Method and system for providing support to a mobile communications unit

• US 20010053688A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Oijer, Fredrik, Rignell, Marten
• Application Number:
  US09/875,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20010053688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of providing support to a mobile communications unit and comprising the steps of generating a support request at said mobile unit, sending a support message to a remote support location on the basis of said support request, said support message relating to one or more problems, and receiving said support message at said remote support location, wherein said method further comprises the steps of monitoring said support message at said remote support location after reception, generating support information enabling solving of said one or more problems at least partially, and providing said support information at said mobile unit.

The invention also relates to system for the same.

In this way, a simplified, enhanced and more efficient support to at least one mobile communications unit is enabled e.g. automatically.

Claims

1. A method of providing support to a mobile communications unit comprising the steps of

generating a support request at said mobile unit,

sending a support message to a remote support location on the basis of said support request, said support message relating to one or more problems,

receiving said support message at said remote support location,

characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of

generating support information enabling solving of said one or more problems at least partially, and

providing said support information at said mobile unit.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, characterized in that said support request is generated on the basis of one or more of the following

a user action,

a message received from said remote support location,

any internal event like a timer event, an error event, etc., or

a status check performed at a regular time interval.

3. A method according to claims 1-2, characterized in that said support information is provided to the mobile unit by sending a message containing update and/or support information enabling the mobile unit to perform an automatic update of the settings thereby correcting said one or more problems.

4. A method according to claims 1-3, characterized in that said support information is comprised in an SMS message.

5. A method according to claims 1-4, characterized in that said support information comprises information regarding/representing one or more of the following

one or more unit settings/parameters,

unit identification,

status of said mobile unit,

an internal state of said mobile unit,

at least one error code,

at least one version number of software, hardware, firmware, etc. in said mobile communications unit,

which hardware/physical/functional units/modules that are or have been connected with said mobile unit, or

other relevant information.

6. A method according to claims 1-5, characterized in that said mobile unit is a mobile phone.

7. An method according to claims 1 - 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said sending of said support message to said remote support location is based on contact information relating to a phone number or an IP address, and that said contact information is one or more of the following

stored in the mobile unit,

stored on a SIM card,

entered by a user, or

a part of said message received from said remote support location.

8. A system for providing support to a mobile communications unit comprising

means (403) for generating a support request at said mobile unit,

first communications means (404) for sending a support message to a remote support location on the basis of said support request, said support message relating to one or more problems,

second communications means (405) for receiving said support message at said remote support location,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said system further comprises

means (406) for generating support information enabling solving of said one or more problems at least partially, and

providing said support information at said mobile unit via said second communications means (405).

9. A system according to

claim 8

, characterized in that said support request is generated on the basis of one or more of the following

a user action,

a message received from said remote support location,

any internal event like a timer event, an error event, etc., or

a status check performed at a regular time interval.

10. A system according to claims 8-9, characterized in that said support information is provided to the mobile unit by sending a message containing update and/or support information via second communications means (405) enabling the mobile unit to perform an automatic update of the settings, thereby correcting said one or more problems.

11. A system according to claims 8-10, characterized in that said support information is comprised in an SMS message.

12. A system according to claims 8-11, charact e r i z e d in that said support information comprises information regarding/representing one or more of the following

one or more unit settings/parameters,

unit identification,

status of said mobile unit,

an internal state of said mobile unit,

at least one error code,

at least one version number of software, hardware, firmware, etc. in said mobile communications unit,

which hardware/physical/functional units/modules that are or have been connected to said mobile unit, or

other relevant information.

13. A system according to claims 8-12, characterized in that said mobile unit is a mobile phone.

14. A system according to claims 8-13, characterized in that said sending of said support message to said remote support location via said first communication means (404) is based on contact information relating to a phone number or an IP address, and that said contact information is one or more of the following

stored in the mobile unit,

stored on a SIM card,

entered by a user, or

a part of said message received from said remote support location.