Communication apparatus

• US 20030050053A1
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Wan, Ishikura, Akira
• Application Number:
  US10/223,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050053A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

The retrieval unit 1101 retrieves service information including a type of a cellular phone, ESN and a software version from the memory 109. The retrieval unit 1101 converts the service information into formatted data to be transmitted by Short Message Service (SMS). Then the retrieval unit 1101 transmits the converted data to a communication party.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store service information for servicing of the communication apparatus;

a retrieval unit configured to retrieve service information from the memory and convert the retrieved service information into data to be transmitted and transmit the converted data to a recipient.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service information includes information that identifies the communication apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the service information includes information that generally identifies the communication apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the service information includes information that identifies a type of the communication apparatus.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the service information includes a manufacturer'"'"'s model number for the communication apparatus.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the service information includes information that uniquely identifies the communication apparatus.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the service information is an Electrical Serial Number.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the service information is a manufacturer'"'"'s serial number for the communication apparatus.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service information includes information relating to software that may be employed by the communication apparatus.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the service information includes information relating to software with which the communication apparatus can communicate.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the service information includes information relating to software resident in the communication apparatus.

12. The communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the service information includes information relating to a version of software resident in the communication apparatus.

13. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the service information is stored in the memory when the communication apparatus is manufactured.

14. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the service information is stored in the memory by a user of the communication apparatus.

15. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retrieval unit informs a recipient of the retrieved service information in response to a command from another party.

16. The communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the another party is a second communication apparatus or a service provider that provides communication service for the first communication apparatus.

17. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recipient is another party.

18. The communication apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the retrieval unit transmits the service information to the another party by Short message Service.

19. A service center, comprising;

a transmitter configured to transmit a command to retrieve service information for servicing of a communication apparatus to the communication apparatus; and

a receiver configured to receive service information from the communication apparatus.

20. The service center according to claim 19, wherein the transmitter transmits the command as a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency signal.

21. The service center according to claim 19, wherein the receiver receives the service information by Short Message Service.