
a detector in said mobile phone for detecting if said second data
has been eliminated from a short message by said subscriber identification
card; and
means for triggering said transfer software to transfer said first
data when said detector has detected that said second data has been
eliminated from said short message.
2. The mobile phone claimed in claim 1, wherein said second memory
comprises buffer devices and wherein said detector compares data
from said message as received and stored in said buffer devices
of said second memory of said mobile phone and data from said message
after said message has been processed by said card.
3. A mobile phone, comprising:
a first memory to store a short message received by the mobile
phone, the short message containing an update command and data related
to said update command;
a first processor to initiate the storage of the short message
in the first memory;
a subscriber identification card, having:
a second processor to execute the update command and to eliminate
the update command from the short message; and
a second memory containing data to be updated by the update command;
a detector to detect the elimination of the update command from
the short message; and
recovery software associated with the first processor and responsive
to said detector to recover said related data after the update command
contained in the short message has been executed by the second processor.
4. A method of updating information stored in a mobile phone, comprising:
in the mobile phone, receiving and storing a short message containing
at least one update command for updating the information stored
in the mobile phone, said short message further containing data
associated with said update command;
transmitting the short message to a subscriber card in the mobile
phone;
in the subscriber card, executing the update command to update
the information stored in the mobile phone and eliminating the update
command from the short message;
detecting if the the update command has been eliminated from the
short message; and
storing said associated data in the mobile phone.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein, in the detecting step, at least
a portion of the short message as received by the mobile phone is
compared with a corresponding portion of the short message after
the update command has been executed in said subscriber card.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns mobile phones, in particular portable mobile
phones, using a subscriber identification card and in particular
those designed to receive commands sent by a service provider in
short mobile phone messages, in particular updating commands.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Given the rate of change in fields employing data processing means
in particular, it is beneficial for equipment employed by users
to be capable of being updated if necessary.
Some methods of operating subscriber identification card mobile
phones imply staggering in time of updates to information stored
on the cards to the benefit of their users. These updates concern
directory information stored in subscriber identification cards
for mobile phones of particular interest for a given category of
mobile phone users, such as directory information concerning employees
of the same company. Such updates staggered in time are also encountered
when the cards are used for pre-payment operations implying charging
the card with payment units beforehand and recharging the card with
such units when the units previously stored have been used up.
Document FR-A-2718263 describes an automatic charging device to
which mobile phones are connected to update their control software.
A solution of this kind, which may suit some mobile phone operating
conditions, is not necessarily practical if the mobile phones are
likely to be very widely dispersed geographically. It is efficient
only if users can find a charging device within a reasonable distance
and if users find the conditions of using any such device acceptable.
Document EP-A-478231 describes a solution to the problem of quickly
and efficiently programming a mobile phone using signals transmitted
by radio to the radio receiver of the mobile phone from a control
center after the user switches the mobile phone to a programming
mode to obtain specific mobile service authorization codes. Obtaining
these codes is subordinate to the user calling the control center
in at least two of the examples described.
Although a solution of the above kind may be suitable in the case
of the first entry into service or a request for updating at the
initiative of a user, it is not totally satisfactory if the user
is not aware that updating their mobile phone is necessary or advantageous.
Commands and information to be displayed can be transmitted to
mobile phones using a processor and memory subscriber identification
card, and in particular to GSM type mobile phones, via the mobile
phone network by a Short Message Service (SMS). The information
is to be displayed by the mobile phone and the commands are addressed
to a processor, for example the processor on the card. The processor
on the card can therefore be used to update the cards, and therefore
the mobile phones, via the mobile phone network, as soon as a mobile
phone link is set up between a mobile phone and the network. The
control structure of the network can be organized in such a way
that it is possible to tell if a mobile phone connected to said
network has received the updates it needs or not. It is then possible
to update the mobile phones of a network automatically as soon as
the mobile phones are connected to the network, in accordance with
any updates that have come into force.
A solution of the above kind is not without disadvantages, however,
given that mobile phones using microprocessor and memory subscriber
identification cards as currently on sale generally take account
only of information that is present when the respective mobile phones
are switched on. This can be very irritating for users who see information
displayed that does not correspond to the current situation of the
mobile phone displaying the information. For example, if the subscriber
identification card of a mobile phone stores prepayment units and
if the user has used the mobile phone to carry out a prepayment
unit recharging operation, it is possible that the number of prepayment
units displayed by the mobile phone after recharging is still the
number which would have been displayed before recharging if the
mobile phone has not been switched off in the meantime.
Similarly, directory information displayed by a mobile phone may
be inaccurate and therefore lead to errors if an update to the subscriber
identification card sent by radio was implemented when the mobile
phone was already switched on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention therefore proposes a mobile phone adapted to co-operate
with a subscriber identification card, which is usually removable,
the card including memory type first means used by the mobile phone
as external auxiliary memory, said mobile phone including memory
type second means and third means for transferring data from the
first means to the second means, said card including fourth means
enabling it to execute update commands relating to data contained
in the first means transmitted to the mobile phone in the form of
data by short radio messages and fifth means for eliminating data
corresponding to commands contained in the short messages received
when the commands have been executed.
In accordance with one feature of the invention the mobile phone
further includes sixth means for detecting if data has been eliminated
from a short message by the subscriber identification card and seventh
means for triggering said third means to transfer data when the
sixth means have detected elimination of data.
The invention, its features and its advantages are explained in
the following description with reference to the figures listed below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram relating to a system for transmitting
commands by radio to identification card mobile phones.
FIG. 2 shows the format of a short message for transmitting commands
by radio.
FIG. 3 is a block schematic of a subscriber identification card
mobile phone modified in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The system shown in FIG. 1 is based on a telecommunication network
1, at least part of which is a mobile phone network, which includes
a plurality of mobile phone base stations, usually fixed and symbolized
by a base station 2, adapted to relay communications to mobile phones,
symbolized by mobile phone 3, so that users of the mobile phones
can communicate with remote telephone or mobile phone users via
the network. The mobile phones 3 have each to be fitted with a subscriber
identification card 4 before they can be used. These cards are,
for example, SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards that are accommodated
in the mobile phones to which they are connected to enable transmission.
Each subscriber identification card 4 includes digital data processing
means, conventionally a programmable and appropriately programmed
microprocessor, and memory means associated with the processor on
the card.
Each mobile phone includes interface means for exchange of data
with a subscriber identification card having complementary interface
means. It includes its own data processing means and memory means
for cooperating with corresponding means on a card. Mobile phone
send-receive equipment enables each mobile phone to communicate
with the mobile phone base stations within the radio range of which
it is located and in particular to enable connection to the telecommunication
network 1 of the processing and memory means on the identification
card fitted to it and its own such means. This enables this mobile
phone to communicate with other telephone or mobile phones via the
telecommunication network 1 and in particular to communicate with
the service provider from which it obtains, either directly or indirectly,
the subscriber identification card it is using, the service provider
being connected to the telecommunication network by at least one
communication unit 5. Here the communication unit is adapted to
send commands, in particular updating commands, to mobile phones
in the form of digital data included in short radio messages transmitted
by the telecommunication network 1 and in particular the base stations
2 of the network.
The mobile phones concerned are, for example, mobile phones of
GSM, DCS or PCS networks fitted with SIM cards having means for
filtering information that they receive by radio, in particular
in the context of class 2 SMS short messages. As shown in FIG. 2,
here the command short messages include a first part called the
header 6 which in particular identifies the addressee, a second
part 7 containing the command data and in particular the update
command data, and a third part 8 containing data to be displayed
on the display screen of the mobile phone.
In accordance with the invention, as previously mentioned and as
shown in FIG. 3, the mobile phone 3 fitted with a subscriber identification
card 4 is designed to assure that the data displayed by the display
screen of the mobile phone is up to date, even if a modification
affecting it has just been done by the card on reception of a short
message by the mobile phone.
To this end, additional means are incorporated into the mobile
phone which already includes various other means referred to in
part hereinabove.
In particular the mobile phone 3 includes a transceiver 9 for transmitting
the various signals exchanged by radio between the mobile phone
and the base station 2 with which it is communicating and in particular
short messages that the latter station may send it. The transceiver
is connected to an audio circuit 10 handling at least some of the
processing of signals corresponding to sounds to be transmitted
by radio and signals to be converted to audible form to the benefit
of the user and to processing means 11 based on at least one appropriately
programmed processor also able to handle some of the processing
of the send or receive signals.
Memory means 12 are associated with the processing means in the
mobile phone. They include buffer devices, not shown, in which short
messages such as the class 2 SMS messages referred to above, are
stored for transmission to the subscriber identification card 4
incorporated in the mobile phone when they contain commands to be
acted on by the card. As mentioned above, these commands can be
used to recharge prepayment units stored in the card memory or to
update a directory when the corresponding data is also stored in
the card memory.
The identification cards include memory means that can be used
as external memory by the processing means 11 of the mobile phone.
This is known in itself. The data stored in the card enables a user
having a subscriber identification card to use different mobile
phones by moving the card from one mobile phone to another, as required,
for which there is usually simple provision. This is also known
in itself.
For communication with an identification card, a mobile phone 3
includes interface means 13 that it shares with the card for their
exchanges of data in a form that is usually electrical via connecting
members that are not shown. The mobile phone also includes a power
supply unit 14 which powers its components and those of the card,
a display 15 and a user interface keypad 16.
As mentioned above, a subscriber identification card essentially
includes processing means 17, conventionally implemented in the
form of an appropriately programmed microprocessor associated with
memory means 18 at least some of which are accessible from a mobile
phone 3 via a shared access interface 13. This is known in itself.
When, as referred to hereinabove, a short message including command
data addressed to the subscriber identification card 4 fitted to
a mobile phone 3 is received by the mobile phone the processing
means 11 of the mobile phone instigate the storage of the message
in the buffer devices referred to above of the memory means 12 of
the mobile phone and transfer the message to the card 4 via the
access interface 13.
The processing means 17 of the card 4 execute the commands contained
in the short message that they receive which leads to elimination
of the data corresponding to these commands from the short message
containing it. Only the header part 6 and the part 8 containing
the data for display on the display 15 of the mobile phone 3 then
remain in the short message in the memory means 18 of the card.
The mobile phone 3 includes in its processing means 11 software
means enabling it to recover the parts 6 and 8 of the short message
acted on by the card to display the part 8 on the display 15.
There is therefore provision for adding software and/or hardware
means to the processing means 11 to detect if data has been eliminated
by the card 3 from a short message received by the mobile phone
and transmitted to the card. This detection can easily be obtained
by comparing the short message data in the buffer devices referred
to above of the memory means 12 of the mobile phone and that of
the message still present after the commands from said message have
been executed by the card. Transfer software means are therefore
provided to enable the processing means 11 to recover message data
still present in the card. The transfer is then used to update the
card image data stored in the memory means 12 of the mobile phone
in order to show them on the display of the mobile phone so that
the user display always corresponds to the last update done.
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