37 results about "Over-the-air programming" patented technology

Methods and apparatus for automatically selecting a wireless communication network by user equipment using a “steered” PLMN are disclosed. A home network identification, a list of prioritized roaming network identifications, and a steered network identification are stored in memory (e.g. a SIM or USIM) of the user equipment. In an automatic network selection procedure, a scanning operation is performed to receive one or more network identifications corresponding to one or more available wireless communication networks in a coverage area. The user equipment attempts to select a wireless communication network in the coverage area by comparing the received network identifications from the scanning operation with the steered network identification. If a match between a received network identification and the steered network identification is identified, a wireless communication network corresponding to the received network identification that matches the steered network identification is selected and registered with by the user equipment. This procedure is performed in lieu of use of the list of prioritized roaming network identifications of the user equipment. By setting the steered network identification via an over-the-air programming procedure when necessary (e.g. on a per region basis), a home network operator may “steer” user equipment to any desired network immediately and efficiently.

A system and method supporting over-the-air programming of access device such as, for example, a mobile multimedia handset and a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) via a broadband access gateway, is disclosed. The broadband access gateway may receive identifying information from the access device via a personal area network and / or a wireless local area network, and may transfer the identifying information to a wide area network or a third party content provider, via a broadband network. The broadband access gateway may enable the registration of the access device with the wide area network, and may receive firmware / software updates and / or provisioning parameters via the broadband network. The gateway may then transfer the firmware / software update and / or provisioning parameters to the access device via the personal area network and / or wireless local area network.

An improved method for programming a mobile telephone over the air within a mobile telephone communication network is disclosed. The mobile telephone communication network includes an over-the-air function, a customer service center, a mobile switching center, a base station controller, and multiple base transceiver stations. The over-the-air function, using the mobile switching center, the base station controller, and one of the base transceiver stations for transport, initially sends a request over the air to a mobile telephone within the mobile telephone communication network to interrogate the mobile telephone's protocol capability. In response to the request, the mobile telephone sends a protocol capability response message over the air back to the over-the-air function. The protocol capability response message includes a BAND_MODE_CAP field that describes the band and mode capability information of the mobile telephone. In addition, the protocol capability response message may also includes a SERVICE_OPTION field that describes the service options supported by the mobile telephone.

Systems and methods for providing centralized notification for over the air programming. The centralized notification system includes a central server that generates a message to be delivered to a mobile device. The centralized notification system includes an active server in communication with the central server that receives the message from the central server. The active server communicates with a network element that communicates with the mobile device. The active server queries the network element to determine availability of the mobile device. If the availability of the mobile device is returned from the network device, the message is directly routed to the mobile device, otherwise, the message is routed to a passive server. The passive server monitors message traffic for an event that provides availability information about the mobile device and automatically delivers the message to the mobile device in response thereto.

A system and a method for performing over the air programming (“OTAP”) to update computer code in a remote computer. The method includes transmitting computer code over the air to the remote device and writing the computer code to at least one memory device located in the remote device. In one embodiment, the remote device is a cellular phone and the computer code is transmitted over a cellular phone network.

A program upgrade system and method for portable device using an over-the-air programming mechanism, that includes an upgrade package processor for generating an upgrade package for a program and an upgrade package server allowing a recipient device to download the upgrade package. The method includes generating, the upgrade package on the basis of differences between a first and second versions of the program at the upgrade package processor; notifying, the recipient device of an issuance of the upgrade package at the upgrade package server; downloading, the upgrade package from the upgrade package server to the recipient device; installing the upgrade package in a first memory; and merging the upgrade package and the first version of the program to be loaded as the second version of the program on a volatile memory in response to an upgrade command.

A method and wireless device for updating at least one cryptographic security key (116) associated with a wireless device (104) and an authentication module (108). An over-the-air programming message comprising security key update information is received (804) from an information processing system (118). The security key update information is processed (808). At least one new security key is extracted from the security key update information in response to the processing (806). At least one existing security key (116) is updated with the at least one new security key (124) that has been extracted.

A system and a method for performing over the air programming (“OTAP”) to update computer code in a remote computer. The method includes transmitting computer code over the air to the remote device and writing the computer code to at least one memory device located in the remote device. In one embodiment, the remote device is a cellular phone and the computer code is transmitted over a cellular phone network.

A portable monitoring apparatus includes a bracelet having a housing and a strap for connecting the bracelet with a body part of a person being monitored, and an electronic monitoring circuit disposed in the housing. The electronic monitoring circuit executes an executable program for controlling the monitoring circuit according to a control algorithm. The executable program is modifiable by over the air programming from a monitoring network having transmitting and receiving circuits in operative communication with the electronic monitoring circuit. The housing of the bracelet includes a contract portion configured to engage the skin of the person being monitored and a cavity portion having an opening defining a closed sampling volume when the base is in contact with the person. An alcohol sensor is disposed at the sampling volume for detecting a physiological condition of the human and generating a signal thereof.

A reconfigurable wireless transceiver and method of use are disclosed. As one example, a reconfigurable wireless transceiver is disclosed, which includes a transmitter unit, a plurality of receiver units, and a processing unit coupled to the plurality of receiver units. A first receiver unit of the plurality of receiver units receives a first signal at a first frequency, and determines a strength level of the first signal. A second receiver unit of the plurality of receiver units searches for a second signal at a second frequency, detects the second signal at the second frequency, and determines a strength level of the detected second signal. The processing unit determines if the strength level of the detected second signal is greater than a predetermined value, and enables the second receiver unit to receive a third signal at substantially the second frequency, if the strength level of the detected second signal is greater than the predetermined value. The predetermined value may be substantially equal to the signal strength of the received first signal, and the third signal may be associated with over-the-air programming or tasking. As a second example, a method for reconfiguring a wireless transceiver is disclosed, which includes receiving a first signal in a first frequency band, determining a signal strength of the received signal, searching for a second signal in a second frequency band, detecting the second signal, determining a signal strength of the detected second signal, comparing the signal strength of the received first signal with a predetermined signal strength value, and enabling reception of the detected second signal and disabling reception of the first signal, if the signal strength of the detected second signal is greater than the predetermined signal strength value.

A method for updating service information stored in a mobile station relies on the programmability of the station and over-the-air transmission of teleservice information. When a station is inactive, a delivery flag is set when the station subsequently registers the over-the-air transmission is performed.

A system and method for updating a program of a mobile device using an over-the-air programming mechanism is provided and adopted to a network including an upgrade package processor for generating an upgrade package for a program and an upgrade package server allowing a recipient device to download the upgrade package. The program upgrade method of the present invention includes generating, at the upgrade package processor, the upgrade package on the basis of differences between a first and second versions of the program; notifying, at the upgrade package server, at least one recipient device of an issuance of the upgrade package; downloading, at the recipient device, the upgrade package from the upgrade package server; installing the upgrade package in a non-volatile memory; generating the second version of the program by merging the upgrade package and the first version previously installed in the nonvolatile memory; and loading the second version on a volatile memory in response to an upgrade command.

Embodiments of this invention supplement the termination process having the mobile subscriber unit to terminate the call upon completion of an OTA programming session. In one embodiment, the termination is initiated by the mobile subscriber unit after every session. In another embodiment, the termination is initiated after the network fails to terminate the call. In another embodiment, the termination is only initiated in circumstances where it is known that the service provider has failed to terminate the call.

Embodiments of the present invention provide for an electronic device for tracking assets. In one embodiment, the device comprises a single board computer adapted to communicate with a network, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. In another embodiment the device comprises a computer having over-the-air programming functionality, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. Embodiments of the present invention also provide for a system for tracking assets comprising a network and a single board computer in communication with the network, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. Embodiments of the present invention further provide for a system of stack charging an electronic device in a plurality of orientations. Embodiments of the present invention additionally provide for a method of securing a facility comprising the steps of issuing a tracking device to an asset by automated kiosk upon arrival at the facility, linking the tracking device to the asset, and monitoring the asset with the tracking device.

A method for programming computer code at a remote platform having a local computer. A home device sends a computer code to the local computer via wireless transmission wherein the computer code is stored within an alternate area of a flash memory. Once a complete copy of the computer code is recognized at the local computer the integrity of the computer code is checked and if proper, a new boot address is assigned at the local computer. At this time the local computer is rebooted such that when the computer restarts the alternate computer code is used thus effectively updating the computer software.

According to the invention cellular telephones or other communications devices (102) may request provisioning of features or services (114) by applications, for instance applications received via over-the-air programming (OAP), via a remote authorization service (120). The requests by applications, such as Java applications, for access to provisioning privileges may be intercepted, for instance, by a native layer (108) executing on the communications device (102). The native layer (108) may communication the provisioning request (114), along with information identifying the requesting application, to a remote authorization server (120). Provisioning requests may be for ring tone, game, long distance or other features or services. The authorization facility may compare the application identifier or other information against a list or table of applications authorized to access device-specific data or perform other authorization. A grant, denial, deferral or other determination may be communicated back to the device, to permit or deny provisioning accordingly.

According to the invention cellular telephones or other communications devices (102) may intercept requests (114) by applications (104), for instance applications received via over-the-air programming (OAP), to access sensitive device-specific data (110). That device-specific data (110) may include hardware identifiers such as IMEI or other serial or subscriber identification values, personalized settings such as phone books, contact lists, messaging or other information. The requests (114) by applications (104) for access to that type of data may be intercepted, for instance, by an application programming interface (106) executing on the communications device (102). The application programming interface (106) may communication the request (114), along with information identifying the requesting application, to a remote authorization server (118). The facility may compare the application identifier or other information against a list or table of applications authorized (120) to access device-specific data (110). A grant, denial, deferral or other determination may be communicated back to the device, to permit or deny access accordingly. The routing of requests (114) for such data to a remote host server (118) may, for example, prevent the accessing or corruption of sensitive data by viruses, rogue applications or other types of wireless intrusions.

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, receiving an over-the-air programming message that includes programming data for use by the mobile communication device, decrypting the over-the-air programming message utilizing a first keyset to generate a decrypted over-the-air programming message, determining a schedule for providing messages from a secure device processor to a secure element of the mobile communication device where the secure device processor is separate from the secure element and in communication with the secure element, and providing the decrypted over-the-air programming message to the secure element according to the schedule. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A dual-satellite emergency locator beacon and method for programming and updating such emergency locator beacons over the air. The system uses a second commercial satellite as the carrier for the data back to the beacon together with the means of coupling these parts together. The system can be manually updated or can be part of a registration system that gets automatically updated. In a second embodiment a method and apparatus for implementing emergency locator beacon registration is provided. The system provides data concerning the user into a backend service which can be utilized to provide all necessary information needed to register the emergency beacon.

A communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule. The frequency band search schedule has a first or home band and a several other frequency bands in a predetermined ordered. The order of the frequency bands may be programmed by the user or by a home service provider over the air. The communication device searches for an acceptable service provider by examining the home band and then the other bands listed in the frequency band search schedule. The bands are examined in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule. An acceptable service provider is identified by comparing the identify of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a band being examined with a list of acceptable service providers.

Methods and apparatus for automatically selecting a wireless communication network by user equipment using a “steered” PLMN are disclosed. A home network identification, a list of prioritized roaming network identifications, and a steered network identification are stored in memory (e.g. a SIM or USIM) of the user equipment. In an automatic network selection procedure, a scanning operation is performed to receive one or more network identifications corresponding to one or more available wireless communication networks in a coverage area. The user equipment attempts to select a wireless communication network in the coverage area by comparing the received network identifications from the scanning operation with the steered network identification. If a match between a received network identification and the steered network identification is identified, a wireless communication network corresponding to the received network identification that matches the steered network identification is selected and registered with by the user equipment. This procedure is performed in lieu of use of the list of prioritized roaming network identifications of the user equipment. By setting the steered network identification via an over-the-air programming procedure when necessary (e.g. on a per region basis), a home network operator may “steer” user equipment to any desired network immediately and efficiently.

A portable or vehicle radio of a two-way radio system for use by a group is generally in direct call mode as a generic radio. Once a communication range is needed to be expanded under a condition of no available repeater, a group commander is able to designate a two-way radio most suitable for functioning as a signal repeater according to GPS location through over-the-air programming or manual control to expand the communication range. The signal repeater retransmits signals being received through time division multiple access (TDMA) over a same channel at different time slots that provides a function of expanding a communication range as a conventional dual-band repeater transmitting signals over uplink and downlink bands does. Therefore, the present invention functions as a generic radio, so as to become a mobile disposal system for providing temporary, emergent and expanded communication range when an emergency is occurred.

A reconfigurable wireless transceiver and method of use are disclosed. As one example, a reconfigurable wireless transceiver is disclosed, which includes a transmitter unit, a plurality of receiver units, and a processing unit coupled to the plurality of receiver units. A first receiver unit of the plurality of receiver units receives a first signal at a first frequency, and determines a strength level of the first signal. A second receiver unit of the plurality of receiver units searches for a second signal at a second frequency, detects the second signal at the second frequency, and determines a strength level of the detected second signal. The processing unit determines if the strength level of the detected second signal is greater than a predetermined value, and enables the second receiver unit to receive a third signal at substantially the second frequency, if the strength level of the detected second signal is greater than the predetermined value. The predetermined value may be substantially equal to the signal strength of the received first signal, and the third signal may be associated with over-the-air programming or tasking. As a second example, a method for reconfiguring a wireless transceiver is disclosed, which includes receiving a first signal in a first frequency band, determining a signal strength of the received signal, searching for a second signal in a second frequency band, detecting the second signal, determining a signal strength of the detected second signal, comparing the signal strength of the received first signal with a predetermined signal strength value, and enabling reception of the detected second signal and disabling reception of the first signal, if the signal strength of the detected second signal is greater than the predetermined signal strength value.

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, receiving an over-the-air programming message that is utilizing a hypertext transfer protocol where the over-the-air programming message including programming data for use by the mobile communication device, converting the over-the-air programming message to a short message service transport protocol to generate an adjusted message that includes the programming data, and providing the adjusted message to a universal integrated circuit card of the mobile communication device via a baseband proxy operating in a device processor of the mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A system and method supporting over-the-air programming of access device such as, for example, a mobile multimedia handset and a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) via a broadband access gateway, is disclosed. The broadband access gateway may receive identifying information from the access device via a personal area network and / or a wireless local area network, and may transfer the identifying information to a wide area network or a third party content provider, via a broadband network. The broadband access gateway may enable the registration of the access device with the wide area network, and may receive firmware / software updates and / or provisioning parameters via the broadband network. The gateway may then transfer the firmware / software update and / or provisioning parameters to the access device via the personal area network and / or wireless local area network.

A method for programming a wireless portable communication device (104) over the air with a wireless communication network (102). An end user may request to have his wireless portable communication device programmed or the device may be programmed to automatically request at a predetermined time interval. The communication network (104) may remotely program an individual wireless portable communication device (104), or may remotely program a group of wireless portable communication devices (112).

A dual-satellite emergency locator beacon and method for programming and updating such emergency locator beacons over the air. The system uses a second commercial satellite as the carrier for the data back to the beacon together with the means of coupling these parts together. The system can be manually updated or can be part of a registration system that gets automatically updated. In a second embodiment a method and apparatus for implementing emergency locator beacon registration is provided. The system provides data concerning the user into a backend service which can be utilized to provide all necessary information needed to register the emergency beacon.