Method and apparatus for setting communication parameter in information terminal

• US 20020124088A1
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Hidekazu, Fukai, Hidekazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A communication parameter delivery server 50b has communication parameters necessary for making each of information terminals 13, 23 and 33 have a dial-up IP connection service. The server 50b delivers the communication parameters via each of networks 12, 22 and 33 responsively to a request from each of the information terminals 13, 23 and 33. The delivered communication terminals are set to Internet connection software installed in each of the information terminal 13, 23 and 33.

Claims

1. A communication parameter setting method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from an information terminal a request signal for requiring a communication parameter to obtain service through a computer network to a server storing the communication parameter;

receiving by the server the request signal;

transmitting from the server to the information terminal the communication parameter stored in the server in response to the received request signal;

receiving the transmitted communication parameter by the information terminal; and

setting by the information terminal the received communication parameter to communication software installed in the information terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

in the step of transmitting the request signal, software identification information to specify the communication software is transmitted together with the request signal,

in the step of receiving the request signal, the transmitted software identification information is received together with the transmitted request signal, and

in the step of transmitting the communication parameter, a communication parameter corresponding to the received software identification information is extracted among communication parameters stored in the server, and the extracted communication parameter is transmitted to the information terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

in the step of transmitting the request signal, user identification information specifying a user of the information terminal is transmitted together with the request signal,

in the step of receiving the request signal, the transmitted user identification information is received together with the transmitted request signal, and

in the step of transmitting the communication parameter, a communication parameter corresponding to the received user identification information is extracted among communication parameters stored in the server, and the extracted communication parameter is transmitted to the information terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the user identification information is identification information to specify a communication apparatus used by the information terminal to communicate with the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein

the communication apparatus is a cellular phone served by a portable telephone network.

6. An information terminal comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting to a server a request signal requiring communication parameters to be set to a communication software installed in the information terminal to connect with a computer network;

a receiver for receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the transmitted request signal; and

setting means for setting the received communication parameter to the communication software.

7. The information terminal of claim 6, wherein

the transmitter transmits software identification information to specify the communication software together with the request signal.

8. The information terminal of claim 6, wherein

the transmitter transmits user identification information to specify a user of the information terminal together with the request signal.

9. The information terminal of claim 8, wherein

the user identification information is identification information to specify a communication apparatus used by the information terminal to communicate with the server.

10. The information terminal of claim 9, wherein

the communication apparatus is a cellular phone served by a portable telephone network.

11. A server comprising:

a memory for storing communication parameters to obtain services through a computer network;

a receiver for receiving a request signal requiring a communication parameter for an information terminal to obtain service through the computer network, when the information terminal transmits the request signal;

extracting means for extracting the communication parameter from the memory in response to the received request signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting the extracted communication parameter to the information terminal.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein

the memory stores communication parameters corresponding to software identification information to specify the communication software,

the receiver receives the software identification information transmitted together with the request signal from the information terminal, and

the extracting means extracts the communication parameter corresponding to the received software identification information.

13. The server of claim 11, wherein

the memory stores communication parameters corresponding to user identification information to specify a user of the information terminal,

the receiver receives the user identification information transmitted together with the request signal from the information terminal, and

the extracting means extracts the communication parameter corresponding to the received user identification information.

14. The server of claim 11, wherein

the information terminal and the server are communicably connected to each other through a portable telephone network,

the receiver receives through the portable telephone network, and

the transmitter transmits the portable telephone network.

15. A program making a computer controlling an information terminal execute the steps of:

transmitting a request signal requiring a communication parameter to obtain service through a computer network to a server;

receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the request signal; and

setting the received communication parameter to communication software to be executed to obtain the service through the computer network.

16. A program making a computer controlling an information terminal execute the steps of:

transmitting a software identification information specifying communication software to be executed to obtain service through a computer network and a request signal requiring a communication parameter to be set to the communication software to a server;

receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the software identification information and the request signal; and

setting the received communication parameter to the communication software.

17. A program making a computer controlling an information terminal execute the steps of:

transmitting a user identification information specifying a user which are to obtain service through a computer network and a request signal requiring a communication parameter to be set to communication software to obtain the service to a server;

receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the user identification information and the request signal; and

setting the received communication parameter to the communication software.

18. A program making a computer execute the steps of:

receiving from an information terminal a request signal requiring a communication parameter for the information terminal to obtain service through a computer network; and

transmitting the communication parameter to the information terminal in response to the request signal.

19. A program making a computer execute the steps of:

receiving from an information terminal software identification information specifying communication software to be executed by the information terminal to obtain service through a computer network and a request signal requiring a communication parameter to be set to the communication software;

extracting a communication parameter corresponding to the received software identification information among communication parameters stored in a memory so as to be associated with software identification information; and

transmitting the extracted communication parameter to the information terminal.

20. A program making a computer execute the steps of:

receiving from an information terminal a request signal requiring a communication parameter for the information terminal to obtain service through a computer network and user identification information specifying a user of the information terminal;

extracting a communication parameter corresponding to the received user identification information among communication parameters stored in a memory so as to be associated with user identification information; and

transmitting the extracted communication parameter to the information terminal.

21. A computer readable recording medium storing a program making a computer controlling an information terminal execute the steps of:

transmitting a request signal requiring a communication parameter to obtain service through a computer network to a server;

receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the request signal; and

setting the received communication parameter to communication software to be executed to obtain the service through the computer network.

22. A computer readable recording medium storing a program making a computer controlling an information terminal execute the steps of:

transmitting a software identification information specifying communication software to be executed to obtain service through a computer network and a request signal requiring a communication parameter to be set to the communication software to a server;

receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the software identification information and the request signal; and

setting the received communication parameter to the communication software.

23. A computer readable recording medium storing a program making a computer controlling an information terminal execute the steps of:

transmitting a user identification information specifying a user which are to obtain service through a computer network and a request signal requiring a communication parameter to be set to communication software to obtain the service to a server;

receiving the communication parameter transmitted from the server in response to the user identification information and the request signal; and

setting the received communication parameter to the communication software.

24. A computer readable recording medium storing a program making a computer execute the steps of:

receiving from an information terminal a request signal requiring a communication parameter for the information terminal to obtain service through a computer network; and

transmitting the communication parameter to the information terminal in response to the request signal.

25. A computer readable recording medium storing a program making a computer execute the steps of:

receiving from an information terminal software identification information specifying communication software to be executed by the information terminal to obtain service through a computer network and a request signal requiring a communication parameter to be set to the communication software;

extracting a communication parameter corresponding to the received software identification information among communication parameters stored in a memory so as to be associated with software identification information; and

transmitting the extracted communication parameter to the information terminal.

26. A computer readable recording medium storing a program making a computer controlling execute the steps of:

receiving from an information terminal a request signal requiring a communication parameter for the information terminal to obtain service through a computer network and user identification information specifying a user of the information terminal;

extracting a communication parameter corresponding to the received user identification information among communication parameters stored in a memory so as to be associated with user identification information; and

transmitting the extracted communication parameter to the information terminal.