Telecommunications system

• US 20040106416A9
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aden W. Dervan, Stuart G. Davis, Wayne David Michaels
• Original Assignee: British Technology Group Inter-Corporate Licensing Limited (Invesco Limited)
• Inventors: Timson, Anthony Richard, Dervan, Aden William, Michaels, Wayne David
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/357 Cards having a plurality of specified features
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

In a telecommunications system such as a global mobile telephone network in which each subscriber unit includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM card), each SIM card has fixed memory locations, to which data can be addressed over the air. Some of the locations can not be overwritten from the subscriber unit but can be accessed therefrom on the entry of short simple codes, each associated with one of the locations. Further fixed memory locations can be read over the air only when the subscriber enters a personal identification number. Locking control files are used to control read/write access to the locations respectively.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system comprising:

at least one host station and

a plurality of subscriber units,

said at least one host station being operable to transmit messages to said subscriber units,

each said subscriber unit having a multiplicity of memory locations and means responsive to the detection of a message to store said message in a selected one of said memory locations, which can be accessed from said subscriber unit when required,

said memory locations being provided in an integrated circuit module which is removably connected to said subscriber unit,

said at least one host station being adapted to transmit a message coded in a specific format distinguished from other message formats used in the system, said message coded in said specific format comprising a read command, and

said module having means for distinguishing a message coded in said specific format from said other message formats, means for decoding and storing a message coded in said specific format in a selected said memory location, reading means operable in response to a decoded message to instigate an action to be taken by the associated said subscriber unit, said action including the transmission of information requested by said read command.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said module includes means adapted to transmit said requested information, in a message coded in said specific format, to said associated subscriber unit.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said associated subscriber unit comprises means arranged to receive said message from said module and to present said information from said message to a user of said subscriber unit or to transmit said message to said at least one host station.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one host station is adapted to transmit a further message coded in said specific format, said further message comprising information to be stored in said module and/or an instruction to execute a program stored in said module, and said module includes means for distinguishing between said messages comprising information to be stored, a request for information and an instruction.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message coded in said specific format transmitted from said at least one host station comprises a request for information stored in a secure memory location of said module, and said module is responsive to a personal identification signal entered in said subscriber unit by a user to render said secure location accessible to said request transmitted from said at least one host station.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message coded in said specific format is coded in a secure format.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said secure format is in the form of an Embedded Command Stream which comprises a data stream headed by a command.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one host station is adapted to transmit a message coded in said secure format which is headed by a write command, and said module is responsive to said write command to store the accompanying message in a selected said memory location as specified by said write command.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said module is responsive to said read command to read information from a selected said memory location as specified by said read command.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said information is read from successive said memory locations, is stored, coded in said specific format and, thereafter, transmitted from said module.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said module includes locking control means for selectively protecting said memory locations from reading and/or overwriting by said subscriber unit or said at least one host station.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one host station is adapted to transmit a further message including an attribute command and said locking control means of said module is responsive to said attribute command to lock or unlock said memory locations thereof as selectively to provide read and/or write protection.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one host station is operable to transmit said message coded in said specific format so as to overwrite an earlier message stored in said memory location(s) at at least one said subscriber unit.

14. A module for controlling a subscriber unit in a telecommunications system comprising at least one host station, said module being removably connectable to a transceiver of said subscriber unit and comprising:

a multiplicity of memory locations,

means responsive to the detection of a message transmitted from said at least one host station to store said message in a selected one of said memory locations,

means for distinguishing a message coded in a specific format from other message formats used in said system, said message coded in said specific format comprising a read command,

means for decoding and storing a message coded in said specific format in a selected said memory location, and

reading means operable in response to a decoded message to instigate an action to be taken by said subscriber unit, said action including the transmission of information requested by said read command.

15. A module as claimed in claim 14, including means adapted to transmit said requested information in a message coded in said specific format to said subscriber unit.

16. A module as claimed in claim 14, including means for distinguishing between, in messages coded in said specific format, a message comprising information to be stored, a request for information stored in said module and/or an instruction to execute a program stored in said module.

17. A module as claimed in claim 16, including means responsive to a personal identification signal entered in said subscriber unit by a subscriber to render a secure memory location of said module accessible to said request for information transmitted from said at least one host station.

18. A module as claimed in claim 16, including means responsive to said instruction for executing a program stored in the module.

19. A module as claimed in claim 14, including locking control means for selectively protecting said memory locations from reading and/or overwriting by said subscriber unit or said at least one host station.

20. A module as claimed in claim 14, wherein each said memory location is associated with a simple, short code and includes means responsive to the entry of the relevant said short code to retrieve data from said memory location.

21. A module as claimed in claim 14, including a directory structure within which files can be stored.

22. A module as claimed in claim 14, wherein said module is in the form of an integrated circuit card.

23. A method of operating a telecommunications system in which at least one host station is operable to transmit messages to a plurality of subscriber units, comprising the steps of:

providing a multiplicity of memory locations in each said subscriber unit said memory locations being disposed in an integrated circuit module removably connected to said subscriber unit,

transmitting from said at least one host station to at least one of said subscriber units a message coded in a specific format distinguished from other message formats used in said system, said message comprising a read command,

receiving said message at said at least one subscriber unit and rewriting said message to said integrated circuit module thereof,

causing said integrated circuit module to distinguish said message coded in said specific format from said other message formats,

routing said message coded in said specific format to decoding means,

decoding said message coded in said specific format to produce a decoded message,

storing said decoded message in a selected said memory location,

reading said decoded message and, in response thereto, instigating an action to be taken by said at least one subscriber unit, said action including the transmission of information requested by said read command.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, including the step of transmitting said requested information as a message coded in said specific format to said at least one subscriber unit.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, including the step of receiving said message and presenting said information from said message to a user of said at least one subscriber unit or transmitting said message to said at least one host station.

26. A method as claimed in claim 23, including the steps of transmitting a further message from said at least one host station to said at least one subscriber unit coded in said specific format and comprising information to be stored in said integrated circuit module and/or instructions to execute a program stored in said module, and distinguishing between said messages comprising information to be stored, a request for information and an instruction.

27. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said message coded in said specific format is coded in a secure format.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said secure format is in the form of an embedded command stream which comprises a data stream headed by a command.

29. A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said reading step comprises detecting when said decoded message comprises an attribute command identifying at least one of said memory locations which is to be locked or unlocked so as to render said at least one memory location accessible or inaccessible to said at least one host station or said subscriber unit, and locking or unlocking said identified at least one memory location, thereby to control access to said at least one memory location from said at least one host station or said subscriber unit.