Apparatus, and associated method, for providing an operation parameter to a mobile station of a radio communication station

• US 20030022662A1
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mittal, Gaurav
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for downloading an operational parameter to a mobile station. The operational parameter is stored at a server operated by an operator of a communication system in which the mobile station is operable. When the parameter is to be downloaded to the mobile station, the server instructs a SMS, or other data message, service center to generate a data message to be delivered to the mobile station, instructing the mobile station to initiate a data call connection with the server. When a data call connection is formed, the operational parameter is downloaded to the mobile station, thereafter to be used by the mobile station in subsequent communication operations in the communication system.

Claims

1. In a radio communication system having a network part that at least communicates data messages generated at a data message service center to a mobile station operable in the radio communication system, the mobile station operable pursuant to at least a first operational parameter, an improvement of network-part apparatus for facilitating downloading of a value defining the at least the first operational parameter pursuant to which the mobile station is operable, said apparatus comprising:

a download-operational-parameter initiation signal generator coupled to receive an indication of a request to download the value defining the at least one operational parameter to the mobile station, said download-operational-parameter initiation signal generator for generating an initiation signal directed to the data message service center to initiate downloading of the value defining the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station; and

a download-parameter request signal generator positioned at the data message service center, said download-parameter request signal generator for generating a data-message request for communication to the mobile station, the data-message request requesting initiation of the downloading.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio communication system provides for SMS (Short Message Service) message communication, wherein the data message service center comprises an SMS service center, and wherein said download-parameter request signal generator is positioned at the SMS service center.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the data-message request generated by said download-parameter request signal generator comprises an SMS message for communication to the mobile station.

4. In the radio communication system of claim 1, a further improvement of mobile-station apparatus for facilitating the downloading of the value defining the at least the first operational parameter pursuant to which the mobile station is operable, said mobile-station apparatus comprising:

a data message request detector coupled to receive indications of the data message request generated by said download-parameter request signal generator, said data message request detector for detecting the data message request requesting the initiating of the downloading.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the radio communication system is operated by a system operator having a node-device coupled to the network part, wherein the data message request is of values identifying the node-device and wherein said mobile-station further comprises:

a data call initiator coupled to said data message request detector, said data call initiator operable responsive to detection by said data message request detector of the data message request to initiate a data connection between the mobile station and the node-device coupled to the network part and identified in the data message request.

6. In the radio communication system of claim 5, a further improvement of node-device apparatus for facilitating the downloading of the value defining the at least the first operational parameter pursuant to which the mobile station is operable, said node-device apparatus comprising:

a data call connector operable responsive to initiation by said data call connection initiator of the data call connection, said data call connector for completing the data call connection between the node-device and the mobile station.

7. The node-device apparatus of claim 6 further comprising an operational parameter value provider coupled to said data call connector, said operational parameter value provider for providing the value of the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station subsequent to completion of the data call between the node-device and the mobile station.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said data call initiator further comprises a data call status reporter operable at least responsive to successful downloading of the value of the at least the first operational parameter provided to the mobile station by said operational parameter value provider to report the successful downloading of the value to the mobile station.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said data call status reporter further determines whether the downloading of the value of the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station is successful.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said data call connector further terminates the data call connection subsequent to the report made by said data call status reporter.

11. The node-device apparatus of claim 6 wherein said data call connector further authenticates the mobiles station prior to completion of the data call between the node-device and the mobile station.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the network part of the radio communication system comprises a radio access network and a packet data network coupled thereto, wherein the node-device comprises a server device coupled to the packet data network and wherein said data call connector comprises a functional entity at the server device.

13. In a method for communicating in a radio communication system having a network part which at least communicates data messages generated at a data message service center to a mobile station operable in the radio communication system, the mobile station operable pursuant to at least a first operational parameter, an improvement of a method for facilitating downloading of a value defining the at least the first operational parameter pursuant to which the mobile station is operable, said method comprising:

generating an initiation directed to the data message service center to initiate downloading of the value defining the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station; and

generating, at the data message service center, a data-message request for communication to the mobile station, the data-message request requesting initiation of the downloading of the value defining the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the radio communication system provides for SMS (Short Message Service) message communication;

wherein the data message service center comprises an SMS service center, and wherein the data-message request generated during said operation of generating the data-message request comprises an SMS message.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the operation of:

sending the data-message request to the mobile station; and

detecting the data-message request, once received at the mobile station.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the operation, responsive to detection of the data-message request during said operation of detecting, of initiating a data call connection between the mobile station and the node-device coupled to the network part.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the operation, responsive to said operation of initiating the data connection, of completing the data call connection between the node-device and the mobile station.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the operation, subsequent to said operation of completing the data call connection, of providing the value of the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the operation of determining whether the downloading of the value of the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station is successful.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the operation of terminating the data call connection subsequent to determination made during said operation of determining of successful downloading of the value of the at least the first operational parameter to the mobile station.